The Unfiltered Ramblings of a DVR Addict

Modern Family is everything that Cougar Town is not.  It’s original, it’s funny, and it is somewhat heartwarming.  I said it last week, and it still hold true after the second episode, Modern Family is my favorite new show of the year.

The show opens with each of the fathers talking about what fatherhood means.  Four different dads and four different answers.  Since the show does deal with three different families within the same family I’m going to go ahead and deal with each family separately.

Cameron and Mitchell

Cameron is the most confidant character, gay or straight on television.  Mitchell on the other hand just wants to fit in.  When the two attend a baby play group, Mitchell just wants Cameron to act straight.  Or as Cam describes it, “like we are two golfing buddies that decided to adopt a baby.”  He has to change clothes, he not allowed to dance with the baby the way he normally would, and he has to tone down his personality in general, or avoid the “Cam Show.”  Mitchell on the other hand is so uptight about both being judged for both being gay and for the baby not grabbing and scooting.  In the end it turns out that there is another gay couple in the group, and they are loved, so Mitchell tells Cameron to be himself and dance, which he does showing up the other gay couple.  Cameron might be my favorite character on this show.

Jay

Of all the fathers on the show Jay might be the most interesting.  His life is definitely not what he expected it to be.  He lucks out and finds a hot Columbian trophy wife, Gloria, to marry him.  Too bad for Jay, Gloria came with the baggage of a 12 year-old son Manny.  Jay and Gloria have a trip to wine country planned and Manny is going to Disneyland with his dad.  While they are waiting to leave, Gloria suggest Jay and Manny put up a ceiling fan in Manny’s room to give them a chance to bond.  Of course the two bicker the entire time with Manny talking about how great his dad is compared to Jay.  In the end, Manny’s dad can’t break himself away from a craps table to come pick up Manny, and Jay and Gloria cancel their trip to take Manny to Disneyland.  Jay avoids the opportunity to make Manny’s dad look bad and tells him that he had to give up his seat on a plane for an old woman and takes it even further telling him that he even sent a limo.  Jay really comes across as the winner in the situation even if he’s the only one that knows it.

Phil

Let’s face it Phil is clueless, and I think as the show goes on the trouble that he got into this week will be nothing compared to what he’s in store for.  Phil’s son rides his sister’s hand me down bike because his mom thinks he can’t handle the responsibility of having his own bike.  She they’ve decorated the girls bike with the basket on front with black electrical tape.  Phil can’t handle the ridicule hurled at his son on the bike.  He decides to buy Luke a new bike.  Five minutes later Phil sees what he thinks is Luke’s bike parked on a busy street unlocked and decides to steal it in order to teach his son a lesson.  As he is riding the bike home he is stopped by his “sexy” new neighbor Desiree that his wife Claire doesn’t like.  She’s locked himself out of her house and he leave the bike on the sidewalk while he shimmies into the window to help he out.  When he returns the bike is gone.  He then goes back to the bike shop buys another bike and brings it home.  When he gets there it turns out that it isn’t Luke’s bike at all, Luke’s bike is in the garage, and he stole some other kid’s bike.  The new neighbor walk up with the bike Phil thought was stolen and gives it to Phil while he is talking to Claire.  Phil returns the second bike to where he stole it from only to be chase by the kid it belongs to.

Jay sums it up best in the end.  90% of fatherhood is just showing up.

Here are some of the highlights from the episode:

• Jay’s face after hearing that Gloria usually wears “nothing” in the hot tub.
• Manny telling Jay that his dad can get the tires off a car in seconds, thus confirming the idea that his dad might not be on the up and up.
• Phil’s double-entendre while praising the house that Desiree — clad in a cleavage-revealing sport bra — has just moved into: “Great, um, deck!”
• Phil explaining to Claire how the bike was stolen while he was filling up with gas, “Don’t you usually stay by the car while you’re filling it up?” she asks. “I was thirsty, so I went inside to get a soda, so I wouldn’t be thirsty anymore, and then I drank it all right there, which is why I don’t have the can!”
• Learning about the “Cam Show.”  Can’t wait to see more of it, especially after last week’s Lion King entrance with the baby.