What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 5, Episode 13 “Three Dinners” (C)

This episode did absolutely nothing for me, and represents an enormous disappointment for a show I at least find entertaining on a weekly basis. All of the plotlines were relatively simplistic and overly referential of grander ideas that weren’t necessary. Chazz Palminteri’s Shorty has never been a well thought-out character on this show, previously portrayed as being gay and coming on to Jay, and now utilized purely to show that Jay is not a terribly friendly, sympathetic guy. Their end-of-episode hug was overdone and out of character, and merely an excuse for Manny and Gloria to be able to comment on its unusual nature. Cam and Mitchell going out on a date to try not to talk about the wedding was predictably uneventful, but of course they had a proposal going on at the table right next to them, featuring Eddie McClintock of “Warehouse 13” in a throwaway role. His would-be fiancée enumerating the reasons for turning him down was an obvious way to flesh out unacknowledged aspects of Cam and Mitchell’s relationship, and far from a worthwhile device. On the Dunphy front, we didn’t see Alex or Luke at all in the episode, but instead we got to see Haley showcased as a responsible adult while her parents were putting in a whole lot of effort to show her that she needed to be more responsible. Claire and Phil getting serious isn’t all that fun, and painting Haley in that light definitely didn’t add up. Let’s see more sophistication and strong writing in the future from this show, please.