Imagine that electrifying, dizzying sensation that washes over you when a person you'd almost resigned yourself to never seeing in a positive light suddenly shines through in the most astonishing, unforeseen manner. That very sentiment permeated last night's episode of "Modern Family," resonating deeply with both the characters and us viewers. This particular installment stands out as a frontrunner for the season's best in terms of scripting and pacing, having accomplished more in terms of character development and intricate family dynamics than perhaps any single episode in the series' entire run thus far.
The Pritchett-Tuckers Versus The Pritchett-Delgados
Initially, it seemed as if the episode would mirror a plot from "Away We Go," contemplating which extended family unit would assume custody of Lily should anything untoward befall Cameron and Mitchell. ("God forbid," echoed in unison.) The prospect of our protagonists embarking on a Goldilocks-like journey through Jay and Gloria's, and Claire and Phil's homes, testing their suitability, left us less than enthused. Fortunately, we were spared this fate: Jay and Gloria emerged as the front-runners almost immediately, with Gloria beside herself with joy. ("It would have to be a very tragic accident," she mused, to which Jay replied, "We would be over the moon!") She whisked Lily off to the mall, while the guys accompanied Jay and Manny to a sporting goods store to prepare for Manny's impending camping trip.
Manny was less than thrilled about the impending adventure, which prompted Jay's typical exasperated browbeating and a failed attempt to conquer a climbing wall—an incident that had Cameron worried it might scar Lily for life. "I think I hear Future Lily sending us a message from her stripper pole: 'Thanks, gay dead dads, this dance is for you,'" he joked. Mitch was steadfast in his support for Jay and Gloria, that is, until Gloria returned with Lily sporting two freshly pierced earlobes. ("You punctured our daughter!" Cameron exclaimed, only to be interrupted by Gloria showcasing Lily's piercings, "But I didn't just do the 'gay ear,' look!").
Meanwhile, Cam, who had his heart set on his Missouri farmer family taking the helm, had a change of heart when Manny, overhearing the guys discuss Jay's less-than-cuddly parenting style, stepped in to defend his stepfather. We then witnessed a poignant heart-to-heart between Jay and Manny in the car on the way back from the mall, with Manny confessing his fear of being teased in the shower during the camping trip and Jay reassuring him that he's the bravest kid he knows (punctuating his sentiment by swatting Manny's hand away from the radio settings, a moment perhaps the most grounded in reality the series has ever offered).
In the end, Cam and Mitch chose Jay and Gloria as Lily's guardians (Gloria gleefully exclaimed, "When something horrible happens, you are going to be all mine!"), and promptly removed Lily's new earrings—but not before indulging in a playful baby Carmen Miranda-inspired photo shoot, of course.
The Pritchett-Dunphys' narrative bifurcated into two almost autonomous storylines this week. Initially, Haley and her friend find themselves roped into chauffeuring Alex to her cello lessons. Upon arriving at her teacher's abode only to discover it deserted, what logical recourse did they have but to steer towards the high school, break in, and proceed to fill a frenemy's locker with shaving cream? We were momentarily poised to embark on a lengthy lament about the absurd linguistic constructions teenage girls, like Haley and her chum, are often compelled to adopt (replete with nail-filing and the liberal use of the word "skank"). However, we shall defer such吐槽 for another occasion, for what unfolded subsequently was truly delightful.
Throughout the season, we have yearned for some semblance of meaningful bonding between Haley and Alex. Hence, we were overjoyed to witness them racing through the desolate school corridors together, Haley hastily pursuing Alex – rather than her own friend – when they were eventually discovered by a security guard. They darted into the locker rooms, crouching behind a shower stall, laughing and scared in unison – for once, behaving like actual sisters rather than mortal adversaries from opposing celestial bodies. (“Seek solace in your happy place.” “But we just broke into mine!”) As they finally逃之夭夭 to the car, a palpable transformation in their dynamic was evident. Alex pondered whether she had acquired a penchant for mischief, ultimately confessing to Haley that she had feigned ignorance about the music lesson's location earlier, thereby causing them to be late, and admitted her aversion to playing the cello. This candid exchange served as a prelude to a heartfelt conversation between Manny and Jay, and was perhaps even more disarming – it marked the first instance in recent times where the show permitted its characters to evolve, change, and forge deeper connections onscreen.
Claire and Phil's storyline took a while longer to traverse into uncharted territory, yet it eventually arrived there too. It commenced with Claire surreptitiously sneaking Luke to see a child psychologist, her concerns escalating regarding his poor academic performance, distractibility, and general eccentricity – and her awareness that Phil would vehemently oppose the notion of anything being amiss with their son. This is because, as established numerous times, Luke is essentially a mini-Phil, sharing many of his father's spaced-out and whimsical traits. However, Phil had scented out her plan and was there to confront her at the doctor's office. Together, they confronted the revelation that Luke is merely "above average" and overstimulated, and Claire's underlying fear: that Luke might turn out to be exactly like Phil. This prompted Phil to sulk hilariously (“Oh no, which one of these is my driving machine?”) while Claire adopted a defensive stance, and both of them inadvertently abandoned Luke in the doctor's office parking lot. They realized their oversight later that evening, just in time to be greeted in their driveway by a stretch limo (chartered by some benevolent newlyweds) with Luke's head peeking out of the sunroof. (“I knew you'd return, but when you didn't, I decided to seek a phone. That's when I encountered a stray dog and played with him for a spell...”) As he scampered off, unperturbed as ever, Claire relented, apologizing to Phil and acknowledging her worry about their son. “Please don't let me ruin our son!” she pleaded. “Do you know why else he'll be alright?” Phil consoled her. “Because somewhere out there, a worried little girl is meticulously making lists and labeling bins, and he's destined to find her.” And that's when our hearts almost melted. We could certainly grow accustomed to such tender moments.
