The Middle – “The Trip”
Guess what. The Heck family has yet another set of hectic problems in store. Sue, who has been selling cheese and sausage all over the state to go on a school trip to Indianapolis, finally has to stand up for herself when her name isn’t on the school field trip list, and Brick has his first girlfriend, Olivia, who is extremely demanding. After watching her mother say, “Eh, it’s not worth the fight,” over the years, Sue figures it’s no use to try and go on the trip to the capital, but Frankie is determined to get her to Indianapolis. The men of the house, on the other hand, spend their time trying to figure out how Brick can get rid of his new girlfriend.
Many of the jokes this week feel forced and the acting feels a tad over the top. For instance, I think Patricia Heaton’s portrayal of Frankie seems too much like a “psycho-mom,” and Sue’s over-excitement for the school trip feels insincere. However, the flashbacks showing how Sue is never noticed in school are hysterical. The best portions of this week’s episode are with Brick, Axl, and Mike as they discuss how Brick can break-off his relationship and about women in general.
So far, The Middle hasn’t had its break-out episode, but none of the episodes are ever bad. If this season continues the way it is, I’ll still keep coming back, but I don’t think it would be able to become a favorite of mine.
Grade: B-
Modern Family – “Coal Digger”
There’s a family barbeque at the Pritchett household (that would be Jay, Gloria, and Manny’s house) and a conflict between Claire and Gloria is brought out, surprisingly, by their two children, Luke and Manny. Luke and Manny had been fighting at school, and after they had patched things up, they told the family why they were making fun of each other. After a few harmless insults were brought up, Luke then reveals that he made fun of Manny because his mom used to “dig coal.” When Alex asks what a “coal digger” is, Phil quickly and hilariously points out that “You heard it wrong, sweetie, it’s gold digger.” Tensions between Claire and Gloria were already high as it is, and this turns the night into a whole new level of uncomfortable. While this part of the story is funny all by itself, a couple of small scenes with Jay, Cameron, and Mitchell watching football made me die with laughter.
A lot of the humor in this episode is reminiscent of The Office, in that it’s mainly about the uncomfortable and awkward moments, such as Gloria being called a gold digger in front of the family, or Claire walking into Gloria’s room and seeing Phil covered in Gloria’s underwear. Plus, the moments with Jay, Mitch, and Cam are absolutely fantastic. Since Claire referred to Gloria as a gold digger, Jay is suddenly self-conscious about his looks, so he asks for the opinion of his gay son and his boyfriend. Cameron eagerly replies, “You’re totally my type. You’re dangerous. You’re gettable. You have a little cashola in your pocket.” It’s such a classic moment.
It seems like every element of Modern Family clicks perfectly. The storylines are intriguing, the acting is believable, the style is unique, and the writing is hilarious. If you haven’t started watching this show, please, I’m begging you, go straight to Hulu or ABC and watch it now.
Grade: A-
Jordan is a high school student and aspiring journalist. He loves playing/watching and writing about video games, television, and movies. 
