What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 4, Episode 13 “Fulgencio” (B+)

I can’t say that I loved this episode, but, all told, it was pretty creative and funny. Elizabeth Peña was fun as Gloria’s mother whose expression of her dislike for Jay – and brandishing of a gun in his direction – prompted him to make a spontaneous confession of the truth behind his first meeting with Gloria, which of course caused a wild scene between her and her sister Sonia. Jay realizing that he was Phil to Pilar was entertaining, and I like how Phil was in agreement with everything that Jay was saying before the christening. Phil attempting to solve all of his children’s problems by killing people with kindness worked out miserably, and watching Luke carry out his bidding while he was being referred to as the Godfather was quite clever. Luke talking about his accidental mix-up between his teacher’s name and “Mommy” and Haley’s suspicions about her lesbian neighbor were great, and it’s always a blast to hear Claire’s assertive tendencies referenced. Cameron and Mitchell struggling to stop being catty around Lily to be a good example for her were predictably amusing, and I like that it was ultimately revealed that Claire was the one who had prompted her “wambulance” remark. Their fights tend to be hilarious, and Cameron repeatedly apologizing for being the one who influenced Lily’s bad behavior to trick Mitchell into blaming him for the whole thing was among that plotline’s best moments. This family really is a lot of fun, and it’s good to see them succeed with laughs in an otherwise out-there, chaotic episode.