S06.E09: Strangers in the Night

[peeayebee]

Not much to like about this ep. I did like when Brenda first walked into Mitchell's office. And I think the other thing I liked was when Gloria said to Manny, "It's true, I don't like Ike."

 

Other than that… ugh.

[Crucial]

What an unfunny and irritating episode. Worst one, for me, from any season.  The houseguest sleep over was so tiring probably because it's been done so many times.  You have a new white couch just say you aren't sleeping on it but then again that's the plot line.  Why a white couch when you have a child and Cam spent more time keeping Lily off the couch than enjoying it.  The other two storylines were just as bad.   What a shame.

[Runningwild]

That was really cringe inducing. Dang. What happened to this show?

[Balboa]

Another dud episode.

None of Lily's lines aren't believable in any way.

Phil has become a caricature of himself. What was up with Ty Burrell's hair? I miss the old Modern Family that used to fire on all cylinders each episode.

[CleoCaesar]

It says a lot that there was no thread for this episode for 24 hours and no one rushed to start one.

 

This was a terrible clunker of an episode. I was actually hoping it would go by faster than it did. Not something I used to feel during Modern Family's heyday.

[jbrecken]

Luke is still missing

[kathybgd]

Where did these funny characters go? I don't recognize these people, especially the Dunphy family. Claire is just angry and a rotten mom, Phil is gone, Haley is a little bitch, not at all the lovable little bitch she was. I am just so sad for how bad this season is. Do they have new writers?

[Lizzing]

On a certain level, I know most sit com tropes have been done, and possibly done to death, but this episode really pissed me off with the absolute lazy writing.  The writers are cribbing from their own show!  And not to hilarious results, like a good call back, but to slumber inducing results.

 

So, Jay wanted to get Gloria to quit on the dog party so he could skip the citizenship party?  That was done back when Lily had her princess party and DeeDee was there, so Jay could skip Gloria's friend's party.

 

Alex has a boyfriend named Alec?  That's dreadfully close to the RV ep when she was interested in a boy named Alex. 

 

The white couch?  Didn't Cam & Mitch ruin a certain restauranteur's white rug?

 

If any of these storylines had an ounce of call back, they could have been saved.  But they didn't and it was horrible. 

They should have listed the writer as George Glass.

[MaryHedwig]

I hated Jay calling Manny a patsy twice, it bordered on child abuse.

 

I watch Modern Family (not three Modern Families) for the great bonding interactions between the three family units.  They need to take a cue from Blue Bloods and at least start having Sunday dinners together.

 

Come to think of it, Clare and Phil treatment of Alex bordered on child abuse as well.

Edited December 5, 2014 by MaryHedwig

[MelsW]

Cam and Mitch could have politely told their houseguest not to slosh red wine or sleep on their expensive brand new white couch...something I would consider a reasonable request. That would have ended the drama and the painful to watch unfunny storyline.

 

That was easily the worst episode of MF I have ever seen.

Edited December 5, 2014 by MelsW

[hoodooznoodooz]

The only moments I enjoyed were when Cam would grab Lily before she was able to come into contact with the couch.

Is Luke still missing? I thought he offered up the theory that someone was obsessed with Haley?

[readster]

What a painful episode, nothing was likable as much as I enjoy Kirsten Johnston. First of all adding in with the uninvited houseguest with a brand new white couch. Seriously? What was Cam thinking especially with Lily? Then you add in to everyone thinking Alex has a made up boyfriend/beau? Come on? No one could check facebook or make as simple phone call to confirm? In this age of Google, social networks and so forth. Or how about you know putting your iPad stationary in the bushes to see if Alex really was doing it all herself? Haley was just horrible, I'm so happy Luke wasn't anywhere near. Also, come on Manny, he was really this stupid? I also suspected that Manny pulled one on everyone with his reading of the DVD until he admitted he was just reading it. I do agree, Jay could have clued Manny in on his idea. Let's face it, there would have been no point that Manny would have given it away, did love how he was so out of his league watching his little brother. That was the only good thing about this episode because that was so true to life. 

