JOIN USLove it or hate it, but the new season of Modern Family is back, and though it features the same characters who are slightly older, greyer or wiser, as the case may be, it comes with a slew of new jokes and loads of wholesome family entertainment. Fans will want to follow the story of the Pritchett family as they always did, laugh at Phil’s buffoonery, enjoy Jay’s Pritchett’s wisdom, giggle over his Latina wife Gloria’s fiery tirades and marvel at her son Manny Delgado’s precocious ways.
They would want to watch Alex Dunphy exhibit more of her nerdy behaviour while her mother Claire continues to hyper-ventilate in her inimitable role as the gorgeous mom of three children, sister and loving wife. They will not want to miss the escapades of the gay couple, Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker, and they could be dying to catch up with the news of the youngsters — Haley, Luke, Joe and Lily — who make up the rest of the cast.
Alas, as season eight unravels, it is surprising to discover that the jokes are not quite as funny as before, and the characters are not as fresh and lovely as they used to be. Some of Gloria’s jokes about Colombia are clichéd, Phil’s brand of humour is getting stale, and as for the other characters who lend their special hilarity to the series, their witty one-liners are few and far between. What happened to the sharp humour and clever dialogues that earned them so many Emmy awards and nominations in the earlier years, we wonder. But addicted as we are to the unique dynamics of this special ‘modern’ family, we find ourselves glued to our television sets week after week, waiting to know what happens next.
The ensemble cast is at its best in the first episode, called ‘A Tale of Three Cities’. The three families are in different cities, and the whole episode is chock-full of laughs and is reminiscent of the pilot episode of season one that was so enjoyable.
It is only in subsequent episodes that some of the stories begin to seem dull with forced humour and fewer laughs. Whether it is Luke running against Manny for class president or Cameron’s Thanksgiving jamboree, or the tales of the weather man, Rainer Shine (played by Nathan Fillion), the ‘humour-mixed-with-emotion’ formula that was the main draw of the series is not quite as powerful as it used to be. Episode 18, however, is funny, and it brings back the wonderful comedy that the show is known for. Mitch and Cam are hurrying to catch a flight for which they took sleeping pills too early. What follows is a series of comic mishaps that are hilarious.
The characters have not changed their personalities in any way, which seems strange, considering they have grown older with every season. Nerdy Alex remains just as sardonic, and Gloria’s flamboyance has only become louder. Phil is still goofy, and Manny is just as eccentric. The star of the show for most fans, however, is Claire, who manages to bring in her special touch to each episode, not only due to the way she essays her role as a woman caught in the middle of crazy situations, but also for her complex personality.
According to recent news, Modern Family has been renewed for series 9 and 10, so there is a lot for fans to look forward to. Rarely do we find a TV series that manages to combine some humour and plenty of sentiment in one beautiful package, and it is for this reason that this season is just as delightful as the ones before.