Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

'Modern Family' - 'Family Portrait': The fugitive pigeon

Claire goes crazy in search of a picture-perfect moment.

By Alan Sepinwall Wednesday, May 19, 2010 9:30 PM

Gloria and Phil go to a Lakers game in the "Modern Family" finale.

Credit: ABC

A review of the "Modern Family" season finale coming up just as soon as I postpone this hissy fit for a few minutes...

"I just want to freeze this moment, as it is, right now." -Claire

From the moment ABC screened the entire "Modern Family" pilot to a rapturous response at its upfront last May, the show's first season couldn't have gone more perfectly. Critics loved it, audiences embraced it, veteran comedy writers blogged and tweeted that they wished they worked on it, and I would call it the odds-on favorite to win the comedy series Emmy.

So of course, Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd would want to freeze this moment, and enjoy it, and to close out this triumphant season with an episode bringing together the full cast for one last bit of silliness in their all-white mud fight.

But I don't think "Family Portrait" was one of the show's strongest episodes, and in a way would rather have seen the season close out with the Hawaii trip, which also brought everyone together but gave them all funnier things to do.

There were some good gags, as always, like Jay and Manny's underwear swap, or Luke re-enacting "The Hurt Locker," or the reference to Phil considering Peabo Bryson to be the world's greatest singer. And I even laughed at Mitchell trying to kill the pigeon while Cam sang "Ave Maria," even though I had been cringing seconds earlier at watching Mitchell be a stereotypical squealing queen as he ran from the bird.

But I did wince at the earlier pigeon stuff, and I still don't think Claire works as anything but a straight woman for Phil and the kids, and even Jay's tall tales to Luke about the barbershop felt like it could have been sharper.

But then the mud fight happened, and my earlier reservations mostly went away. That was both goofy and sweet and completely enthusiastic, and that's a mix which has served the show well throughout this strong debut season.

So while "Hawaii" was a much better episode overall, "Family Portrait" in its closing moments did end the season on the picture-perfect note.

See ya in the fall, Cam, Manny, et al.

What did everybody else think?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Modern Family, Alan Sepinwall

Ryan

Loved it! I'm not sure if I've loved a season of comedy like this since Arrested Development. I love the chemistry that the family has when everyone is together in the same place.
May 19, 2010 at 9:59PM EST Reply to Comment
- Ian Have to agree with Ryan. While I still think AD is a superior comedy, Modern Family is right up there. Looking forward to next season.
  May 19, 2010 at 10:03PM EST
- I second that! Not one episode through the season that disappointed me. Some were sharper than others, but all in all, this was a great season!
  May 20, 2010 at 9:38AM EST
JWIII

I've had issues in the past with Mitchell. Where as before it was him always being angry, this time it's him being a complete stereotype. The bird fiasco was so hard to sit through. It was easily the worst 5 minutes this show has aired.

The easiest story to digest was the Basketball game which I'm shocked at because "the kiss" was heavily marketed I assumed it would be the worst.

I do agree I forgot my bias against the early parts of the show in the last several minutes.
May 19, 2010 at 10:07PM EST Reply to Comment
Marc

Gotta say I strongly disagree and get why TPTB chose to use this as finale. I laughed out loud and the end had me crying. I dont get what ur problem is with Julie Bowen. I thought she did really well with the stair scenes and I find her funny and even if she is more of a straight woman to her silly husband, its like a lot of real marriages I know.

The show has been anything but "stereotypical" with regards to Mitch and Cam. That whole scene made me laugh and I'm a guy that freaks out over a mouse so I can relate.

I honestly don't think there's a better well cast show in I cant remember. Every person in the ensemble is wonderful and I believe them wholeheartedly, which is why I was bawling at the end.

I know you prefer the snarkier NBC type sitcoms and that is your prerogative, but if I'm being honest sometimes it feels like you nitpick little things on this show to justify why you think the other ones are better. I assume you disagree and I respect that. I respect your opinion, just disagree.
May 19, 2010 at 10:09PM EST Reply to Comment
- Matt I don't think Alan is nitpicking to try to justify anything. I feel the same way about various criticisms in episodes, even though I like the product overall, whereas I tend to find fewer flaws in Community and Parks and Rec. There are just some things that I might find poor about the show that others, like yourself, might be ok with.
  
