Frankie and Mike try to be pre-emptive and explain Brick's eccentricities to his new teacher, but they end up getting accused by her of being over protective. Meanwhile, Frankie, who is tired of trying to wake Axl up every morning, gives him an alarm clock, and Sue shows her support for the cross country team.

Frankie's dream of dressing up and walking Axl onto the football field with Mike at homecoming will finally come true as Axl makes the varsity football team; however, Sue's first cross country meet is the same day, and she and Mike need to decide where they should go. Meanwhile, Mike makes Brick rake the leaves in the yard.

While buying diapers for Sue, who is baby-sitting, Frankie gets humiliated when the sales clerk assumes she's shopping for adult diapers. At home, Frankie pressures Mike into getting a physical because she believes men fall apart faster than women; however, when Mike receives a clean bill of health from the doctor, Frankie proceeds to throw her back out and hide it from Mike.

Mike makes Axl work with him at the quarry when he is suspended from school. Meanwhile, Frankie blames herself when Sue's school cuts the cross country team, and Brick makes the remote 'disappear' when practicing a magic trick.

Against the family's wishes, Frankie invites a Japanese foreign exchange student to live with them, in the hopes of exposing him to American life; however, the Hecks get frustrated when he shows no interest in them or America.

Frankie tries to convince Mike to dress in a costume for an adult neighborhood Halloween party. Meanwhile, Reverend TimTom is back in town and is hosting a Halloween party at the church, which helps to lift Sue's spirits, Axl and his friends go to a exclusive haunted house, and Brick chooses a unique Halloween costume.

On his ninth birthday, Brick demands Frankie and Mike tell him the true story about the day he was born, something that has been a Heck family secret. Axl is confused by his new manager at the movie theater who's both hot and dumb.

Brick is fed up with having to go with Frankie while she runs her weekend errands and tries to convince her to let him stay home alone. Meanwhile, Mike overhears Sue's friend dissing her and can't figure out how to tell Sue, and Axl tries to grow a beard for the football playoffs like his fellow teammates and this produces mixed results.

Frankie convinces Mike to invite his brother and father over for Thanksgiving dinner. Meanwhile, Sue tries to create her own holiday tradition.

The Hecks count down the 12 days of Christmas with Frankie's parents, Pat and Tag, when they come to town to spend the holiday with the family - much to Mike's dismay. But when Frankie decides that she wants to take the focus off of the gifts and make it a simple Christmas, Pat and Tag have other ideas.

After years of being at their kids' beck-and-call and never having time for themselves, Frankie and Mike decide to take charge of their lives and regain control over the Heck household. But Axl, Sue and Brick don't plan on going down without a fight.

Frankie unknowingly pays 0 for eye cream, which angers Mike. For a school health class, Axl needs to take care of a mechanical infant doll, while Sue and Brick try to repair a hole in the wall.

With the Super Bowl upcoming, Brick studies the rules of football, while Mr. Ehlert asks Frankie to go with him to a managerial seminar.

Axl asks Frankie to help him pick out a gift for his new girlfriend. Meanwhile, Sue tries to track down the guy she kissed during a hayride on Halloween, and Mike embarrasses Brick by revealing that he has a crush on fellow student Autumn.

Frankie attempts to find a friend for Brick. Meanwhile, Sue and Carly sneak into an R-rated movie, and Axl's band covertly films their biology teacher to use in their music video.

The Heck family goes on a trip to New York City, but everything goes wrong in the process.

After Brick receives a D on a math test, Frankie questions Mrs. Rinsky's teaching abilities, which prompts her to invite Frankie and Mike to sit in on class. Meanwhile, Axl and Sue help Aunt Edie find a time capsule that she buried years earlier.

While the Hecks spend spring break trying to clean their house, Brick opens a stand where he shares his advice for commission.

Max punishes Axl by forbidding him from playing in the last basketball game of the season. Meanwhile, Brick begins wearing his cousins hand-me-downs, and Sue wins a trophy.

Frankie gets swept up in the excitement of the upcoming royal wedding. Meanwhile, Mike has to make a few layoffs at the quarry, and Brick helps Sue with her audition for the school news team.

As a Mother's Day gift, Mike and the kids try to give Frankie a day all to herself, with mixed results.

When Axl accidentally asks the wrong girl to the prom, he decides the best way to remedy the situation is by standing her up. Meanwhile, Brick recites monologues to Mike and Frankie, while Sue tries her best to fit in with the school's "B" crowd.

Frankie and Mike force Brick to confront his fear of crossing bridges, while Axl competes with a fellow classmate for a job.

All three of the Heck children face difficulties with school before summer vacation: Axl must rush to complete his community service requirement, Brick risks being held back if he does not complete a daily journal, and Sue must prove that she had perfect attendance.