Episode Guide

Season 1
"Pilot" - Meet the Hecks,an ordinary family struggling to survive each other and life in Middle America. Patricia Heaton stars as a working mother whose family life is one big happy mess. "The Cheerleader" - Facing financial disaster, Frankie tries to save her job; Sue fails swim team tryouts, then learns she needs glasses; and Brick starts reading his mother's steamy romance novels. "The Floating Anniversary" - Frankie and Mike's romantic plans for their anniversary are thwarted by a sick Brick, a lovesick Sue, a learner's permit-toting Axl, two crazy aunts, and their diaper-wearing dog. "The Trip" - Frankie urges Sue to fight for her right to attend a class trip after making the grade by selling thousands of dollars worth of sausage and cheese; Brick gets his first girlfriend. "The Block Party" - After Brick's teachers tell his parents that he's "socially challenged," Mike tries to help Brick make friends; while Frankie needs her son's coveted football jersey. "The Front Door" - Mike insists that only Axl fix the front door after he knocks it down; Frankie must sell a car within a week; and it's school picture time for a photographically challenged Sue. "The Scratch" - Frankie must create the illusion of a picture-perfect family when an accident causing a small scratch on Brick leads a social worker to visit the Heck household. "Thanksgiving" - Frankie's dream of the perfect Thanksgiving turns into a nightmare when Mr. Ehlert forces the staff to work on the holiday and Axl loses Brick in a corn maze. "Siblings" - Frankie vows to make her kids stop fighting with each other and interact as a loving family, while Mike contemplates firing Aunt Edie after she makes a costly mistake. "Christmas" - Rehearsing for the church's midnight mass, Frankie becomes jealous when it seems that Mike is doing a better job at organizing the Heck family Christmas than she would have done. "The Jeans" - Frankie buys a hormonally challenged Sue an expensive pair of jeans so she can fit in with her peers and Mike helps Axl get a car to impress a girl. "The Neighbor" - Frankie must decide whether to confront her trashy neighbor and nemesis, Rita Glossner (guest star Brooke Shields), after a fight between Sue and Rita's sons erupts. "The Interview" - Mike finds himself out of work and lacking the technological skills needed in the 21st century to search for a job. With Frankie's help, Brick runs for school historian. "The Yelling" - Frankie promises to stop yelling at the kids if they agree to follow through on their schoolwork and chores. And, a reluctant Mike takes a job with Bob. "Valentine's Day" - Valentine's Day unexpectedly finds Frankie and Mike home alone and ready for a romantic evening. But, their best-laid plans soon begin to unravel. "The Bee" - Frankie and Mike focus on taking the family on a road trip to Chicago for Brick's regional spelling bee, but are horrified to realize that the forgot about Sue's birthday. "The Break Up" - Frankie & Mike must console a broken-hearted Axl after his girlfriend (Alexa Vega) breaks up with him; and Sue and Brick are on the lookout for zombies after watching a scary movie. "The Fun House" - Frankie's job may be on the line when a hardcore motivational consultant (Amy Sedaris) is hired to whip the sales staff into shape, leaving Mike to deal with issues at home. "The Final Four" - Frankie forces Mike to choose which life event is most important to him: going to her uncle's funeral or going to the big Final Four game. "TV or Not TV" - While the kids move on to other things, Frankie and Mike are the ones who can't seem to adapt without TV after they cut out the expense of cable when their power is turned off. "Worry Duty" - Frankie is worried that Axl's going to get his heart crushed again when his on-again/off-again girlfriend, Morgan (guest star Alexa Vega), re-enters his life. "Mother's Day" - Frankie escapes the chaos of Mother's Day at home to visit her mom (guest star Marsha Mason), and ends up causing some chaos of her own. "Signals" - At the spring Heck family BBQ, Mike decides that he and Brick need to try and become more social when Frankie points out that Mike's social ineptness was passed on to Brick. "Average Rules" - Frankie and Mike discover that the school librarian (Bety White) is determined to prevent Brick from advancing into the third grade because of some overdue library books. Season 2
"Back to School" - On the season premiere, Frankie gets accused of being an over-protective mother when she tries to explain Brick's eccentricities to his new third grade teacher (Doris Roberts).
