Jabber Jaw: "Door to Door"

One of the funniest shows on TV is ABC's Modern Family.  This week I've asked my good friend AW to talk about this week's episode "Door to Door."  So let's give her a warm welcome and get talking about some TV.  Overall I found the episode heavy on jokes, light on plot.  There is nothing wrong with this at all, in fact it worked really well tonight.  I didn't care if Manny sold wrapping paper, Gloria found the dog, Claire got her sign, or if Phil and Luke could get the ball back in the net.  What worked was the interactions between the characters.  It's always great seeing Jay be a dad to Manny, the two divas (Cam and Gloria) on a mission, and Phil and Luke do anything.  Claire, eh I could do without the pissy, crazy Claire; it's been done so much she's just annoying (although it was toned down tonight).  What are your overall thoughts AW?

AW: I appreciate this opportunity, Matt. I’m a big fan of the blog.  Or, am I?  Let me just start off with a little self disclosure:

1.  Modern Family is my second favorite television show, hands down.  It is bookended by crime dramas, followed by a never-ending satire about how a winey New Yorker meets the love of his life (Matt, I think you’re familiar).

2.  I’m not going to lie about how I like to spend my Wednesday nights: couch, roommate, puppy, chocolate, and wine. So please take up any problems you have with me or this post with my friend, Merlot.

Saying that, I hope I can give this week’s Modern Family a fair assessment.  First, I totally agree with you on Claire: been there, done that, signed a petition.  Like what I did with that? We’ve seen her get mad at neighbors, chastise the carpool lady and now with the traffic commission?  It’s played out.  You know what I love?  Claire and Mitchell.  The brother/sister repertoire needs to make a comeback, no?

Speaking of chemistry, you can tell the writers are really trying to play up the actors who work well together: Phil/Luke (in my opinion, they could start their own sitcom), Haley/Alex, Jay/Manny, Gloria/Cam.  All genius pairs, but it didn’t quite fit together for me this episode.  All in all, it wasn’t my favorite. I’m really rooting for it, but something just is off this season.

MTA:  I agree.  We are four episodes in and we haven't really had an episode that stands out.  I think this week was much better than last week and the opener on location in Jackson Hole, but about on par with "When Good Kids Go Bad."  Interesting that like that episode this one featured Jay/Manny, a Cam-Mitchell fight (which is treading dangerously close to insufferable/ overdone Claire territory), and Claire at her worst.  Maybe we have to hate Claire to enjoy everyone else?

Where this season has excelled though is it's use of Luke.  He is no longer this clueless kid who runs through a screen and wonders what happened (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCbSRRTax8w).  He was already my favorite character and this new combination of carefree-ness, creativity, deceptive intelligence, and (selective) self-awareness has actually made him funnier.  And I think that he Phil's personalities feed off each other so well (not to mention Ty Burrell and Nolan Gould have phenomenal chemistry).  Give me more of that team please.

What's working for you this season?  You made a great point that more Mitchell/Claire could entertain us without hating Mrs. Dunphy.  What else would you like to see more of?

AW:   agree with the Cam/Mitchell bouts.  Although they are far more entertaining than "The Claire," I'm ready for something new.  I think the adoption will either take care of or continue to drag this theme out.  Crossing my fingers for the former.

What is working for me? The one-liners.  The show has always capitalized on these in the one-on-one interviews, but they've done a good job stringing them through the dialogue this season.  A big pat-on-the-back to the writers for some phenomenal puns (which I believe are the highest form of intelligence). Phil's Blindside "offensive line" comeback had me in tears laughing.

What would I like to see more of? The whole family together.  The one-on-one relationships are great and I can't wait to see those continue to develop, but comedic genius happens when they all get together.  Dinner parties almost become battle royales of who has the best story of the episode.  These family get-togethers also help tie the plot together. Bringing me to the next point ...

The writers need to set up the plot earlier and stick to 2-3 main story-lines.  We were halfway though the episode when I finally had a grip on what was going on. My rule of thumb: the story should develop before the first commercial break. And finally, more Phil.  This might be personal because I have deep feelings for that weird quirky man.  But he absolutely kills it.

Speaking of one-liners, what was your favorite this episode?

MTA:  I agree with you on the moving the plots faster.  Like you by the first commercial break I didn't really know what anyone was going for.  And you are also spot on with the one-liners although I would expand that to more of the isolated jokes.  Concussed Phil might have been the funniest thing on TV that didn't happen in a bar in Philadelphia in a long time.  My favorite one liner last night was Luke's how many moms it takes to change a light bulb, not for the joke, but how it shows that subtle I'm-smarter-than-I-let-on quality Luke rocks like a champ, and the "Sucker!" ending. 

I'm going to have to disagree with you on getting the whole family together.  You are right that the comedic value is very high, but so is the degree of difficulty.  And I think the writers know this.  There have been a few whole family plots where there is just too much going on for anything to really click.  When they are battling for the best plot yes it works, but sometimes no plot is strong enough and everything falls flat (cf. "Dude Ranch").

What actually really disappointed me last night was how the writers kept hinting they would finally string some episodes together with Gloria losing the dog.  There was a loose connection because we know she hates it, but I was hoping that it would lead to a confrontation where Jay suspected her of doing it on purpose (like Gloria's Rat Shovel).  It was saved with Cam's gayest Stanley Kowalski ever finding the dog with a 10 year old Blanche, but still lost opportunity.  Also good nod to Alex still skyping with Gino the Ginny BF from the premiere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUhOvJOVetg).

AW:  Yes. First, I would like to address the video referenced at the end of your email.  What is this and where did you find it.  Really? I mean, really?

Second, I'm going to disagree with your disagreement with getting the whole family together.  How absolutely perfect was it last season when they all gathered for Jay's birthday?  Granted, it was the season finale, but sweet Jesus that was smart. However, you are right (as much as that pains me to say) about the Dude Ranch.  It did not work, except for Dylan, who came out of nowhere and finally made a legitimate contribution.  But that is neither here nor there since that is clearly not the focus this week.  Do you think he will come back?  I think Phil, Luke and Dylan could make a really good story line soon.

And I am going to have to agree with you on Luke's quote, not for the content but for the delivery.  Who cast him?  Sir/Madam, you deserve a raise.

And I agree with you once again on Cam's "Stellaaaaa!" I wanted to like it so much, but it was forced. I found myself feeling sorry for him and desperately wanting him to put his shirt back on.  They could have done a lot more with the Gloria and Stella rivalry but it fell flat.  Move on.

One last thing.  I would like to extend an honorable mention to Phil's Austrailan accent.

MTA:  Gino the Ginny is a throwback to college, pre-Jersey Shore when Gino, My New Haircut (and the equally funny my new syrup) made the rounds on the frat email chain (or was it the swim team? I can't ever remember).

I'm not saying that the whole family together doesn't work; I'm saying if it's going to be done it has to be done right.  You are totally right on last season's finale, pure genius.  I'm always cautiously optimistic with those episodes.  When it works it works fantastically, when it fails it is probably the lowest the show can go (which would be very high for many shows).

I think that about wraps up with this week's Modern Family.  AW, I want to thank you; you've done great in your first at-bat here on the blog.  I know the reader(s?) will appreciate a fresh voice and perspective.  Hope to do this again soon.