  For example, I was unhappy with the Mitchell storyline, not because of him freaking out but just because it was sorta annoying. I didn't like the ending while Alan did because I thought it was too hokey (and felt that the dirt on clothes thing was too obvious). Still, I really enjoyed the episode.
  May 20, 2010 at 10:36PM EST
Omagus

I agree that the Hawaii two-parter were stronger episodes but I think this was a nice coda to the season. It was just the family being the family with no gimmick (for lack of a better word).

I kinda see Alan's point about Julie Bowen but I also think he emphasizes it more than is justified. Yes, Claire is more of a setup character but she has her moments.
May 19, 2010 at 10:20PM EST Reply to Comment
Jim Steele

I've seen only the first seen so far (I'm watching on DVR), but I do want to say that Phil's talking head in which he's talking about food was too reminiscent of the third-season episode of "The Office," in which Michael visits Ryan's school. Hell, the joke about the Payday candy bar is almost an exact copy.

I guess you could look at this as kind of an interesting thing, though, since the season began with Phil-Michael comparisons, and it's come full-circle back to those comparisons.

(Sorry if this has already been mentioned; I don't want to read anything until I've seen the whole episode.)
May 19, 2010 at 10:35PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jim Steele First scene*!
  May 19, 2010 at 10:36PM EST
M

Was I the only one who thought it was a little odd that Claire was so intent on getting her entire extended family together, but that evidently didn't include her own mother?
May 19, 2010 at 10:47PM EST Reply to Comment
- Josh I didn't really find it odd at all. Her mother clearly can't function around these people, and it was already stated before that Claire is "Daddy's Little Girl" and didn't get on at all with her mother. That's Mitchell territory.
  
  Loved the episode. I didn't cringe as much at the early pigeon stuff, but I can certainly see why some people might.
  May 19, 2010 at 11:09PM EST
rosengje

Not sure if this is a dumb question, but: were there an unusual amount of Modern Family and Cougar Town episodes this year? Both series had 24 episodes, which seems kind of high, and unlike NBC there weren't any dire scheduling concerns. Were there any external circumstances or did ABC just want more original material?
May 20, 2010 at 12:10AM EST Reply to Comment
- n 22 is the standard number, but many sitcoms do 24 if they can fit it into the production schedule.
  
  pretty by the book stuff.
  May 20, 2010 at 12:15AM EST
Col Bat Guano

Phil's glance around as if he was under observation by a Predator drone was the best moment of the episode for me.

An excellent first season for the show.
May 20, 2010 at 12:36AM EST Reply to Comment
- conrad "be cool...be cool!" - phil
  May 20, 2010 at 8:34AM EST
- DrewGW I completely agree. His glance was so subtle that several of the people I was watching it with didn't catch it. Once again, Phil's little jokes far surpass his over the top jokes.
  May 22, 2010 at 1:14PM EST
Rosseau

I took the pigoen scene as an action movie parody, something like what Community did a couple of weeks ago. I am sure in some movie there is a shootout set to Ave Maria. There almost has to be.
May 20, 2010 at 12:41AM EST Reply to Comment
- rosseau Ugh, I meant pigeon. I liked this episode better than the last one. It was a bit more zany and did the typical sitcom misunderstanding with Phil thinking he was in far more trouble than he actually was, but that plot really worked. The lines overall were funnier than Hawaii and Julie Bowen is filling out her character nicely.
  May 20, 2010 at 12:48AM EST
- M.A.Peel Prizzi's Honor is famous for an Ave Maria at a wedding at the beginning of the film, but there's no shoot out.
  May 20, 2010 at 1:07AM EST
- PY I think it was a "Community"-esque homage to John Woo and the end to "A Better Tomorrow 2" (warning: clip is very violent):
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E3eYqRnlSY
  
  Woo is famous for having doves flying around in his action scenes.
  May 20, 2010 at 3:15AM EST
- conrad made me think of the opening sequence to raging bull [classical on top of slow mo]:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhwi8kk-dE
  May 20, 2010 at 8:49AM EST
- beep It's from the scene in the Godfather where Michael is attending the baptism of his niece while his goons are out killing people.
  May 20, 2010 at 9:42AM EST
- LJA It was TOTALLY a nod to the Godfather baptism scene.
  May 20, 2010 at 11:15AM EST
- asdf Obviously it was a BSG parody.
  May 20, 2010 at 12:05PM EST
- conrad i don't see the parallel to the baptism scene at all:
  
  http://www.spike.com/video/godfather-baptism/2724589
  May 20, 2010 at 12:21PM EST
cadfile

This was a good episode to end the season.

