Presumably struggling to come up with fresh material about airplane cuisine, ModFam boldly and bravely kicks off its cold open with a tired mother-in-law joke (as Wikipedia notes, humor about one's mother-in-law, often portrayed as overbearing, obnoxious, or unattractive, and considering their child's spouse unsuitable, is a comedy staple). This joke is accompanied by a side of cringe-worthy stereotyping, hinting at Hispanics being excessively loud and women being vain, topped off with a groan-worthy gag involving Gloria's Colombian sister harvesting corn. This sets the tone for the episode's uncomfortable narrative of haves and have-nots. If this description doesn't resonate with the episode you just watched, you might want to turn back now or dive into the comments to tear me apart and elucidate how this episode actually enriched your life.
So, they welcomed a new baby into the family – Jay's third child and Gloria's second. And as Louis C.K. once quipped (admittedly, I'm missing Louie this week), children begin siphoning resources from day one, absorbing food, love, education, and even iPods. Thus, this bundle of joy needed a moniker – how about Fulgencio Umberto Pritchett? F.U. Pritchett, indeed! A name that perfectly encapsulates Jay's sentiment, fueled by his perception of Spanish becoming the dominant language in America and the supposed plight of the white man.
Phil, misunderstanding the role of a godparent as akin to that of a mafioso from The Godfather, showcases his pun-laden wit in real-time. Later, he exclaims "Quiddiculous!" at a child wearing Harry Potter glasses. Lily, meanwhile, utters the words, "I'm bored," reminding me once again how much I miss Louie. Beyond her boredom, Lily seems to be cultivating a mean streak, not because she's inherently evil, but because she's surrounded by a family that thrives on constant sarcasm. Is she internalizing her grandfather's worn-out, toothless yet slightly disturbing macho homophobic jokes? Perhaps, or maybe she's just testing the parent-child boundaries and momentarily acting like a bratty child. Her monotone delivery of, "Sorry, should I call you a waaambulance?" is too perfect to dispute in the context of "today's society, ladies."
I must admit, Cam's utterance of the word "snarky" marks the first time I've encountered it outside the digital realm or in a context unrelated to the internet. It's like breaking through barriers and bridging worlds. Phil, with his passive-aggressiveness, needed more than two voice mails to vent his grievances, leaving no room for subtlety. And to add insult to injury, his kids perceive him as a floundering non-adult—all at once! How plot-driven! Nevertheless, Phil's unique slang for pizza, dubbing it ‘za, is nothing short of ultimate.
The Scardino's-versus-Scandoni's Pizza joke, though, felt like a retread, reminiscent of The Office's Alfredo's Pizza Café versus Pizza by Alfredo, but without the same spark. It seemed to resign itself to the lazy humor of Italian names, as if saying, "Italian names! So hilarious and rhymey!"
Countless commenters fail to acknowledge Modern Family's weekly equal-opportunity offending. It's a tired, empty line bigoted comedians use to justify their biased humor. Yet, this week, ModFam aimed for that elusive Platonic ideal. "We're in a house of God, dammit!" feels like something The Simpsons might have tackled, but it's swiftly followed by a Catholic priest and molestation joke. Tonight, the show truly is an equal-opportunity offender. To those who argue this justifies the show's weekly jokes at the expense of women, gays, and immigrants: congratulations, for a fleeting moment, you've won.
Let me clarify: I do have my reasons for writing about this show, and I do enjoy it! It often brings freshness and innovation, though sometimes it shamelessly relies on easy laughs. This episode is a tough nut to crack in that respect—it's impeccably polished but soulless and relentless in its pursuit of any laugh, no matter the cost. The insidious drip of jokes like "Ha-ha, gays and their clothes!" or "Ha-ha, impoverished foreigners!" or "Ha-ha, women, women, women!" is unacceptable, yet the writing retains its usual vigor. It's an exemplary episode of Modern Family, but it falls short of being something our world truly needs.
Luke's been grappling with issues ever since he inadvertently addressed his teacher as 'mom.' His repeated slip-ups, punctuated by an exasperated "dammit," add a comic twist. The scene where Luke groans, realizing he texted his actual mom while his dad was giving a speech, right in front of him, is nothing short of brilliant. Nolan Gould delivers a standout performance here.
