Ep 5. Land Of The Lost

In season 7 episode 5 of The Middle titled "Land of the Lost," the Heck family embarks on a road trip to a tourist destination called Mammoth Caves. Along the way, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) attempts to keep everyone happy while Mike (Neil Flynn) is more focused on reaching the destination as quickly as possible.

Their car journey starts off smoothly enough, until a family debate over whether to listen to music or podcasts escalates into a full-blown argument. Meanwhile, the kids are all engrossed in their own activities. Axl (Charlie McDermott) is absorbed in his phone, Sue (Eden Sher) is trying to put together a scrapbook to document the trip, and Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is wrapped up in his book.

The family finally arrives at their hotel, but their troubles are far from over. Frankie is mortified to discover that they have accidentally booked a room in a creepy motel instead of the hotel they had planned on. Mike doesn't want to spend any extra money on a new hotel room, but he eventually relents and allows Frankie to book them into a nicer hotel.

The next day, the family arrives at Mammoth Caves and embarks on a tour. During the tour, Brick accidentally wanders off and gets lost. The family frantically searches for him, with Frankie and Mike even getting into a fight over whose fault it is.

Despite the various setbacks, the Heck family manages to have a fun and memorable trip at Mammoth Caves. They even get to go on a rollercoaster that they had been eagerly anticipating.

Overall, "Land of the Lost" is an episode filled with laughs, mishaps, and heartwarming moments that will leave viewers feeling nostalgic for their own family vacations.