Modern Family is the sort of show that's just easy watching and soothing to the soul. I know I'm massively late to the party with this one but I keep seeing memes from the show that has inspired me to watch it, so it's currently our easy evening viewing during dinner.
The show is about three families which in turn constitute a larger blended family. You've got the Dunphy clan which is the stereotypical nuclear family, parents and three kids. Then you have Claire Dunphy's brother Mitchell, his boyfriend and their adopted baby. Then you have Claire and Mitchell's dad, his new wife and her son. Chaos ensues as we follow each bubble individually and then as they interact with the larger family.
This first season was of course the pilot but it blew up massively which isn't surprising considering everyone can relate to someone on screen. We battled stereotypes, we played on family dynamics, and really there was something for everyone. Let's have a little rundown on characters:
Phil Dunphy: The wild father of the Dunphy clan. He's a little meek, get's distracted a lot, bit dim, but overall a loving father and more loveable character. He gets himself into a lot of questionable situations, but they turn out right in the end.
Claire Dunphy: Phil's control freak wife who brings balance to their relationship and parenting. She's stern and he's soft, she blows hot and him cold. It is balance and together they are the ideal couple. I like Claire as sometimes she reminds me of me.
Haley Dunphy: The oldest child, she's spoilt, a bit bratty, and quite dim, but she's the stereotypical hot headed teenager who just cares about being pretty and partying. She's popular, is dating an older guy in a band, and while she causes the odd problem she's usually the throw away comedic relief in this series.
Alex Dunphy: The middle child and the brains. Alex takes after her mum for sure but is slightly too serious for a kid her age. She get's away with more being the middle kid but also knows enough not to cross her mum. She is a little catty, and a big tell tale, always getting into peoples business to snitch. Ultimately though, she is the balance to her wild siblings and it is her we follow for the more heartfelt story lines like how she challenges being insecure especially compared to her popular sister.
Luke Dunphy: The youngest child and basically just the wild one. He's breaking bones, causing trouble, not very bright and basically influenced very badly by his dad. They are the spit of each other and it drives Claire mad, but ultimately he is again the comic relief and well known within the family of being the idiot kid.
Jay Pritchett: Claire and Mitchell's dad, Manny's stepdad, the Dunphy kid's grandpa, and Gloria's husband. He is the glue which brings all these families together. As the older man he is meant to be the problem solver, the outdated one, and he is, but he is also the one who makes the problems and ultimately learns from them. He admits he wasn't the best dad to his kids and this is his do-over. Claire and Mitchell have to put aside their feelings from their own upbringing to watch their dad change for the better and grow with him. It is a beautiful undercurrent for sure.
Gloria Delgado-Pritchett: Jay's younger wife who plays on and beats the Latino stereotype. Gloria is my favourite, she's manipulative when she needs to be, hot headed, vicious, but to balance she has a huge sense of justice and she's loving and would do anything for her new family. She is what helps change Jay to be a better patriarchal figure throughout this season. It is her pushing him to accept his kids for who they are which shows the growth and how important she is. She's more than a killer fashion sense for sure.
Manny Delgado: Gloria's son and Jay's stepson. Manny is an old soul. He's overly romantic but doesn't have many takers and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He's the voice of reason for a lot of the family despite only being a kid. This is amusing, but also quite sweet to see. While he's the outcast and a huge source of jealousy for the older Pritchett kids, he's also their learning curve and saviour, he soon gets absorbed into the family.
Mitchell Pritchett: Jay's gay son. He's a lawyer and a good one, but he is also a nervous wreck most of the time, hugely judgemental, and vastly insecure. We see the greatest storylines come from Mitchell as he overcomes his insecurities and the problems created because of them. We get to see him finally bond with his father and it's lovely.
Cameron Tucker: Mitchell's partner and the stereotypical flamboyant gay. Cam is here for the comedicness of his over the top ways, but equally he brings the family together with his experiences and knowledge. I love Cam as I think he is the balance to Mitchell much like Phil is to Claire.
Lily Tucker-Pritchett: The adopted daughter of Cam and Mitchell. She's only a baby at the moment but the chaos that ensues around her is typical of any family and she really is the icing on the cake.
I loved how even if you dont come from a big family or an extended family, you can relate to someone or something in this series. Nothing works out how you want it to, but that is life, and while the storylines are sugar coated they are realistic too. It's a fun, cosy sort of show that anyone can watch and you learn from it without meaning to.
I'm giving this season of Modern Family an 8/10. It was fun, gentle, emotional, and a bit silly. It made me laugh, made me sad, but overall it just genuinely entertained me and that is what it was there to do. Job done in my book.
As always my DMs are open to recommendations! Let me know what you want to see me review next!
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