Modern Family (ABC)

I don't get you guys. The Dunphy kids are three of the five best characters on the show.

And Dick, I wasn't calling you out. It was more of a generic statement.

 

Luke is definitely one of the best characters on the show. Between "monsterating," "I do" and "See you on the other side, brother," he had the three best lines of the episode. Lily is even more creepy than the little girl on Friday Night Lights. She would have very little to say if I had something to say about it.

Thought this was another great one. Turning into The Office? Hardly.

Cam calling to cancel the baby after Mitchell botched his "9th" birthday party was hilarious, as well as his line about "after seeing what you accomplished in the last two hours I can't wait to see what you can do in a minute"

The top characters, IMO: 1. Phil 2. Cam 3. Luke 4. Manny 5. Jay

 

I don't know what people could complain about from last night's episode.

I almost lost it completely when they were walking down to the dock. Phil slams his leg and Claire's couldn't-care-less reaction -- "Oh, yeah. Watch out for that" -- is hilarious. Luke's "It smells like puke married poop and had the ceremony in my nose," followed by Manny's, "You paint with words," completely cracked me up.

 

And Mitchell dancing in the street to distract Cam from Dorothy, the Tin Man, etc. walking up the sidewalk. Excellent episode.

 

I seriously don't know of a single TV show thread on this board where at least someone isn't saying "It's not as good as it used to be."

Some people need to freaking relax and enjoy the show, or, believe it or not, you can change the channel.

 

That's because people have differing opinions. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

If EVERYONE liked Friends, it would be in about its 18th season now.

 

I recall a breakfast table crying/screaming match with my mother and younger sister that resulted in a box of tampons being hurled at my head by the sibling.

My dad calmly took a sip of coffee, pushed himself away from the table, and informed my mother, myself, and my sister that he would rather be quartered on a daily basis than spend another morning with three hormonal hyenas.

That was my favorite episode of the season.

 

Of course, people who hated Friends probably wouldn't be clicking on a message-board thread about it just to be contrarian.

 

See, I don't think so. I think it's because you always like the first episodes a little more because the characters are new, the situations are new, the schtick is new. You always like the first episodes and seasons better because you're falling in love with the show, and you look back on that fondly.

Modern Family isn't even through its third season. Barring something major, it's probably not even halfway through its run, and maybe not a third. But we're already saying it "used to be good". The scale is screwed up. I don't know why people are always in such a hurry to be the first to pronounce a show dead, but it gets old.


Edited to add: To clarify: it's laughable to compare critiquing Friends whether in its 10th season or its 18th to critiquing Modern Family, in its third.

 

The show still hits it, maybe not every week, but there have been episodes this year that have been every bit as good as previous seasons. But I do agree that the worst eps of the show have been this year, some of the subplots just seem forced to get some characters on the screen, like this week's Jay/Gloria plot.

 

Manny and Cam are both one trick, so while initially funny, they can get on your nerves over time. Luke has such surprising dialogue (like the joke about the cops and the war on drugs earlier in the season) that he stays fresh even with more lines.

They have done a nice job with Phil, making him more than a loveable doofus. Claire and Jay are not as well written, but actors do a good job rounding out the roles.