# Modern Family, September 28, 2011 -- "Phil On Wire" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053 "2011-09-29T19:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/1 "2011-09-29T19:36:12Z")
So, what did everyone think of last night’s episode? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/2 "2011-09-29T19:45:59Z")
Noticed they had Cam’s pixelated bike shorts again. Strangely enough, though, they weren’t pixelated in the promos. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/3 "2011-09-29T20:05:06Z")
Pretty good though I get tired of the Cameron as Whiny Queen storylines (though the reversal w/ Mitchell losing it at the party was a nice payoff). It was great seeing Phil be successful w/ the wire walking at the end. Also liked how smug Claire was with her parenting skills after the girls came down from their bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/4 "2011-09-29T20:13:27Z")
Am I the only one who initially thought Mitch was faking his breakdown in order to prevent an even more epic breakdown from Cam? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/5 "2011-09-29T20:16:42Z")
Not a bad episode (I was grinning like a clown during Phil’s triumphant walk), but it was pretty much three unrelated stories – and two of them fairly weak ones at that. Their best episodes have much more crossover among the households. Or at least some sort of unifying theme, which I didn’t catch here. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/6 "2011-09-29T20:17:11Z")
Snorkles! Where are you! I can’t stop quoting that. It was my Facebook status for most of today. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/7 "2011-09-29T20:35:13Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Am I the only one who initially thought Mitch was faking his breakdown in order to prevent an even more epic breakdown from Cam? I thought so too at first, but the slobber flying out of his mouth as he ran out sold me on it being legit. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/8 "2011-09-29T20:36:24Z")
I loved the Jay/Gloria scenes – – the little dog yipping in the shower – “Where I come from it’s wife, mistress, dog! The dog is always at the bottom!” I am so totally in love with Gloria. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/9 "2011-09-29T20:48:47Z")
I liked Cam’s boss’ line “maybe Cam is just a work friend.” ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/10 "2011-09-29T20:56:58Z")
I was surprised that Phil was actually successful at the high-wire act. I thought for sure he was going to end up with a broken leg or something. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/11 "2011-09-29T21:00:58Z")
For a kid the actor who plays Luke has great comic timing. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/12 "2011-09-29T21:01:00Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I was surprised that Phil was actually successful at the high-wire act. I thought for sure he was going to end up with a broken leg or something. Now he has TWO ways to cross the yard! ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/13 "2011-09-29T21:24:01Z")
I absolutely loved it. I didn’t like the season premiers that much and felt like this episode was “there” like last season. Mitchell’s breakdown and Claire’s fall from grace came, once again, just as the characters of Cam and Phil were becoming just too much. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/14 "2011-09-29T21:32:35Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I liked Cam’s boss’ line “maybe Cam is just a work friend.” You’re mixing up your gay lovers (just how many do you have, you slut?!?), but other than that I agree. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/15 "2011-09-29T21:53:10Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I liked Cam’s boss’ line “maybe Cam is just a work friend.” Mitch’s boss, not Cam’s. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/16 "2011-09-29T23:23:03Z")
One of the weaker episodes that I can remember, but there were still a few nice bits, like when Jay and Manny catch Gloria encouraging the dog to eat one of Jay’s expensive leather shoes, and Jay tells Manny “Kid, I’m sorry you had to see that…” Don’t know why, ('cause it really wasn’t all that funny) but I really got a good laugh out of that… ---
**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:** [September 29, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/17 "2011-09-29T23:59:25Z")
Claire: I’m really a better mother than this. Principal: So you keep saying. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/18 "2011-09-30T01:10:32Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > For a kid the actor who plays Luke has great comic timing. From [IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442437/trivia): “Nolan Gould, who plays “dumb” Luke Dunphy, has actually been a member of Mensa since he was four.” ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/19 "2011-09-30T02:13:43Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > One of the weaker episodes that I can remember, but there were still a few nice bits, like when Jay and Manny catch Gloria encouraging the dog to eat one of Jay’s expensive leather shoes, and Jay tells Manny “Kid, I’m sorry you had to see that…” > > Don’t know why, ('cause it really wasn’t all that funny) but I really got a good laugh out of that… Gloria: It used to be me you wanted in that shower! Manny: Should I be here for this? ---
**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:** [September 30, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053/20 "2011-09-30T04:18:02Z")
I can’t stand any of Phil and Claire’s kids, and this episode strongly reinforced these feelings. But I loved how Mitch and Cam came very close to reenacting the beach scene in “From Here to Eternity” . . . though they were a little clumsier than Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. And go, Phil! It’s about time they show him actually accomplishing something. I don’t like the way they often portray him as sort of a doofus. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-september-28-2011-phil-on-wire/598053.md?page=2)