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The Best Episodes of The Middle

Every episode of The Middle ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Middle!

Binge this in 3d 6h•Peaking at 9.4/10

The daily mishaps of a married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Indiana.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Middle Season 9 Episode 23 - A Heck of a Ride: Part One
    9.4/10(867 votes)

    #1 - A Heck of a Ride: Part One

    S9:E23

    After nine hilarious and heartfelt seasons, a Heck leaves the nest as the family takes a road trip to Denver, where Axl will start his new job – and new life away from home.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writers:Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline

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  2. The Middle Season 9 Episode 24 - A Heck of a Ride: Part Two
    9.2/10(523 votes)

    #2 - A Heck of a Ride: Part Two

    S9:E24

    The series concludes as the family escorts Axl to Colorado. Meanwhile the long affair of the snow globe and its relation to Sean and Sue's relationship comes to a head.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writers:Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline

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  3. The Middle Season 6 Episode 24 - The Graduate
    8.7/10(568 votes)

    #3 - The Graduate

    S6:E24

    Sue prepares for her graduation and worries the day won't go perfectly. Meanwhile, Brick gets the opportunity to skip a year in school and Axl grows concerned about Devin's fun summer pictures she posted on social media.

    Director:Eileen Heisler
    Writers:Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline

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  4. The Middle Season 7 Episode 24 - The Show Must Go On
    8.5/10(432 votes)

    #4 - The Show Must Go On

    S7:E24

    In the seventh-season finale, Frankie's determined to ensure Brick can sing at his middle-school graduation after his performance is cut; and Sue feels conflicted after learning she needs to be at Dollywood on the same day as Brick's ceremony. Meanwhile, Axl starts a new job as a country-club counselor and gets mocked by a 10-year-old version of himself.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Middle Season 8 Episode 17 - Exes and Ohhhs
    8.5/10(440 votes)

    #5 - Exes and Ohhhs

    S8:E17

    Axl is startled to run into nearly all of his former flames at a St. Patrick's Day party leaving him to wonder if it is a sign about his love life; Brick buys an old microfiche machine at a library sale, leaving Frankie and Mike less than thrilled.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Middle Season 4 Episode 11 - Life Skills
    8.4/10(515 votes)

    #6 - Life Skills

    S4:E11

    Axl feels embarrassed when he and Sue are asked to work on a school project together; Brick's school therapist (Dave Foley) tries to help him make friends.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Middle

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  7. The Middle Season 5 Episode 24 - The Wonderful World of Hecks
    8.4/10(506 votes)

    #7 - The Wonderful World of Hecks

    S5:E24

    A series of unfortunate events threaten to spoil the trip to Walt Disney World.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Tim Hobert

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  8. The Middle Season 6 Episode 14 - The Answer
    8.4/10(476 votes)

    #8 - The Answer

    S6:E14

    The Heck family learns about Darrin’s marriage proposal to Sue…as well as her response. Meanwhile, Axl attempts to use his intro to Psych class to cure Brick of all of his quirks and tics.

    Director:Phil Traill
    Writer:Tim Hobert

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  9. The Middle Season 7 Episode 6 - Halloween VI: Tick Tock Death
    8.4/10(506 votes)

    #9 - Halloween VI: Tick Tock Death

    S7:E6

    Each member of the Heck family finds themselves in situations reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone."

    Director:Elliot Hegarty
    Writer:Tim Hobert

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  10. The Middle Season 8 Episode 9 - A Very Marry Christmas
    8.4/10(423 votes)

    #10 - A Very Marry Christmas

    S8:E9

    As Christmas approaches, Sue keeps a holiday secret from the family. After agreeing to watch the neighbor’s three kids, Brick finds himself trying to hide from them as they had such a good time that they keep wanting to come over and play. Mike doesn’t know how to react when Bill Norwood gives him a Christmas gift for the first time ever,

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Middle Season 8 Episode 18 - The Par-tay
    8.3/10(410 votes)

    #11 - The Par-tay

    S8:E18

    Mike's friendship with Bill Norwood is in jeopardy after Bill gets angry when Mike poaches his plumber at a reduced rate; Frankie is disappointed when Sue refuses to tell.....

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Ilana Wernick

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  12. The Middle Season 5 Episode 17 - The Walk
    8.2/10(435 votes)

    #12 - The Walk

    S5:E17

    Frankie and Mike run into old acquaintances, Sue gets several dates to the prom, and Brick gets Axl's help for a book report.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:David S. Rosenthal

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  13. The Middle Season 9 Episode 9 - The 200th
    8.2/10(383 votes)

    #13 - The 200th

    S9:E9

    Frankie remembers she has to come up with something to place in the time capsule; Bill Norwood informs Mike that he and Paula are separating; Brick tries to win Cindy back; Axl volunteers Sue to be his personal assistant.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Roy Brown

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  14. The Middle Season 9 Episode 20 - Great Heckspectations
    8.2/10(380 votes)

    #14 - Great Heckspectations

    S9:E20

    Frankie has to force Brick into asking Cindy to the high school prom but worries that his quirkiness could spoil the happy event; Lexie talks a clueless Axl into giving Sue a belated 21st birthday present; and Mike becomes frustrated over how to get used to a new TV remote.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Roy Brown

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  15. The Middle Season 9 Episode 22 - Split Decision
    8.2/10(384 votes)

    #15 - Split Decision

    S9:E22

    Frankie makes it her mission to sway Axl from taking the job in Denver; Sue is depressed over Sean leaving for Ghana; Brick buys a huge amount of lawn chairs to replace the one he's been using for nine years.

