Modern Family
Recaps

As much as we hate the joke we're about to make, we had "Great Expectations" for this week's episode of Modern Family.  The highly anticipated episode guest starred both Elizabeth Banks and Edward Norton.

So how could an episode with these two heavy weights be so mediocre?  Well for starters, Edward Norton's role as Izzy LaFontaine of Spandau Ballet was hilarious in concept.  Come on, Claire brought in the bassist of a band Phil's never heard of to play for their anniversary?  Hilarious set up, but just didn't produce enough laughs.

Elizabeth Banks as Sal was at least a little funnier, but didn't give us the crazy adventure we were hoping for.  Perhaps she needed more time than just one-third of a half hour sitcom.

The saving grace of this episode was grandpa Jay.  He had all the kids over for a P-Jay party at his house and he spent the whole time trying to keep Haly on lockdown.  Seeing him thwart her attempts at escape were hilarious.

We've said it before, but a mediocre episode of Modern Family was still easily better than any other comedy being offered, so we'll take it.  Here are just some of the Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Haley: This is kind of an important party.
Jay: The last thing you to do is insult someone when they invite you.
Haley: Exactly.
[Jay walks out]
Haley: OMG. That was so easy.
Alex: You really don't understand what just happened, do you? | permalink

Phil: I never liked Spandau Ballet. Our entire marriage, I never once mentioned Spandau Ballet. Am I even pronouncing that right? | permalink

Gloria [about Haley]: When I was her age I loved my grandfather, but I still wanted to be with boys.
Jay: I know, so did Claire.. and Mitchell. | permalink

Sal [about Lily]: Show me some pictures of Yoko... cause she's asian and she broke up our group. | permalink

After last week's somewhat disappointing episode, we were glad to see Modern Family was on point again this week.  Our major criticism of last week's episode was that the families' storylines were not intertwined.

This week, all three families gathered together for Manny's fencing tournament.  When Claire and Mitchell saw their father's pride in Manny, it brought up hidden feelings in both of them.

It caused Claire and Phil to look at each of their kids, and in particular, Luke to find out what they could excel in.  Meanwhile, Mitchell was reminded of his figure skating career with Claire that was cut short.  You can find out what the two siblings did in our "En Garde" recap.

Overall the best moments were with the family coming together and we loved it.  We've heard criticism from around the web that the voiceovers and shared themes are cheesy.  To those people we say find another show because we're pretty sure Modern Family is sitcom heaven to us.

Here's some of our favorite Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Claire: Luke already is the best at something. Being my son ... That sounded a lot less lame in my head. | permalink

Mitchell: You had your own moments. You had cheerleading, and high school plays, and making out with the quarterback...
Claire: Oh come on, you made out with him, too.
Mitchell: Yeah, but we had to keep it a secret. | permalink

Jay: When I first heard Manny wanted to fence I was like sure, uncoordinated kid, lethal weapon, how could this go wrong?
Gloria: What do you think now?
Jay: I'm proud of our little Zorro | permalink

Mitchell: Just the emerald city at the end of my yellow brick road
Cameron: Wow you did it
Mitchell: What?
Cameron: You made figure skating sound even gayer. | permalink

ABC definitely played the last two Modern Family episodes out of order.  Last night, the kids began their first day of school, just one week after Luke and Manny got into a fight.. at school.  Owell, we'll blame the network, not this amazing show.

While last night's episode, "Run For Your Wife" was entertaining, it definitely lacked our favorite part of the Modern Family formula: the families interacting!  Each family had their own distinct plotlines and the only interaction was Mitchell calling Claire for a little advice.

Don't worry, the episode still had more laughs than any other sitcom on television, it just couldn't compete with previous episode.  Still, check out some of the great Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Manny: How's my hair?
Jay: Hold on, what are you wearing there? That looks like an old Christmas tree skirt
Manny: It's a traditional Colombian pioncho, I want my new classmates to know I'm proud of my heritage
Gloria: I think you look very handsome, lindo!
Jay: Oh really? Am I driving him to school or is he gonna ride his burro? | permalink

Claire: Phil, let it go, I'm faster than you
Phil: If only there was some way we could settle this once and for all, but how?
Claire: You seriously want to race me? I ran a half-marathon last year
Phil: Okay, I'm half scared
Claire: Okay, we do need to do this. I'll go change | permalink

Gloria: The poncho by itself is fine. The poncho plus the flute plus the stupid dance? My son will die a virgin | permalink

Normally every episode of Modern Family starts off with three different plotlines that seem to merge into one at the end.  Don't get us wrong, we normally love that formula.

However, on last night's episode the show jumped right into the whole family getting together much earlier, and we felt the show really shined.  The strength of this show is the characters and their bizarre situation.  Sticking them all in Jay's house to watch a football game was perfect.

If you want to catch up on the individual events of the episode, read our recap of "Coal Digger," but in short, the episode revolved around Claire and Gloria fighting while the rest of the family tried to watch the game.

