Modern Family - Fears

Network: ABC
Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-9:30pm
Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Ariel Winter

Summary: Each of the families discuss and confront some of their fears.

Review: For a half hour show, Modern Family really packs a lot into each episode, yet does it in a way that makes sense and doesn't overwhelm the viewer (unlike, say, Parenthood's first episode).  This episode had stories involving Jay and Manny facing their fears of roller coasters, Haley going for her driver's license test (for the third time), Alex going to a school dance, Luke and Phil exploring under the house, and Mitch and Cam's fear that Lily's first word was "Mommy."  All that in 30 minutes, and still enough time to delve into a side story about Lily's pediatrician (played by the awesome Suzy Nakamura, who was Sam's original assistant Cathy on The West Wing).

And each story was not only well-rounded (beginning, middle, end), but coherent, funny and sweet all at the same time.  I love the sweet side of Modern Family.  Most sitcoms, even the family ones, focus so much on being funny that they don't have the same heart-warming effect Modern Family has.  And I'm not sure this kind of sweetness has a place in every sitcom.  After all, could you imagine The Big Bang Theory if Sheldon and Leonard sat down and talked out their feelings at the end of each episode?  Or Seinfeld if Jerry had a voice over at the end talking about what he'd learned from that episode?  It wouldn't work at all.

But Modern Family makes it work, which is why I think it's one of the (if not the) best sitcoms in at least the past two decades.

Plus it's funny.  Even the characters that aren't particularly likable (Phil) are still funny to watch.  And it manages to encompass several different types of humor.  Phil is the master of the awkward humor that I don't particularly enjoy but everyone else seems to like.  Mitch and Cam do the gay humor really well, but find the right balance between flamboyant homosexuality and an honest, wholesome couple.  And Jay relies more on a dry wit and sarcasm, especially when dealing with his precocious stepson.

This episode was just another in a long line of solid episodes from this show.  Ultimately, I don't think this one will stand out in my head the way the one with Luke's birthday party does, but it still deserves a high rating for generally being excellent.  This show has been nothing but consistent so far, and I look forward to it every week to see what they'll do this time.

Favorite lines:
Jay: I'm not afraid of anything.
Gloria: What about pigeons?
Jay: Oh, yeah, I don't like them.  They're shifty.

Jay: (about Manny) I could have guessed he'd have trouble with roller coasters.  That kid gets woozy at barbershops when they spin his chair towards the mirror.

Phil: We're like Ponce de Leon and his son... little Ponce.

Rating:
[5] Excellent
[4] Good
[3] Average
[2] OK
[1] Bad