Modern Family Season 2

[Satellitegirl]

My favorite Cam line is "it's go time" when they thought they heard someone in Lilly's room. He took off with a bat to go confront the "intruder"...which there wasn't one. It was the neighbor's phone interfering or something along those lines.

[rfisher]

There's going to be a full mouth kiss between Cam and Mitchell some time this season.

[DBZ]

I thought that last night's episode was awful. The Manny/Gloria storyline was fresh and cute, but the rest was contrived and paint-by-numbers ... as if it took the best of last season's eppys, made a template, and filled in the blanks.

I'll say up front that I'm a big fan of the show, but I agree with you about Wednesday's episode--especially the Cam/Mitchell/Jay storyline.

I'm beginning to notice a very distinct formula to the way the storylines are structured:

1. Spouse A has a mass delusion regarding some aspect of their capabilites or a given situation
2. Spouse B plays along and feeds this delusion out of sympathy, but deep down acknowledges said delusion.
3. Spouse A then proceeds to make a fool of him/herself in an effort to prove they don't have such a delusion, with hilarity ensuing
4. Spouse B finally confronts Spouse A, who then reluctantly acknowledges their own limitations.

Then cue happy ending monologue.

It's a common formula, and was probably used a billion times last season, but overall, the situations and writing felt fresh and interesting enough to cover the seams--but in this episode I could practically see the storyboarding of it, piece by predictable piece.

I just sincerely hope Modern Family hasn't already exhausted this formula to the point that it plays so obviously to the audience, as it did for me. Because I really like this show, and would hate to see it lose its spark too quickly. It's only the 2nd season after all.

Things should not feel this formulaic yet.

[rfisher]

Some of you take it way too seriously. It made me laugh out loud and that was enough in my book. The actors are great. Of course, the stories are going to be recycled. That's true for all TV shows and movies. I don't really care. If it's funny; it's funny. I don't care that every scene is fresh or different or if every scene makes me laugh. If one does, I'm happy.

[Satellitegirl]

Agreed rfisher...I'm laughing way more than I have at any other show, so recycled plots/stories or not, it's great. At least it isn't some yuppie young group of friends show again. After "Friends" success years ago, there have been so many copy cats of people trying to throw together single friends in a city, it's ridiculous.

[gkelly]

I never watched this last year, but I did watch this week.

Do the three families ever interact, or are there always three separate storylines?

[Satellitegirl]

Yeah they interact on some episodes, for family functions.

[Garden Kitty]

I never watched this last year, but I did watch this week.

Do the three families ever interact, or are there always three separate storylines?

There's usually a story and a substory, but the characters often interact as part of a storyline.

[BigB08822]

I agree, they have a distinct formula but the fact is that this show makes me laugh out loud. Not many shows do that, which is why I tend to stick to the dramas more often (Lost, Desperate Housewives, etc). This one makes me laugh and the only other show I can say that about is Big Bang Theory. So I don't mind the formula being repetitive, yet...

[rfisher]

Agreed rfisher...I'm laughing way more than I have at any other show, so recycled plots/stories or not, it's great. At least it isn't some yuppie young group of friends show again. After "Friends" success years ago, there have been so many copy cats of people trying to throw together single friends in a city, it's ridiculous.

Last year's pair skating episode makes me laugh just thinking about it. That and when they locked the baby in the car. And when Jay accidently killed Manny's turtle.

[Artemis@BC]

Cam's my favorite. His expressions always have me laughing out loud! I noticed that there seemed to be more displays of affection between Cam and Mitchell this time. There was even a kiss on the head, I don't recall anything like that last season.

I noticed that too. I wondered if in the past it was a network fear thing -- as in, okay to show a gay couple as long as we don't show them being gay. But with a solid season of ratings & critical aclaim behind them, plus a couple of Emmys, maybe they're feeling like they can loosen up a bit.

Just a theory though.

[Satellitegirl]

Last year's pair skating episode makes me laugh just thinking about it. That and when they locked the baby in the car. And when Jay accidently killed Manny's turtle.

Hahaha, yeah the baby getting locked in the car was classic. The bird in the house....the baby monitor sound.....the Mom embarrassing the oldest daughter in front of her friends at school when she dropped her off....the mustache the one dad was wearing, after someone drew one on his sign Cameron and Mitchell panicking because Lilly said Mama when it was due to her baby doll.

[FunnyBut]

At least it isn't some yuppie young group of friends show again. After "Friends" success years ago, there have been so many copy cats of people trying to throw together single friends in a city, it's ridiculous.

ITA. Besides being laugh-out loud funny, I think its great this show has two non-traditional families in everyday problems, and the gay couple isn't model handsome. Just regular folks in really funny situations

[zhenya271]

My favorite Cam line is "it's go time" when they thought they heard someone in Lilly's room. He took off with a bat to go confront the "intruder"...which there wasn't one. It was the neighbor's phone interfering or something along those lines.

I'll never forget Cam's "It's go time" And then when he comments that if the intruder would have been a spider it would have been in "TRO-UHH-BLE" to Mitchell's choice of weapon - a rolled up newspaper!

Last year's pair skating episode makes me laugh just thinking about it. That and when they locked the baby in the car. And when Jay accidently killed Manny's turtle.

The dispatcher telling Mitchell to get the screaming woman, Cam, under control! Having a laugh now just recalling these moments!

I noticed that too. I wondered if in the past it was a network fear thing -- as in, okay to show a gay couple as long as we don't show them being gay. But with a solid season of ratings & critical aclaim behind them, plus a couple of Emmys, maybe they're feeling like they can loosen up a bit.

Just a theory though.

That's probably true, and I would also imagine that they probably received some negative criticism for their unrealistic portrayal.

[Artemis@BC]

I never watched this last year, but I did watch this week. Do the three families ever interact, or are there always three separate storylines?

As others have said, there's usually some overlap (like in last week's episode, Jay over at Cam & Mitch's house), and every few episodes there will be a family event with everyone there.

In the pilot episode we met each family individually, and it wasn't until the end of the episode that we find out they're all connected (in case you didn't pick up on that: Claire and Mitchell are sister and brother, and Jay is their father). Well done, that.

[rfisher]

I was PML tonight. Gloria was wonderful and the whole kiss thing was poignant and laugh out loud funny (very much like my own family--we do not kiss or hug). I've read that there will be a kiss between Mitchell and Cam this season.

[Glide2]

I was PML tonight. Gloria was wonderful and the whole kiss thing was poignant and laugh out loud funny (very much like my own family--we do not kiss or hug). I've read that there will be a kiss between Mitchell and Cam this season.

agreed. so sweet. a dad showing his grown kids and young stepkid a tender moment, that was nice. esp. with his son. awww.

[Garden Kitty]

I was PML tonight. Gloria was wonderful and the whole kiss thing was poignant and laugh out loud funny (very much like my own family--we do not kiss or hug). I've read that there will be a kiss between Mitchell and Cam this season.

Wasn't it tonight? They kissed in the background as the dad was kissing Claire, right after he kissed Mitch.

[BigB08822]

OMG when Cam fell off the couch I lost it! I had to rewind that part about 10 times and I had tears running down my face. LMAO!!! I love how the writers toyed with the fans who have been demanding a kiss by making it so close but not quite throughout the episode. It looks like Cam and Mitch did kiss in the background. I like how it wasn't front and center because then they would have had people saying it only happened because of the demand.

[rfisher]

Wasn't it tonight? They kissed in the background as the dad was kissing Claire, right after he kissed Mitch.

Did they? Drat, I was doing something and wasn't paying close enough attention.