[peeayebee]

The only moments I enjoyed were when Cam would grab Lily before she was able to come into contact with the couch.

Is Luke still missing? I thought he offered up the theory that someone was obsessed with Haley?

Although the whole couch plot was ridiculous, I did enjoy the shots of Cam grabbing Lily.

 

And, yes, Luke was in the ep.

[Everleigh]

I hated Jay calling Manny a patsy twice, it bordered on child abuse.

 

I watch Modern Family (not three Modern Families) and the great bonding interactions between the three family units.  They need to take a cue from Blue Bloods and at least start having Sunday dinners together.

 

Come to think of it, Clare and Phil treatment of Alex bordered on child abuse as well.

 

I wouldn't call it child abuse, just bad parenting. Claire's lack of faith in her children is not funny, it's just kind of sad and is growing old. A couple of  episodes ago she didn't think Haley was capable of getting a job and making something of herself, and now she doesn't think Alex can get a date? Is it really that hard to believe that a boy would be interested in Alex? Hasn't Alex had a few boyfriends and admirers in the past? A couple of which Claire was aware of. But thinking the worst of her own kids is something Claire has done consistently. She readily believes Luke and Haley are idiots and incapable of functioning on their own, and she apparently can't wrap her head around a cute boy liking Alex. Each kid may have their weaknesses but it just seems odd to be that their mother is always so quick to put them down for it. 

 

Anyway, there were a couple of funny moments throughout the episode but overall it felt tired and repetitive. 

Edited December 5, 2014 by Everleigh

[mwell345]

I'm always willing to suspend logic when watching sitcoms, so a new white couch as the premise of the episode, didn't bother me. But....what in the world has happened to this once hysterically funny show?

 

Is this woman (the houseguest) now the new drunk friend of Cam and Mitchell, because that's been done before too.

 

And I've never been a Claire fan, I find her to be more irritating than usual this season. No one is really bringing anything this season, the writing is awful, and it's a shame.

[Puffaroo]

What a painful episode, nothing was likable as much as I enjoy Kirsten Johnston.

 

I like her, too -- or at least I *used* to, before this episode -- but I think she was woefully miscast in this role.

 

Modern Family is sometimes broad humor but most of the time it's more subtle.  Kristen's style was perfect for Third Rock from the Sun, for instance, but stuck out like a sore thumb on this show.  I just hope they don't make her a recurring character.

[Snow Apple]

I liked the parts where Cam grab Lily too. Also that Larry gets to sit on the couch because he's white.

 

The Alex's boyfriend plot reminded me of The Brady Bunch (My first thought was George Glass, only in reverse), but I didn't mind it much for some reason. But like someone said, Claire's attitude bugged me too. At least Phil didn't think it was strange that a model fell for Alex.

 

That white rose was beautiful. I was paying more attention to it than the actors.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Snow Apple

[joanne3482]

now she doesn't think Alex can get a date? Is it really that hard to believe that a boy would be interested in Alex? Hasn't Alex had a few boyfriends and admirers in the past?

 

Has Claire not SEEN Alex? She's a very pretty girl even if she is considered a "nerd."  I know Alex is smart and does not suffer fools easily, but based on her appearance alone (which is what most standard 16 year old boys are focusing on), she should have a lot of boys knocking down her door. I think she's far prettier than Haley.  And Haley knows this is true because there was episode around Alex's nerd following who helped them out. 

[biakbiak]

Also that Larry gets to sit on the couch because he's white.

 

Lilly's response to that, "you chose me!" cracked me up.

[CleoCaesar]

I hated Jay calling Manny a patsy twice, it bordered on child abuse.

Come to think of it, Clare and Phil treatment of Alex bordered on child abuse as well.

