09x10 - The Christmas Miracle

Episode transcripts for the 2009 TV show "The Middle". Aired: September 2009 to May 2018.*
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"The Middle" follows the daily mishaps of a working class, middle-aged, Midwestern, married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Southwest Indiana.
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09x10 - The Christmas Miracle

Post by bunniefuu »

Okay, who wants to help build
the gingerbread house?

We gotta do it fast

'cause last year I ate
the gingerman and lady first

and they never even got
a chance to move in.

Uh, yeah. Brick can do it.

BRICK: I'm trying to eat better.

Cindy wants me to do a full
push-up by the end of the year.

- [DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
- [SIGHS]

[SIGHS]

What happened?

Glossners.

They deflated it yesterday, and
now they stabbed a hole in it.

I won't tell you where.

Why'd you buy a big,
giant snowman, anyway?

Eh, there was a cute salesgirl at Lowe's.

I'm not letting those Glossners win.

I'm gonna duct-tape
this guy's business back up

and send him right back out there
onto the front lines again.

This is my house.

I'm not gonna let those little
punks call the sh*ts.

Hmm. Well, at least someone
has a passion for the holiday.

The kids are just so blah.

So, we start later in the day.

- Who cares?
- Don't you get it?

Now that they're not little
anymore, the magic is gone.

Remember when they used to
wake us up at : a.m.

and jump on our bed?

I remember you cursing into your pillow.

"Damn it" isn't a real curse.

You didn't say "damn it." You said...

The point is, once you made me get up,

I just loved how they couldn't
wait to open their presents.

And now all they want are gift cards.

I remember you cursing about
having to go out and shop...

The holidays are stressful!

That doesn't mean you don't like 'em!

["DECK THE HALLS" PLAYS]



Hey, Mike, listen.

I was thinking, and you know what?

We can't do a little-kid Christmas,

but we could do a big-kid Christmas.

We could give Christmas a little zhuzh.

Do you know what zhuzhing is?

It's like giving it
a little kick in the pants.

So, let's just take advantage of the fact

that the kids are older.

We could have a cocktail party
on Christmas Eve...

just us and the Donahues.

So, instead of serving hot
cocoa, we could do mixed drinks.

And instead of these crappy ornaments

that the kids made in school,

I could hang seashells
and have a beach-themed tree.

So, it would still be magic,
just adult magic.

That sounded dirty,
but you know what I mean.

A-A-And instead of giving out toys,

we could just do a Yankee Swap
with adult toys...

not adult toys.

Toys that adults would like...
that are not sexual.

Could you move?
I need eyes on the snowman.

What's a Yankee Swap?

Oh, it's this really fun party game

where everybody brings a present,

and then you get to pick one from a pile

or steal someone else's.

Why is it called "Yankee Swap"?

I don't know.

I'm assuming it has something to
do with the sl*ve trade.

What? No! They would never name
a party game after that!

Depends who "they" is.

It's fun, and we're doing it,

so everybody has to buy
something Christmasy

and wrap it up.

I get to buy my own present
and wrap it up?

That's what I said.

By myself, using paper, tape, and...

scissors?

Am I allowed to use scissors?
Can I do that?

Go to town.

Well, now you've made it interesting.



Hey. We're gonna zhuzh up Christmas Eve.

So, the Donahues are coming over
for a party,

and then we'll go to
the midnight service.

Yeah, I'm not doing that.

What? Oh, come on.

We're... We're gonna have
appetizers and adult drinks.

Don't say "no" to fun.

If you're not careful,
you're gonna turn into your dad.

No, I'm all for adult drinks.

I'm just gonna skip the church thing.

What do you mean?

I'm just not feeling it lately.

Feeling what?

Church, belief, the whole enchilada.

[CHUCKLING] Oh, wow.

That's a big enchilada, señor.

Yeah. Just seems like,
if I'm not feeling it,

it's kind of hypocritical to go.

What? No.

