Unpopular Opinions

[amensisterfriend]

This is the place to safely confess your opinions about the show which, in your experience, have proven unpopular...or just plain odd :) 

 

1. While pretty much everyone on the planet seems to feel the first two seasons of this show were by far the best, I couldn't get into the show at all based on the episodes I saw from those seasons. It's only after someone showed me a couple of episodes from the generally disliked S4 last week that I started seeing why so many adore this show. So far, even after catching up on a lot of the earlier episodes, S4 is still my favorite season...maybe I should stop here, since there's probably nothing more unpopular than that :) 

 

2. I find Gloria the most irritating and least amusing character on the show and think the actress is annoyingly shrill. 

 

3. I totally get Claire, despite/because her faults, and kind of love her marriage with Phil. 

 

4. I don't find Manny nearly as creepy as most seem to! 

 

5. I don't have strong feelings either way about Original Lily vs new Lily, which may be as unpopular as my #1 :) 

[Roaster]

Here’s a question: is there any show on the Previously.tv forums that gets as much hate as Modern Family?  Every episode we have people talking about how horrible this show is and how they are taking it off their weekly viewing list.  This show is practically an affliction on both the TV landscape and American society at large.

 

Plenty of TV shows – even episodic sitcoms – go downhill over the years.  Plenty of shows stay on longer than they ”should”.  But I wonder what these Modern Family haters are using for comparison, because as near as I can tell there are many worse shows on primetime network TV.  Have the haters ever seen The Middle or Two and a Half Men or Last Man Standing or Mom?  What about the much-beloved (not by me) How I Met Your Mother – which was almost universally agreed to have declined in quality over the years?

 

Why do the characters have to be likeable?  This show has indulged in stereotypes from Day One – the prissy gay guys, the loud Latin lady, the nerdy teenage girl, the pretty and dumb teenage girl., etc  Stereotypes allow the writers to not flesh out characters – it’s an economic technique for story-telling they have used to shoehorn so many characters into a half-hour show.

 

Maybe you got tired of the characters, but I don’t think the formula has changed that much over the years.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Roaster

[amensisterfriend]

Roaster, I think the PTV writers hate most shows---or at least snark on them enough to make that a logical conclusion :) 

 

But you reminded me of a UO from binge watching---I actually don't see the characters as having changed markedly for the worse or as more cartoon-y 'caricatures' than they used to be. 

 

Oh, and is it unpopular to adore Haley? Because I totally adore Haley :) 

[mwell345]

 

Here’s a question: is there any show on the Previously.tv forums that gets as much hate as Modern Family?  Every episode we have people talking about how horrible this show is and how they are taking it off their weekly viewing list.  This show is practically an affliction on both the TV landscape and American society at large.

 

Plenty of TV shows – even episodic sitcoms – go downhill over the years.  Plenty of shows stay on longer than they ”should”.  But I wonder what these Modern Family haters are using for comparison, because as near as I can tell there are many worse shows on primetime network TV.  Have the haters ever seen The Middle or Two and a Half Men or Last Man Standing or Mom?  What about the much-beloved (not by me) How I Met Your Mother – which was almost universally agreed to have declined in quality over the years?

 

Why do the characters have to be likeable?  This show has indulged in stereotypes from Day One – the prissy gay guys, the loud Latin lady, the nerdy teenage girl, the pretty and dumb teenage girl., etc  Stereotypes allow the writers to not flesh out characters – it’s an economic technique for story-telling they have used to shoehorn so many characters into a half-hour show.

 

Maybe you got tired of the characters, but I don’t think the formula has changed that much over the years.

 

You make some good points.

 

I had friends tell me constantly how good Modern Family was (seasons 1, 2 and 3) but I never could get into it.  When USA began airing the reruns, I decided to give it one more try, and found I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I find this season to be a shadow of what the show once was.  And for me, the point at which a show comes off my viewing list is when I no longer find it entertaining.   Characters do not need to be likeable, and I'm ok with stereotypes - I don't think a comedy has to be politically correct, and I accept that situations will be far fetched or over the top, as long as I find it funny and entertaining.  I don't quibble with whether something is realistic or not, the point is entertainment. 

 

 I don't find the characters tiring, in fact, I think the characters and the actors are gold, but I do think the writing this season has been below par.

 

I do think that the kids growing up has affected the show as well.  One of the things I used to love was the chemistry between young Luke and Phil.  I loved their relationship, and I loved "weird, crazy Luke". Now that Luke is older, that doesn't seem to be working as well.  And the same with Manny - I liked younger Manny because he was over the top, and I liked his relationship with Jay especially.   It doesn't work as well for me now that he's older.  Nor does Gloria's "mothering" of him. There's not much they can do about that - the kids are older, that part of the formula had to change and I don't know how they can compensate for that.

