Modern Family

This Wednesday, on a Valentine's Day-themed episode of Modern Family...

• Claire and Phil go on a date;
• Jay takes Gloria to see his favorite stand-up comic;
• Cameron and Mitchell help Manny with his love life.

The installment "My Funky Valentine" also features two special guest stars: comedian David Brenner and Claire's naked body.

Don't get too excited by the latter, fellas. This is still a PG-rated sitcom. But the photo below, followed by other sneak peeks of the episode, ought to give you an idea of what we mean:

Of all the reasons we love Modern Family, one that often stands out the most is the unique pairings this show can come up with.

By creating such hilarious, interesting characters that work on so many levels, episodes can deviate from the Dunphy or Pritchett households and have different family members hanging out with one another... with hysterial consequences, of course.

This is a feature that few other sitcoms can pull of. Think about it: how often do you see Jim and Kevin spending quality time together on The Office?

On "Moon Landing," however, viewers were treated to storylines that pitted Jay with Cameron; Gloria with Mitchell; and Phil with a mustache. Let's review each...

Through the build-up of their friendship, it was easy to believe that Jay and Cameron would eventually play racquetball. Put aside the jokes for a moment, and you can retrace the evolution of this relationship: Jay wasn't too comfortable with Cam on the pilot episode; he earned more respect for him when the two watched football together a couple weeks later; and now they're hanging out one-on-one for the first time.

And, quite possibly, the last time. That's what happens when you rub bare backsides in the locker room. This was a great showcase for Ed O'Neill as Jay, as he's made that character into a much more mature Al Bundy. Occasionally crass and self-centered, Jay is nothing if not big-hearted.

There aren't two more opposite characters on the show, meanwhile, than Jay and Cameron's other halves. Have we ever seen Gloria and Mitchell together for an extended period of time? We don't think so.

This storyline clicked due to the contrast between Gloria's abrasiveness and Mitchell's good manners. But Manny stole the show. The scene where he pretended to tie his shoe, yet feverishly explained to Mitchell that his mother was a terrible driver, was as simple and as funny as it gets. I've said too much already. Priceless.

As often happens, though, the Dunphys - and Phil's mustache - provided the most laughs this week.

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Dear President Obama:

We care very much about the State of the Union. But couldn't you have given this address on a Saturday night? Or at least a half hour later so we could watch a new episode of Modern Family this week?

Due to the Commander in Chief's annual address, we can state one thing for certain about the state of this union: it will be far less funny than usual at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Fortunately, we have what appears to be a great episode to look forward to on February 3: "Moon Landing" will feature Minnie Driver as a friend of Claire's; as well as an awkward interaction between Jay and Cameron in a locker room.

Get an early look at photos from the installment below and remember to return to TV Fanatic each week for the latest Modern Family quotes:

While Chazz Palminteri got all the attention for guest-starring on this week's episode of Modern Family, comedian and occasional Daily Show correspondent Kristen Schaal was actually given more to do.

Her cuteness - and eventual, misguided crush on Cameron - saved an otherwise sub-par plot between her character, Manny and Glorida on "Fifteen Percent."

We adore Manny. But his mature quirkiness works better in snippets and sporadic one-liners. An entire storyline dedicated to his unique take on life as an 11-year old fell a bit flat, as it relied too much on that singular personality trait. That said, it was great to watch an outsider witness it and, as Schaal's Whitney admitted, get a little freaked out by him.

Over at the Dunphy household, we enjoyed a role reversal. Phil actually came across as the grounded, reliable spouse for a change (which is not to say he didn't have his Phil-like moments: the song about the thermostat was one of our favorite Modern Family scenes ever).

Claire's frustration over the universal remote was a feeling that could be felt, well, universally. Who hasn't engaged in a battle with technology? If only everyone had a dense daughter, inspired by taking revenge out on us over years of disagreements, to eventually teach us the ropes.

(Because this is a family site, we'll do our best not to mention the scene that focused on Julie Bowen in black lingerie. Really. We're not gonna refer to that at all.)

That brings us to Palminteri. Modern Family has either hit one out of the park with its guest stars (Elizabeth Banks) or swung and missed badly (Edward Norton). The use of this veteran actor, unfortunately, teetered dangerously close to a strike-out.

Palminteri was perfectly fine as Shorty, Jay's manly friend that Mitchell suspected was gay. But the show seemed to rely more on Palminteri's resume than his actual acting chops. This is a man that's starred in The Usual Suspects and A Bronx Tale, among other tough guy films.

