Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Modern Family: "Dude Ranch" & "When Good Kids Go Bad"


As much as it pains me to do, I have no choice but to give Modern Family a mixed review for its one hour premiere tonight. I just didn't like the opener with the family going on location to Wyoming for a family outing donning cowboy hats and riding horses. I probably didn't outright hate it because I did miss this crazy family so much that it took me longer to realize that this episode was one of their weaker efforts. Did I chuckle when Gloria kept screaming in that great accent of hers? Sure. Did I smile when Phil was absolutely beaming over Hank giving him the nickname "Buffalo Phil?" Yes. Did I snicker at everything Dylan did? Of course. But I think all of that was more out of my love for the characters that has grown over the past two years rather than me actually enjoying the storylines in the episode.

With that said, I really liked the second half of the premiere with the family being back home and doing what they do best: bicker. I sometimes felt last season that Cam and Mitchell fought a little too much, but I think with Lily 2.0 now able to talk the dynamic changed just so that I didn't find their fight grating. Speaking of, I still need to get use to a talk Lily, but I laughed so hard when she uttered "Kill the baby" or something similar. Gloria and Jay disagreeing about Manny's "crime" was also great, less so because of the way the adults dealt with it, but how they affected poor conscientious Manny. And finally, love love love the fight between Phil and Claire (congrats on your much-deserved Emmys) especially with Claire taking it just a little too far in the end over there. In fact that end scene was too perfect for words with everyone fighting, Mitchell accidentally blurting out their adoption plans, and Jay obliviously asking "What the hell is going on?" Loved it all. 1st ep: C+/2nd ep: A-

2 comments:

  1. Heee. I didn't hate the first episode as much, but I essentially agree that second episode was ace.

    ReplyDelete

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