 

The character of Lily has potential, especially with Cam and Mitch as her family and I have seen some humor there, but overall I find her delivery stiff.  She's a kid, I know.  So it is what it is.

 

Finally, I used to like when the family was together - dinner at Jay's, roller skating, going out to dinner, a party - there is very little of that in this season and I'm  not sure why.  This used to be one show with an ensemble cast.  Now at times it seems like they are shooting three different shows.

 

Anyway, those are my thoughts.  I do agree that most shows do go downhill over the years. I think that's a given.  And it could be that this show has truly jumped the shark and there is really nowhere else they can go with it. I am not, in general, a sitcom fan, so I am not comparing it with any other sitcom - of the ones you mentioned, the only one I have seen is The Middle and while I have liked it to a point, my personal jury is still out. 

Edited February 13, 2015 by mwell345

[needschocolate]

When I saw this thread, I couldn't decide if "unpopular opinions" meant people who like the show or people who hate it.  

 

Personally, I liked it in the beginning and I like it now (though not as much as earlier).  Mostly because of the little side comments, like the way Phil answers the phone.  It is one of the few shows that you need to pay attention when viewing or you miss too much.  I don't think the characters have changed much and I think that is part of the reason for the complaining.  When it first came on, it seemed new and innovative, but now it seems more predictable.  I can't think of any show that was as popular and got such positive reviews as MF did and was able to maintain that level for more than 2-3 seasons.  

 

On the other hand, it wold be wrong to have the characters change greatly.  Life just doesn't seem to work that way, at least not without going through some major trauma.  There would be a lot of complaints if Claire started buying alpacas, or Gloria started quoting Shakespeare.  

[readster]

 The problem is, some characters haven't changed and if they have it's been for the worse. Cam has become so self-absorbed and everything has to be about him. Mitchell is right behind him. I mean he takes pleasure when Cam gets hurt and yet for everything that Cam has accomplished and come from since season 1: "Stay at home parent, back to teaching, perfect season/championship football season." He has to constantly goes back to how much his clown life was the best. When it should have been: "Started me on the road to get where I am now." Phil is still Phil and that is what works but Claire has become to shrewish instead of the tomboy who grew up and didn't have to be a "lady". Manny while now dates, does stuff he both loves and hates and even realizes he can be fine with himself. Still can't get over how "smart" he is when he really isn't. Don't get me started on Luke and Haley. Luke has become more of a moron and Haley has become so "me" and hateful its painful. Alex is still considered an "outcast". For Jay and Gloria, they have had their progressions and Joe has really brought more out in them but at times Jay and Gloria become too much of "know it alls" when they are out of touch with everyone else. Lily is just a product of the house she grew up in and switching of actresses. The introductions of Andy and the hillbilly neighbors hasn't been a nice add to the cast its been a: "Please make them go away." 

[DarkRaichu]

Here’s a question: is there any show on the Previously.tv forums that gets as much hate as Modern Family?  Every episode we have people talking about how horrible this show is and how they are taking it off their weekly viewing list.  This show is practically an affliction on both the TV landscape and American society at large.

 

Go check the Parenthood thread :D :D :D

[Misslindsey]

 

Oh, and is it unpopular to adore Haley? Because I totally adore Haley :)

I adore Haley as well.

 

I am not a fan of Alex. Sometimes her comments are just plain mean about her siblings and parents. I usually like the snarky, sarcastic characters, but something about Alex rubs me the wrong way.

 

I love Lily. I actually think her delivery has gotten better this season, where as ever since Luke/Nolan Gould hit puberty his delivery is all kinds of awkward. He was definitely better when he was younger.

[amensisterfriend]

I usually like the snarky, sarcastic characters, but something about Alex rubs me the wrong way.

 

Same here! And I don't know what it is, because on paper Alex is the character I'd love and relate to best. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone in my Haley love. On paper she's probably the character I'd like least, but the actress gives the role such a genuine sweetness. 

 

I think Claire is a genuinely good mom. Obviously flawed and imperfect and difficult to be around in some ways---but overall a very good parent. 