Sometimes I don't feel like
going to Curves, and I still go.

No, you don't.

But I believe in Curves.

And I believe, if I went,
it would do me good.

Probably help you not be so winded

when you get up from chairs.

[SIGHS]

H-How long have you been feeling
this way about church?

A year, maybe two. I mean, it's healthy.

Aren't you the one that told me
to ask questions

and think for myself?

- No.
- Oh.

Well, I've been traveling the world,

seen a lot of religions out there.

I mean, who's to say which one's
the right one?

Ours is. Ours is the right one.
Let's go to church.

Mom, this is about me.
It's not your problem.

It shouldn't bother you
if I don't believe in God.



FRANKIE: Flush with the power
of holding scissors,


Brick set about trying to wrap his gift.



Ow!



Ow! Ow! Ow.

Okay, Axl, what are you up to?

Trying to figure out how
all this plumbing stuff works

so I can sell it for my new job.

Also, this thing,
it's called a ball cock.

I got to be able to say that
[LAUGHING] without laughing.

It's gonna take some time.

I heard you're not going
to church on Christmas.

What are you trying to pull?

Nothing. I'm not feeling it,
so I'm not going.

What exactly is it you're not feeling?

Faith? Are you saying
you don't have faith?

I'm saying I'm older now, Sue.

I've traveled the world.
I've seen things.

I envy your small-town naiveté,

but I cannot shut off my intellect.

- Ugh.
- Okay, I just don't understand.

How could you not have faith?

I never don't have faith.
I am filled with faith.

If you cut me open,
I'd be like % faith,

% all the stuff you need to live.

Why? What proof is there?

[SCOFFS] What proof?
Uh, ever hear of miracles?

Like what?

[SCOFFS] Like what?

Uh, like rainbows?

The ability to taste chocolate?

A baby's laugh?

A baby's cry?!

A baby's poop?!

Anything to do with babies, really.

Hmm. What else you got?

Uh, trees, clouds, sun.

Should I go on? Moon! I went on!

Science, science, science.
Should I go on? Science.

Okay, there are plenty of
miracles that happen every day

that can't just be
explained away by science.

And the next time I see one, I
am going to point it out to you,

and you will have faith coming
out of your God-given eyeballs.

Scissors. Am I right?

Ooh.



Ow!

Damn Glossners got to it again.

Who was on watch duty last night?

I made up a whole schedule.

Yeah, nobody's doing that.

We gotta call it on Frosty.

Putting him out there
is a su1c1de mission.

Might as well just put a target
on his back.

That's never where they get him.

[SIGHS] Those kids are messed up.

Oh, sh**t. I'm all out of roof.

Pace yourself.

You've been hitting that house
a little hard.

I need comfort food.

Our son doesn't want to go to church.

What did we do wrong?

We didn't do anything wrong.

He's older now. He's starting
to think for himself.

What is this "think for himself" crap?

Did you put that in his head?

You're spitting gingerman.

You're the one that was always saying,

"We gotta bring the hammer down."

Well, now it's time for you
to bring the hammer down

and bring it down hard.

He's an adult. You can't tell
an adult what to do.

[SCOFFS] Like hell I can't.

I'm telling you what to do right now.

I want you to bring that hammer down.

Yeah. That's right. I'm looking at you.

I don't care how tall you are.
You don't scare me.

You're gonna do what I say
and get your boy to church.

Frankie, who am I to force him?

I don't even know how much I believe.

I basically just go for you.



["THE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" PLAYS]

What am I looking at?

A miracle.

There is no scientific reason
why a plant would be growing

from the laundry-room floor.

Yes, there is... Mom doesn't clean.

Now, if she cleaned,
that would be a miracle.

Come get me when that happens.

Wha...

[SIGHS]

Hey, you.

[GROANS]

Mom, I am not in the mood
for a guilt trip about church.

No, no, no. I just wanted
to hear about your job.

Oh.