He goes against every gay stereotype, which is why Jay was so taken aback by the accusation. However, aside from sticking someone in that role about whom viewers would also laugh off a homosexual accusation, the show didn't give Palminteri much of a platform.

Still, Jay and Mitchell were featured in a pair of nice moments:

1. Jay reflected on how poorly he handled his son coming out of the closet (this show really does possess more heart than the average sitcom, doesn't it?).
2. Mitchell uttered one of our favorite Modern Family quotes of all-time, upon seeing Cameron holding a bouquet of burning flowers: "Look at that: two things flaming at once."

What did you think of the episode? What were your favorite lines?

Modern Family's outstanding guest star line-up just added a new name.

We've already been treated to Fred Willard as Phil's father; and Chazz Palminteri appears on next week's episode.

Now, we can confirm that Judy Greer is joining the funniest family on TV for on episode.

The actress has previously guest-starred on House and Arrested Development and even anchored ABC's short-lived 2008 sitcom Miss Guided.

Greer will portray Denise, an ex-girlfriend of family man Phil that reconnects with him on (what else?) Facebook. Despite Claire's initial hesitation, she's invited over for dinner to meet the Dunphys.

We can only imagine - with a huge smile on our faces - how awkward Phil will make this meal.

Last night's episode of Modern Family featured one of our favorite storylines yet from this superb sitcom, while another fell flat.

Before we get to those, however, let's have a moment of silence for Barkley..... we're gonna miss you, fella!

We'll start there when reviewing "Not In My House." Ed O'Neill's grumpy demeanor was replaced with a joyous Jay for most of the half hour this week, as he proudly displayed the dog/butler mannequin that he purchased in Las Vegas and set up by his front door, much to the frightened chagrin of Gloria.

This subplot was a bit sillier than most of the basic issues this show deals with, but that's what made it so funny. Our favorite, subtle line uttered during it?

When a confused Jay asked Gloria what Barkley was doing in the guest room. After all, he's not a guest. He works for them! Great stuff.

Conversely, anything involving Mitchell and Cameron didn't work (for a change). These two can afford a beautiful home, an adopted child... and a gardener? More importantly, it seemed like a stretch for Mitchell to actually take issue with Cameron's caring side.

The plot itself was never fully fleshed out, either. Caesar Salazar (yes, we're gonna assume that's his name) was crying because he didn't wish to get married; so then Mitchell somehow arranged a wedding in their house and everything was fine? It didn't really come together for us, although we loved Mitchell's implication that Batman is gay.

Finally, the controversy in the Dunphy household fell somewhere in between these two storylines.

Almost all Phil and Claire stories are the same: he does something dumb, deflects blame for it and is eventually outed as the culprit (whether this involves stealing a bike or looking at a topless photo of a woman on a tractor, sent to him by Gil Thorpe, in case you weren't clear on that).

Still, it's impossible to not laugh at everything Ty Burrell does and says on this show. Julie Bowen also displays the perfect combination of exasperation, humor and, well, beauty.

What did you think of the episode? We've listed a few of our favorite Modern Family quotes from it below:

Luke [on diaries, not boobs]: Some are real, right? Like Anne Frank's? | permalink

Gloria: This is not art. This is an unholy mix between man and beast. | permalink

Mitchell [on the gardener]: He's like Batman, but straight. | permalink

Phil: That was hardly porn. It was a topless woman on a tractor. You know what they call that in Europe? A cereal commercial. | permalink

On the Valentine's Day-themed episode of Modern Family, love isn't the only thing in the air.

Classic comedy will be, too, as long-time comedian David Brenner guest stars as an insult comic that entertains Jay and Glorida on their holiday date.

On the February 10 installment, Jay pushes his wife to attend a performance by his all-time favorite stand-up. Brenner, 73, would fit that bill for many in Jay's generation. He actually holds the record for most times appearing on The Tonight Show (158).

Elsewhere on this episode, Cameron and Mitchell babysit Manny; while Phil and Claire check in to a hotel for some alone time... if you know what we mean!

Phew. The holiday hiatus did not cause Modern Family writers to forget how to bring the funny.

This week's new episode - titled "Up All Night" and which you can read a full recap of by clicking on the preceding link - was one of the best of the season. Guest star Benjamin Bratt was perfect for the role of Javier and we've listed our favorite moments from the half hour below...

