Modern Family [** SPOILERS **]

cloud493

Eh, its not bad yet./ Its very very watchable.

FreudianSlippers

colinod0806 wrote: »

I didn't really like last season but there's a noticeable improvement this season imo.

I think the reason for this is that they have actually recognised the kids are all getting older and have written in response to that. I felt last season they didn't do that.

crazygeryy

The latest episode was really bad.its just not as funny as it was a couple of seasons ago.

S.M.B.

I didn't raise a single smile in that episode.

Shame as I thought the season started of really well.

There's been a considerable improvement this series, the writing for the characters feels more laid back and natural and even Jay is starting to feel somewhat like his old self. That the writers completely changed him was a mistake, the Philip from series one was a far more dynamic and interesting character than the one we have now. He's far too nice and accepting and the dynamic he had with Cam is missing.

The latest episode had a few laughs but still felt rather flat. Deprecating the characters can work but here the writers made the mistake of paring up the wrong ones.

pixelburp

I'm not that beat up about the softening of Jay as I think that was bound to happen over the course of the series, given everything happening around him; from the presence of Lily, his gradual acceptance of Phil, to the arrival of Joe and so on. Had he stayed that angrily resistant to his family it would have been hard to see how his children would want anything to do with him (and iirc wasn't that the whole launching point of the series, that the family were getting back together after years of avoidance?) and that would have emphasised the 'sitcominess' of the show more than necessary.

Personally, I'm glad they've pulled back from the endless cycle of bickering between Cam / Mitch; the marriage plotline has helped smooth things over but it was annoying to see their contributions continuously reduced to 'gay men act like b*tches to each other'.

Either way, I don't expect or demand much from Modern Family these days, unlike more creative, razor-sharp sitcoms such as Parks and Rec or Community; Modern Family's comfort food through and through, it doesn't pitch itself to be more than it is and for me it's ok if the humour falls a little flat. It's sitcom writing by rote and taken against its peers it does OK (though I do agree the quality of writing has waned over the last while)

Glebee

I'm finding this season ok, not great, not bad but it's perfectly fine. Got a few laughs from the last episode

pixelburp

I thought this weeks episode was the strongest of the season so far, and the funniest in a while; the Vegas setting meant there was a lot of low-hanging fruit with the humour, but the execution was very well done, with the various plotlines dovetailing brilliantly.

Also good to see Patton Oswalt continuing his career of cameoing in every conceivable TV show with a role in Modern Family Steve Merchants own appearance was a boon, his lines coming across as kinda ad-libbed.

Lovely Bloke

Yes very funny, the whole final sequence between the hotel rooms is typical, cliché sitcom fare tbh, going back to the likes of the Marx brothers and beyond, but they did it very well

Glebee

Good episode. Best so far this season.

youngblood

That was a very well crafted episode of any sitcom I've seen in a long long while

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Really enjoyed that one. The "magic trick" was brilliant.

Tipsy McSwagger

Myself and the gf flew threw the first 2 seasons and were watching 2/3 eps a night and constantly laughing at the show. I noticed it started dipping in quality around the Disney episode near the end of season 3 and then there was the spanish soap opera hospital episode which was terrible. We are barely able to sit through one episode of season 4 now and its just turned into Sappy Family. It's a pity as it started out so brilliantly.

connollys

dont understand the love for the most recent Vegas set episode. it descended into very old fashioned and obvious farce.

crazygeryy

connollys wrote: »

dont understand the love for the most recent Vegas set episode. it descended into very old fashioned and obvious farce.

I agree. It wasn't that funny at all. Clever in ways buy not funny. There's a huge difference.

connollys

Phil in the Salon was quality. Cam's face when his (pretty obvious) dastardly scheme came to fruition was priceless.

evilivor

Some good lines in this week's episode.

"I liked things better when you were the one who was ostrich-sized…'

"How am I supposed to do this with so many Is on my rack?"

"Who's this?!? Excluse me, Kristy Huge Ones, I have a name."

lertsnim

Really enjoyed this weeks episode.

Temaz

lertsnim wrote: »

Really enjoyed this weeks episode.

+1

Just good fun.

Callanutd

evilivor wrote: »

Some good lines in this week's episode.

"I liked things better when you were the one who was ostrich-sized…'

"How am I supposed to do this with so many Is on my rack?"

"Who's this?!? Excluse me, Kristy Huge Ones, I have a name."

