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The Cheerleader is the second episode of season one.


Summary[]

Trying to save her job, Frankie organizes a publicity stunt by filling a car with jelly beans. Meanwhile, Sue fails to make the swim team and realizes that she needs glasses. Brick starts reading his mother's romance novels when he can't check books out of the library.

Plot[]

As we’ve come to learn, Mike Heck is brutally honest. He doesn’t sugarcoat things. Ever! So it’s usually up to Frankie to pick up the pieces whenever reality hits hard. She’s like the family cheerleader.

As Frankie sorts through the daily mail, it suddenly dawns on her that it’s 2009. It seems the Heck family purchased a wide variety of household items that didn’t require payment until 2009. And like we said, it’s 2009! Frankie is optimistic, though. She feels they’ll be fine as long as the dryer holds out and she finally sells a car. Too bad the dryer dies, and Frankie is currently “minus one” in the car sales department.

The family must cut corners, which means a trip to the Frugal Hoosier, Indiana’s best “expired food” store. When it comes to the meat sold at this place, everything must go—today! But the grocery shopping is cut short when Bob calls to tell Frankie she has to come into work early for an emergency meeting.

The kids have their own issues. Sue is psyched to try out for the swim team and needs someone to take her to the pool. Brick desperately wants to check out a book from the library. Unfortunately, Frankie’s library card shows a fine of $189, and, as we know, the funds are low. So Brick is bookless for now. Axl is being punished for lying to his parents about going to church group, where he instead went to the mall, sticking his tongue down some girl’s throat. For two weeks, he must stay within five feet of a parent at all times.

At the emergency meeting, Frankie’s boss asks for ideas to help the car dealership. While shopping at the Frugal Hoosier, Frankie noticed the Ronald Reagan inaugural jellybeans were on sale. She suggests to her boss that they fill a car with jellybeans as part of a “guess how many are in there” contest. The boss likes the idea and decides not to fire Frankie until at least next week.

Mike takes all the kids to the pool. Axl is still doing the five-foot thing by sitting next to his dad, and Brick doesn’t want to go in the water because “swimming’s no fun without a book.” Sue, however, is jazzed to do her laps. Too bad her sense of direction is so lousy that she keeps hitting her head on the wall.

Sue is crushed because Mike says she should absolutely NOT try out for the swim team. Told ya he was brutally honest. But this doesn’t sit well with Frankie, who wants him to cheer her on no matter how bad she sucks at swimming. Sue discovers she needs glasses after an eye test at school. This could explain why she’s so clumsy. Of course, glasses cost money. Fortunately, the Frugal Hoosier has an optical department. Unfortunately, there are no mirrors.

At the dealership, a car is filled with jellybeans. Unfortunately, no one bothered to count them before they shut the driver’s side door. Brick saves the day by giving them a really large number that sounds like it could be true. Frankie feels her boy deserves a book after bailing her out, so she hits the library again and cons a kid into checking one out on his card. The promotion is a huge success until they open the door to discover all the jellybeans have solidified into one giant stuck-together lump. It appears Frankie is now “negative two” in auto sales.

Things go from bad to worse when Frankie shows up at the pool. New glasses don’t help Sue with her swimming. She’s lousy even with solid eyesight. She crashes into Brick, who drops that borrowed library book into the water. Then, a tornado hits. You heard us...a tornado!

Back in the Heck family basement, Frankie has a total meltdown. She can’t be the family cheerleader anymore. They can’t afford a new dryer, they can’t afford expired food, and she should never have ordered that LCD light-up angel that was supposed to be a surprise at Christmas. But then Mike looks at her and says, “Frankie, we’ll make it through.” And since Mike is always brutally honest, Frankie realizes it must be the truth. She says via voiceover, “Wow, who knew I was living with my own personal cheerleader.” Loved it.

The storm ends, and things start looking up immediately. The family steps outside to a beautiful site. Sitting on their front lawn is a brand new dryer. Yes, the tornado gave them a dryer. And when the mail comes, they discover that some stupid bank actually approved them for a new credit card. No payments till 2012!