I loved the fight scene with Cam singing. That cracked me up.
May 20, 2010 at 1:20AM EST Reply to Comment
Oaktown Girl

Ugh. This episode really didn't work for me at all. I think maybe it goes into the "trying too hard" category. I agree with Alan: the pigeon scene made me wince. The mud fight finale was so telegraphed I don't think I even cracked a smile, and I'm not a curmudgeon by any means. However, I did smile when they gave us a glimpse of how the photo came out because it looked pretty good - wished they would haves shown it to us for at least a second longer.

May 20, 2010 at 1:44AM EST Reply to Comment
paul in kirkland

I honestly wonder if the Hawaii two-parter was meant to be the finale and TPTB made them switch the order of the episodes.

I looked it up: the Lakers played Indiana on March 2nd. Did they really finish the season two months ago?
May 20, 2010 at 1:47AM EST Reply to Comment
I agree that it was one of the weakest episodes of the season, but unlike you I think the closing sequence was one of the things that ruined it most for me. It seemed like a rehash of the closing sequence to "Coal Digger" where they were all pushing each other into the pool, but while that was very effective this round was very predictable, very forced, and very sappy.
May 20, 2010 at 2:01AM EST Reply to Comment
Jim Steele

Was I the only one who thought Haley might be pregnant after she suggested Claire use that that to freak out Phil? That would have been an interesting way to end the season (and it would coincide with some of the non-traditional elements of the show), but it might be a little too dramatic for "MF."
May 20, 2010 at 5:54AM EST Reply to Comment
- conrad god i hope not. don't want a 'very special ep' with bristol palin in season 2.
  May 20, 2010 at 8:51AM EST
- Viewer This was addressed quite deftly when Hailey woke up the morning of the Hawaii trip to find Dylan asleep on her floor. She wanted him to leave because "my parents will think we did it," and he immediately said, "As if."
  May 20, 2010 at 2:30PM EST
- DrewGW I've never really found Hailey funny at all, but her suggestion of "Tell him I'm pregnant" and her "Well that was funny" when Phil didn't answer absolutely killed me.
  May 22, 2010 at 1:24PM EST
erinpayton

May 20, 2010 at 6:46AM EST Reply to Comment
erinpayton

It was cute, but not one of my favorites. And Alan, I actually disagree with you about the ending. I felt about that mud fight the way I feel about food fights on TV (even all the way back to Cheers during a Thanksgiving episode)--I hate them and think they're gross. And if I were THERE, it would just tick me off. Especially if I were Gloria in that dress! So while it may have made Claire (and Mitchell) more palatable, it just bugged me. I felt like the photographer.

Nothing really stood out for me, but I did enjoy the Ave Maria bit. I thought there would b a corresponding gag with Cam forgetting the words or over-performing the song or something, but not quite. I did love Gloria getting all het up about the sprinkler system, until Jay reminded her she got it installed. She really is one of my favorite characters.
May 20, 2010 at 6:51AM EST Reply to Comment
PRT

I don't know why people talk about not liking the pigeon stuff. If you ignore the fact that a gay man is the one in the scene, would it make a difference? The writers of Modern Family always talk about using real-life situations. *I* had a bird fly through an open window once (in a car) and I COMPLETELY freaked out. I hate that when Mitchell does something, there has to be someone looking to assign it to some stereotype. From the start of this show, I have seen Cam and Mitchell as complex characters who just happen to be gay. I don't want to detract from that aspect of them, but couldn't we just imagine that uptight men who don't like dirty pigeons exist? (Sorry for the soap-box moment.) I enjoyed this episode overall, but I've enjoyed almost all the episodes of this comedy except for the iPad one.
May 20, 2010 at 7:48AM EST Reply to Comment
- JWIII My dislike of the pigeon scene has nothing to do with Mitchell being gay but it being completely over the top gag that went on far too long. It was not effective or funny or even believable he would trash his house, rip apart the cushions, for a pigeon. Especially with his daughter nearby.
  
