Why I Watch it: Modern Family

My dreams of doing a weekly spotlight have been killed by sheer laziness. Might as well take another stab at it with a different angle. I constantly ask myself why I watch certain shows or for the better shows, why I love certain shows. Rarely do I stop to think examine it at all. I figure I should start with the biggest mystery of all: Modern Family.

Why I'm Watching It:
Season 1
Back in '09, this show was a breath of fresh air. It took the old, tired family sit-com formula and found a way to make it really dynamic. The "Modern" in the title felt accurate and it could contend with the best comedies on TV. The episode structure was the familiar "build to a big payoff" that I've seen before but it had a heart to it and didn't sacrifice characters to fit a joke. It can still be that show.

Luke
Originally the biggest afterthought of the sizable cast, Luke is probably my favorite part of any episode these days. Manny was the most ready-made kid at the start and has stalled since. Luke has steadily improved each season transitioning from a dunce to the most conniving and self-aware character.

The Emmys and The RatingsFor how much TV I watch, especially comedies, if a show keeps winning awards and getting these ratings on a major network, I have no excuse to not be aware of it and prepared to explain how "no, it hasn't gotten better" and "yes, it has a lot of issues, such as...". If it was a show that I never liked, I wouldn't continue with it, but I did like it and could again. No point in stopping now just because it's hit a two-season rough patch.

Jay
They've never had trouble writing the curmudgeon. Honestly, once a character like Jay is calibrated right, it's hard to get him wrong. Ed O'neill is such a pro that it's utterly ridiculous that he's the least awarded of any of the adult cast simply because he makes it look so damn easy. Most of his funniest lines are accomplished with the subtlest or simplest delivery of anyone, normally to devastating effect. Look no further than the recent "Yard Sale" episode. All he had to do was be tired of people and he was the most effective of anyone.

HaleyShe's pretty. Judge me if you want. She's also potentially got one of the more interesting story lines going if they would ever use her with more than a webcam.

Why I Wish I Wasn't: 
The Writing
I'm not against writing for a big payoff. Some of my favorite shows did it. Coupling had a mastery of it. Malcolm in the Middle is a top three show all time on my list and lived and died by playing toward a big laugh at the end. Arrested Development had plenty of that (although comparing anything to that level of complexity and detail is unfair). Modern Family even did it well for a while. The "Pilot" is one of the best examples of it. These days, every story I imagine begins with the joke and convolutes to make it work, even if it means tearing apart the humanity of a character (more on that further down). I'm tired of all the site gags ("We Love the F Word", stuffed animals mounting one another on the roof of the car, etc.) and voice-over endings to try to tie things together no matter how ill-fitting they are.

Cam
Remember when one facet of Cam's personality was how over the top he was? Remember when not every single thing about him was a gay stereotype? Remember when the writing for Cam couldn't be given to a female actress and hardly lose a beat? I barely do. They had him fairly figured out early on, but as often happens with the biggest personality(s) on a show they started writing him for the big moments forgetting that they worked because of the contrast. In season one, Cam could walk into a room and not be the focal point. With the exception of rare stories like him teaching Manny how to play ball in the S2 finale, he is nothing but Jack McFarland with a husband. I thought we were past that.

Phil
He was my favorite part of season 1. I liked that he was a nerdy guy, trying to be a good dad, not shying away from his eccentricities. Those eccentricities are all he is not. It's to the point that when he has a serious scene it's jarring. Again I look to this week's "Yard Sale". The "127 Hours" bit was choreographed to have him cut off his pant leg and ad-lib those confessionals. If the pant leg was the only thing holding him, why not take off his jeans? If the character isn't written like a human, I don't see the point.

Claire
Do her and Phil even like each other? She's nothing more than a mean mom with one or two broad. slapstick comedic showcases each season. I've liked Julie Bowen since Happy Gilmore, so it saddens me that whatever Claire is doing any week is something I don't look forward to. And, I should mention now, none of these issues are with the actors themselves. They are all immensely talented. You can only rise above the writing so much though.

Mitchell
Do him and Cam even like each other? I remember when he and Cam acted like friends, real partners. Now, it's like they've given up and accepted that there doomed to stay with the other because of the kid (who is awful in every way. Sorry). While this may be more true to life, it is really irritating to see for a couple who used to be enjoyable together. It's hard to say anything about Mitchell along because he is swallowed up in every scene by Cam and the only thing able to peek out is his cattiness.


Verdict:
I'm not about to stop watching now. At any moment it could turn into the series I liked and there are always enough flashes of it to keep hoping. As long as it keeps getting these great ratings and all these awards and features amazing comedic talents like this, I'll be sticking around, even if it's mostly to point out what it's doing wrong: a position I hate to be in.