# Modern Family to Kill Off a Character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375 "2018-09-15T02:59:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/1 "2018-09-15T02:59:39Z")
At least [that’s the word](https://ew.com/tv/2018/09/13/modern-family-character-death-season-10/) from Christopher Lloyd. > [@](#): > > We do deal with a death, which is certainly a topic that families have to deal with, and on television, it’s not easy to do because that’s a heavy subject. But at the same time, it would seem unusual for a family not to go through it. Lloyd says the victim will be a “significant” character, which is not exactly the same as a “lead” character. That loophole leaves room for DeDe to be the unlucky decedent, although I personally would be okay with Manny. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/2 "2018-09-15T03:25:50Z")
Twenty quatloos on Fred Willard (Phil’s Dad). ---
**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:** [September 15, 2018, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/3 "2018-09-15T03:42:36Z")
I’m guessing DeeDee Pritchet; they’re not going to kill of Jay unless it’s the series finale. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/4 "2018-09-15T03:51:45Z")
I saw that a couple of days ago. I say it’ll be the dog. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/5 "2018-09-15T04:04:01Z")
I doubt they have any other interesting ideas left for Benjamin Bratt. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/6 "2018-09-15T04:22:04Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Twenty quatloos on Fred Willard (Phil’s Dad). Didn’t they kill off his mom (off camera) several seasons back? But yeah, DeeDee seems the likely candidate. The kids are probably off-limits - grandparents dying is perfectly normal, 20 year olds is not. And honestly, what’s the life expectancy of someone with an inverted uterus? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/7 "2018-09-15T07:19:17Z")
Dylan. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/8 "2018-09-15T18:52:53Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Didn’t they kill off his mom (off camera) several seasons back? > > But yeah, DeeDee seems the likely candidate. The kids are probably off-limits - grandparents dying is perfectly normal, 20 year olds is not. And honestly, what’s the life expectancy of someone with an inverted uterus? Huh, according to the Modern Family wiki, Phil’s mom was alive, but never seen or heard on the show, until Season 4, when the whole Dunphy/Pritchett clan flew to Florida for her funeral. That just seems strange because his dad was on 7 episodes before her death, and they were still married when she died. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/9 "2018-09-15T23:53:25Z")
Hmmm. I was thinking Pepper. Some comic death fitting the vamping ability of Nathan Lane. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/10 "2018-09-16T12:22:59Z")
I consider it a cheat if it is Phil’s dad or DeeDee. These are, by definition, minor characters and not major ones. Although, I will admit that I stopped watching several years ago as once the kids grew up it lost a lot of its luster. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/11 "2018-09-16T16:35:55Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > Hmmm. I was thinking Pepper. Some comic death fitting the vamping ability of Nathan Lane. He could get hit by a car when walking his dog. Jay can then wonder, in his old man way, how a Chihuahua can pull a grown man into traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/12 "2018-09-16T18:02:51Z")
I am guessing it will be Shelly Long’s character (Jay’s ex). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/13 "2018-09-16T21:23:12Z")
Cameron might be a good candidate for a fatal heart attack. Opening a storyline for Mitchell to carry on as a single parent. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/14 "2018-09-17T12:15:42Z")
My first thought was Phil’s dad, but as was mentioned, he’s not a major character. DeeDee makes sense, not that she’s a major character but there’s a lot of history there so there could be some bitter sweet moments. Killing off Stella would be a cheat, but she’s a main character to Jay! Then we could see him mourn her and secretly wonder if Gloria had something to do with it. I can’t see them killing any of the children; that’s way too dark for this show. I guess my prediction depends on whether this is the last season. If so, I think Ed O’Neill is a good bet. If not, it’s anybody’s guess. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/15 "2018-09-17T12:20:08Z")
Would anyone really miss Lily? ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/16 "2018-09-17T12:43:44Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Would anyone really miss Lily? Or Joe? I’d be okay with Joe snuffing it. Wait, did I say that out loud? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/17 "2018-09-17T13:46:52Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Or Joe? I’d be okay with Joe snuffing it. > > Wait, did I say that out loud? Heh. I don’t need him to die. Maybe just go upstairs, Chuck Cunningham style, and never come back down 😛 ---
**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:** [September 17, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/18 "2018-09-17T14:29:31Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Would anyone really miss Lily? Lily has become one of the high points, IMHO. A sarcastic Asian woman living with two gay men? You could make a whole sitcom out of that. And if they kill Jay, I’m out. Ed O’Neill is a freaking national treasure. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/19 "2018-09-17T14:42:40Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > And honestly, what’s the life expectancy of someone with an inverted uterus? Normal. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375/20 "2018-09-17T16:39:52Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Dylan. In an extraordinarily stupid series of events. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family-to-kill-off-a-character/821375.md?page=2)