  But, I could have stood it longer if it didn't drag on forever.
  May 20, 2010 at 12:28PM EST
- Mike I agree with parts of both posts. I didn't see it as a "gay" thing at all, a straight friend who was watching the show with me commented that that is exactly how he would react. Mitchell's screams were just funny, especially the part where he's filling Lily's bottle.
  
  But then, yes, it did go on too long and go over the top w/ him destroying his house.
  May 20, 2010 at 1:53PM EST
- Indeed I also had a wandering pigeon in my living room once. My freak-out wasn't as crazy as Mitchell's but I related! I thought it was hilarious.
  Not my favourite episode overall. But still, I can't remember falling in love with a show as quickly and fully as Modern Family in a long time. I'll miss it over the summer (though I've got my faves saved on my DVR).
  May 20, 2010 at 3:45PM EST
Jan

As someone who is completely freaked out by birds, and who was running around my basement covered from head to toe, sort of like Bela Lugosi in Dracula, only in rubberized rain gear on a 90 degree day with a broom trying to shoe out a bird who had gotten in through the chimney, sweating like you wouldn't believe, I was practically on the floor with Mitchell's reactions to the pigeon. Unfortunately, it was almost too true to life for me. (I'm sure the only reason I didn't destroy things myelf was because I was in the basement and was too frightened of the bird to get very close.) Some of the other stuff--like the mudfight--I didn't like quite as much; but, on the whole, I thought it was a satisfying finale. Looking forward to new episodes.
May 20, 2010 at 7:57AM EST Reply to Comment
No faith in humanity

So the conspiracy between an unnamed sports league and its unnamed television partner to whitewash an unnamed player's reputation now extends to that network's non-sports programming? Awesome.
May 20, 2010 at 8:43AM EST Reply to Comment
Adam B.

So here's my question: what do we have to do to get Rico Rodriguez an Emmy nomination? Not that Eric Stonestreet doesn't deserve one too, but that kid, wow. It takes a special actor to sell that role.
May 20, 2010 at 9:32AM EST Reply to Comment
Candigirl1968

While the destruction of the house was a bit much, I totally got the pigeon issue. As one who has run through the house shreiking because of a weird looking bug, pulled the covers up because there might be a squirrel (or perhaps a giant bear) in the attic, I totally got it. I am with Phil on the renegade snacks. And once again, I love it that Mitchell and Claire share a similar kind of crazy.
May 20, 2010 at 10:09AM EST Reply to Comment
Andrew

Not the best episode of the season, but also not too far off the standards of the season. Modern Family is just a very nice, well-executed show. It's not nearly as funny or tightly constructed as this season of Parks & Rec or as balls-ahead funny as Community, but just hits right in the zone that everyone can like it. It's so well-executed that it appeals to people who are both fans of edgier comedy as well as those who more traditional sitcom rhythms. I don't enjoy it as much as P&R or Community, but it's also the one show that's universally enjoyed by just about everyone I know.
May 20, 2010 at 10:16AM EST Reply to Comment
- bbc You're selling Modern Family short. It's actually a better show than the two you mention, if for no other reason than the cast is better top to bottom.
  May 20, 2010 at 11:36AM EST
- Tim @bbc That's an arguable point. A great cast, but Community's cast is stacked too, and same for most of P&R's. It's a preference thing.
  May 20, 2010 at 10:41PM EST
LJA

Damn funny topper to an epic season. With this television season seeing a changing of the comedy guard, so to speak, I expect to see lots of Emmy and Globe nods for this show and cast. Bravo to an amazing rookie run.
May 20, 2010 at 11:22AM EST Reply to Comment
bybrandy

My mom who is awesome in almost every way is terrified of birds. So I didn't at all feel stereotypical for me because it could have just as easily been told with my parents.

I thought the Jay/Lucas plot was weak but other than that I enjoyed the episode.
May 20, 2010 at 2:02PM EST Reply to Comment
Yellowdog

Like I said before, when this show is over 8 or 10 years from now it will be mentioned in the same breath as Seinfeld, MASH, All in the Family, Cheers, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mark my words!!
May 20, 2010 at 2:28PM EST Reply to Comment
AuntDeb

Agree it was well executed, but Alan, did you notice the back half was a lift off of a classic 'Roseanne' episode?

