“Modern Family” trumps all primetime comedies. Tears are springing from your eyes, starting to overflow the bottom lids. Now the tears are streaming down your face. It gets worse: your stomach is cramping up so hard it hurts to do anything. Now, because you’re crying, and your stomach is convulsing, and your nose is getting all stuffy, you can’t breathe. Not even a little bit.
This scenario may sound like a bad day, but, really, it’s the exact opposite. You’re simply watching this week’s new episode of ABC’s “Modern Family,” the best comedy on television right now. The hysterical blend of comedic perfection is literally making you laugh so hard you’re crying (and maybe peeing in your pants a little bit too).
“Modern Family” is a sitcom that has been a part of primetime network television since September 2009. It follows one extended family, the Pritchetts, through their days as parents, children, spouses, siblings, and cousins.
The Pritchett family is comprised of patriarch Jay, his Colombian wife Gloria, and her son Manny. Jay is also father to Mitchell, who lives with his partner Cameron, and their adopted Asian daughter Lily. The show also follows Jay’s daughter Claire’s family which includes her husband Phil Dunphy, their daughters Haley and Alex, and son Luke.
Given the age, racial, and sexual orientation diversity of these individual families, it is easy to see why creators Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd named the show “Modern Family.” This whole, extended family paints a pretty literal representation of what a newly-standard American family looks like.
Many might think of a sitcom as a funny, 30-minute TV show. If you are one of these people, you’re about half-right. The word “sitcom” actually stands for “situation comedy.” Who knows where Levitan and Lloyd get their inspiration for these expanded and immediate family situations, but America can agree that they are absolutely comedic.
According to a broadwayworld.com article from November 7 of this year, using Nielsen ratings, “Modern Family” is the number one show on show on television. It recently beat out the former highest-rated show, “Two and a Half Men,” to solidify its spot at the top of the heap.
To further establish “Modern Family” as TV king, the Boston Globe reports that “Modern Family” is currently the most digitally recorded show. This means that if home viewers cannot watch “Modern Family” live, they make a conscious effort to record it and watch it at another time.
Simply, “Modern Family” is just an incredibly relatable show. Each character is so defined and so quirky that viewers can’t help but love them all. It is impressive how the writers can create a group of completely bizarre, wacky characters that can come together to make one lovable, realistic, hilarious and eccentric family. The writers must take note from real life: every single person in a family brings something new and individual to the table, and so do all of the Pritchetts and Dunphys.
Definitely a testament to the actors who portray them, the dynamic between the characters is flawless comedic gold. Whether an interaction is funny because of Eric Stonestreet’s (Cameron) flamboyant hand gestures, or because of Ty Burrell’s (Phil) zany facial expressions, or even Nolan Gould’s (Luke) more traditional, slapstick physical comedy, whenever any two characters interact, the outcome will be sure to leave you laughing uncontrollably.
ABC hit a high note with “Modern Family.” Wednesdays have a habit of being draining but with “Modern Family,” there’s a light at the end of the midweek tunnel. It’s something you can look forward to that you know will cheer you up, no matter how your day or the start of your week went.
PHOTO COURTESY of wikia.com
