For years I avoided the acclaimed show Modern Family. Oh I knew it was one but it just never grabbed me. It wasn’t for silly reasons like the network it was on or it featured a gay couple. It was because it was mockumentary style!
While technically this was around before, The Office made this trend take off. And while it worked for that show, it drives me nuts they every show had to do it since. From Park and Rec all the way to the current Abbott Elementary (which is excellent btw). Why do I hate it? It’s several things. I’m a sucker for traditional three camera shows without a studio audience. So this hand held camera with no audience bugs me. Why I never watch The Middle! And of course what’s even worst is the thing these are famous for, those ridiculous testimonials. Ugh, it’s so lame! I mean The Brady Bunch is fake because they’re happy but characters stopping to do testimonials is real?? It’s also lazy. Why have the characters actions tell what’s going on when they can stare at a camera and tell us directly?
However the last year or two I finally gave Modern Family a try (you know me, on top of a trend!) and ended up loving it. With all the comments I’ve made against for its entire network run, it’s time to share some love. So why does this show work?
Here five reasons.
Testimonials are downplayed
Yeah after trashing the testimonials one of the things I notice and appreciate is that while they’re there they are downplayed. Unlike The Office where the employees felt like they spent more time taking to the cameras then working. However it would be nice if they revealed who they were talking with and why.
Sophia Vergara
I know it seems weird to single her out but it’s amazing how well she fits into this show. I totally buy that she’s in love with and married to Ed O’Neil. It never feels contrived or forced. She adds a real flavor to the series and keeps it from being boring.
Lilly and her dad’s
Not much to say here but I do love Lilly. She doesn’t get a lot of lines (in the early days anyway) but whenever she does it’s always a scene stealer. And yes Cam and Mitchell showing that a gay couple is pretty much the same as any other is handled very well. I always say Will & Grace walked so Modern Family could run. And besides that they’re very funny and well developed characters.
And the rest…
It reminds me of Friends in the sense that the show was cast pitch perfectly. Every actor feels genuine and even the ones who you would think don’t fit, do. Ed O’Neil makes the perfect patriarch and I’m glad he found something to be famous for besides Al Bundy. Julie Bowen is fantastic as the frustrated housewife , but unlike Debra Barone you feel like she does love Phil. And man can she get a laugh. And what can I say about Ty Burrell making this annoying jerk so very likable. Another actor would make him feel fake but Burrell makes it work. Finally the kids who are also well cast.
It’s funny and well written
Yeah I know, this show set records for Emmy wins so I’m not the first to say this. But the writing is very sharp. I can’t count how many times I recognized the trope they were doing, but the show switched gears in a way I never saw coming. They also did episodes structured differently but it still worked. And the vacation episodes..well I always hate travel episodes. Also the show is funny. It seems in the past single camera shows like MASH or The Wonder Years veer more toward drama and the comedy is muted, this is especially these days (I’m looking at you “The Bear”). This show not so much. It is very funny and doesn’t stray so far into the drama you forget what genre it’s supposed to be. When a show makes me laugh out loud then I’m in. It happened with Cosby. It happened with Seinfeld. It happened with Friends. It happened with Big Bang Theory… and it happened with Modern Family. I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize it. And while it is funny there’s also lots of heart and sentiments. I ended up caring for these characters more than I thought I would. It’s nice after watching ELR to see a functional family on tv again.
The show actually joins a long list of shows I prejudged and then later loved. I have a real problem with that.
No comments:
Post a Comment