"Homecoming" - Frankie and Mike must choose who is going to proudly walk Axl onto the field at Homecoming or wait for Sue to stagger over the finish line at her first cross-country meet. "The Diaper Incident" - Frankie is humiliated when a store clerk mistakenly assumes that she's shopping for adult diapers when she's actually looking for baby diapers for Sue's babysitting job. "The Quarry" - When Axl is suspended from school, Mike forces him to go to work at the quarry to teach him a lesson. And, Frankie blames herself when Sue's cross-country team is cut by the school. "Foreign Exchange" - Frankie convinces Mike and the kids that the Heck family should host a foreign exchange student from Japan to expose him to life in an average American family. "Halloween" - Frankie wants Mike to wear a costume to the neighborhood Halloween party and Sue's spirits are lifted when Reverend TimTom (Paul Hipp) returns to host a Halloween church event. "A Birthday Story" - For his birthday present, Brick demands that Frankie and Mike tell him the true story about the day he was born, which has always remained a Heck family secret. "Errand Boy" - Brick wants his independence from being Frankie's weekend errand boy and pleads with her to let him stay home alone. Axl tries to grow a beard with mixed results. "Thanksgiving II" - Frankie wants the macho Heck men to share their feelings with each other when Mike's father and brother (Norm MacDonald) join the family for their annual Thanksgiving feast! "A Simple Christmas" - Frankie's plans to have a simple holiday are threatened when her parents (guest stars Marsha Mason & Jerry Van Dyke) come to town to spend the 12 days of Christmas with the family. "Taking Back the House" - Frankie and Mike decide it's time to regain control over their lives and the Heck household after years of being at their kids' beck and call. "The Big Chill" - Frankie mistakenly pays $200 for a small bottle of eye cream that she thought was priced at $20 and incurs the wrath of Mike. And, Axl's fathering skills are put to the test. "Super Sunday" - Mike forms a bond with Brick when he studies up on football in time for the Big Game; Frankie thinks her career's looking up when Mr. Ehlert chooses her for a management seminar. "Valentine's Day II" - As Valentine's Day approaches, Frankie is elated when Axl asks for her help in impressing his mysterious new girlfriend; and Sue searches for the boy who kissed her at Halloween. "Friends, Lies and Videotapes" - Frankie's determined to find Brick his first friend; Sue's caught sneaking into an R-rated movie; and Axl and his friends covertly shoot footage of their hot biology teacher. "Hecks on a Plane" - After Sue wins a family trip to New York, Murphy's Law goes into full effect and it's anything but a smooth flight when the Hecks board a plane and fly to the Big Apple. "The Math Class" - Frankie tries to make the grade when she and Mike must defend Brick and head back to the classroom to test their own skills against Brick's teacher (Doris Roberts). "Spring Cleaning" - The Hecks attempt to spring clean 20 years of junk accumulated throughout the house, but end up digging up things that were best left forgotten and buried. "The Legacy" - After repeatedly warning Axl to clean up his mess, Mike punishes his son by forbidding him from playing on the final school basketball game of the season. "Royal Wedding" - Frankie's obsession over the upcoming British Royal Wedding turns into an obsession as she begins preparations to enjoy the festivities. "Mother's Day II" - Mother's Day for Frankie turns out to be anything but serene when Mike and the kids present Frankie with the perfect Mother's Day gift, a day to herself. "The Prom" - As prom quickly approaches, Axl text-invites the wrong girl and wants to weasel out, but Frankie and Mike force him to do the right thing. "The Bridge" - Frankie and Mike attempt to cure Brick of his irrational fear of crossing over bridges. Axl vies for a lifeguard job at the local pool & Sue searches for a new bathing suit. "Back to Summer!" - Brick has three days to complete a daunting school assignment he has neglected for the entire year or he risks not being moved up to the fourth grade. Season 3
"Forced Family Fun - Part 1" - On the season premiere, Frankie and Mike take the family on a camping trip and revisit memories of their campsite honeymoon ruined by one of Mike's friends (guest star Ray Romano).
