While waiting in line at the power company to pay a late bill and dressed in her lab coat for her new dental assisting job, people mistake Frankie for a doctor and let her cut in front of them so that she can finish her business quickly and get back to saving lives. But when one of those people shows up at Dr. Goodwin's office for a dental checkup, Frankie tries to keep up the charade, which leaves her new employer completely perplexed. Meanwhile, Axl discovers that Sue has a perfect attendance record at school and convinces her to ditch a day to live life on the edge; Dr. Fulton tries to find out why Brick is so opposed to going to middle school; and Mike and Axl's fishing trip takes a turn for the worse when a distraction causes Mike to crash the boat he's towing, wedging it into a ditch.
Who are our modern day heroes? Politicians? Movie Stars? Athletes? Maybe... But what about the heroes of everyday life? Some of us think parents are heroes, and mothers are often super heroes. Meet Frankie Heck loving wife, mother of three and a car salesman at Jasper, Indiana's number one used car dealership. Frankie is middle class in the middle of the country and approaching middle age. Her super powers? Getting her kids out the door in one piece every morning! Jasper, Indiana is Frankie Heck's hometown a town nestled in between two factories. And depending on which way the wind blows, one day it will smell like snack cakes or another day, tires.
Frankie is trying to sell her first car at the local dealership while her husband, Mike, is a manager at the town quarry. Their oldest son, Elvis, just lost his best friend in an accident and is going through a bit of an identity crisis. Their daughter, Sue, is what you would call extraordinarily ordinary. However, this is not the case with their seven-year-old, Brick, who is different from other kids his age. Brick's best friend is his backpack.
The Middle gives you its take on life in the part of the country we don't often see. It may not be glamorous or showy, but it's a place where family comes first, and you do whatever it takes to keep your family together.