# Modern Family 1/23 - Simply brilliant **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183 "2013-01-24T03:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/41 "2013-01-25T18:07:49Z")
I’m on board with Lily being completely terrible. The day they start filming “Lily episodes” is the day I stop watching Modern Family. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/42 "2013-01-25T18:15:22Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Also…happy to see Dylan still around. I thought he was too good a character to completely write out when Haley broke up with him. His clumsy, uncomfortable conversations with Claire were hilarious (to me anyway.) I loved his interactions with Claire! Fun stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/43 "2013-01-25T18:42:59Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There were a lot of good lines, like most episodes, but the Godfather riff was fantastic. They had to break character for Phil, but it was worth it. I don’t think it was breaking character at all. Acting out a scene from the Godfather is very much in Phil’s dorky wheelhouse. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/44 "2013-01-25T18:51:47Z")
Do you think that Phil catching the florist’s son was something that actually happened or just how he remembered it? I want to name something Fulgencio Joe now. Or Larry. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/45 "2013-01-25T18:53:28Z")
> [@johnny bravo](#): > > the day they start filming “lily episodes” is the day i stop watching modern family. do i need to call a whambulance? \<— That’s supposed to be in all caps, but the board won’t let me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/46 "2013-01-25T18:55:56Z")
_Ladies…_ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/47 "2013-01-25T19:32:48Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I don’t think it was breaking character at all. Acting out a scene from the Godfather is very much in Phil’s dorky wheelhouse. I’d say acting it out, yes. But actually carrying it out, successfully, is a something of a stretch. But I don’t care, it was hilarious, wonderfully creative, makes the majority of sitcoms look like the humor page in Reader’s Digest. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/48 "2013-01-25T19:47:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I’m on board with Lily being completely terrible. > > The day they start filming “Lily episodes” is the day I stop watching Modern Family. She’s Olivier compared to Manny. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/49 "2013-01-25T20:24:03Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I think there were reference before to Jay & Claire wearing eachother’s clothes when they were kids in a past episode. Was this in reference to their figure skating duo? I think there was a confessional with Mitchell about being jealous of Claire’s outfits or something. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/50 "2013-01-25T21:51:14Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > She’s Olivier compared to Manny. Actually, I can’t stand ANY of the kids on this show . . . probably the new baby as well. But this was a great ep, nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/51 "2013-01-25T22:11:24Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > She’s Olivier compared to Manny. troof. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/52 "2013-01-25T22:42:56Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I am not sure why, they have wrung a lot of humor out of the fact that Gloria had a rough and poor childhood in Columbia. Huh, I thought her realitves her drug lords or somehow connected with organized crime. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/53 "2013-01-25T22:52:14Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Huh, I thought her realitves her drug lords or somehow connected with organized crime. I remember something about drug lords. Maybe an old boyfriend, or the village was full of them, something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/54 "2013-01-26T01:26:39Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > > > I’m on board with Lily being completely terrible. > > > > The day they start filming “Lily episodes” is the day I stop watching Modern Family. > > She’s Olivier compared to Manny. I’m not the best at judging acting performances, but it seems to me that the girl playing Lily does fine for a five-year-old. And I just went to YouTube to watch a couple of interviews with the actor who plays Manny (he’s fourteen, BTW) and he seemed completely different as himself. In other words, I think he does a good job of creating and maintaining the personality of Manny on the show. So to my untutored eyes and ears, he seems like he’s doing a fine job in the role. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/55 "2013-01-26T01:29:02Z")
If Fulgencio is such an important family name on Gloria’s side, why wasn’t Manny named Fulgencio instead of Manny? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/56 "2013-01-26T01:38:42Z")
Manny’s father is unbelievably charming - he must have talked Pilar and Gloria into that name. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/57 "2013-01-26T01:42:06Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > If Fulgencio is such an important family name on Gloria’s side, why wasn’t Manny named Fulgencio instead of Manny? I’m thinking her father was still alive when Manny was born, so they didn’t see the need to use it then. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/58 "2013-01-26T02:23:14Z")
Fulgencio? Is that even a real name? Still beats some of the crap people name their kids these days. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/59 "2013-01-26T02:36:08Z")
Yup, classic Hispanic name. Fulgencio Batista, Castro’s predecessor in Cuba. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183/60 "2013-01-26T03:31:57Z")
My word that’s a great show. So well written, played and directed. I watched and enjoyed the first couple of seasons and then, for no particular reason, stopped watching it. Maybe it changed nights? Since the episode was worthy of it’s own thread I downloaded it and watched it. Very, very funny. I love that Luke is dressed in a suit for his crime spree. And I loved Manny’s reaction to, “And we’ll send this one down to visit you.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-1-23-simply-brilliant/648183.md?page=4)