"Forced Family Fun - Part 2" - On the season premiere, Frankie and Mike take the family on a camping trip and revisit memories of their campsite honeymoon ruined by one of Mike's friends (guest star Ray Romano). "Hecking Order" - Axl plays a trick on Sue that gets her into trouble in school, while Mike meets with Brick's new fourth grade teacher (Chord Overstreet) to find out why he's allowed to skip gym. "Major Changes" - Frankie demands major changes be made to every aspect of the Heck household and then flees to her mother's house after she is humiliated by a family member's actions. "The Test" - Frankie forces Axl to think about his future when she learns that he hasn't studied for the school PSATs; and a hopeful Sue tries out for cheerleading. "Bad Choices" - Frankie and Mike consider leaving home ownership behind and moving the family to an apartment when the Heck home begins to literally fall apart. "Halloween II" - After a costume party fiasco, Sue desperately wants to be noticed by the guys and asks Mike for his advice. Frankie takes Brick's social skills group trick or treating. "Heck's Best Thing" - Convinced that their slacker son, Axl, will blow his interview with a football scout that might gain him a college scholarship, Frankie and Mike become far too controlling. "The Play" - Frankie's conflicted when both she and Sue land roles in a community theatre production, but the director wants to keep Frankie and cut Sue; Norm MacDonald stars as Uncle Rusty. "Thanksgiving III" - The Hecks spend a not-so-relaxing Thanksgiving at Frankie's parents' house and sibling rivalry arises when Frankie and her sister don't see eye-to-eye on parenting techniques. "A Christmas Gift" - Against Mike's wishes, Frankie decides to throw a Christmas Eve party at their house. And, Sue calls on Reverend TimTom to explain the meaning of Christmas to a questioning Brick. "Year of the Hecks" - Frankie decides that each Heck family member will be assigned a New Year's resolution anonymously after realizing that no one follows through on their yearly promises. "The Map" - Frankie vows to celebrate all of the family's important life milestones after attending Aunt Ginny's funeral; Axl accidentally eats Brick's Indiana dough school map project. "Hecking It Up" - Frankie is anything but thrilled when she learns what her volunteer assignment will be at the Indiana-hosted Big Game; and the Hecks take advantage of the Donahues' new car. "Valentine's Day III" - Frankie and Mike go out for dinner with friends on Valentine's Day, but a clueless Mike angers Frankie by refusing to present her with a simple romantic gesture. "The Concert" - Frankie makes it her mission to get an overly excited Sue tickets to a Justin Bieber concert, while Mike coaches Brick to be competitive in the school's upcoming spelling bee. "The Sit Down" - Axl, Sue, and Brick call a sit down meeting with Frankie and Mike and ask to be given the chance to do what they're supposed to do without being harassed by their parents. "Leap Year" - Sue yearns to celebrate her leap year birthday in a big way, but given Frankie & Mike's track record with celebrations, she might need to lower her expectations. "The Paper Route" - Brick takes a job as a newspaper delivery boy from a veteran newsman (Edward Asner), while Sue convinces herself that a long-distance relationship with Matt will work. "Get Your Business Done" - A church sermon inspires the Heck family to live life to its fullest without regrets and while Mike and the kids put this into action, Frankie struggles to find her own mission. "The Guidance Counselor" - Sue finds a kindred spirit in her awkward school guidance counselor, Jane Marsh (guest star Whoopi Goldberg), who inspires her to reinvent herself as Suki. "The Clover" - Bad luck follows Brick after he finds a cursed four-leaf clover and Axl is horrified when his friend, Darrin (guest star John Gammon), asks Sue to the prom. "The Telling" - It seems like Frankie truly has eyes in the back of her head when she busts both Sue and Axl for making some bad choices, but it turns out that she's using Brick as her snitch. "The Wedding" - On the season finale, Frankie & Mike are stunned to discover that Mike's brother has chosen the Heck house as the site of his fast-approaching wedding without asking permission. Season 4
"Last Whiff of Summer Part 1" - On the season premiere, the Heck's summer includes Axl in summer school, Brick growing a giant tomato, Sue bonding with Mike, and Mike choosing his favorite child!
"Last Whiff of Summer Part 2" - On the season premiere, the Heck's summer includes Axl in summer school, Brick growing a giant tomato, Sue bonding with Mike, and Mike choosing his favorite child! "The Second Act" - Frankie decides to take control of her career path when she is fired from Ehlert Motors by going to Technical School. And, Sue becomes a high school mentor to a new freshman. "Bunny Therapy" - Brick is given a bunny to help him overcome his quirky new tic that begins to overshadow his whispering, but the ill-tempered animal teaches the Hecks the true meaning of evil. "The Hose" - Rita Glossner (Brooke Shields) promises to make Frankie's life miserable when she accuses her of stealing her hose; and Sue is shocked when she takes a peek at Mike's paycheck. "Halloween III: The Driving" - Halloween scares the heck out of the Hecks when Sue tries to drive for the first time; Axl gets to vote in his first election; and Brick eats too much candy. "The Safe" - Frankie doesn't make a good impression with Mrs. Armwood (Jane Kaczmarek), her no-nonsense dental assisting school teacher, while Axl needs to get his grades up. "Thanksgiving IV" - Frankie's constantly bickering