May I commence by proposing the addition of "initially, let's not overlook Kenny and his rather fetching ponytail" to the hallowed text known as Phil's-osophy? Even if their relationship failed to blossom into something lasting. Alright, wonderful, thank you all for indulging that aside. Now, let's dive into the episode titled "Party Crasher."
"Party Crasher" is nothing short of splendid! It's helmed once again by Fred Savage, following up on his directing duties from season two's "Good Cop Bad Dog." Gloria welcomes a new baby into the fold, yet this episode doesn't rely heavily on overused tropes or dominate the narrative. Instead, it overflows with heartfelt sentimentality that rings true, slapstick humor that hits the mark (largely at Lily's expense), and writing that shines brightly, with scarcely a line feeling superfluous.
Manny harbors grandiose plans for his 49th—I mean, 14th birthday luncheon. Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria orchestrate an exquisite surprise party, not because comedies inherently require them, akin to Dane Cook needing to be an asshole, but because they are attentive parents eager to make Manny feel special before his sibling's arrival begins to steal even the spotlight on his big day. (And let's be honest, Jay also relishes the idea of pulling one over on someone, muttering, "I can't wait to see the look on that little sap's face.")
A pivotal aspect of Modern Family lore is unveiled (or perhaps I've overlooked this familial nugget before; feel free to correct me if I have) when we learn that Lily refers to Cameron as 'daddy' and Mitchell as 'dad.' Worth noting, however, is that Mitchell occasionally earns the 'daddy' moniker too. A lesser development, albeit one that sets the stage for Lily's impending karmic retribution this week: she has chosen Mitchell over Cameron to marry her. That's right, Mitch, not Cam. In response, Cam playfully hurls rice at Lily's face, a comedic gesture that lands somewhere in the middle, but the subsequent forced eyepatch for medical reasons scores high as a visual punchline. Cam's hollow cheer of "You finally got married!" directed at Mitch before the mock wedding goes awry offers a small but welcome nod to the struggle for marriage equality within Modern Family.
Haley finds herself in the throes of a romance with Kenny, a ponytailed (you read that right, see above) jeans designer in his late 30s, multiple-time divorcee, high-fiving enthusiast, and an avid raider of other people's refrigerators. Phil, who has spent far too many years drooling over fictional characters like Hermione Granger and confessing his fantasies to his young son, seems oblivious to the potential impropriety of this age gap.
Jay and Gloria indulged their rebellious spirits by snatching a cake right out of the hands of a young mother on the bustling street. Lily's second wedding, to her stepfather, was an even more extravagant and quirky affair than her first, complete with an eyepatch theme that added an eccentric twist. However, it all came crashing down in a Power Wheels wreckage, accompanied by one of the episode's most perplexing lines: Cam's casual remark, "We always knew there was a strong possibility she'd be a terrible driver." Was that a tasteless joke aimed at Asians? At women? Or specifically at Asian women? Or was it merely a random, meaningless statement that's now got me questioning my own sanity, wondering if I'm a racist or misogynist for even entertaining such thoughts? (Honestly, though. That was shady, wasn't it? It certainly didn't seem like a callback to Lily's hand-eye coordination or her driving skills. Or did it? Share your thoughts. Decide for yourself. ETC.)
Additionally, Jay's casual reference to Gloria as his housekeeper was less than appropriate, especially considering he suggested she flirt with a parking attendant to expedite their exit from the garage mere moments earlier. But Gloria effortlessly brushed off the awkwardness with her joyful exclamation, "Let's drive through something else!" after theyrammed through one of those flimsy parking barriers that always seem like they're about to slice your car in half.
Kenny, who prides himself on gauging the age of a soul but lacks respect for personal boundaries, dared to plant a kiss on Haley right in front of her furious father. This prompted Phil Dunphy to unleash his fiercest, most menacing look ever, accompanied by perfect dialogue: "I'm gonna fight him." "Phil — " "No, Claire — I'm gonna fight him, nice and proper."
Confession: I'm not skilled in creating GIFs. Or maybe I just don't want to bother learning. (Alright, I don't know how.) But someone, please, create a GIF of Phil going Super Punch-Out! on those party balloons immediately. Like, right now. I promise I'll upgrade to a bigger apartment just to have a living room wall big enough to display a triptych of framed, life-size stills from that epic sequence.
Manny strolls into his home accompanied by a charming lady, teetering on the brink of exploring those sexual escapades he has undoubtedly yearned for and pondered over for years. This twist on the tried-and-true "SURPRIIIISE!" moment of a surprise party offers a fresh perspective, a rarity in an era where every conceivable angle has been explored ad nauseam. (Though I must give credit to last season's Mad Men for pulling off a新颖 and intriguing variant.)
I must confess, I burst into an awkward, uncontrollable laughter when Lily was unceremoniously tossed into the pool, and again when Cam, already wracked with worry that he might be messing up his relationship with his daughter, dived in after her, shouting, "Daddy's coming, what's wrong with me?!!" Their ensuing playful spat, with Cam and Lily exchanging "you're silly, no, YOU'RE silly" banter, punctuated by a comical thud, hit the mark perfectly.
The entire half-hour episode buzzed with energy, as if the writers' room would have happily continued if only someone had prodded them further. ("You were mistaken about the iPod's failure, you were wrong about tomatoes being vegetables"; "Unless you're here to carve a food slot in my door, you're not welcome.") The emotional payoffs were well-deserved. Jay gushed to Gloria, "I can't ever remember having more fun with you," referring to the day their first (and possibly only, let's just say it, shall we?) child was born. While the gender of the baby remained unrevealed (unless you count a blue blanket and a slightly masculine-looking onesie as hints), the episode stood strong without it. It was already stellar.
Update: The baby is undeniably a boy. I had harbored hopes for a girl, solely to lay the groundwork for countless seasons of confusion for Jay. I scrutinized every word and gesture, eager to catch someone saying "boy" or "girl," but I missed the definitive dialogue at the very end: "He's your half-brother-in-law." "He's our uncle." "Half uncle or full uncle?" "What's a full uncle?" Kudos to Modern Family for being subtle enough to avoid shouting "IT'S A BOY!"
(Update 2: You've weighed in, you've made your decision, you've etcetera-ed: I'm not alone in finding Lily's remark particularly shady indeed.)
