Modern Family

Modern Family falls into that category of TV shows where young actors grow up on screen and, once the filming wraps up, they exit as fully-fledged adults. I'll readily admit that I've grown quite attached to this show, and despite a few rough patches over the eleven seasons, the good moments clearly outweigh the bad. If I had to pick my top three characters, it would undoubtedly be Phil, Claire, and Gloria, with the Dunphys, in particular, being my constant favorites (I'll never forget Phil's slingshot ride). In a nutshell, it provided straightforward entertainment that often had me bursting into laughter. It lost its charm when the creators attempted to delve too deeply into serious themes. / Lesson learned: Holidays were the best :-) (07/20/2022)

Season 1 was a real treat. The fact that the creators didn't use canned laughter is one of the reasons why I got hooked right from the start. Another was the cast and well-written characters. I was especially pleased with Ed O'Neill as Jay. I was afraid he would just be another version of Al Bunda, but it was definitely not the case. Unlike Al, Jay takes it in stride and aptly comments on what’s happening around him. The first season offers great fun, the creators managed to avoid slipping into lame humor, and I'm looking forward to the next one. (02/14/2019)

The first episode delighted me, especially since it didn’t have that annoying laugh track that signals when to laugh. The only letdown was the typical nod to quotas, but overall, I had a great time. The humor felt natural and not forced, leaving me very satisfied. "I'm the cool dad. That's my thang. I'm hip. I surf the Web. I text. LOL: Laugh Out Loud. OMG: Oh My God. WTF: Why the Face?" (02/11/2019)

While the kids' club subplot didn't do much for me, I still gave the second episode four stars. The whole new bike storyline and everything that came with it was just fantastic. "We would do something like this more often if it wasn’t for, you know, Manny." "It’s good. He keeps us grounded." "Yeah… Like fog at an airport." (02/11/2019)

Episode 3 didn’t disappoint at all, which is great because I’ve seen enough dumb sitcoms to last a lifetime. The creators here really know how to handle humor, and it just works for me. (02/11/2019)

Wow, that was intense. Episode 4 had me laughing out loud. The introduction of the mom/ex-wife was brilliantly done. I loved how they handled the "Incident" and the new subplot without resorting to cheap jokes. The humor stayed sharp, and Dylan's song at the end completely floored me. (02/11/2019)

A great episode. The family squabbles are getting more entertaining, and honestly, anyone would struggle with the dynamics in Jay’s family. // "She's my daughter. You're my wife. Let's remember what's important here. There's a football game on." (02/11/2019)

Episode 6 was a blast! The creators keep nailing the kind of humor that really works for me. While the Mitchell, Cameron, and Lily storyline doesn’t quite hit the mark, Jay’s Colombian adventures and the controlled chaos at Claire and Phil’s more than make up for it. (02/13/2019)

The moralizing at the end of some episodes can be a bit annoying, but the fencing finale was perfect. I was laughing from the moment the sister started talking about her struggles, and the arrival of the wheelchair athletes absolutely killed me. It was brilliantly outrageous. More scenes like that, please! (02/13/2019)

The eighth episode really got me, thanks to some top-notch guest stars. Elizabeth Banks made the Mitchell and Cameron scenes enjoyable for the first time, Jay’s pajama party was hilarious (mostly because of Manny), but the best part was Claire’s anniversary gift. I was in tears, and not because I was moved. (02/13/2019)

Luke’s birthday party takes center stage, and I have to say, it was pretty good. I've known for years that clowns don’t always have to be funny or friendly, ever since I first read Stephen King’s It. Seeing Fizbo immediately reminded me of John Wayne Gacy, so I totally got why Phil was freaked out, but unlike him, I had a great time. "I am brave. Rollercoasters? Love ’em. Scary movies? I’ve seen Ghostbusters, like, seven times. I regularly drive through neighbourhoods that have only recently been gentrified. So yeah, I’m pretty much not afraid of anything…" (02/13/2019)

Whenever Phil gets a chance to showcase his parenting style, I’m in bliss. The creators took a refreshingly unconventional approach to the Christmas episode. Just when I feared it would get too sentimental, something hilariously ruined the moment, which I absolutely loved. "Don't worry. We're going to have Christmas. We raised our kids right. Whoever did it will come forward... Or the other two will rat them out.." (02/13/2019)

A fun episode, but not the best the creators have offered so far. Even the gardener couldn't liven up the scenes with Mitchell and Cameron, and Manny’s biological father showing up felt too cliché — I’ve seen it all before. Thankfully, the arrival of the firefighters saved the day. "Ay, Dios mío. Did you took him with you? You couldn't wait to get to school to do that?" 4*- (02/13/2019)

The unusual problem in Jay’s household and all the chaos it caused was incredibly entertaining. I also loved the situations at the Dunphy house, especially seeing what Americans consider pornographic. Phil's heroic approach filled me with excitement. "Okay, fine. But I am telling him that every time he looks at porn, God kills a puppy." (02/13/2019)

I enjoyed Mitchell and Cameron’s storyline, largely thanks to Chazz Palminteri’s guest appearance as Shorty. I've been a fan of his for years. The creators have a knack for great guest stars so far. "I have a theory that Phil installs... overly complicated things in the house... just so he has an excuse to talk to me like a child." / "In my country, there's a saying that means... "Love is just around the corner." I come from a neighborhood with a lot of prostitutes." (02/13/2019)

The first season is shaping up to be a winner for me. The humor has really won me over, and this episode just solidified that. The Dunphys were in top form again — thanks to Phil, I now know what Jägermeister is, and Manny had some great moments too. "Look. I know your mom pretty well. She's fine. I'd be willing to bet she's just composing herself, taking a nice, long, peaceful walk in the park." (02/13/2019)

Fantastic episode. The Dunphys had me nearly in stitches, proving that the creators' non-sappy take on Christmas wasn’t a fluke. They managed to make the usually overly sweet and cheesy Valentine’s Day genuinely funny. Besides Phil and Claire, romantic poet Manny also shined. I usually don’t care much for child characters, but this show has me enjoying every single one of them. "Oh. Dylan, thank you. That is so sweet." "You know, all women should look as tasty as you when they're old." (02/14/2019)

It's funny, I was worried about the Valentine's Day episode and it turned out great, but I had high hopes for this one and ended up a bit disappointed. The two hysterical characters didn’t really amuse me this time, and the rest of the plot wasn’t very convincing either. What saved the episode for me were the driving lessons and Phil’s parenting style. 4*- "All right, left turn." "Here?" "At the intersection, yeah." (02/14/2019)

Much like the previous episode, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The Dunphy household antics weren’t as funny as usual, and Mitchell and Cameron were again the weakest link. Jay and his attempt to avoid suspicion of a murder carried the episode. 4*- "You lie. I'm Colombian. I know a fake crime scene when I see one." (02/14/2019)

A slight improvement over the previous episode, thanks surprisingly to Cameron and his hilarious blunders with Colombian culture. The Dunphy family brought the laughs as well, and this episode confirmed that Luke is definitely Phil's son. (02/14/2019)