Dylan makes a cameo in this episode, waving hello to the audience. Last week, a commenter wrote, "Didn't anyone else find it bothersome that Jay and Gloria stole a cake because they couldn't wait their turn? No wonder people gripe about these characters' sense of entitlement." I haven't quite caught the drift of such criticisms, but Gloria's mom is more than willing to voice her opinion. "I should be more candid with you sometimes. I don't like you, Jay," she declares, enumerating Jay's numerous privileges. It's refreshingly honest, although a bit unsettling given her crazy demeanor and gun-toting habits. It feels like the show takes one step forward and then retreats two steps back. Unfortunately, aside from the tender voice-over that wraps up most episodes, the series often shies away from making any bold statements. Many opportunities are missed in the quest to keep everyone feeling cozy and comfortable. Perhaps I'm projecting my own expectations onto the show too strongly some weeks, detached from its inherent nature.
A revealing twist: Gloria snatched her sister's golden opportunity in America, leaving her sister with only the knowledge that clothes can be washed in a river. Two weeks in a row with the Latina housekeeper joke, though. Hysterical! Does anyone else think Cam and Mitch's friend with the perm looked perfectly fine? Was that meant to be an "OMG, his HAIR!" visual punchline? At least the guys get to grapple with an honest impasse between parents and non-parents, highlighting their startling lack of common ground at times.
Others who share no commonality are Gloria and her sister. Their exchange in Gloria's 'Sex and the City'-inspired closet is nothing short of tumultuous. Visually jarring, too – Gloria looks like she's stepped out of Wisteria Lane, while Sonia resembles an extra from Woody Allen's next film.
Claire is absolutely mesmerized by that intoxicating baby scent, evoking memories of the inaugural season of "The Cosby Show," wherein another television Clair found herself entranced by an infant. What a delightful episode, albeit Clair Huxtable never resorted to rubbing herself with a baby; it simply wasn't her flair.
Let me present, without further ado, the words of Jay Pritchett, who proudly proclaims, "Nobody doesn't like me! I'm Jay! I'm the salt of the earth!" Addressing his eldest son, he exclaims, "What in blazes is that abomination on your posterior, some sort of gay pride statement? We're in a house of worship, Mitchell, not a disco inferno!" Jay seems to have relegated the births of Claire and Mitchell to a distant third or even lower tier of significance, following his remarriage and the advent of his third biological child. Raise your hand if, like me, you've felt your existence diminished in the shadow of a parent's midlife nuptials.
Gloria, too, stole her sister's spouse, and Jay wouldn't have been able to discern the difference between them! Ha! (Internally, I'm crumbling.) Yet, Sonia's transformation from a meek and reserved individual to a wide-eyed, sister-strangling harpy is far too mechanical and melodramatic. The writers seemed to relish typing "SONIA TURNS TO STRANGLE GLORIA" with a touch of sinister glee. In reality, it lacks credibility.
Mitch and Cam conveniently convince themselves that Claire was the one who taught Lily the waambulance zinger, rather than acknowledging the Pritchetts' eerily consistent penchant for delivering cutting remarks. "We're not bad parents; Claire is," they rationalize. Raise your hand if you've ever scapegoated a family member with a similar statement.
The "Godfather"-inspired finale is overly cute, bordering on the absurdly pretentious. It's akin to asking, "Do you renounce Satan?" with faux gravitas. And then there's Luke, wielding a realistic-looking rifle. (Guilty as charged; I don't care for such melodramatics.) Far too kitschy, like waking up to find a stuffed zebra head in your bed. Perhaps it's just not my cup of tea, or perhaps it's a flop altogether.
It seems as though Jay's decision to bestow upon his son a robustly Hispanic moniker is intended to resonate with the drama of a mid-twentieth-century newspaper headline – WHITE MAN CHRISTENS CHILD WITH CRAZY “ETHNIC” NAME; SHOW'S EPISODE MAKER MUST NOW DELIVER; BOUNDARIES ARE SHATTERED. But couldn't this simply be a moment devoid of grandiose heroism? Especially when the show promptly tones down the drama by giving little Fulgencio the middle name Joseph, ensuring he'll forever be known as Joe, the quintessential all-American boy? Moreover, the fact that Gloria was left in a state of absolute terror, uncertain about what her husband would name their bundle of joy until the very last second of the christening, was absolutely harrowing. That's all I have to say. I'm done. I'll endeavor to refrain from sounding like a bitter critic next time. I truly will. I mean, I've happily dished out numerous glowing recaps throughout this season. Last week's episode was undeniably a five-star masterpiece. I just wish the show hadn't followed it up with this.
