What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 3, Episode 7 “Treehouse” (B+)

After a number of episodes in which our characters were mixed and matched with members of their non-immediate families, we’re back to business as usual here, which is just as fun. Easily the most entertaining is Cam, whose determination to be potentially perceived as straight led to a rather hilarious run-in with Leslie Mann, who pretended to be amnesiac in response to his pick-up attempt in which he pretended to know her and talked to her as if they were old friends. The fact that she was just searching for a gay best friend made it all funnier, especially because she was so willing to put on a show for Mitchell, who never for a minute believed in Cam’s abilities. Phil’s efforts to build a treehouse for Luke didn’t go entirely smoothly, but what’s truly wonderful is that he made a friend with his next door neighbor, who apparently has lived there for eight years to his twelve. Having him appear in the closing interview scene, seated next to Phil, was a rare and, if I remember correctly, unprecedented, treat. Jay’s desire not to go dancing was very fitting for the often less-than-flashy patriarch, and I enjoyed the brief sight of Manny in which he protested that his mother was going dancing without him (twenty-one and over, of course). The fact that Jay put in the effort was sweet and surprising, so much so that it prompted Jennifer Tilly’s Darlene to complain that Shorty never surprises her. Now that’s impressive.