Well, I start officially
after the holidays.

I'm about halfway through
the plumbing manual.

Ironically, it's good bathroom reading.

Or is that the opposite of ironically?

Doesn't matter.
Don't need grammar for plumbing.

Hmm. Think about it, Axl.

Of all the people trying
for this job, you got it.

Something to be thankful for...
like a blessing.

- SUE: Or a miracle!
- I got this, Sue!

I knew you couldn't help yourself.

[SIGHS] I'm sorry.

I just don't know why
you don't want to go.

Well, why do you want to go?

No, no, no, no, no.
Don't turn this around on me.

I'm not the one on trial here.

- Oh, so I'm on trial?
- Nobody said you're on trial.

You just said you're not
the one on trial,

so that makes me the one who is on trial.

Well, if one person wants to go
to church and the other doesn't,

you can bet your bippy that
the one who doesn't is on trial.

That's just the way it works.
I don't make the rules.

Why can't you just have a normal,

healthy dialogue about this?

I mean, come on. Why do you go to church?

A million reasons.

I'm asking for one.

Uh [SCOFFS] 'cause I'm supposed to. Duh!

Yeah. You're supposed to go to
Curves, but you don't do that.

Stop using my Curves example against me.

Um, okay, I also go
'cause church is social,

and I get to see my friends.

What else? Uh, there's doughnuts after.

I get to dress up.

I already said you're supposed to, right?

Singing! I get to sing.

Mm. Yeah, I mean, these are all
surfacy reasons.

Come on. What's the real,
deep-down reason

you go to church?



Mike was running out of
patience... and duct tape.


But he was gonna do whatever
it took to b*at the Glossners.


[SNORING]



[SHIVERING]

What's happening?

[MOANING, SHIVERING]

Oh, my God! You're freezing!

Shh. Warm me up. Oh, get away from me!

[SHIVERS] Just let me put
my hands between your thighs.

I'm not interested in anything.
I promise.

I finally fell asleep after
my head was spinning over Axl,

and now I'm awake. Thanks a lot.

They got us again, Frankie.

Oh, my God. I could not even come up

with a good reason why I go to church.

I mean, who am I? Is my whole life a lie?

Just keep talking about it.

Don't... No, don't mock me now, Mike.

I'm very upset.
I have to talk about this.

No, I want you to. Your breath is hot.

- It feels good.
- No, you don't understand.

I'm the mother.

I'm supposed to be the
spiritual center of the home.

Like, while you're out
hunting and gathering,

I'm supposed to make them righteous.

They're not righteous.

"Teach your children well."
That's from Corinthians.

That's Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Why does it feel like
there's sand in the bed?

It's gingerbread window crumbs.

No, this whole time

when I'm supposed to be caring
about their spirituality,

all I ever prayed for was
for the girl I liked the most

to be picked on "The Bachelor,"

which is a terrible waste of prayer.

By the time it airs,
he's already picked her.

You tell me you have faith, right?

You're a person who believes?

- Yes.
- Okay.

Then... you should believe that
whatever happens

is maybe the way God wants it
to work out.

[SIGHS] You're right.

You're right.

I mean, at a certain point,
it's out of my hands,

and... and all I can do
is have faith that

when we go to church tomorrow night...

Axl will be with us.

[SIGHS]

Thanks. That helps.

You're welcome.

Now I need you to help me.

I'm gonna put my feet on your feet.

It's gonna be bad for about seconds,

but then you're gonna
start to breathe again,

and everything's gonna be fine.

Just have faith.



After a fifth att*ck on the snowman,

Mike finally found a spot
where the Glossners


couldn't get it... just in time
for the Christmas party.


Sue, the Donahues are here.

You need to bring out
your Yankee Swap gift.

Okay.

[GASPS] Oh, no!

Ohh, I stopped by the apartment yesterday

after I bought my gift...
I must have left it there.

Well, you need to find
something that's Christmasy.

Oh! How about the snow globe?

