Modern Family is that rare breed of show that wins a ton of awards and then has to spend the duration of its run justifying all the love it gets from awards-giving bodies. The problem is that, while it?s actually a damn fine show, it isn?t appreciably better than some of the comedies on TV today that get no such love. Off the top of my head, Community is more nuanced, and It?s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is just plain funnier, and that?s without getting into animated shows or sketch comedy. What I?m saying is that while Modern Family is a fine show, and tonight?s ?Bringing Up Baby? plays to its strengths, it?s never going to be able to justify all the attention it gets, which is a shame, because I feel like a lot of people who might enjoy it are avoiding simply out of contrarian urges.
Of course, one of the big complaints about the show is that it?s often smug about its presentation of the jokes, feeling that it?s a much more innovative, high-brow show than it actually is. I think this is something of a strawman argument, since the bigger problems are in characters such as Manny (Rico Rodriguez) and in relationships such as Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell?s (Jesse Tyler Ferguson). Luckily, the episode neutralizes much of the damage the damage each set of respective characters could do to the story they?re presenting, which is strong enough to make this a solid premiere.
Credit: Peter ?Hopper? Stone/ABC
It?s the big 6-5 for Jay (Ed O?Neill), and he simply wants a quiet birthday without any surprises. Cue Phil (Ty Burrell) who, along with Jay?s friends Shorty (Chazz Palminteri) and Miles (Ernie Hudson), abduct Jay and take him fishing, which goes about as well as any Phil-spawned idea would. Before long, Jay has twice fallen into the water, and been punched in the head by his son-in-law. And that?s before he gets to the big reveal: Gloria is pregnant. But we?ll get to that in a bit.
The episode jumps from family to family, as Gloria (Sofia Vergara) struggles with how she?s going to tell Jay the big baby news, while Luke (Nolan Gould) stealthily puts the fear in Manny?s head that he?ll be supplanted by the new baby, in a trope-tastic sitcom storyline that still works because, when he isn?t being infuriatingly beyond-his-years in a way no child would ever be, Rico Rodriguez is actually quite affecting in his role. We also have a concurrent subplot with Cam and Mitchell trying to adopt a cat, as it?s only been a day since last season?s finale, and the pair are still broken up about not getting the baby. This leads to a pretty amusing stop at an animal shelter, where a visual gag of two stuffed animals in compromising positions on the roof of Mitchell?s car creates problems for them.
Credit: ABC
It seems that the writers are acknowledging that the combativeness in Cam and Mitchell?s relationship is a problem. Eric Stonestreet just took home an Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series despite being one of the most frustrating aspects of the show?s third season. What had once been a relatively nuanced character had become a broad gay stereotype, while the character?s neediness was frequently used as a starting point for storylines that ultimately gave the impression that Cam and Mitchell can?t stand each other. Critics had been up in arms in the earlier days of the show, when it seemed like the series was going out of its way to never have Cam and Mitchell display any signs of affection for one another beyond a platonic hug, but this premiere has seemed to grow beyond the histrionics of their more recent storylines.
Between last season?s finale and this premiere, Cam and Mitchell seem like a natural, supportive couple in a way they haven?t in a long time. They can still get combative with one another, but for once it seems that they aren?t any more combative with each other than the other married couples on the show. Their tiffs are leavened with genuine affection, and it?s a welcome change of pace for how the relationship is presented. The duo?s continued despondency over having lost out on the baby is still a very strong storyline, though they seem to move past this storyline by the end of the episode when we jump ahead to Gloria?s baby shower (and I like that they?re finding actual reasons to corral the three families together at the end of each episode instead of the contrivances of earlier seasons. I?m Puerto Rican, and even our families aren?t at each other?s houses as much as these three clans). They?ve spent two weeks abroad, and though the weight of loss still weighs upon the couple, it seems that we?re going to be moving past the adoption storyline for now, although they finally did get the cat (named Larry, in deference to Lily?s confusing obsession with the name, in a funny little character quirk).
The episode climaxes with Jay?s birthday party, in which Gloria finally reveals her pregnancy. To the surprise of everyone, not only is Jay okay with it, he?s actually thrilled. People have been telling him all day what his life has in store for him, and he was sick of hearing it, which is why he?s so thrilled to hear that he?ll get a new start with the woman of his dreams. It?s a beautiful little speech delivered sweetly by O?Neill, who really nails the balance stubbornness and sentimentality. I imagine this pregnancy will be our arc for the season, and it should be worth it, if just to see Ed O?Neill get the opportunity to show his range and versatility. We?ve seen what he could do with the role of Jay Pritchett before, but this feels like a more substantial return to season one?s Jay, which was as much a voice of tenderness as a curmudgeonly voice of wisdom.
The rest of the episode involves Haley (Sarah Hyland) trying to convince Claire (Julie Bowen) to let homeless Dylan stay with them for a while. It?s a lightweight storyline, but Reid Ewing is always great as Dylan, and tonight is no different, guilt-tripping Claire into letting him stick around, leading to the coda at the end of the episode where Claire kicks him out and he declares he?ll be moving in with a raccoon he?s named Bubbles due to its frothy mouth. It?s not exactly high comedy, but it?s the kind of escalating bit the show does exceedingly well, and the ensemble is more than talented enough to pull it off.
?Bringing Up Baby? is a wholly satisfying half-hour of television if you?re a Modern Family fan, though I don?t imagine it?s going to win any new converts over. However, I expect the Emmy win means that a few more eyeballs will be watching than might have been without the buzz. Whether you think Modern Family deserves all the accolades is immaterial. The Emmys aren?t the sole arbiter of quality in television, any more than the Oscars are the final word on movies (even if I am a nut for Oscar season). Hopefully, Modern Family can move forward and just be a funny show without the baggage of having to prove itself to people who say it?s won awards undeservedly. Whether it?s the best comedy on television or not is a matter of opinion, but Modern Family is at least a good show. And given how hard comedy can be, that?s really saying something.
Credit: ABC
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