20 Things Wrong With Modern Family We All Choose To Ignore
Currently, in the midst of airing its 10th season, these days, more shows than ever before are able to last that long but Modern Family's lengthy run. However, it is still very impressive. After all, throughout much of its history, the show has been a ratings juggernaut which is why it currently stands as the longest-running comedy series in ABC history.
Not only a viewer darling when it first began, Modern Family's first several seasons received critical acclaim, was embraced by critics, and consistently raked in awards. Unfortunately, that early momentum has stalled to a certain degree, having not won a single Emmy since 2015, and it doesn't seem like that will change anytime soon. Still, there are still millions of us that tune in for each new episode and loads of reruns, and in order to remain that loyal to the show, you need to look past some issues. With that in mind, it is time to look at 20 things wrong with Modern Family we all choose to ignore.
In order for something about Modern Family to be considered for this list, it first and foremost needs to affect the show negatively in one way or another. Of course, everyone has their own tastes so there are bound to be some fans that do not view these aspects of the show in such a negative light. However, considering critical reactions, the declining ratings, and online conversation, it is safe to say that most viewers would agree that everything listed here is an issue for the show.
20 Haley And Andy Breaking Up Off Screen
One of the worst things episodic television can do is when a show puts loads of time into building a storyline up and then drops it out of nowhere. It wastes the fan's emotional investment. A pretty egregious example of that, Haley and Andy's relationship is one of the most memorable storylines in the show's history and it was easy to care about their budding romance. Finally brought together in a marvelous moment after a season and a half of buildup, viewers assumed they would get to see them together. Then in the ultimate betrayal of their shared storyline, it eventually becomes clear that they broke up off-screen.
19 All Of The Stereotypes
An issue that is so obvious that even the show's stars have had to address it several times, there is more than one Modern Family character that pretty heavily plays on stereotypes. Of all the characters, it has to be Gloria that is most often criticized because many viewers believe that her character is focused on many ideas that people have about Latinas in general. Of course, many viewers have no issues with the way Gloria comes off and even more are able to look past it. "What's wrong with being a stereotype?" Vergara asked and elaborated that she bases Gloria on her mom and aunt.
18 The Fake Out
The kind of stunt that can leave fans of a show feeling betrayed and angry, when a major storyline is announced ahead of time only to disappoint, it can really turn viewers off. One of the most egregious recent examples of a show intentionally building its viewers up in a deceptive way, a major Modern Family character passing away was announced and never paid off. Eventually revealed to be referring to the demise of DeDe Pritchett, Jay's ex-wife and the mother of Claire and Mitch, the character only appeared in 8 episodes total. Why anyone involved in the show thought this obvious publicity stunt was a good idea, in the long run, is beyond us.
17 The Lack Of Depth
In some ways, a show that has the worst of both worlds, Modern Family is disliked by a certain group of people due to its progressive views, but it also fails to tackle a lot of issues head-on. In fact, the show's format as a sometimes-sticky-sweet sitcom limits the way it tackles a lot of the societal issues that come up from time to time. For instance, when Cam and Mitchell finally got married, the show delved into silliness like the pregnant officiant's water breaking. A real disappointment, since the episode could have focused on much more interesting and hilarious scenes, the importance of a watershed TV moment like that deserved better.
16 Manny's Weird Relationships
Quite possibly the most lovable Modern Family character when the show began, at first, the way Manny, who was still a child, acted like he was just shy of elderly was endlessly charming. Sadly, however, as the character has become a young adult, things have changed and in a lot of ways, he is now the most groan-inducing of the show's main characters.
Without a doubt the weirdest aspect of his character over the years, it is hard not to notice that at times, his interactions with his female family members are off-putting at best.
Sure, he may not be related to Haley, but when he had a crush on her, it was still weird, and the fact that Claire saw him without his clothes on once is even worse.
15 The Portrayal Of Alex In College
Not exactly a television format that is known for its realism, when Alex went off to college, nobody was expecting to see her story become about the most challenging parts of higher education. Still, it seems reasonable to expect things to actually make a modicum of sense and that has not been what we got. For instance, it seems like the writers forget what she is supposed to be studying since it was clearly stated that she is a biochem major, but she is seen working with robotics during her first semester. On top of that, over three years, it seems like the show has all but completely forgotten that she should be working hard on her schooling, but then she graduates out of nowhere.
14 Mitch And Cam Can Be A Pretty Bad Couple
Far from the first couple in television history to be at each other's throats from time to time, it is still alarming to see Mitch and Cameron get into so many arguments with one another. An issue that really went to a whole new level when they had to deal with the pressures of being landlords, they clearly care about one another, but seeing them get along better would be nice. Not their only issue either, Mitch is often seen complaining about the things Cameron does without confronting his partner and they regularly choose to lie to one another, too.
13 Cameron Not Acting Like Himself
Not only a show that has some systemic problems that take away from the show on a regular basis, there have also been some singular Modern Family moments that were hard to watch. One of the most obvious examples of that is when Cameron decided he would begin “acting straight” to prove he could pick up a woman in a bar. Things quickly became offensive. Called out by the target of his pickup attempt, she claims that the way he talks, walks, dresses, and even his theatrical hand gestures make it obvious he is gay. Playing up a lot of LGBTQ stereotypes that portray homosexuals as girly and straight men as masculine, it was a major misstep.
12 Jay's Absent Siblings
Considering the fact that "family" is one of only two words that appear in the title of this show, it should be extremely obvious how important it is meant to be. Yet, for no obvious reason, Jay has a pair of siblings that he never has anything to do with. Pretty distasteful if you follow the show closely enough to remember the single time his brother Donnie appeared on the show, from that point forward, Jay should have been by his side regularly. After all, Donnie was revealed to have cancer, yet he never appeared on the show again and has only been mentioned briefly.
