The fifth season of this family sitcom finds Axl (Charlie McDermott) leaving the nest and entering college, but it's not a smooth transition: Frankie (Patricia Heaton) gets mad when Axl stays in touch with Mike (Neil Flynn) but not her; Axl bunks at home when he has problems with his roommate; and failing grades lead Axl to turn to Brick (Atticus Shaffer) for academic help. However, Sue (Eden Sher) makes the volleyball team and experiences a new sense of freedom without Axl at home. On the flip side, Frankie loses her freedom when she gets arrested for having an overdue library book. Meanwhile, Mike gets an award for his 20 years of service at the quarry, but he's reluctant to attend the awards dinner, and he also dreads having to take a forced vacation from work. Later, the whole gang go on a family vacation to Disney World, and it wouldn't be a Heck outing without a series of mishaps.