What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 3, Episode 21 “Planes, Trains, and Cars” (B+)

This cleverly-titled installment was all about different modes of transportation, as experiments with new vehicles proved altogether unsuccessful for each and every character. Phil buying a convertible was particularly hilarious, as Claire managed to hold in her feelings and ended up taking a trip in the cool car up the coast and misplacing her keys. It’s so great to see Phil frequently spotlighted as a joyful dad, and his delight at getting to spend time driving his children around was highly endearing. Gloria’s fear of flying resulted in a truly disappointing trip with some classic Manny moments, and the ultimate conclusion that Jay only wanted to get to his destination so that he could show off Gloria to his old friends that didn’t think much of him. Cam and Mitchell taking Lily on the subway wasn’t a great idea, and I thoroughly enjoyed how they reacted to the loss of her doll on the train. Their glee at Lily saying that the doll had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend was great, as was their horrified reaction to the homeless man clutching the doll tight. The funniest moment, however, was Cam presenting his missing poster for the bunny, which Mitchell noted made it seem like Lily was missing and they were offering a $25 reward. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Cam and Mitchell’s bantering is definitely one of the best and most consistent reasons to watch this show, and it just seems to get funnier every episode.