I don’t think those two things are even in the same zip code as child abuse. Calling it that really dilutes the meaning of actual child abuse.

 

Has Claire not SEEN Alex? She's a very pretty girl even if she is considered a "nerd."

Seriously. It's almost insulting the audience's intelligence now. It's like when She's All That tried to convince us Rachel Leigh Cook was ugly because - gasp! - she wears glasses.

[BubblingKettle]

I've noticed that I'm becoming more and more distracted by Rico Rodriguez's poor acting skills.  I feel bad saying it, because I really want to like him.  But his delivery is so stiff and unnatural.  I can blame Luke's recent faults on the writers, but I guess both of those boys might do well with a new acting coach.

[Runningwild]

Lilly's response to that, "you chose me!" cracked me up.

That did make me laugh out loud. Other than that- no.

[ChipBach]

Has Claire not SEEN Alex? She's a very pretty girl even if she is considered a "nerd."  I know Alex is smart and does not suffer fools easily, but based on her appearance alone (which is what most standard 16 year old boys are focusing on), she should have a lot of boys knocking down her door. I think she's far prettier than Haley.  And Haley knows this is true because there was episode around Alex's nerd following who helped them out. 

Yup.  17 year old boys NEVER pay attention to girls with huge boobs...

[truthaboutluv]

It says a lot that there was no thread for this episode for 24 hours and no one rushed to start one.

 

 

I didn't even realize there was a new episode this week and only even remembered the show today. 

 

While I definitely agree with all the complaints about the episode, the most glaring issue for me was why Mitchell's co-worker was even sleeping on the couch when the show has made it clear that they have a spare bedroom first when Cam's dad came to visit and also when his sister came to visit. It took me out of the whole thing much like the nonsensical Dunphy family in that crappy hotel plotline.

 

And I definitely feel like that's been the biggest issue with the writing this season. Modern Family used to be a hilariously clever, intelligent and subtle show. Now the writing just feels incredibly lazy and willing to do nonsensical things to go for the cheap laughs. The show used to be better than that. Again I get that it's a sitcom and there are many things I'm willing to suspend disbelief on - like I actually did think the Alex storyline was kind of funny and I didn't mind the Gloria/Jay stuff. But I hate when a storyline is practically built on something where I'm spending the whole time going "but we know Cam and Mitchell have a spare room so this doesn't make any sense..." much like the Dunphy's in that hotel. 

[Shermie]

Ugh, agree with everyone - terrible episode. So bad, in fact, that I can't even remember the Manny plot line.

News flash, Hollywood writers - glasses aren't considered nerdy anymore, you idiots. And even with "hideous" eyewear, Alex is still very cute, had big boobs and likes nerd guy things. She'd have no problem getting a boyfriend. And really, even homely people get dates, Claire and Haley, romance is not the domain only of the attractive. Gawd.

I really dislike Haley, she gets more arrogant and self-satisfied all the time, just because she's pretty.

And when I saw that white rose, I thought, "President Snow is after Alex?"

The white couch was just stupid. What morons get a white couch when they have a young child? And they mentioned several times that it was a special white couch, so I assume it was in the five figure range. So, so stupid. If they had a separate "nice" living room, then fine, but they deserved to have red wine and green face goo all over it for being such thoughtless snooty prigs.

Lily's scenes - Cam catching her as she leapt for the couch, her "you chose me!" when they said the cat could on the couch because it was white - were the only funny bits.

[princessbroccoli]

Yeah, it was a pretty bad episode. What happened to Nolan Gould aka Luke? Are they writing him off the show? He's hardly on screen anymore.

[Everleigh]

I've noticed that I'm becoming more and more distracted by Rico Rodriguez's poor acting skills.  I feel bad saying it, because I really want to like him.  But his delivery is so stiff and unnatural.  I can blame Luke's recent faults on the writers, but I guess both of those boys might do well with a new acting coach.

