What I'm Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 5, Episode 14 “iSpy” (B-)

This episode had some smile-inducing moments, but ultimately it wasn’t anything too clever. I was relatively pleased with this show at the start of its current season, but right now I’m not feeling as enthused. The characters have become less inviting, and I don’t think they’re being used properly. Showcasing Haley as a legitimately successful adult with surprising talent isn’t all that terrific, mainly because it only allows her to pout and express that her family doesn’t believe in her. Alex was put to decent use snooping, while Luke and his cousin Manny barely appeared at all. Gloria getting jealous that Jay was dreaming about another woman while muttering “baby, baby..” in his sleep was understandable if admittedly ridiculous, and I wasn’t too taken with his sappy explanation that it wasn’t actually a dream about his son but one about his dog. Mitchell trying desperately not to tell Cameron the secret he knew he would blab was among the less creative storylines that particular couple has endured, and its standout moment was both fathers’ use of a shiny gift to distract Cameron and Lily, respectively. Claire and Phil literally using a drone to spy on Luke was far-fetched, and seemed solely to be for the setup of Claire’s “The drone was justified!” remark at the end of the episode. There are better things that both parents could be doing, and I’d like to see this show get a bit of a boost soon, introducing some important developments in its characters’ lives that could help the show get to fresh territory and a whole new set of plotlines and jokes.