The Middle Episodes
Season 1
PilotThe CheerleaderThe Floating AnniversaryThe TripThe Block PartyThe Front DoorThe ScratchThanksgivingSiblingsChristmasThe JeansThe NeighborThe InterviewThe YellingValentine's DayThe BeeThe Break-UpThe Fun HouseThe Final FourTV or Not TVWorry DutyMother's DaySignalsAverage Rules
Season 2
Back to SchoolHomecomingThe Diaper IncidentThe QuarryForeign ExchangeHalloweenA Birthday StoryErrand BoyThanksgiving IIA Simple ChristmasTaking Back the HouseThe Big ChillSuper SundayValentine's Day IIFriends, Lies and VideotapeHecks on a PlaneThe Math ClassSpring CleaningThe LegacyRoyal WeddingMother's Day IIThe PromThe BridgeBack to Summer
Season 3
Forced Family FunHecking OrderMajor ChangesThe TestBad ChoicesHalloween IIHeck's Best ThingThe PlayThanksgiving IIIA Christmas GiftYear of the HecksThe MapHecking It UpValentine's Day IIIThe ConcertThe Sit DownLeap YearThe Paper RouteGet Your Business DoneThe Guidance CounselorThe CloverThe TellingThe Wedding
Season 4
Last Whiff of SummerThe Second ActBunny TherapyThe HoseHalloween III: The DrivingThe SafeThanksgiving IVChristmas HelpTwenty YearsLife SkillsOne Kid at a TimeThe FriendThe SmileValentine's Day IVWinners and LosersWheel of PainThe NameThe BachelorDollar DaysFrom Orson with LoveHallelujah HoedownThe DitchThe Graduation
Season 5
The Drop OffChange in the AirThe PotatoThe 100thHalloween IV: The Ghost StoryThe JumpThanksgiving VThe KissThe Christmas TreeSleepless in OrsonWar of the HecksThe CarpoolHungry GamesThe AwardVacation DaysStormy MoonThe WalkThe SmellThe Wind ChimesThe OptimistOffice HoursHeck on a Hard BodyOrlandoThe Wonderful World of Hecks
Season 6
Unbraceable YouThe Loneliest LockerMajor AnxietyThe TableHalloween V: The HangingThe SinkholeThanksgiving VIThe College TourThe Christmas WallPam Freakin' StaggsA Quarry StoryHecks on a TrainValentine's Day VIThe AnswerSteaming Pile of GuiltFlirting with DisasterThe Waiting GameOperation InfiltrationSiblings and SombrerosFood CourtingTwo of a KindWhile You Were SleepingMother's Day ReservationsThe Graduate
Season 7
Not Your Brother's Drop OffCutting the CordThe ShirtRisky BusinessLand of the LostHalloween VI: Tick Tock DeathHomecoming II: The TailgateThanksgiving VIIThe ConventionNot So Silent NightThe RushBirds of a FeatherFloating 50Film, Friends and Fruit PiesHecks at a MovieThe Man HuntThe Wisdom TeethA Very Donahue VacationCrushedSurvey Says...The LanaiNot Mother's DayFind My HecksThe Show Must Go On
Season 8
The Core GroupA Tough Pill to SwallowHalloween VII: The HeckoningTrue GritRoadkillThanksgiving VIILook Who's Not TalkingTrip and FallA Very Marry ChristmasEscape OrsonHoosier MaidPitch ImperfectOvary and OutSorry Not Sorry Dental Hijinks Swing and a Miss Exes and OhhhsThe Par-tayThe ConfirmationAdult SwimClear and Present DangerThe Final FinalFight or Flight
Season 9
Vive La HecksPlease Don't Feed the HecksMeet the ParentsHalloween VIII: Orson Murder MysteryRole of a LifetimeThe SetupThanksgiving IXEyes Wide OpenThe 200thNew Year's RevelationsThe Other ManMommapaloozaGuess Who's Coming to Frozen DinnerToastedThe Crying GameHecks vs. Glossners: The Final BattleThank You for Not KissingBat Out of HeckGreat HeckspectationsThe Royal FlushSplit DecisionA Heck of a Ride
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