The second season of "Modern Family" flaunted an exceptionally chilling Halloween episode that left viewers captivated. In a delightful deviation from the norm in 2011, the episode delved into what fans had yearned for: Claire, fueled by an annual, somewhat inexplicable quest to have the most frightening house on the street, greeted a trio of trick-or-treaters with a hand protruding from her abdomen, clutching a beating human heart. Blood spurted, prompting the accompanying father to perhaps suffer a heart attack, or as Phil hilariously recounted, a minor episode of saliva-and-urine loss. Papa Dunphy, ever committed to his blissful obliviousness that both amuses and irritates, informed Claire that she wasn't the finest scarer around. (He also introduced a potential new entry into "Phil's-osophy": "The world craves dreamers, Luke—never cease your licking endeavors.")
Lily is blossoming into one of the most delightful and enchanting characters the series has to offer. Witnessing her and Mitch engage in sleepy bedtime chatter warms the heart. She subtly mirrors her dad's mannerisms in a charming, understated manner. It's a pity that she must endure the dreary narrative of being inquisitive about her biological mother, her reward being a cupcake smooshed into her face.
Jay, somewhat perplexingly, fails to charm his way out of a traffic ticket. ("Ah, I'm quite familiar with the police academy myself. Seen all seven seasons." "Sir, no one has seen all seven.") The tired emphasis on Gloria's exaggerated Colombian traits is on its thousandth deathbed, though it did yield the line, "We get excited—my country is drenched in coffee!" However, Gloria's shouting continues to defy any reason for demise. "YOU PUT EGG ON MY HOUSE, I'LL ANNIHILATE WHAT YOU CHERISH!!" is a home run.
As much as I endeavor to watch this show with my offense-detector turned down to its lowest setting, it's challenging to get through an episode without wishing "Modern Family's" writers could impart lines to its characters that are devoid of unnecessary malice and dubiousness. Jay's remark, "you've been deported twice—you're not entitled to be that defensive," is unnecessary. And I can't be alone in finding the line about Gloria's pregnancy not being her "fault" tasteless and disastrously timed.
In any case, Cam, Mitch, and Lily are hosting a costume party with a subplot theme, where hilarity ensues but takes a solemn turn when someone inadvertently tans Larry the Cat with spray tan. A moment of respectful silence, please, for Larry the Cat. Cam has been on a weight-loss journey and has successfully shed an impressive 32.4 pounds. So confident is he in his newfound fitness that he dares anyone to doubt it, flashing a hint of his toned physique if even the slightest skepticism crosses their mind. For the party, he initially dons the guise of a bull to match Mitch's matador attire, but switches to the more bodacious role of Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island, accompanied by Lily as his sidekick, Tattoo, radiating grandeur.
Now, the question arises: Does Claire embrace Halloween with glee or transform into a maniacal force to be reckoned with? She haunts Phil in the very antique house he's attempting to sell, motivated by reasons as inexplicable as they are uncharacteristic of his stated fondness for the holiday. Her presence lingers in bathrooms and behind doors, driven by an over-the-top attempt to embody the essence of Claire. Understandably, Phil is creeped out to his core. (I too, detest unexpected surprises—I once warned friends visiting not to scare me, lest I suffer an asthma attack and perhaps even worse, and they didn't fancy that moral burden.) Alex and Luke join in the festivities, terrifying their dad in unison. Happy Halloween, you wild and eclectic Dunphys! Keep a sharp lookout for any family therapy deals, and ensure that Alex, the avid Nietzsche reader, stays out of mischief while her older sister is absent!
Was this episode a side-splitting gem akin to the Halloween antics of the second season? Alas, no. Did it disappoint like last week's lackluster offering? Fortunately, a resounding no to that as well. Interwoven amidst the hearty laughter were subtle, delightful touches: Phil encounters Hall & Oates impersonators in concert and relishes the experience so much that he shares it excitedly with a friend over the phone; Manny cowers to a teenage bully by addressing him as Mr. Dirkus; Phil's seasonal dirty talk takes the form of calling Claire a "naughty little goblin"; and we discover that Cam has imparted to Lily the lesson that lying can be fatal to birds. These little comic gems served as a reassuring sign of the attention to detail that was sorely missing just a week prior.
To conclude, in the spirit of Halloween, how many fans can watch an episode of Modern Family without being reminded of Phil's portrayal of the jerkish character in the Dawn of the Dead remake?