Also:
Hayley "how am I supposed to do this with so many I's on my rack"
Manny "Sorry!"

pixelburp

As mentioned above, there were some good one-liners this week. The Cam/Mitch storyline was saved by the twist at the end because up 'til then it seemed like the show had descended back into the 'Cam & Mitch bicker and secretly hate each other' mould.
I also find myself wondering if Ty Burrell wasn't part of the cast would I be sticking around, because as per usual Burrell is the star performer. Even when the rest of the script wobbles I find Phil keeps things ticking over.

pixelburp

Wow, this weeks episode was bad, practically I'm-done-with-this-show bad. Latter-day Simpsons bad. I've tended to defend recent Modern Family on the basis that while not as great as it used to be, it still worked as comfort food with the odd chuckle; this weeks though was horrendous on nearly every level.

It really betrays itself as a tired, jaded show, bereft of ideas. The recent Las Vegas episode worked because of the inherent screwball nature of the location; but doubling up with an asinine trip to Australia just felt like they'd completely run out of ideas, and nothing within the episode worked.

connollys

Totally agree, cant remember a single redeeming feature of that episode. Just really struggling for ideas at this stage it looks like.

evilivor

connollys wrote: »

Totally agree, cant remember a single redeeming feature of that episode. Just really struggling for ideas at this stage it looks like.

It was a 20 minute Quantas ad. Dreadful.

Pretty awful episode and it's ridiculous to have two holiday episodes in a row. The Las Vegas episode worked because it felt like a classic slice of screwball comedy whereas this week felt like a trite, clinched and derivative 22 minutes of sheer boredom. The only laugh was Phil getting punched by a kangaroo and Rhys Darby was completely wasted.

Hyzepher

Actually like this weeks - lots of subtle jokes and Phil is always hilarious

pixelburp

Hmm, another flatline this week I thought; Phil freaks out about an old crush, even though his infatuation with Gloria has been a prominent running gag since the first episode. That they're now flying in the face of their own characterisation and continuity really emphasises how much like The Simpsons this show has become. The new series is nearly over and while I'll stick it out til the end, I doubt I'll be back; the show has run its course methinks.

Not a bad episode this week, certainly superior to last week but honestly the show has run its course. The farcical nature of Phil's story was ridiculous and didn't work, sure there were a few laughs but it all fell rather flat. Mitchell's story was a little more interesting and it was nice to see the writers acknowledge that of all the characters he's the one we know the least. Sadly I doubt that they will actually do anything about that as why try to do something interesting when you can have cheap slapstick.

One thing that has always bothered me about the show is the manner in which it's shot. I've always believed that the characters were being followed by a documentary film crew but it nothing has ever came of it apart from allowing the writers a cheap way to deliver exposition. Throughout the series to date we've had huge revelations revealed through these one on one scenes and as such I have always hoped that they would come back later on once the family and/or friends saw the footage broadcast. It feels like such a great tool that's being wasted

Poca Nose

pixelburp wrote: »

That they're now flying in the face of their own characterisation and continuity really emphasises how much like The Simpsons this show has become.

No, I'm sorry, this is hyperbole. This season is nowhere near as bad as the new Simpsons. It has been frequently very funny, unlike post-1998 Simpsons.

ShoulderChip

This show which I once loved is now a disaster, time to call goodnight I fear.

pixelburp

Poca Nose wrote: »

No, I'm sorry, this is hyperbole. This season is nowhere near as bad as the new Simpsons. It has been frequently very funny, unlike post-1998 Simpsons.

Nothings as bad as new Simpsons true, but in terms of a general trajectory from hilarious to flatlining gags, Modern Family's in the same vein. There were some decent episodes, the Las Vegas one being particularly good, but overall I feel there's a downward trend, culminating in the most recent, awful episodes.

lertsnim

Crocodile Dunphy

cloud493

That was a really good episode this week.

Basq

I gave up on this show at the end of the last season.. but having caught up, I do think it's improved hugely - far more consistent than last season, although there is still a dud every now and then (e.g Australia episode).

Shane St.

Last night's was very good

evilivor

cloud493 wrote: »

That was a really good episode this week.

Yes, it was funnier than usual - some great lines "I can't believe they kept it" - "I have a name!" - and then, out the blue, wallop, a very strong emotional scene.

pixelburp

Definitely one of the stronger episodes this season, with lots of great lines, and certainly streets ahead of the execrable material from the last couple of weeks. A truly bizarre see-sawing of quality really. It's nuts though to think that Mitchell's outburst in the third act is the closest to any kind of emotional drama or tinkering with the status-quo this show has dabbled in since its beginning. It's better for it, I just wish it tried it more often.

