Modern Family is set to come to an end this year when it airs the final episode of its eleventh season in April 2020. The long-running sitcom has captured the hearts of viewers who have enjoyed following the lives of the “modern” Pritchett and Dunphy families. Patriarch Jay has remarried a much younger Columbian woman, adopted her son from a previous marriage, and had a new son while in his 60s. Daughter Claire is married to Phil and they have three grown children, Haley, Alex, and Luke, and now two grandchildren. And Pritchett son Mitchell is married to Cameron and together, they have an adopted a daughter, Lily.
The series, which won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series for its first five seasons and racked up numerous other nominations and wins, will be sorely missed. Here are a few particular things we’ll miss the most.
Phil’s Dad-isms
Phil Dunphy is one of the best TV dads of this decade. He’s goofy and funny, often desperately wanting to be considered “cool” by his kids and others. A successful realtor, he also has a passion for magic, and recently bought the local magic shop to further pursue this passion.
But what makes Phil especially hilarious is his often clueless dad-isms. Along with the cheesiest of dad jokes, he’ll often say things that are double entendres without realizing it, much to his wife’s chagrin. She’ll roll her eyes and laugh internally at the fact that he doesn’t really hear what he’s saying. At one point, his step mother-in-law Gloria finally blurts out “I can’t continue pretending I don’t hear these things!” in reference to his remarks towards her that are unknowingly sexual in nature.
The Cast Diversity
As noted above, the cast of characters truly does represent a modern family. There are great representations of immigrants in Gloria, who was born in Columbia, as well as homosexuality through Mitch and Cam. It looks at divorce, parenthood at an older age, young, unprepared parents, and adoption.
The show shatters preconceived notions of the nuclear family that consists of a male and female partner and two perfect kids and shows representations of the many different ways we can define a family.
The Comical Misunderstandings
Central to almost every episode is some kind of misunderstanding whereby conversations happen when one person thinks they’re talking about one thing while the other person thinks it’s something else.
While this can get repetitive, there’s always a unique and fresh take on it. For example, in a recent episode, the Dunphy family members all try to sneak into the fancy hotel Alex’s new employer has put her up in to use different facilities and the concierge keeps mistaking their intentions, wreaking havoc among them. No matter the storyline, there’s always that sense of relief when the family discovers the misunderstanding and have a good laugh about it.
Mitch and Cam’s Banter
The back and forth between Mitch and Cam can sometimes make an entire episode. The way that Mitch so casually and non-chalantly delivers digs to Cam while Cam bickers back with an insult masked as a compliment or heavy sarcasm, is just too funny.
While it’s clear they love one another, the fact that they are so markedly different is what makes them go together so well. And it brings on the laughs when Cam gets angry with Mitchell yet still has a clever way of expressing it, or Mitch rolls his eyes at Cam’s overly dramatic nature.
Jay’s Surliness
Jay is the grumpy old patriarch of the family who, having run a successful business all his life that has afforded him amazing luxuries, just wants to sit back and relax now. Except he can’t. His family is often barging in on him, his new school-aged child requires attention, and his stepson Manny and new wife Gloria can be handfuls.
His one-liners, often delivered in frustration, are among the best on the show. Whether he’s delivering an insult under his breath or putting his disdain on full display, it’s always witty and hilarious.
The Mockumentary Style
The characters often break the fourth wall, talking to or looking at the camera to express a thought or emotion, or reveal a secret. The idea behind the series is that someone is following the family around, chronicling their life. Why, and who? We’re not really sure.
Nonetheless, the style isn’t one that’s often tackled on sitcoms so it’s a refreshing look that blends both everything we love about the sitcoms of yesteryear with a fresh, modern spin. It makes viewers at home feel like they are part of the family, too.
The Embracing of Technology
The show embraces technology like no other, not only in terms of Phil’s deep love for everything high-tech, but other storylines as well. It looks, for example, at how eldest daughter Haley is often so immersed in her smartphone and social life, even once developing a career based around social media.
There was that one episode, one of the best of the series, that took place entirely over video chat. The show has also features life-sized robots, artificial intelligence (AI) equipped closets, and even follows a storyline of youngest Dunphy son Luke, who has come up with an idea for a useful mobile app that could be the next big thing.
Phil and Jay’s Budding Relationship
Jay has always seemed to look down on Phil, never feeling as though he was good enough for his daughter Claire. The couple got pregnant while in college and had a quickie wedding before having Haley.
Now married for 20+ years, Phil still seems to be trying to desperately bond with Jay. And while it seems Jay now totally approves of his son-in-law, he still gets a kick out of watching Phil try so hard to get in his good graces and become buddies.
Seeing the Kids Grow Up
While we’ve already seen the kids grow from school-aged kids to college years, entering the workforce, and even married with kids, we’ll miss not being able to see them move further on with their own families.
Will Haley and her husband Dylan get a house of their own? Have more kids? Will Alex ever get married? And will Luke become a mogul? Will Manny meet the love of his life or become a successful playwright? And what will an adult Lily be like? Will the families move away from the area and grow apart? There are still a few episodes left so maybe we’ll see a flash forward of some kind. Nonetheless, we would totally be game for a kids-based spin-off!
All The Characters
There really isn’t one character to miss from the series, because they have all been an integral part of the ensemble cast. From Phil’s hilarious and goofy nature to Claire’s insulting remarks, Cam’s witty digs, Gloria’s pronounced accent, Alex’s deep sarcasm, and Haley’s dimwitted comments, there’s so much to miss.
We’ll also miss the guest cast members, like Mitch and Cam’s frenemy Pepper, the adorable dog Stella, Haley’s husband and long-time on-and-off boyfriend Dylan, and even Gloria’s angry sister Sonia.
