
In the Heck family, middle-age, middle-class, middle-America mom Frankie Heck (two-time Emmy winner Patricia Heaton) uses a sense of humor to try to steer her family through life's ups and downs as she tackles her career goals. Her unflappable husband, Mike (Neil Flynn), is a manager at the local quarry. Oldest son Axl is an obstinate young man; awkward daughter Sue cannot seem to find her niche -- despite much enthusiasm in her attempts -- and youngest son Brick is an unusual child whose best friend is his backpack.

Frankie's lunch with Sue becomes awkward when Sue and her new boyfriend start obsessing over everything that is wrong with the world; Axl tells Mike he wants to quit football.

New neighbors with noisy kids make it impossible for Frankie to relax on her new backyard lanai; Hutch and Axl open a grilled cheese food truck.

Frankie tells her family they don't need to do anything for Mother's Day; after a stranger buys Frankie's groceries, telling her to just pay the kindness forward, she decides to have each member of the family do something nice for someone else.

Frankie and Mike attempt to set a summer vacation curfew for Sue and Axl; Brick is desperate to find out who he must beat to become the valedictorian of his class.