# "Modern Family" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718 "2011-05-30T00:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [May 30, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/1 "2011-05-30T00:50:47Z")
How would you explain the appeal of “Modern Family,” to someone who doesn’t get it? ---
**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:** [May 30, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/2 "2011-05-30T01:22:18Z")
I love the show but I’ll be damned if I can explain the attraction to someone that’s not getting it at this point. If you’re not finding it entertaining …move on to something else. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/3 "2011-05-30T01:32:45Z")
Some people find different things funny. There isn’t really any “getting it”, if its not the kind of thing that appeals to you, no amount of explanation is going to make it funny. Especially Modern Family, its not like the humor there is super-subtle. Also, while I actually find Modern Family moderately funny and end up watching it because my gf does, if it weren’t for her I probably wouldn’t bother. Almost all of the characters are so annoying it kind of eclipses the jokes for me. Even the toddler is annoying, I’m pretty sure she’s a puppet. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/4 "2011-05-30T01:36:11Z")
I like it okay. I won’t speak to its “appeal”, but I find many of the individual jokes funny. I don’t like the format, though. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/5 "2011-05-30T01:39:13Z")
Similar to other feel good sit-coms (Life Goes On, Family Ties, Growing Pains) but with more tolerance and a wider variety of family styles? I love the show because no matter the squirm-quotient of the theme, the ending always ties things up into a neat, loving, respectful little bow. It’s sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/6 "2011-05-30T02:52:28Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > How would you explain the appeal of “Modern Family,” to someone who doesn’t get it? It’s funny? ---
**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:** [May 30, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/7 "2011-05-30T02:59:35Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > It’s funny? I find the writing funny, the pacing perfect, the characters interesting and the storylines engaging. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/8 "2011-05-30T03:54:28Z")
Cam’s cuffs. ---
**Author:** ![zeldarae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f14d63/32.png) [@zeldarae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeldarae)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/9 "2011-05-30T12:58:28Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Cam’s cuffs. 😛 Every shirt…how does he find them? ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/10 "2011-05-30T13:28:35Z")
Although the documentary format bothers me for shows like The Office, I find its implementation in Modern Family much more palatable. Probably because they don’t even attempt to place the interview as an actual thing happening within the show’s world. Heck, a lot of the cuts they make to and from the interviews wouldn’t even make sense unless interpreted, I suppose, as something like an ongoing internal monologue. So the jarring occasional thoughts of how silly an intrusive, years-ongoing camera crew would be don’t occur to me. YMMV. As for why the show’s funny? Who knows? There’s a lot of great timing on display, so even predictable jokes can amuse; the characters are just exaggerated enough to be funny without often leaving me wondering how such a person could even exist; and I have a soft spot for the goofy I Love Lucy-ish slapstick we get from characters like Phil. There’s also hardly an unattractive woman in sight, although I feel a bit sorry for any hetero ladies and gay men. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/11 "2011-06-11T20:36:22Z")
> [@Paranoid\_Randroid](#): > > . . . I feel a bit sorry for any hetero ladies and gay men. One word: Phil. Ty Burrell has enough Hot to make up for all the other guys’ lack. He’s one of the main reasons I watch the show. Honorable mention: Mitchell. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/12 "2011-06-11T20:41:58Z")
Mitchell’s hotter than Phil. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-family/583718/13 "2011-06-11T20:42:16Z")
Did anybody see the cast on Inside the Actors Studio last week? They were great!