THE MIDDLE
ABC, 8:00 p.m. ET
It’s nice to have sitcoms with institutional memories. On this one, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) likes to indulge herself annually by getting all excited preparing a party atmosphere for the upcoming Oscar telecast (good thing it’s always televised by ABC, which helps). This year, though, her best-laid party plans may go awry: Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is taking a school bus trip for the weekend, and that may prove emotional, for the boy if not for his mother.