The Middle

In the history of higher education,

no student has ever looked forward

to an 8:00 a.m. lecture...

unless they thought the professor giving it was dreamy.

Now, of course, his goal was to transform the Soviet Union

into an industrial superpower.

Okay, Stalin is best in small doses,

and some of you look like you want to crawl back into bed.

So if there aren't any questions...

Sue?

Uh, do you think Stalin's appointment as Secretary General

allowed him to handpick his allies for government jobs?

And if so, was it instrumental

in him taking control of the Communist party?

That is actually a great question.

Um, he did, indeed, take full control

of the Communist party in 1924 after Lenin's death,

and one of the reason...

Hey, where you going?

To the bedroom to watch the game.

Why?

'Cause I thought you had the big TV tonight.

Wait, is it my night for the big TV?

No, it's nobody's night for the big TV.

- So, the big TV's open? - No.

I'm just saying I thought maybe we could have dinner

around the table together

and, you know, listen to music or something.

Look, Frankie, if you want the big TV, just say it.

I don't want the big TV.

So, I...

No.

S... I had a real epiphany tonight at the pizza place.

Oh, no.

Seriously.

There I was, picking up our one-millionth pizza,

and I ran into this whole group of families

from Brick's class...

the Murphys, the Gelfands, the Trouts.

And they were all playing pinball

and singing songs and really having a good time.

I literally don't know who any of those people are.

Exactly, and the worst part was

they didn't even feel awkward about it

'cause it didn't even occur to them to invite us.

Yeah.

- We're not even on their radar. - That's great!

We should be celebrating.

We're finally off the grid.

I don't want to be off the grid.

Do you remember when Axl was in high school

and there was that whole group of people

we used to hang out with?

And we'd go to football games and dinner.

We don't do any of that stuff Brick's friends.

And now all those people in his class are connected

and we're sitting here with our sad slices of pizza,

arguing about who gets the big TV.

I should've picked up the pizza.

No, Mike. Listen.

If I make more of an effort

and reach out to some of these people,

will you at least come along?

Hmm...

Can I take my pizza and eat in front of the big TV right now?

- Yes. - Done.

Yeah!

This tree has seen the Revolutionary War,

and now they want to tear it down to put up a Java Jerry's!

College kids don't exactly line up

to attend their professor's office hours,

but Sue wasn't taking any chances.

And that is why Stalin stayed put

and ordered a scorched earth policy.

I've got three minutes left, so just hold your horses!

You were saying about scorched earth?

Hey, Sue.

So, listen.

I e-mailed some of the parents in Brick's class...

And get this... they all said they were busy.

Even Molly Murphy, and we used to be close.

We made stone soup together when Brick was in the first grade.

Well, she brought the potatoes and the carrots and the bowls,

but I ladled.

Anyway, I guess they're all in this big clique together,

and now we're on the outside looking in.

Well, you tried.

What about Cindy's parents?

- Uh... - Uh...

Why not? They're very nice people.

I went away with them for that long weekend.

- What? - You did?

I brought you back that mug.

"Chicago, my kind of town."

Cindy and I have been dating for over a year now.

I would think you guys would want to meet her parents.

- Well, Brick, the thing is... - We don't want to meet them.

- Mike. - What?

She's weird, and they probably are, too.

Not necessarily.

I'm weird and you guys are normal.

- That is true. - Come on.

You said you want to be more social,

and you said you want to go out with someone from my class.

Well, Cindy's in my class,

and I think it'd be a really fun time.

And it'd make me happy.

Great!

I'll call Merv and LuEllen and work out the deets.

How did we go from having pizza in separate rooms

to dinner with Merv and LuEllen?

You look nice. Where are you going?

Just class. Can you zip me up?

Hutch drove our apartment to the engineering building,

so I'll be taking my mid-morning nap here.

Inside voices please.

Just Axl!

Oh!

Hello. I don't believe we've met.

No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

You are not going to date her.

Relax.

I'm not gonna date your roommate.

Of course, if I wanted to... it'd be a different story.

Oh, really? Do I have a say in this?

Actually, you don't.

If I were to look at you,

you'd dive into my eyes and we would be dating.

Oh, Axl. Get over yourself.

Just to be safe, don't look at him.

What's with the fancy outfit?

You going to some sort of Nerd Ball or something?

No, I'm just going to class.

Not everyone dresses scuzzy like you.

Besides, I'm not even that dressed up.

Can you hand me my clutch?

Yeah.

You know what? You should study in the library.

Come on. Let's go.

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

Come on.

You people make me sick.

Hey, Pink Coat!

You're a little late today.

Got to hop on that hamster wheel with the rest of the sheep.

And I know that sheep don't go on hamster wheels.

Hey, I got to yell at 2,000 people a day.

Not all of them are gonna be winners.

And that is what became known as de-Stalinization.

Uh...

Sue?

It's just so I don't forget anything.

Okay.

So that pretty much wraps up our section

on Russia's role in World War II.

Now, for any of you that just can't get enough Stalin,

you are invited to come over to my apartment this Friday night,

hang out,

and we'll talk a little bit more about this sweetheart of a guy.

Um, and starting things off around 7:00.

Oh, pbht! Want me to start a sign-up sheet for who's coming?

Huh?

No. It's pretty casual.

Oh, what's the attire?

Pretty casual, yeah. It's all very, very casual.

Um, sorry.

You know what?

Never mind.

I'll just ask you during office hours today.

Terrific.

So, this is great.

Boy, we've been trying to get this thing together for ages.

So, you a Pacers fan, Mike?

You bet. If they can keep Paul George

- Healthy. - Healthy...

I'll be an even bigger fan.

Bigger fan.

So, LuEllen, could you believe that construction

on the way over here?

I'm not sure what you're asking.

Oh, I-I just didn't know if you guys took Route 4 to get here.

I'm sorry.

I don't know what you're getting at.

Boy, the food here is great.

H-Have you guys eaten here before?

I-It's been here since 1957.

Oh, so you have?

No.

Oh, this chicken Parmesan looks great.

What are you thinking about, Mike?

Oh, I'm more of a

- meatloaf guy myself. - Meatloaf guy myself.

Oh, my God.

I feel like we've been here for 1,000 years.

Try four minutes.

I think it's going really well so far.

What dinner are you watching?

We can't hear you.

Oh, we weren't talking about you.

We were talking about soup of the day, which is white bean.