parents (Marsha Mason and Jerry Van Dyke) put a damper on the Heck's Thanksgiving, while Axl grapples with his growing feelings for his tutor. "Christmas Help" - Christmas finds a clueless Mike helping his brother Rusty (Norm MacDonald) move some stolen furniture, while Frankie takes a part-time holiday job for the employee discount. "Twenty Years" - Frankie begins to think that Mike may be bored of her as their 20th Anniversary approaches. While Sue frantically tries to throw an anniversary party, Axl pushes Brick too far. "One Kid at a Time" - Feeling guilty over not being able to spend enough quality time with each of their kids, Frankie and Mike decide to dedicate each day of a three-day weekend to Axl, Sue, and Brick. "Life Skills" - Axl is mortified when he is assigned to be Sue's partner on a "Life Skills" project at school; while Brick's school therapist (Dave Foley) attempts to teach him how to make friends. "The Friend" - Mike is shocked to discover that Frankie has set him up on an adult playdate with a new neighbor, while a determined Sue and her Wresterlettes go up against the school cheerleaders. "The Smile" - Frankie and Mike begin to worry that Axl's chances of getting a scholarship have passed him by, while Sue is determined to prove that smiling is contagious for a science project. "Valentine's Day IV" - Axl & his pals take the romance out of Valentine's Day by offering to help guys break up with their girlfriends, while Mike accidentally sends a romantic text to a quarry co-worker. "Winners and Losers" - Frankie frets when Brick informs her of his three-day school bus trip to Chicago, while Sue tries to find out if Axl's friend, Darrin (John Gammon) has actual feelings for her. "Wheel of Pain" - Frankie and Mike try to get the kids to confess to a transgression by spinning the "wheel of pain," that's filled with consequences, putting Sue's "Sue-weet 16" Party at risk. "The Name" - Frankie's sister comes to help out in the Heck household. Meanwhile, Axl meets Cassidy's parents and ex-boyfriend. And, Sue sets out to change her middle name (also Sue). "The Bachelor" - Frankie mopes around the house for days after "The Bachelor" finale and Mike tries to toughen up an overly nice Sue up when she joins the school's tennis team. "Dollar Days" - Frankie struggles to land a dental assistant position with a potential boss (Jack McBrayer), while Sue offers unsolicited advice to Darrin and Axl's band. "From Orson with Love" - Frankie tries to inflate Sue's social network by creating some imaginary friends to "like" her on Facebook, while Axl and Brick produce a James Bond viral video with animals. "Hallelujah Hoedown" - Frankie devises a plan to ensure that Mike gets her a Mother's Day gift she actually wants, while Sue seeks out Reverend TimTom (guest star Paul Hipp) for advice. "The Ditch" - Caught in a lie, Frankie tries to convince a patient that she's a full-fledged dentist, leaving her new boss, Dr. Goodwin (guest star Jack McBrayer) completely perplexed. "The Graduation" - Tension builds between Frankie and Axl as graduation nears and Brick's Vice Principal reminds him that he's responsible for a four year photo slideshow as class historian. Season 5
"The Drop Off" - Against Axl's wishes, Frankie insists on having the entire Heck family along for the ride as they drive to his college to move him into his dorm on the fifth season premiere.
"Change in the Air" - Sue feels a new sense of freedom with Axl is out of the house; Brick avoids the school bathroom; and Frankie is jealous that Axl returns Mike's calls and texts, but not her's. "The Potato" - Sue gets a job at the mall to buy herself a car; Axl begins to spend his nights at home to avoid his college roommate; and Frankie & Mike are called into Brick's principal's office. "The 100th" - In the series' 100th episode, the town of Orson celebrates its 100th Anniversary; Frankie & Mike drive a giant cow float in the parade; and Axl & his friends restart Boss Co. "Halloween IV: The Ghost Story" - As Halloween approaches, Sue holds a séance with her Wrestlerettes; Axl is hazed by the football team and not allowed to his own party; and Brick tries to ask a girl to the dance. "The Jump" - Frankie finds solace in rescuing and taking in a lost dog; Sue actually makes the volleyball team; and Axl calls on Brick for help with his college academics classes. "Thanksgiving V" - Frankie's parents, along with some uninvited guests, show up for Thanksgiving dinner, while Axl tries to find the perfect time to tell his parents some bad news. "The Kiss" - Frankie and Mike's romantic house-sitting weekend is jeopardized by the home's technical difficulties and the bratty neighborhood Glossner kids invade the Heck household. "The Christmas Tree" - Home from college, Axl would rather spend his Christmas vacation with his friends vs. his family, while Sue's allergic reaction to the Christmas tree threatens to ruin her holiday. "Sleepless in Orson" - Frankie and Mike become concerned when Brick suddenly develops a host of irrational fears. Meanwhile, Sue is both disgusted and intrigued with affection of the neighborhood bully. "War of the Hecks" - An angry Sue tries to out-prank Axl when she discovers he stole the school's mascot head. Meanwhile, Frankie's boss, Dr. Goodwin, tries to befriend her after work. "The Carpool" - When Frankie drives the school carpool, Brick and his friends fear she is ruining their chances of attending the "no tardy party." Axl hits the books to tutor a hot student. "Hungry Games" - The Hecks may lose out on an All-You-Can-Eat buffet when they find themselves being counseled by a new minister (Keegan-Michael Key) after their family squabble disrupts his sermon.