Phil should always make lists. It wasn't as uproarious as the scene from "Great Expectations" in which Phil said he "can't not think" of presents he wanted for his birthday, as his listed a slew of ridiculous items. But his dreams of how to milk Claire's guilt for a trip to Paris... and, eventually, a talking, emoting robot was classic.

Thank goodness for baby cams. Cameron and Mitchell were featured the least of the three couples, but they made the most of their brief time on screen. Especially during the snippets that depicted Cameron's attempts to sneak into Lily's room, all of which were thwarted by his sneaky life partner. So simple, yet so funny.

A successful at-Bratt. Was it a stretch to claim that Javier played minor league baseball with Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire and that this was the first time Jay heard about that? Sure. But who cares?!? We loved each of Ed O'Neill's scenes with Benjamin Bratt, culminating with Jay referring to Manny as "weak" for revealing that he stayed up all night.

Also worth mentioning: Phil's insistence to his kids that he might not be okay; Cameron's reaction to Mitchell's leg-sweeping threat; Manny in a robe. That always gets us for some reason.

What was your favorite line from the night? We've listed a few great Modern Family quotes from the episode below:

Cameron: I'm like a mother bear. When I hear my cub crying, I have to run to her. | permalink

Phil: If I never wake up, I'd hate for the last thing you ever said to me to be a lie. | permalink

Jay: I could be sitting grill-side watching a guy build an onion volcano. Instead, I got Rico Suave in my kitchen. | permalink

Luke [on when his dad has been scared]: When you walked through a spider web... when we were playing with a Ouija board and the wind blew a door shut... | permalink

Benjamin Bratt officially becomes part of everyone's favorite Modern Family next week.

The actor debuts on the hilarious sitcom as Javier, Gloria's ex-husband and Manny's father. As you might imagine, this causes problems for Jay - and laughs for viewers.

Also featured on the episode: Phil gets a kidney stone; while Cameron and Mitchell argue over how to sleep train Lily.

New installments of Modern Family have been out of our lives for far too long. We welcome them back below, with a slew of episode photos and clips from "Up All Night."

Want an early sample of Modern Family quotes from the January 6 episode? They follow below, with four clips from the fresh half hour.

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This week's holiday centric episode of Modern Family, "Undeck the Halls," was the much hyped episode (by us) where Fred Willard made his guest appearance.  So how did the comedic legend do?

Well, we'd love to tell you, but somehow the man was only in it for twenty seconds before the opening credits in a cameo at best.  Fred Willard is comedic genius and could have added a lot to the already amazing Modern Family cast, but was for some odd reason underused. 

How did Edward Norton get so much terrible screen time, when this perfect fit got nothing.  Well, we're holding out hope for more of Phil's father in the future, and didn't let it ruin the whole episode for us.

The episode might not have been as funny as previous installments, but it certainly had some very sweet heart, especially when it came to Jay's storyline.  Jay initially fought Gloria and Manny's attempt to infuse Colombian traditions with hilarious results, and eventually warmed up and embraced them.  It was perfectly done.

Meanwhile, we thought Mitchell and Cameron's storyline with the homeless Santa Scott (Brian Finney) was also phenomenal, especially when he laid out the choir guy.  Phil and Claire's story could have been better if were not for the terrible acting by Luke.  Don't worry, Phil still had us dying and Claire had us swooning.

Of course, even an average episode Modern Family was still loaded with laughs and plenty of quotes.  Here's some of our quotes from the episode:

Mitchell: Still keeping traditions alive, huh?
Jay: Someone has to. I got two Colombians as home trying to turn Christmas into Cinco de Mayo.
Mitchell: You know that's Mexican right?
Jay: Ahh. Burrito, burr-righto. | permalink

Gloria: Every culture has their own traditions. For example, in our culture, the Baby Jesus is the one that brings the presents, not the Santa Claus.
Jay: That's doesn't make sense. How could a new born baby carry all those presents? They don't even know where their hands are.
Manny: At least a baby could fit through a chimney.
Jay: How could you sit on the Baby Jesus' lap? You'd squish him. | permalink

Phil: I guess the couch did it to itself. I guess it came home after a tough day, lit up a cigarette and burned itself. Is that what happened? Because that makes no sense. | permalink

Cameron: It's Christmas eve, you can't spend it in your car.
Santa Scott: That's really nice of you guys. Can I bring anything? Ketchup, soy sauce, straws?
Cameron: We're good.
Mitchell: So why don't you follow us to our house?
Cameron: In your house. | permalink