I have to say that the writing on this show is probably the best currently on all of TV, network or cable.
“Does the carpet match the drapes? I’m not sure, I haven’t really been down inside there for a while.”
I just did a search to see if the show has been discussed and this post came up. I just finished episode eight or so of season one (the one where Ed O’Neill gets the dog butler).
Every time I finish an episode, I think, “Each one is better than the one before.”
At first I was a bit disappointed because the show is such a cross between Arrested Development and The Office, but it didn’t take too many episodes for it to start becoming its own. They’ve introduced some techniques that don’t come across as gimmicks. The writing is clever and snappy and witty.
I’m already looking forward to season 2.
Great episode!
“Years from now, some of these kids will still be talking about how I Sondheimized them.”
I just started watching this show a few episodes ago, and it keeps getting better, as I become more familiar with the characters.
“W E L O V E T H E F W O R D”
One thing I love about this show is that the writers never let the gag go on too long. Funny misunderstandings (like the van) would quickly fall into Three’s Company shtick if played out over the whole episode. But just for a few scenes and resolved? Hilarious!
That’s a really good point. It may be a side effect of the fact that they cram three mostly separate storylines into each episode, but it works pretty well. (We just watched the preschool episode from earlier in the season, and Cameron’s abrupt American Indian imitation lasts just long enough to be hilarious—drawing it out any longer would have been excruciating.)
Some of their sight gags are on par w/ *Airplane *and that’s a compliment! I fell over laughing on my couch when the F Word showed up.
“That’s what it should say on the van.”
“It doesn’t matter, I’ll go home with anyone!”
“That’s what it should say on the van.”
I loved the Sondheimize line … also broke out laughing at the FWORD display.
And how about Mitchell’s freakout when he came out of the auditorium? “No intermission?!?! What are we, animals?”
I know its only a 30 minute show, but I wish they had Donnie interact with everyone, not just Jay & Manny & Gloria. I bet Phil catches a lot of flack from Donnie.
Loved everything about it except the contrived bit of Phil trying to hide the van’s ads. Felt very I Love Lucy/old school.
Loved the fact that Claire got hot about the fact that the callers preferred her…
Not only this, but as I’ve mentioned before, they always manage to successfully pull off jokes that you can see coming a mile away. When Jay was rigging the chair so it would collapse when his brother sat down, I knew right away that it was going to backfire on him, but I still laughed out loud when it happened.
“Now all of you get out there and sing your little hearts out!!! Oh, except for you sweetie; I just want you to mouth the words.”
“She took the scenic route, but she got there”
Dude, you should mark those sticks.
ETA: … or was that the next episode?
Yes, but still worth mentioning!
The minute I saw the letters I knew they would be scrambled somehow at the big moment. But how they ultimately were still had me cracking up. That’s some good writing.
They were walking the ragged edge of what they can get away with for a family show last night, and I loved it! “You always throw water on my dreams. You give me wet…dreams. Yeah, I heard it as it was coming out of my mouth.”
I love whenever Phil gets giddy interpreting things one way and then his rapid retreat as he realizes Claire’s going in the opposite direction.
The show is great and I’m a big fan, but I’m kind of tired of the “talking to the camera” mockumentary technique. Too much of it on TV now with The Office and Parks & Recreation using it too. I think it makes for lazy writing to get jokes across or to advance the plot. Modern Family has a good enough cast and interesting stories to not have to “break the fourth wall” in order to move the stories along. Besides I can sort of see the use of documentary cameras in an office type setting, but cameras inside people’s homes??