Awesome / The Middle

• In the first Season Finale, Sue "runs" five laps around a cross-country track with a twisted (and possibly broken) ankle, only for it to start raining while she's on her final lap. Then, after being splashed with mud and grass and losing a crutch, she drags herself across the finish line with only her arms. Did we mention that the entire time the theme from Chariots of Fire was playing, timed out well enough that what is usually a cheesy Stock Parody turned into a Moment of Awesome for Sue?
• "Life Skills:" Axl managing to call in a buttload of favors from his classmates so he and Sue can make a much better project presentation than the one they originally planned. Mass. Jaw. Droppage. Will. Ensue.
• Sue manages to win the cheer-off with the actual cheerleaders.
• Frankie gets hired as a dental assistant in "Dollar Days."
• Sue winning a competition that involves keeping one's hand on a car the longest and the winner gets the car. She suffers bug bites, sunburn and general discomfort, but, by George, that girl does not give up! Her "No More Holding Back" Speech/Badass Boast only caps it off.
  • Even better is that even though she doesn't win a car, she does win the family a trip to Disney World!
• Minor, but after Frankie has a breakdown in "Not So Silent Night" (due to seven years of photos becoming lost forever), Sue and Axl (and Brick, somewhat) rightfully call out Mike for refusing to do anything about it (instead opting to watch football), even going to far as to try and pull him off the couch. Granted, this results in Sue accidentally shoving Mike to the floor, but that in and of itself still counts as a CMOA (even if Sue tries to escape his wrath soon after).
  • Axl even gets an additional one by putting himself between Mike and Sue.
  • Don't worry, Mike managed to find the physical photos later on.
    Mike: I stayed up after [Frankie] went to bed and found the Soul Train box^note where the physical photos were stashed stuffed into a "Barbie Penthouse" box in the basement.
• Reverend Tim-Tom gets one when he convinces Axl to follow through on his commitment to bring weird Ashley to prom. It's one of the few times in the series when he doesn't come across as cheesy.

  Reverend Tim-Tom: It's one night, man. Be cool.

• "Thanksgiving VIII": Frankie's The Reason April Sucks Speech to Axl, even though it results in Axl shutting out of her life for the time being and a Downer Ending for the episode.
• "Look Who's Not Talking": Crossed with Funny: Lexie mistakenly delivering a Groin Attack on Brad because she thinks he's trying to mug Sue. She also gets in front of Sue intending to defend her friend as well as she can even though there is no actual threat.
• "Hoosier Maid":
  • Fed up with Axl claiming she's into him, Lexie pretends to flirt with him to the point that he is visibly flustered because he didn't expect her to play along with it.
  • Crossed with Funny and Heartwarming: Axl catches Lexie when she slips in the Winnebago, showing that while he did drive her crazy before, he does genuinely care for her.
• "The Confirmation":
  • Rather than giving Axl a hard time because he and Lexie aren't official, Chester gracefully agrees to leave when Axl asks him to rather than either force him to confess his feelings or try to steal Lexie away.
  Chester: You guys already have a thing going on, I don't wanna mess with it. I get it.
  • Crossed with heartwarming: Axl's frustration about the idea of other guys being with Lexie boils over to the point that Axl reveals he's dating her to Sue, Brad and a guy he thinks came to flirt with Lexie too. It's such an impressive moment that Lexie throws her hands over her mouth and smiles at Axl admirably for the devotion and care he shows towards her.
  Axl: Lexie and I are dating, okay? She's mine! All mine! Tell the others!
• "Hecks vs. Glossners: The Final Battle": The Hecks and friends take on the entire Glossner family after they steal Sue's car for Rita. By the end, the Glossner kids wind up in juvie.