It can be an arduous task to articulate words that might pierce the heart of a beloved one, yet often, in some capacity, the endeavor proves rewarding. Last night's episode of 'Modern Family' imparted precisely this lesson, resonating deeply with us, for we too are members of families whom we cherish deeply yet harbor potent feelings about their imperfections. So, how does one navigate the dilemma when a loved one's actions clash with one's own sentiments? Let us delve into the lessons imparted by the extended Pritchett family.
Manny appears to have bounced back from his butterfly-induced existential crisis of the past week (weren't we supposed to mention his butterfly phobia? Indeed, he harbors one! And poor Gloria, forgetting this fact, painted a picture of heaven teeming with butterflies, prompting him to尖叫着冲出房间! It was both hilarious and heart-wrenching). Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria continue to grapple with myriad cultural clashes. Yet again, Gloria's Meaningful Latin Tradition clashed with Jay's yearning to tee off that very afternoon. Gloria emerged victorious, dragging Jay to an employee's daughter's quinceañera—a lavish coming-of-age celebration for 15-year-old girls. Jay's quizzical response, "What's a quinceañera?" was just the beginning. Our thoughts echoed, "Jay has employees?" At least he was aware of this fact, albeit superficially. To demonstrate his profound concern for his employees, Jay spent the party escorting Manny around, shelling out $2 for every guest the lad introduced him to. He mingled and indulged in libations with—well, complete strangers, actually, as Gloria had inadvertently led them to the wrong party. Nevertheless, Jay did manage to befriend someone's employees.
One might argue that tensions between Mitchell and Cameron remained elevated in the aftermath of last week's Pepper incident. However, tensions between them are a perpetual state of high alert. But guess what else is perpetual? Cameron's determination! He has resolved to sculpt his teddy-bear-like physique. Mitchell is proud of his endeavor but less so of his workout attire—shiny blue bike shorts that have historically sparked disputes among the fellas. Mitchell's disdain for Cam in those shorts isn't clearly articulated, but the giant pixelated censor blob obscuring his crotch throughout the episode speaks volumes. As Mitchell jogged alongside his sister Claire on side-by-side treadmills, he conceived a scheme: they, as siblings, would tackle each other's thorny issues. She would delicately broach the subject of Cam's hideous shorts, while he would address Phil's—ah, but more on that later. As expected, Mitch's plan backfired spectacularly and continued to do so in increasingly amusing ways ("I hate your beard… I've always found it off-putting").
The Pritchett-Dunphys' Odyssey
Last week, Phil inadvertently imprisoned Claire and a plumber in the upstairs lavatory for several hours, as he fumbled around in a haphazard attempt to mend a cabinet he had assured Claire he had fixed months prior – a claim that turned out to be vastly untrue. One can only imagine how this newfound realization might have slightly eased the burden of her week's mission: to gently inform Phil that his humor is not as appreciated as he believes, especially before he embarked on his role as master of ceremonies at a prestigious real-estate industry gala, where he might very well fall flat on his face.
"It's not that he lacks fun; he's incredibly fun," Claire mused. "He's just not funny. Perhaps it's my fault for chuckling at all his jokes – with my lips, not my heart." To motivate her husband Mitchell to broach the subject with Phil regarding Cam's bike shorts fiasco, Claire offered to confront Cam herself. When that endeavor failed, she resorted to a more drastic measure – stealing Phil's meticulously curated stack of joke-laden note cards just moments before his grand speech. Her aim was to nudge him into a performance that was somewhere between "floundering" and "an epic failure," but as fate would have it, Phil Dunphy shone brightly, for he is indeed a genuinely amusing individual – just not when he consciously strives to be, which seems to be an almost constant endeavor. Who could have guessed?
After the dinner, Claire and Phil returned home, arm in arm, engulfed in a bubble of love and affection. It seemed as though we were on the brink of witnessing yet another heartwarming montage, narrated by one of the family members, showcasing how they had all reconciled their myriad differences throughout the week. Alas, it was not meant to be! A casual flip of the living room light switch revealed a dejected Alex slumped on the floor, having been led astray by Haley in a bid to gain acceptance from a popular girl at school. Her heart-wrenching words, "I don't have any friends," echoed through the room.
As Claire kicked off her heels and sank to the floor beside Alex, the usual blend of sweetness and sarcasm failed to materialize. There were no jokes to lighten the mood – not until the post-credits coda, at least. Nor were there any schmaltzy platitudes to soothe the wound. For a series that thrives on the exquisite execution of countless small, poignant moments, this scene stood out as one of its finest.