 

I thought his delivery was particularly painful this episode as well, but I don't know if an acting coach would help at this point. I think Rico's and Nolan's acting is suffering because their both at awkward stages in life. All the kids are what, 16, in real life? For the boys (who hit puberty later than girls) that means they're still coming into their own and dealing with changing voices and appearances, and unfortunately they have to do so in front of millions of viewers. I wouldn't be surprised if a touch of self-consciousness is what's tripping them up and making their delivery so awkward and stilted. This is partially why Hollywood producers typically cast 20-somethings as 16 year olds because who the hell wants to watch some awkward bumbling kid fumble through fictional high school... but when the character starts out pre-pubescent you can't really avoid the awkwardness or predict how they're going to handle it on screen. Also little kids aren't cast because they're skilled actors, they're usually picked because they're cute, charismatic and cooperative... that doesn't always translate well when they get older. 

[readster]

 The entire spare bedroom my wife even asked about and of course she had to be so drunk she was magically drawn to the couch. What really annoys me about the writers and Alex is they really have fallen into: "She's too smart and isn't sought after" schink that really doesn't apply in this day and age. Is Alex awkward around guys, oh yes. That I can buy but what they really needed to have is all these guys trying to ask her out or go out with her. Have Haley actually get jealous and have Clare be happy for her but then have Alex realize being sought after isn't what she thought it would be like. 

  As many posters have pointed out, the writers are so set of saying Alex isn't wanted, dressing her in baggy clothes because of her huge boos and constantly saying how much Haley is the "hot" one and sleeping with other guys that its great comedy. Newsflash, not its not!

[needschocolate]

It would make a lot more sense if Alex couldn't get/keep a boyfriend because of her personality.  I could see guys being intimidated or turned off because of her sarcastic put-downs and smarter-than-thou attitude.  But that would be hard to write into the show.  They would probably end up with a scene where Alex puts guys down and Haley explains that she needs to play dumb.  Not only is that a foolish scenario in this day and age (one can be smart without being obnoxious), but I think they have already done it.  

 

I still like this show.  Stuff like the co-worker sleeping over plot are distracting - what happened to the guest room? - why ask a co-worker to sleep over if you know you don't have a spare bed (it would have made much more sense if she was invited for dinner and was too drunk and despondent that they were afraid to have her sleep alone) - why not tell Lily she gets to have a slumber party in Daddies' room and let co-worker sleep in Lily's room? However, all sitcoms do this sort of thing, I think I just expect more from MF.  

 

I still like this show because of all the levity in small comments, all those little "jokes" that one would miss if they don't pay attention - like the way Phil usually answers the phone with a pun, or all the things at the dog bark mitzvah - gravy fountain, etc. - plus the mention of Buster's bris (how does one circumcise a dog?).  

[LeisureTime]

Hm. I thought some of the best lines this week were from Manny. "Did someone's cat get into college?" was a perfect reading from Rico Rodriguez, I thought, whereas I feel like Luke's lines have come off as stiff and manufactured a lot this season. I wouldn't be surprised to find out his scenes are so brief or nonexistant because Nolan Gould had other interests than acting.

 

I'm really kind of torn on the Dunphy storyline. On one hand, I hate that nobody believed Alex (except for Phil at first, which I really liked). On the other hand, there was something...interersting...though not terribly funny...about their concerns regarding Alex. I mean, if they really thought she was making this up, it follows pretty closely to the "Alex isn't sleeping" C-plot of a week or so ago, and would kind of add up to Alex maybe having some sort of issue. And there's some part of me that appreciates that they touch on that possibility without being as overwrought about it as they would be if this were a primetime drama.

 

Also, did I miss an acknowledgement of this earlier, or was Teddy pursuing Alex while she was still with Alec? Because the flowers were coming before Alec broke up with her.

[needschocolate]

 Also, did I miss an acknowledgement of this earlier, or was Teddy pursuing Alex while she was still with Alec? Because the flowers were coming before Alec broke up with her.