Deleted User wrote: »

One thing that has always bothered me about the show is the manner in which it's shot. I've always believed that the characters were being followed by a documentary film crew but it nothing has ever came of it apart from allowing the writers a cheap way to deliver exposition. Throughout the series to date we've had huge revelations revealed through these one on one scenes and as such I have always hoped that they would come back later on once the family and/or friends saw the footage broadcast. It feels like such a great tool that's being wasted

Yeah, good point; I've just come to accept that conceit without questioning it at this stage, and like you said it seems more like a cheap tactic for some quick exposition - or the setting up of a punchline - than any important part of the story. You'd assume if that family ever got to see their respective confessionals they'd never talk to each other again. Assuming there really is a documentary crew! I don't think anyone on the show has ever once acknowledged the presence of the cameras.

Basq

Deleted User wrote: »

One thing that has always bothered me about the show is the manner in which it's shot. I've always believed that the characters were being followed by a documentary film crew but it nothing has ever came of it apart from allowing the writers a cheap way to deliver exposition. Throughout the series to date we've had huge revelations revealed through these one on one scenes and as such I have always hoped that they would come back later on once the family and/or friends saw the footage broadcast. It feels like such a great tool that's being wasted

Kinda off-topic but this whole "documentary-style" comedy was more or less made the norm with 'The Office'.. and while I lost interest in later seasons, the US series did have a fantastic scene where one of the supposed crew filming step in front of the camera to console one of the characters (Pam). Really nicely done!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7vvASqhgXY

pixelburp

Basq wrote: »

Kinda off-topic but this whole "documentary-style" comedy was more or less made the norm with 'The Office'.. and while I lost interest in later seasons, the US series did have a fantastic scene where one of the supposed crew filming step in front of the camera to console one of the characters (Pam). Really nicely done!

At least The Office openly played with the idea of being a 'genuine' documentary, and as you demonstrate the film-makers did interact with their subjects. Modern Family (as far as I recall) has never once internally acknowledged the presence of cameras, discounting the one-on-ones and the occasional look to the camera by a character. Nobody really seems to act like they're being filmed, except when it's convenient to the set-up of a gag.

This weeks episode wasn't bad but the show really is a shadow of its former self. The wedding melt down should have been genuinely moving but here it felt like a cheap attempt at some emotional weight. It simply didn't work and Jay himself summed it up best, "look how far I've come". We know he's not homophobic so as to try and paint him as one just doesn't work. Maybe back in series one but not now, the writers have changed Jay so much that I imagine they're starting to regret it. It's robbed the show of much of the tension which led to some of the most touching moments, the show now plays it completely safe and honesty were it not for the lack of good comedies I'd drop it. It's a shame to see Enlisted and Trophy Wife cancelled as I'd sooner have another series of either over this.

DMcL1971

Personally, I don't get the negativity toward Modern family. I still think it is the funniest show on TV. Every episode has a few excellently timed clever jokes. I think the kids are getting funnier as they get older and Lilly is particularly good. I still laugh out loud at least once per episode and have not seen any other show nearly as funny in a long time.

FreudianSlippers

There are some good and genuine laughs, but it's unarguably not the funniest show on TV

Mars Bar

This is the summary on TV Links for Modern Family which makes sense with the documentary line. Just a single student with his camera following them.

A Dutch filmmaker records the lives of three families, including one he stayed with as an exchange student. In one household, the dad works and the mom stays at home with their kids; in another, a gay couple experiences first-time fatherhood with the Vietnamese child they just adopted; and in the third home a 60-year old man becomes an instant father when he marries a thirtysomething Latina mother. Shot documentary-style. Modern Family won six Emmy Awards, including the one for Outstanding Comedy Series. It also brought home a Peabody Award, Writers Guild Award, Directors Guilds Award and Television Critics Award.

Basq

Dutch filmmaker? Was this ever addressed or mentioned?

Seems a bit random..

cloud493

No, the camera mockumentary style is never referenced in the show.
The wedding episode tonight (US)

Mars Bar

Basq wrote: »

Dutch filmmaker? Was this ever addressed or mentioned?

Seems a bit random..

Nope, it has never been referenced. I just took the show for what it was but the talk here about the breaking the fourth wall but never seeing any camera crew had me thinking. It's the first time I read the show summary on that site )I probably shouldn't be mentioning here anyway!) and I thought of this thread.

Shane St.

1st part of wedding episode was a bit meh

pixelburp

It was ok, there were definitely a few laughs, but I have no interest in sitcom-weddings, so events just kinda drifted washed over me; oh the whacky hijinks that happen on the day of a wedding! Wonder if even at their wedding, the show will still try to desperately avoid Cam & Mitch showing any affection?

Penn

Basq wrote: »

Dutch filmmaker? Was this ever addressed or mentioned?

Seems a bit random..

Still doesn't make sense. What about times where two things have been happening at the same time as each other?

I don't think it needs any explanation tbh. It is what it is.