My snow globe?

You found it in the trash, Sue.

I like to think it found me.

Okay, well, whatever, but ticktock.

We're starting.

♪ ...that was so deep ♪

[LAUGHTER]

- Whoo!
- Hi, Sue.

Merry Christmas.

Okay. Okay, okay, okay. We drew numbers.

You're . Sean's about to pick.

- He's number one.
- Ooh!

Uh, yeah, he is.

Number-one son/ almost-doctor.

- [LAUGHTER]
- Whoo!

Who should I see about a martini refill?

- Ooh!
- [LAUGHTER]

Hmm, which one will it be?



Oh!

Really?

Did you not see this bad boy right here?

Oh.

- Oh, yeah.
- Oh, yum!

I made those.

They're full of gluten
and sugar and dairy and nuts.

I'm taking back dessert!

- Ooh!
- [LAUGHTER]

Okay, Sean, now whoever goes next

can either pick a new gift from the table

or snag yours.

Who's second?

That'd be me, and these be mine.

- [ALL CHEER]
- Our first steal!

- Ooh!
- And it's mine! It's mine!

I'm sorry. Are the rules
to not pick the nicest one?

This is so much fun!

Oh, gosh. Yankee Swap, going to church.

It's almost like
if you missed any one of them,

it wouldn't be Christmas.

[CHUCKLES] Okay, Sean, pick again.

All right. [CLEARS THROAT]

Which one you gonna get?


- Hmm...
- [CHUCKLES]

Ooh, that one's pretty.

- [LAUGHS]
- Wow.

Must be the old
pretty-girl-at-the-prom syndrome

that I've read about.

I'll never be at prom.

All-in-one tool.

Oh! Who bought that?

I did.

It's supposed to be Christmasy.

It's red.

- I like it.
- Yeah!

And I'm number three, so...

[LAUGHTER]

I'm in upside-down land.

Things are getting exciting!

Are they?

Oh. Me again. [CHUCKLES]

Um...

Ooh! Oh! Yay!

Oh, that one's mine!

I think you'll like it.

It's really special to me.

I'll tell you the whole story
after you open it.

All right.

[CELLPHONE CHIMES]

Oh.

Um... I'm sorry, everybody.

I will be right back.

- Hmm.
- Doctor stuff.

Hmm. [CHUCKLES]

[THUD]

What was that?

I don't know.

[FOOTSTEPS ON ROOF]

- Glossners.
- I hate those kids!

You should see what they did
to my Mrs. Claus.

I'll get the front. You get the back.

That's what they did to Mrs. Claus!





I-I don't know where Sean went off to.

It's not like him to be rude.

I'll go find him.

I'm next. Should I just pick?

I don't know. We're kind of in
a Yankee Swap holding pattern.

Isn't there a rule that
if someone doesn't open theirs,

we just move on to the most
meticulously wrapped one

on the table?

I'll open Sean's for him.

He won't care.

Okay. Here we go.

- All right.
- Let's see what it is.

What is it?

[GASPS] Ooh!

Aww, the snow globe.

Okay, Shelly, do you want Sean's,

or do you want to pick a new one
from the table?

I'll take the snow globe.

- Okay!
- I knew it.

[CHUCKLES]

Here you go, sweetie.

[CHUCKLES]



Hey, Sean. Are you okay?

Everybody's waiting for you.

What?

Oh, I, uh...

I just got a text from a buddy,
said grades were posted,

and I checked them,
and I didn't do so well.

Oh!

Oh, gosh. I'm sorry.

But it's probably not as bad
as you think it is.

Sue, I got three B's and two...

two of those things that come after "B."

Okay. [CLEARS THROAT]

[SIGHS] Okay, look.

I know this has gotta be
really hard for you,

but don't worry.

Axl got lots of C's,

and he just got a job
selling plumbing supplies.

[SIGHS]

[GRUNTING] I'm gonna get you!