 

They didn't state it in the episode, but Teddy was leaving Alex flowers while she was still with Alec (he also asked her out within an hour of her changing her facebook status to single).  However,  Teddy didn't leave any note with the flowers, since no one knew they were for Alex, so I am not sure that I would call it "pursuing Alex" it was more like he was setting himself up to look good/romantic if Alex and Alec broke up.

[LucyEth]

What happened to the show I loved.

Edited December 6, 2014 by LucyEth

[peeayebee]

Hm. I thought some of the best lines this week were from Manny. "Did someone's cat get into college?" was a perfect reading from Rico Rodriguez, I thought...

I agree. I love Rico's line deliveries. I think if he sounds wooden to some viewers it might be because his character is kind of stuffy and mannered. 

[Eolivet]

I was wondering why Alex was basically dating Alex from Target (especially picking him out of the store ad). That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw the guy and didn't know if it was intentional. Like "Oh, wouldn't it be funny if this Internet meme guy was actually a guy who was dating Alex, and of course, nobody would believe her!" Maybe it was just me.

 

And in spite of myself, I laughed at Claire and Phil finding "Teddy" "Keyes" and Phil finding the leaf when Alex said "Leave!" Burrell and Bowen haven't lost their timing.

[rubaco]

The Alex story this week was done so much better on Frasier, when Frasier was dating a supermodel/zoologist that his friends and family managed to never see, but "here, look, she's in this ad from a magazine, that's her!" That was a classic Frasier ep. This rehash wasn't necessarily badly done, but it bugged me that the show runners had to steal the idea from themselves. 

[Donny Ketchum]

Yeah, other than the cameo from The X-Factor 3's Carlito Olivero (whom I was surprised to recognize, even if I was still a bit bitter over him outlasting so many better acts and singers just because America loved him so much despite his mediocre singing), I really didn't like this episode, either.  But at least the whole cast was in it.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[Blakeston]

I agree. I love Rico's line deliveries. I think if he sounds wooden to some viewers it might be because his character is kind of stuffy and mannered. 

 

I love stuffy, mannered characters - I think Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde-Pierce deserved all the Emmys they won for Frasier. But Rico Rodriguez's delivery often does nothing for me, and it's because I just don't find him very convincing.

 

Both he and Nolan Gould sometimes sound to me like kids reading lines blankly off of a cue card.

[BerryJuice]

Such a dissapointing mix of an episode. It had so many repetitive story lines (sl), like the pritchards sl, illlogical and annoying sl, what was with the couch?! The only brief bit, if i had to ignore other episodes in previous seasons saying otherwise was the disbelief of Alex having a bf but even that was too over done.

2/5.

[MaryHedwig]

But at least the whole cast was in it.

The whole cast was in it but the three sub-families were never together for a whole (modern) family gathering.  The three stories need to finally weave together for a family scene at the end.  That's what I wait all 1/2 hour for.  That's why I watch this show.

[maraleia]

 

When Alex tells Phil and Claire she has a boyfriend, they worry they've put too much pressure on her and has made up an imaginary boyfriend. Jay and Gloria both have parties that they are dragging the other to and Jay has a clever plan to get himself out of it, but Manny just might spoil everything. Mitch and Cam just got a beautiful white couch delivered but when Mitch is stuck helping out Brenda, a distressed co-worker, and allows her to stay - it is a mishap waiting to happen.

[biakbiak]

The thing about them being surprised about Alex having a boyfriend is that I never assume it's because they think she is too ugly to get a dude; just that she is a socially awkward condescending asshole so no one would want to hang out with her.

[readster]

The thing about them being surprised about Alex having a boyfriend is that I never assume it's because they think she is too ugly to get a dude; just that she is a socially awkward condescending asshole so no one would want to hang out with her.