    Director:Danny Salles
    Writer:Tim Hobert

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  16. The Middle Season 1 Episode 24 - Average Rules
    8.1/10(554 votes)

    #16 - Average Rules

    S1:E24

    Parent-Teacher conferences cause Frankie to worry about the kids. In them she's told Axl is gifted but not applying himself, that her teachers still do not know who Sue is, and Brick may have to repeat the second-grade due to failure to return over 30 library books. Guest star Betty White as the school librarian.

    Director:Wendey Stanzler
    Writers:Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline

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  17. The Middle Season 2 Episode 11 - Taking Back the House
    8.1/10(490 votes)

    #17 - Taking Back the House

    S2:E11

    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.

    Director:Barnet Kellman
    Writers:Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline

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  18. The Middle Season 4 Episode 15 - Valentine's Day IV
    8.1/10(428 votes)

    #18 - Valentine's Day IV

    S4:E15

    Axl and his friends, Darrin and Sean, offer to help guys break up with their girlfriends; Sue's ex-boyfriend, Matt, invites her to a Valentine's Day dance at school; Mike accidentally sends a romantic text to a co-worker instead of to Frankie.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Middle Season 4 Episode 17 - Wheel of Pain
    8.1/10(429 votes)

    #19 - Wheel of Pain

    S4:E17

    When Axl, Sue and Brick accidentally break the family room window, they decide to blame the Glossner children -- the bad seeds of the neighborhood; Frankie tries to land a prime dental rotation spot.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Michael Saltzman

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  20. The Middle Season 5 Episode 23 - Orlando
    8.1/10(428 votes)

    #20 - Orlando

    S5:E23

    Sue looks forward to the trip to Walt Disney World; Brick begs his parents to take him to meet his online girlfriend; Axl waits to learn his final grades.

    Director:Eileen Heisler
    Writer:David S. Rosenthal

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  21. The Middle Season 7 Episode 13 - Floating 50
    8.1/10(391 votes)

    #21 - Floating 50

    S7:E13

    Mike enlists Axl and Brick's help to throw a surprise party for Frankie's 50th birthday. Meanwhile, Sue is mocked after posting a flyer for her missing sock in the dorm laundry room; and Coach Babbitt is determined to turn Brick into an athlete after he turns in a project about how he can't play sports.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Rich Dahm

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  22. The Middle Season 8 Episode 5 - Roadkill
    8.1/10(396 votes)

    #22 - Roadkill

    S8:E5

    Frankie and Mike's embarrassment over forgetting Brick's birthday turns to fear when they realize it's time to teach him to drive. Sue learns something surprising from Frankie.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Roy Brown

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  23. The Middle Season 8 Episode 22 - The Final Final
    8.1/10(409 votes)

    #23 - The Final Final

    S8:E22

    Frankie, Mike and Brick begin to notice that their luck has changed dramatically for the better after the Prairie Scouts accidentally paint the Donahue's address on their curb; and after missing his final college test before he graduates, Axl pleads with his teacher to let him take it, otherwise he won't be able to graduate. Meanwhile, Sue confides to Brad that her sophomore year in college was kind of a letdown. But a chance to speak to students at her former high school about college life leads her to a realization about her status as a student while at Orson High. A talk with Brad leads into an impromptu musical number about Sue's many accomplishments over the years.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Middle Season 8 Episode 23 - Fight or Flight
    8.1/10(365 votes)

    #24 - Fight or Flight

    S8:E23

    Having finally graduated college, Axl tells Frankie and Mike that he's planning on going to Europe over the summer with Kenny. Although Frankie thinks this is a great once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Mike is less than pleased and thinks his slacker son should be putting all of his summer efforts into finding a job. Meanwhile, Sue begins to panic after she barely scrapes a parked SUV and doesn't hear back from the owner after leaving several notes on the windshield, and Brick discovers that his sudden onset of backaches is due to not sitting in his lawn chair, which was replaced by a normal kitchen-table chair.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Middle Season 3 Episode 17 - The Sit Down
    8.0/10(454 votes)

    #25 - The Sit Down

    S3:E17

    The kids have a meeting with Frankie and Mike about their parenting techniques, and they are thrown for a loop, when their parents attempt to change.

    Director:Lee Shallat Chemel
    Writer:Tim Hobert

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Heck of a Ride: Part One" is the best rated episode of "The Middle". It scored 9.4/10 based on 867 votes. Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel and written by Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline, it aired on 5/22/2018. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Heck of a Ride: Part Two".