See here: http://tvscreener.com/2010/05/modern-family-season-finale-roseanne/
May 20, 2010 at 9:34PM EST Reply to Comment
- Rick If Modern Family stole that bit from Roseanne, rather than the thousands of other places it could have come from, I'll poke out my left eye.
  May 23, 2010 at 1:25PM EST
Matt

No comments on Kobe? I thought his cameo was surprisingly funny. His reaction to Phil's question was great. Plus, it was just cool to see him as part of the show for a second there. Also loved Phil not picking up the phone instead of being one of those on-a-cell-phone-waving-to-family-while-on-tv guys. Makes me like Phil more, even if Claire didn't feel likewise.
May 20, 2010 at 10:43PM EST Reply to Comment
DrewGW

The best part of the ep was the subtle searching look Phil gave when he asked Clarie "How did you see that?!?!"
May 22, 2010 at 1:09PM EST Reply to Comment
MFfan

Alan,

Gotta disagree with you on the pigeon scene -- my fiancee and I absolutely loved it. And I don't think it's a gay stereotype but is part of Mitchell and Cam's developed characters: Mitchell is the guy who can't stand up for himself in a fight and Cam --- who also happens to be gay --- is the strong protector of the family. See, e.g., the Fizbo gas pump scene; the scene where Cam and Mitchell bust into Lucy's room, with Cam defiantly wielding a baseball bat and Mitchell timidly waving a newspaper; and the scene where Jay unsuccessfully tries to teach Mitchell to fight. Given this background, I (1) found Mitchell's reaction believable (even if a bit ridiculous); and (2) did not perceive a gay stereotype given the contrast with Cam.
June 3, 2010 at 2:14AM EST Reply to Comment

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Ryan Loved it! I'm not sure if I've loved a season of comedy like this since Arrested Development. I love the chemistry that the family has when everyone is together in the same place.

Ian Have to agree with Ryan. While I still think AD is a superior comedy, Modern Family is right up there. Looking forward to next season.

I second that! Not one episode through the season that disappointed me. Some were sharper than others, but all in all, this was a great season!

Jim Steele First scene*!

M Was I the only one who thought it was a little odd that Claire was so intent on getting her entire extended family together, but that evidently didn't include her own mother?

n 22 is the standard number, but many sitcoms do 24 if they can fit it into the production schedule. pretty by the book stuff.

Col Bat Guano Phil's glance around as if he was under observation by a Predator drone was the best moment of the episode for me.An excellent first season for the show.

conrad "be cool...be cool!" - phil

DrewGW I completely agree. His glance was so subtle that several of the people I was watching it with didn't catch it. Once again, Phil's little jokes far surpass his over the top jokes.

Rosseau I took the pigoen scene as an action movie parody, something like what Community did a couple of weeks ago. I am sure in some movie there is a shootout set to Ave Maria. There almost has to be.

M.A.Peel Prizzi's Honor is famous for an Ave Maria at a wedding at the beginning of the film, but there's no shoot out.

PY I think it was a "Community"-esque homage to John Woo and the end to "A Better Tomorrow 2" (warning: clip is very violent):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E3eYqRnlSYWoo is famous for having doves flying around in his action scenes.

conrad made me think of the opening sequence to raging bull [classical on top of slow mo]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhwi8kk-dE

beep It's from the scene in the Godfather where Michael is attending the baptism of his niece while his goons are out killing people.

LJA It was TOTALLY a nod to the Godfather baptism scene.

asdf Obviously it was a BSG parody.

conrad i don't see the parallel to the baptism scene at all:http://www.spike.com/video/godfather-baptism/2724589

cadfile This was a good episode to end the season.I loved the fight scene with Cam singing. That cracked me up.

paul in kirkland I honestly wonder if the Hawaii two-parter was meant to be the finale and TPTB made them switch the order of the episodes. I looked it up: the Lakers played Indiana on March 2nd. Did they really finish the season two months ago?

conrad god i hope not. don't want a 'very special ep' with bristol palin in season 2.

Viewer This was addressed quite deftly when Hailey woke up the morning of the Hawaii trip to find Dylan asleep on her floor. She wanted him to leave because "my parents will think we did it," and he immediately said, "As if."

DrewGW I've never really found Hailey funny at all, but her suggestion of "Tell him I'm pregnant" and her "Well that was funny" when Phil didn't answer absolutely killed me.

erinpayton

No faith in humanity So the conspiracy between an unnamed sports league and its unnamed television partner to whitewash an unnamed player's reputation now extends to that network's non-sports programming? Awesome.