 

The truth being we need to see that more. They never had a problem showing Haley's boyfriends or her constant relationship with Dillion. Instead Alex has been constantly shown she either doesn't care about having a guy or has no idea how to act around them. It comes off with the entire family that they think is too much of a "nerd" to get a guy versus: "Your persona is at fault." 

[SanDiegoInExile]

The whole cast was in it but the three sub-families were never together for a whole (modern) family gathering.  The three stories need to finally weave together for a family scene at the end.  That's what I wait all 1/2 hour for.  That's why I watch this show.

 

I think the show has been criticized in the past for its smarmy gotta-have-an-uplifting-voiceover-moment-to-tie-it-all-up-in-a-pretty-bow moment that ended some of the episodes.  I also think you may be over-remembering the number of episodes with an end-the-show-with-a-group-hug moment.  I'm sure there is some ModernFamilyFanatic out there who has stats on how many episodes had "group scenes" and how many just ended with a snarky couch comment. A good show needs to have a mix.  I really enjoy the mixed-up family episodes, where you have members of each family group tied into separate storylines.  Not only is it refreshing to see the interaction, but I suspect the actors also enjoy working with varied others.

[Traveller519]

It seems that with the positive reaction the Las Vegas Farce episode got last season (which was vintage Fraiser) the writers have attempted it a couple times again this season. The thanksgiving episode, and in limited amounts here with the projecting each of Alex's statements about the boys onto something going on in her life (I actually quite enjoyed that part in her bedroom, the looks Claire and Phil gave each other).

 

But I agree that the show has run out of steam, it's a common issue for shows with college-aged children. The same thing happened to That 70s Show. It took them 5 seasons to get through the last two years of high school it seemed, then everyone just... floated. Hayley's life isn't interesting in this format, and nobody else is doing much of anything. The characters are stale, with flashes of the former aspects of the show we enjoyed.

[hilaryvm]

Ok, so Cam and Mitchell bought an expensive couch (also, Cam mentioned the designer died, so maybe they also bought it now because prices were about to go way up for them).  But, why put it in the living room and take away most other forms of seating?  Why not put is somewhere where you mostly look at it and don't sit on it?  If you are going to put it in the living room, why don't you just put a slipcover on it?  It would save the couch in most instances, and you can take the cover off when you want to show it off to people.

[redlaces]

Because they are pretentious snobs. 

[ByTor]

Is it really that hard to believe that a boy would be interested in Alex?

I's not hard for me to believe.  Forget the "nerdy" part of her, I imagine most people wouldn't be turned off by that (I'm certainly not), it's the nasty, snotty, know it all attitude that would keep the boys away, regardless of boob size.

[ByTor]

The thanksgiving episode, and in limited amounts here with the projecting each of Alex's statements about the boys onto something going on in her life (I actually quite enjoyed that part in her bedroom, the looks Claire and Phil gave each other).

The part in Alex's bedroom was pretty darn funny.  When she told her parents to leave her room & Phil picked up the leaf from the nightstand, I actually snorted :)

[readster]

I's not hard for me to believe.  Forget the "nerdy" part of her, I imagine most people wouldn't be turned off by that (I'm certainly not), it's the nasty, snotty, know it all attitude that would keep the boys away, regardless of boob size.

 

 I completely agree, Alex's personality just screams: "I'm smarter than you so I'm too good." I agree with others, regardless of boob size or wardrobe, Alex has never come across as a girl any type of guy would be interested in long term. I mean her talk about the statue or how she manipulated Mich and Cam with the museum earlier in the season proves that. I think it went too far with Phil and especially Claire thinking Alex couldn't have a boyfriend and she was making it up. If we would have seen Alex you know... date over the last few seasons. Not the awkward guy she meets on a college tour or taking someone who is gay to prom, I think there would be a different view of her. Unlike Luke who is so stupid and does such stupid things you know why most girls ignore him or why he talks about having such a hard time dating while Manny isn't having that problem. As Manny said: "What girls thought was annoying about me, they find charming."