MODERN FAMILY – The Best of ABC’s Fall Lineup
September 23, 2009 by Kath Skerry
MODERN FAMILY, premiering tonight at 9/8c on ABC, was not only the funniest pilot of the new season, it’s the best new show I’ve seen all Fall. It’s a smart and hilarious look at modern, if maybe not traditional, families. But what is traditional these days? Family is family no matter what the make-up. Creators Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd wrote a brilliant script that delivered big laughs from the very beginning all the way through to the laugh out loud ending. I’m being serious when I tell you to watch what you’re drinking while watching tonight’s episode. The first time I watched a particular scene near the end I literally screamed with laughter. Subsequent viewings, and there have been many, had the same effect. It’s that funny.
A mockumentary film crew uses its lens to explore the dynamics of three interconnected families. Jay (Ed O’Neill) and his new, much younger wife, Gloria (Sofia Varga), are adjusting to their new lives together as they raise Gloria’s lovelorn son, Manny. Their May-December love doesn’t go unnoticed despite how young Jay tries portray himself. Gloria’s kind heart and sweet loving nature is a perfect foil to Jay’s cynicism and gruff. I’m already waiting for the episode that explains how this twosome came to be.
Jay has two children from his first marriage. His daughter Claire (Julie Bowen) and her husband Phil (Ty Burell) live the seemingly traditional life of a nuclear family. They live in the burbs with their three children whose extracurricular activities leave the family a slave to their calendar. Clarie runs the household while Phil runs around embarrassing his kids with his perceived coolness.
Claire’s brother, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and his life partner Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) have just returned from China where they have adopted a baby girl named Lily. The slightly neurotic and uptight Mitchell seems lovingly at odds with Cameron who prefers a more dramatic and grandiose approach to life.
They may look like separate families but they are all one. Despite their obvious differences there is a love at the core….love and laughs.
TV is subjective. Comedy even more so. But I really think that you all will really have a good laugh at this heartfelt look at the modern family.
Be sure to come back to this post after you’ve watched and share your thoughts.
Will you be tuning it tonight at 9/8c on ABC?
A sneak peek at tonight’s MODERN FAMILY premiere (if you plan on watching tonight, maybe skip this video so as not to spoil yourself).
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I watched the whole show when you tweeted about it like a month ago. I loved it. Without spoiling anything, the part where Mitchell and Cameron, um.. “present” Lily is absolutely hilarious. The little Mexican kid is love. And planning to shoot your son? How could you not love it?
I know I’ll be watching Glee live but I’ll definitely keep up with this one too.
I hate that this show is up against Glee. I watched the Pilot last night and loved every second of it. Sent it to my mom and she loved it too. When I’m sitting by myself and laughing out loud several times, I know it’s funny stuff and I really only see it getting better as we get to know the characters more.
This is the best comedy pilot I’ve seen since Arrested Development. I hope it can keep up the momentum. Ty Burrell was hysterical.
Sigh – hate being an outsider but this show was dull. One or two laughs – Ed struggling to get out of his chair and the CIrcle of Life bit but beyond that – an empty desert.
thanks for the recommendation! Great show! I don’t think I have laughed out loud that hard from anything ever!
I turned this show off 10 minutes into it. It was so dry and boring.
I was really looking forward to it, by the reviews & clips I had seen.
Sorry… It’s a no go for me, won’t be watching it.
I watched the pilot a few weeks ago, and laughed so hard at “The Circle of Life” I thought I might cough up a lung. I hadn’t been spoiled that the three families were in reality one family, so I enjoyed seeing them come together at the end.
I’m certainly going to keep watching, but there were parts I didn’t enjoy as much. Phil (the trying-to-be-hip-and-failing-miserably dad) made me highly uncomfortable. I love absurdist shows like The Office, but when characters are THAT awkward like Phil, I feel awkward and embarrassed for them. I know that’s the point, but it rubbed me the wrong way in this ep. Especially the shooting the kid part. Like I said, I’m all for absurdity, but that was in another universe of absurdity past anything even remotely okay. I’m hoping that I’ll warm up to that aspect of the show as time goes on.
All that being said, it’s definitely a very funny show and I’ll for sure add it to my viewing line-up.
I enjoyed it. I was exhausted last night and th esimple fact that I stayed awake through it all speaks very highly for it. I love the actor with the red hair (don’t remember his name) but he was on that show (Reunion?), and I liked him in that, too. Especially for a pilot, I’d say it did well.
I really liked it. My LOL moments were when the Dad was accidentally shooting everyone, and of course the Lion King. The music the spotlight at just the right time…Comedy GOLD 🙂
thanks for the recommendation! This show was hysterical! I was afraid that since I’ve seen so many commercials and sneak peaks that i had already seen all of the funny parts. I was pleasantly surprised that there were a ton of funny bits that i hadnt seen yet. The scene where the dad shoots his son was beyond funny and then the lion king scene killed me.
all in all, im looking forward to putting this show on my weekly schedule! 🙂
I thought it was decent, but comparing it to Arrested Development is a bit much.
I agree with the above poster that Phil is just way too awkward. And I found the rest of the traditional family to be pretty dull, and overly typical (cute teenage girl who likes boys, funny youngest child, middle child who… doesn’t have a lot of distinguishing characteristics yet).
Actually, I think I ultimately enjoyed Cougar Town a bit more (despite the atrocious title).
Michele,
I know exactly which actor you’re talking about (though I don’t remember his name either). Is the show your looking for The Class? That’s where I recognize him from. And if it weren’t for me stumbling onto some eps of that show on youtube, I would not be here. That was the first tv show I ever followed.
You actually make it appear really easy together with
your presentation however I in finding this matter to be really one thing which I feel I would by no means understand.
It sort of feels too complicated and extremely broad
for me. I am taking a look forward in your next put up,
I’ll try to get the grasp of it!
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