Adam B. So here's my question: what do we have to do to get Rico Rodriguez an Emmy nomination? Not that Eric Stonestreet doesn't deserve one too, but that kid, wow. It takes a special actor to sell that role.

bbc You're selling Modern Family short. It's actually a better show than the two you mention, if for no other reason than the cast is better top to bottom.

Tim @bbc That's an arguable point. A great cast, but Community's cast is stacked too, and same for most of P&R's. It's a preference thing.

LJA Damn funny topper to an epic season. With this television season seeing a changing of the comedy guard, so to speak, I expect to see lots of Emmy and Globe nods for this show and cast. Bravo to an amazing rookie run.

bybrandy My mom who is awesome in almost every way is terrified of birds. So I didn't at all feel stereotypical for me because it could have just as easily been told with my parents. I thought the Jay/Lucas plot was weak but other than that I enjoyed the episode.

Yellowdog Like I said before, when this show is over 8 or 10 years from now it will be mentioned in the same breath as Seinfeld, MASH, All in the Family, Cheers, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mark my words!!

AuntDeb Agree it was well executed, but Alan, did you notice the back half was a lift off of a classic 'Roseanne' episode? See here: http://tvscreener.com/2010/05/modern-family-season-finale-roseanne/

Rick If Modern Family stole that bit from Roseanne, rather than the thousands of other places it could have come from, I'll poke out my left eye.

DrewGW The best part of the ep was the subtle searching look Phil gave when he asked Clarie "How did you see that?!?!"

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Ryan

Loved it! I'm not sure if I've loved a season of comedy like this since Arrested Development. I love the chemistry that the family has when everyone is together in the same place.

M

Was I the only one who thought it was a little odd that Claire was so intent on getting her entire extended family together, but that evidently didn't include her own mother?

n 22 is the standard number, but many sitcoms do 24 if they can fit it into the production schedule.

pretty by the book stuff.

Col Bat Guano

Phil's glance around as if he was under observation by a Predator drone was the best moment of the episode for me.

An excellent first season for the show.

Rosseau

I took the pigoen scene as an action movie parody, something like what Community did a couple of weeks ago. I am sure in some movie there is a shootout set to Ave Maria. There almost has to be.

PY I think it was a "Community"-esque homage to John Woo and the end to "A Better Tomorrow 2" (warning: clip is very violent):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E3eYqRnlSY

Woo is famous for having doves flying around in his action scenes.

conrad made me think of the opening sequence to raging bull [classical on top of slow mo]:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhwi8kk-dE

conrad i don't see the parallel to the baptism scene at all:

http://www.spike.com/video/godfather-baptism/2724589

cadfile

This was a good episode to end the season.

I loved the fight scene with Cam singing. That cracked me up.

paul in kirkland

I honestly wonder if the Hawaii two-parter was meant to be the finale and TPTB made them switch the order of the episodes.

I looked it up: the Lakers played Indiana on March 2nd. Did they really finish the season two months ago?

No faith in humanity

So the conspiracy between an unnamed sports league and its unnamed television partner to whitewash an unnamed player's reputation now extends to that network's non-sports programming? Awesome.

Adam B.

So here's my question: what do we have to do to get Rico Rodriguez an Emmy nomination? Not that Eric Stonestreet doesn't deserve one too, but that kid, wow. It takes a special actor to sell that role.

LJA

Damn funny topper to an epic season. With this television season seeing a changing of the comedy guard, so to speak, I expect to see lots of Emmy and Globe nods for this show and cast. Bravo to an amazing rookie run.

bybrandy

My mom who is awesome in almost every way is terrified of birds. So I didn't at all feel stereotypical for me because it could have just as easily been told with my parents.

I thought the Jay/Lucas plot was weak but other than that I enjoyed the episode.

Yellowdog

Like I said before, when this show is over 8 or 10 years from now it will be mentioned in the same breath as Seinfeld, MASH, All in the Family, Cheers, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mark my words!!

AuntDeb

Agree it was well executed, but Alan, did you notice the back half was a lift off of a classic 'Roseanne' episode?

See here: http://tvscreener.com/2010/05/modern-family-season-finale-roseanne/

DrewGW

The best part of the ep was the subtle searching look Phil gave when he asked Clarie "How did you see that?!?!"

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