Quick Take: Modern Family, "Dude Ranch" & "When Good Kids Go Bad"
The bellyaching laughs are back!
Review: Modern Family, "Dude Ranch" & "When Good Kids Go Bad"
(S0301 & S0302) There are not enough words to describe how much I enjoy Modern Family. I can watch reruns of it non-stop and never find any of the jokes tiring or played out. It was rightfully deserving that Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell won the Emmy for Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series this year and for Modern Family to win for Comedy Series. An added bonus this season is the recasting of Lily with Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who will actually have lines, which only means more comedic input.
Last time we spent time with the characters of Modern Family they were all together to celebrate Jay's birthday and Mitchell and Cameron had quietly decided that it was time to expand their family with a son. So, what kind of antics is the family getting themselves into this season?
In the first episode of the one-hour premiere the family heads to a Dude Ranch in Wyoming. After much begging from Haley (and Phil), Claire gives in and allows her boyfriend Dylan to come along for the trip. Can I just say I was laughing within the first few minutes from seeing Dylan holding Claire's hand when they are landing in Wyoming to comfort her to Cameron's pop-up family book that he created for prospective moms. You gotta love this family! There are one too many funny incidences in this episode to name them all.
Phil is still feeling as though he needs to prove himself to Jay and because of that he feels the need to defend Dylan to Claire. Claire was elated when Dylan decided not return home with them. After Haley turns down his marriage proposal he ends up getting a job as a ranch hand. Alex has a first kiss, which she feels that Jimmy, a boy staying at the Dude Ranch as well, steals from her. He then gives her back her first kiss, but she gives it back and takes a few more.
Meanwhile, Mitchell is having second thoughts about adopting a baby boy because he doesn't feel like he is a rough and tumble type of guy. When they go shooting he points the gun at everyone without thinking, he was scared to sit on a horse properly because he thought a cow was going to bite him and then he totally missed catching the bottle of water that Jay throws for him. Cameron attempts to assure him that they won't have a problem, but to no avail. It's not until he and Luke blow up a birdhouse with a firecracker that he feels confident that all will be well.
In the second episode of the premiere hour, "When Good Kids Go Bad," Mitchell and Cameron have finally decided to tell the family about their plans to adopt baby boy. Before they break the news though, the family must wrestle through some other issues.
We open with Phil and Claire at the supermarket food shopping. When Phil begins flirting with another customer, Claire somehow ends up knocking down a stack of canned peaches. He insists that it was her own fault and she insists it was his when he pushed the shopping cart into her and she ends up falling into the cans. Phil, Haley, Alex and Luke continue to tease her throughout the episode about how she has a penchant for always being right. She goes so far as to track down surveillance video of the incident to prove it was Phil's fault. Instead of everyone finally agreeing with her or showing her any kind of sympathy, they think she is crazy for going to such lengths. They basically think she has a sickness. She realizes this herself when Jay recalls her putting Mitchell in the dryer as a toddler to prove to her friend that the drum wouldn't rotate. Sometimes you just need to pick your battles accordingly. But, the question posed was where did Claire learn this behavior? It was soon answered.
Manny stole a locket from a female classmate that he was holding a torch for. When the school principle calls home and Gloria speaks to him Jay notices Manny squirming in the background. He later confronts Manny and learns that he does have the locket. Ultimately, Gloria takes Manny to school so he can come clean but, she backs down and breaks into the girl's locker and puts the locket in there. She tells Manny that Jay doesn't need to know any of this. But, Jay senses something is up and continues to press the issue until Manny buckles under the pressure and confesses. Jay always needs to be right as well.
The most humorous storyline came from Mitchell, Cameron,dunphy and Lily. As Cameron and Mitchell attempt to prepare Lily for her new sibling she has some choice words on the matter. She already hates the baby. When she sees Cameron holding another baby she pushes the baby off his lap and quickly says that that is her daddy. Mitchell is convinced that Lily's problems stem from Cameron coddling her and he makes him believe it as well. So Cameron ends up distancing himself from Lily. When Mitchell takes Lily to preschool as a result of this he learns that the problem could actually stem from him. The teacher informs him that Lily's attitude is probably due to issues with sharing, something Mitchell knows a lot about. Mitchell isn't quick to break the news to Cameron but ultimately does so. This causes Cameron to not want to tell the family the news of them adopting a baby boy since he is not in a happy mood. But, while he and Mitchell are having words in front of the family Mitchell lets it slip, which resulted in applause and happiness from the family.
I certainly cannot wait for the rest of this season to unfold.
