What I’m Watching: Modern Family

Modern Family: Season 7, Episode 11 “Spread Your Wings” (C)

I appreciated this show so much more when it wasn’t so obsessed with being metaphorical all the time. This episode transcended that a bit in that it actually spoke aloud that Phil was so attached to the three ducks because they reminded him of his children, which prompted Claire, Haley, and Luke to identify the stupid duck, the vain duck, and the smart duck. In my opinion, the ducks have been around way too long and taken up a disproportionate amount of screen time and energy on this show. Phil going to visit Alex was a sweet but drawn-out process, as she indicated her strong lack of desire to be involved in any sort of social life at school, and her father was astute enough to bring her a party dress and goggles so that she could participate in the time-honored traditions at her academic institution instead of immediately moving him. The amazement that her fellow students had when Phil caught a football without looking was mildly funny, representative of the humor that the entire plotline was supposed to be centered around. I feel the same way about the sauce as I do about the ducks, and there’s no way that even the self-centered Cam could have thought that putting his face on the jar would be okay with Gloria. Jay being there to support Mitchell in his sleepover-coordinating events and working to tire out the girls with the workout videos was more sentimental than humorous, and I have trouble buying that Jay would so readily admit to having watched and used workout videos.