What do you want out of any given episode of Modern Family? The gut reaction answer is of course “humor,” but I think we can all agree that there is more to this show that just laughs. In fact, there are many funny shows that don't get the critical attention like MF does (see: The Middle). No, MF other asset, but one that the show doesn't use enough, is it's ability to play with structure, to mix its stories and characters up into order to give us truly original half-hours of television.
Let's take this episode for example. Now, the main storyline, the one from which the title is derived, it hilarious. I don't know if I have cracked up this much to MF in a good long while. However, the central conceit – Phil and Claire are caught having sex by their kids – isn't the most original idea in the world. The show does manage to make up for this by having all of the reactions to this traumatic event play out perfectly in character. They even try to ring a little pathos out of the whole thing by having the kids discuss why their parents having sex is ultimately a good thing, though this scene isn't as effective as the writers had probably meant it to be.
There is one other aspect of this, but it plays into the Jay/Gloria story. After having accidentally sent Claire an angry email, Gloria tries to call and apologize, but due to some mixed signals, she confused the sextastrophe with the e-tastrophe, and ends up dragging Jay to Dunphy house to apologize in person. This leads to an awkward yet titillating exchange where once again two parties take about two separate events, but due to vague word choice, think they are talking about the same thing. (Seriously, MF, you have to stop this. It's an old joke, and I expect better from you.)
Here is where some of the structure comes into play. Some of MF best episodes mange to mix up the family units so that we get parings/groupings beyond each family unit to itself. Yet while it's commendable that the show brought Jay & Gloria into Claire & Phil's problem, looking back, it is obvious that Gloria's story couldn't stand on it's own. It's really only the first half of the story, put in place that two family units can be put together in this episode. The best episode not only manage to mix the families together, but still manage to make sure that the characters get their own (full) stories.
This brings us to Cam & Mitchell, who are once again relegated to their own story. (And I haven't checked the numbers on this, but I have this feeling that these two are ones most often set off by themselves. Hmmmmm.) Though again not a wholly original storyline here – a play date set up for the benefits of the parents leads to terrible social tragedy – but it was funny enough. Plus, I really liked the little argument the two had over in which celebrity's house one could find a similar expensive rug.
Look, I am not against shows that just want to make me laugh. (Seriously, I watch The Middle every week. You know what? You should be watching it too.) Nor do I believe that a show should try to ape its best episode every week. But when you know a show is capable of such greatness, it is a bit disheartening when you have to settle for “pretty good” for weeks on end.
Feel free to post dissenting opinions below.
No comments:
Post a Comment