What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 4, Episode 10 “Diamond in the Rough” (B)

I’ve said before that I always enjoy when characters who don’t usually interact are paired together for plotlines. In this case, we’ve seen these siblings and their spouses mixed and matched in the past, and this time was a special treat because it emphasized a fun dynamic not entirely seen previously. Claire and Cam getting overly excited about a project that involved a lot of work was nothing new, but Phil and Mitchell teaming up, or rather, going to war, to ensure that they wouldn’t be the ones blamed for shooting down their partners’ enthusiasm, was something less expected. Claire being upset at Phil because he gets into everything was great, and I liked Phil and Mitchell’s trash talking over the phone. Jay coming over and shooting down their idea without a second thought was a terrific inspiration for them to go for it, and I’m eager to see how it pans out and how it affects the relationship between the four of them. Jay’s grumpiness has become rather tiresome and forced at this point, choreographed so deliberately so as to give him the opportunity to grunt as often as possible. Gloria has also been used to much better effect in the past, and having her sing in a piercing, excessively loud manner is turning her into a caricature and making this pregnancy unbearable. I did enjoy watching Luke train Manny in the art of purposely getting hit by a baseball in order to get a walk rather than swing and miss.