11 The Show's Portrayal Of Manny's Sensitive Side
Another entry looking at the sometimes-problematic ways that Modern Family portrays Manny, in this case, it is time to look at the way his sensitive side is played just for laughs. Known for things like his love of poetry and seeing the world in romantic terms, that part of his personality is handled with just about zero subtlety. However, the way in which he is often endlessly mocked for these aspects of his character seems like the kind of close-minded way of viewing sensitive males in sitcoms from the '90s. On top of that, the way in which he sometimes seems to think that girls owe him affection since he is a nice guy is also problematic.
10 It Has Gone On Too Long
In some ways an issue that any show can only hope to have, if fans begin to feel like a series has gone on too long, that implicitly means that it has had a long run. Considering that television is a business just like any other, a long run like that means that a series has made money for everyone involved. Plus, a show that achieves several seasons of success is bound to be a boon to the career of almost everyone involved in it. However, when it comes to sitcoms, a lengthy run can be exceptionally detrimental to how good the show is, as its storylines get recycled endlessly.
9 The Halloween Episode That Offended Some
An extremely serious issue that fortunately the entertainment world sometimes handles better these days, the way mental health issues are portrayed in pop culture can be very meaningful. After all, the number of people that fail to get proper treatment for mental ailments is maddening since their lives could be so much better. Oftentimes the reason some suffer in silence, the way movies and television have portrayed mental health issues as nothing more than a weakness is not great. A recent example is when Modern Family featured Claire creating a “scary insane asylum” full of “deranged mental patients” in an effort to have the most frightening house in her neighborhood.
8 Lily Suddenly Became Completely Different
An issue that you can't actually lay at the feet of anyone currently involved in the production of Modern Family, it is always jarring when a show recasts a character, even if it is a child.
The show's producers were forced into doing just that since the twins that originally played Lily left the show after it became clear to their parents that they did not like the filming process.
To the show's credit, they did the best they could with the situation, as Lily has become one of the best characters. However, no matter why it happens, whenever a show recasts a major character like that, it is bound to be weird, at least briefly.
7 The Women's March Storyline
An opportunity for the show to make a statement about an extremely timely subject, when several Modern Family characters joined the Women's March, it should have been meaningful.
Blowing a tire on the drive to join in the march, Claire, Gloria, and several of the show 's other main female characters bumbled around during their failed attempts to switch it out. Eventually approached by a female stranger that helps them put on their spare, the episode's supposed sense of sisterhood then flies out the window as she steals Gloria's vehicle.
6 The Way An Episode Handled A Serious Issue
Far and away one of the most problematic episodes of Modern Family, during “The Cover-Up,” the show suddenly introduced the idea that Claire knows that Phil is most attracted to black women. This leads to a tone-deaf storyline in which he finds himself attracted to a potential real estate client who is black and lies to Claire about what her race is. Even going so far as to include a moment in which Phil refers to his deception as “a little white lie, which is ironic,” it blows us away that a white man being attracted to a black woman was played as a joke.
5 The Overly-Saccharine Tone
One of the most delicate aspects of running a hit show, making sure that its tone strikes the right balance can be far more difficult than a lot of viewers realize. A show that sometimes fails in this effort, Modern Family's attempts to end almost every episode on a positive note can result in its stories wrapping up in a neat and overly-saccharine bow. For example, it can be hard to take when one episode after another has characters locked in an argument only to have them embrace and be overly affectionate just in time for the end credits to run.
4 The Lack Of Character Development
One of the major reasons why most viewers tune in year after year, getting to see characters grow and change makes it feel like all of those hours watching were worth it. Unfortunately, for the most part, any ways in which Modern Family characters have grown over the years are surface-deep and a lot of the time they tend to regress before too long.
For example, even though Haley and Alex are both a decade older than they were when the show began, the dynamic between them hasn't changed much.
Worse yet, for the most part, they are still portrayed either as the ditzy popular girl and the walled-off bookworm to varying degrees.
3 Claire And Phil's Parenting Issues
Let's face facts, as much as it is unhappy to think about, the fact remains that Claire and Phil Dunphy really are bad parents overall. For proof of this, all you have to do is look at their relationships with their kids. First, you have Haley, a PG troublemaker with low self-esteem whose parents yell at her often. Then there is Alex, the spoiled smart child that has not only become arrogant but is also really harsh in her criticism of others. And finally, there is Luke, another somewhat rebellious child who often seems to be written off as the dumb son by his parents even though he sometimes outsmarts adults and is good with machines.
2 Cam And Mitchell Taking So Long To Be Affectionate On Screen
A show that at times seems like it may break its metaphorical arm since it pats itself on the back so much, Modern Family does portray an inclusive view of what family is. However, despite positive things like showing a gay couple getting married on national television, someone involved behind the scenes obviously was squeamish about Cam and Mitch's romance. After all, that is the only reasonable way to explain why they were never shown kissing one another until the second-season episode “The Kiss.” While we will give the show credit for handling that moment well, since it wasn't overblown, the fact that it was only the gay couple that waited so long to show their affection was very disappointing.
1 The Lack Of Focus
Arguably Modern Family's greatest strength and weakness, the show has 12 main characters, all of whom are related to one another. Sometimes a good thing, it does allow the show's writers to have some variety in terms of which character is at the forefront for a specific episode. However, when you then take into account that the show has a long list of recurring characters as well, eventually, something has to give. As a result, in some instances, popular characters not only seem to be on the back burner for a single episode, but in some cases, they've taken a backseat for an entire season.
References: hollywoodreporter.com, earnthenecklace.com, peteearley.com