Thanks, Mike.

[BREATHING HEAVILY] I'm
not... at my physical best.

They tell me I got hit
by a car last week.

Let go of me!

Where's the snowman?
Somebody took it off the roof.

- None of your damn business!
- Hey, you little jerk!

I saw what you did to Mrs. Claus,

and I can't unsee it.

Do you respect nothing?!

You tell him, Mike.
I'm about to throw up Bwine.

[SIGHS] Look, you want to know why

I kept putting the snowman
back out there?

It's not because I need
a snowman in my front yard.

I'm not that guy.

It's 'cause I thought, at some point,

you would realize that what
you were doing was not right,

but you never did.

Look, you're not in diapers anymore.

Okay, scratch that.

The point is, you've gotta figure out

what kind of man you're gonna be.

[SIGHS] Sorry.

I just never had no daddy
to tell me right from wrong.

I thought maybe you could tell me.

Well, you can blame
your parents all you want,

but at some point, it's on you.

But you didn't let me finish.

I thought maybe you can tell me,
but you can't...

'cause you're a woman!

Should we go after him?

No point.

But for a kid carrying
a full load, he sure can run.

[SIGHS]

Great party, Frankie.

I'm sorry we didn't get to
finish the Yankee Swap,

but we don't want to be late for church.

It's my favorite part of Christmas.

The whole family sitting
together in the pew.

Yeah, us too!

SHELLY: I really like the snow globe.

I want to give it to my friend Juliette.

She said some mean things to me,

and I want to turn the other cheek.

Aww. That's my sweet angel.

[CHUCKLES]

Ron! Warm up the car!

We're leaving!

[SIGHS]



Oh, Brick.

I'm actually happy nobody picked it.

They'd just rip it apart
like a Philistine.

I'm gonna keep it just like this,

put it up on my shelf,
and admire it forever.

- Mm.
- [RINGTONE PLAYING]

Is that your phone?

I hate this game.



[GUITAR PLAYING]

Okay. So, uh, we're going to church.

Okay.

Okay.

[PLAYING RESUMES]

Ma!

No. I'm not.

I'm not gonna get on your case anymore.

[SIGHS] Look. I get it. You know?

I-I didn't want to go to church
when I was your age, either.

It can be boring. It can be super boring.

I mean, half the time,
I don't even want to go now.

But, um, you asked me why I go,

and, you know, I don't know.

Why the hell do I go?

I mean, I guess I go
because it makes me feel better

when everything goes to crap around here.

You know, when the sink explodes
or the dishwasher explodes

or fill-in-the-blank explodes.

God has certainly given us a lot
of opportunity to seek him out.

And, you know, if someone wants
to lighten the load

on my shoulders, then I am all for it.

It's just nice to know
that somebody's got my back,

and, um, I don't know,

just to feel like I'm part of
something bigger than this.

Yeah. So, I guess
that's a good reason to go.

It's good to know I don't go
just for the doughnuts.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Anyway...

What's happening?

Don't ask questions.

Let's just go.

What? Really?

Are you gonna wear that?
Never mind! It's all good!

Donahues don't do this.

I've always been at the top of my class.

Maybe I shouldn't be a doctor.

I just... T-The whole semester's
been a struggle.

Well, yeah, of course it is.
It's supposed to be.

It's medical school. It's hard.

I wouldn't want a doctor
who went to an easy one.

But I got C's.

It's so... average.

I've never been in the middle
of the pack before.

Oh, well, I am all about
the middle of the pack.

It happens to be my area of expertise.

Okay, and here's what I have learned...

You cannot compare yourself
to anybody else.

You are your own unique you.

Everyone has their own path.

Yeah, but...

Okay, look.

You once told me
I was a very special snowflake.

But you know what? So are you.

There is no one else like you.

You are gonna be so great.

And not because you're a Donahue,

because you're you.





["WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS" PLAYS]



Yep. Sue was right.

Miracles happen every day.

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