Now for some of our favorite Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Mitchell: Come on, you love scrap-booking.
Cameron: Did I Mitchell? Did I? [Leaves room]
Mitchell: No, stop. Don't do the double question to prove a point thing. I hate it when people do that.
Cameron [holds Lily outside the door]: Do you Mitchell? Do you?
Mitchell: Stop Lily | permalink

Jay: I don't like watching football with people that don't care about the game, they talk
Manny: You talk during my football games
Jay: For one thing it's called soccer and your team scored two goals all season, I'm not risking much | permalink

Haley: Can I have forty dollars for lunch?
Claire: Forty dollars?
Haley: I also need a book for school.
Claire: A book?
Haley: I want a dress.
Claire: Do you have any idea what a bad liar you are?
Alex: I'd be more worried that she couldn't come up with a single book title | permalink

Last night on Modern Family, Shelly Long guest starred as Claire and Mitchell's mother, Dede.   Jay's ex-wife made her first trip to see the family after the incident at the wedding.

Meanwhile, Haley was busy trying to convince her parents to let her go to an overnight concert with Dylan, while Manny had his first slumber party. 

Find out how all three of these stories came together in our recap of "The Incident."

Now for some of our favorite Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Claire [on her mother]: You know how growing up we all have that voice inside our head that tells us we're not good enough? Well, mine was outside my head driving me to school | permalink

Jay: What's up!
Mitchell: Uh, well you know, uh, moms in town.
Jay: Your mom?
Mitchell: No, no your mom. She's back from the grave. Yes, yes my mom, dad.
Jay: My mom would be less scary | permalink

Gloria: I'm taking a shower, would you like to join me?
Jay: Honey, you know there's a gun in the footlocker in the garage, if I ever say no, I want you to use it on me | permalink

Claire: My mom started drinking these cocktails called "horny Colombians" with some of Gloria's uncles, whom apparently the drink was named after
Phil: Oh come, they were funny
Claire: They kept grabbing my butt
Phil: Somebody is full of herself. It's a Colombian wedding tradition.. they said | permalink

On last night's Modern Family, everyone was in the bonding mood.  Phil joined Jay for a little model airplane flying, Gloria took Alex out to lunch, and Manny and Claire sat around discussing her problems.

Meanwhile, Cameron introduced Mitchell to that little slice of bulk-priced heaven we call Costco.  Find out how well everyone got along in our "Come Fly With Me" recap.

Oh then try and figure out why Phil is laying with a broken nose in the above picture.

Now for some of our favorite Modern Family quotes from the episode:

Alex [to Claire]: You know, instead of trying to force me to wear a dress, why don't you worry about getting Luke to wear some pants?
| permalink

Phil: If things have gone differently in my life I could have been a pilot.... What would happen if you turn the remote off and on right again?
Jay: Yeah, you would have made a great pilot | permalink

Phil: Jay and I are buds, for sure, but with kind of um, an invisible, asterisk. Um, he's not the, he's not a talker, or, or hugger. Once he ran over my foot with his car. But in his defense, he had just given up smoking, but basically we're buds | permalink

Manny [to Claire]: Ugh, kids, you don't have to tell me, my school is full of them | permalink

On last night's Modern Family, each of the fathers of the family were asked what it means to be a great dad and it led to three great stories.

Phil was trying to teach his son responsability when he bought him a new bicycle; Cameron and Mitchell took Lily to a toddler class to play with other kids; and Jay tried to bond with Manny over installing a ceiling fan.

Find out what happened in each of their adventures and what they thought it took to be a good dad in our recap of "The Bicycle Thief."

Now, for some of the best Modern Family quotes from the episode, most of which were uttered by Jay and Manny during their bonding time.

Manny [about his father]: He's not afraid of anything, he doesn't wear a seat belt when he drives. He killed a bear once
Jay: Oh yeah? Was the bear in the passenger seat? | permalink

Jay [about Manny's father]: The only way his dad is like superman is that he landed in this country illegally | permalink

Phil [about Desiree]: Am I attracted to her? Yes. Would I ever act on it? No, no way. Not while my wife is still alive | permalink

Manny: One time my dad was struck by lightning. That's why he can drink as much as he wants | permalink

Last night, Modern Family made its debut on ABC, and it was one of our favorite new sitcoms of the season.  Ed O'Neill starred as Jay, the patriarch of this unique family.

Jay, who's married to Gloria, a much younger wife with a son, Manny, make up one third of this modern family.  Joining them is Jay's children, Claire and Mitchell, as well as their respective families.

Find out just what makes them modern families and what everyone was up to in the pilot in our series premiere recap.

Now for some of the best Modern Family quotes from the pilot.

Phil: I'm cool dad, that's my thang. I'm hip, I surf the web, I text. LOL: laugh out loud, OMG: oh my god, WTF: why the face | permalink

Claire: If Haley never wakes up on a beach in Florida half-naked, I've done my job | permalink

Jay [to Manny]: If you put on a puffy, white shirt and declare your love for a 16-year-old, you're gonna be swinging from a flagpole in your puffy, white underpants | permalink