 

Another one: I think The Future Dunphys is one of the very best episodes of the show I've seen. Then again, as confessed above, I'm weirdly partial to season 4 :) 

Edited February 13, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[Shell76]

I think a lot of shows with similar casts seem to run out of steam after four or five reasons, mainly because the kids grow up.  A cast of kids that start out at 17, 14 and 10 (seems to be how a lot of family sitcoms start out) are going to be 22, 19 and 15 in five seasons.  I always like sitcoms that strive for realism, which might be weird because it's TV, not real life.  But in real life, family events start going by the wayside as a family ages.  I'm actually really surprised how well "The Middle" is handling their aging kids this season.  The characters are being allowed to grow up and the writers have kept them all in the picture without it being too obvious.  Poor Haley seems doomed to being a basement dweller with a couple interactions here and there, as if the writing team doesn't know what to do with her.    

 

One thing my husband and I would love to see, if MF lasts a few more seasons, is Haley have the next child, whether out of wedlock or not.  Would that be taboo for a comedy, though?  It would be more feasible than Claire or Gloria having another child.  Lily isn't too bad of a character, but she has nothing but her crazy dads to bounce off of.  Joe is cute, but I hate that he never makes a peep or shows any emotion.  But at least he seems content and not miserable like the twins who played baby Lily.  Maybe when he hits that magic age of four, he'll be interacting more.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Shell76

[Brandi Maxxxx]

When it first came on, it seemed new and innovative, but now it seems more predictable.

In my opinion Modern Family was never that new or innovative. It was better in the early seasons but I never found it particularly original.

 

The backlash this show's been getting reminds me of what Everybody Loves Raymond was going through at the height of its popularity. It was adored by audiences and critics but if you didn't like it, you really didn't like it. If you can find forum posts from 10 years ago, there will be a lot of "Everybody Loves Raymond keeps winning Emmys but Arrested Development/Scrubs/etc. gets shut out!? It's the same thing every episode!" posts.

 

That said, I do still think the current season of MF has been pretty weak.

[DrSpaceman]

I don't find Luke/Nolan a bad actor or find much trouble with him on the show. Its just an awkward time for him growing up I think. He is not the best actor but I don't find it so bad that its distracting either

I actually like Lilly, the new one. I think she is hilarious and don't find it at all unbelievable she says and acts the way she does growing up around her two dads. She is a product of her adoptive parents, and her whole family, really, good and bad. Smart, sharp, snarky, quick witted, over the top at times certainly. I think she is funny though.

In my opinion Modern Family was never that new or innovative. It was better in the early seasons but I never found it particularly original.

 

The backlash this show's been getting reminds me of what Everybody Loves Raymond was going through at the height of its popularity. It was adored by audiences and critics but if you didn't like it, you really didn't like it. If you can find forum posts from 10 years ago, there will be a lot of "Everybody Loves Raymond keeps winning Emmys but Arrested Development/Scrubs/etc. gets shut out!? It's the same thing every episode!" posts.

 

That said, I do still think the current season of MF has been pretty weak.

I think the ELR comparison is a good one because I feel the same way about both shows. I like both shows. I enjoy and watch them both. But they both did/do receive way too much praise and I don't think were/are worthy of all the awards. At least with ELR, though, at the time, the sitcom competition was pretty weak, not much against it. What bothers me about Modern Family and its awards is I can think of so many more worthy candidates, both for writing and acting, that go unrecognized.

[Eolivet]

Unpopular opinion? I think the show has deserved every last one of its Emmys. I cackle in delight whenever it wins another one and I have to hear the sturm and drang about how this proves Emmy voters hate talent or something. This cast is crawling with talent -- both the adults and the kids and their chemistry as an ensemble is pretty amazing. When the writing is on, it's on: the jokes, the situations -- and the actors make the lines sing. Probably not an unpopular opinion, but after I saw the "Las Vegas" episode last year, I said "Modern Family just won another Emmy," and I was right. When it's firing on all cylinders, no other comedy on television comes close to what it can achieve.

 

The best part was all the bellyaching when Modern Family won, in contrast to all the praise for Breaking Bad -- because "that show has won enough, let another show win something" apparently only applies to comedies or something.

[Roaster]

Well I wouldn't have voted for MF  to win the Emmy the past couple of years, but it is funny the reaction its winning provokes.

 

And yes this is one of the best-acted shows on TV.  Other actors in smaller casts and hour-long shows might get a better chance to shine, but the MF actors do awesome work inside their stereotypical rolles and limited screen time.

[DrSpaceman]

Parks and rec, The Middle, Its always sunny in Philadelphia, The League, just off the top of my head, all half hour shows with ensemble casts that are just as good, in my opinion, as Modern Family.

It would just be nice if the Emmy voters recognized, at least to an extent more than they have, that there are a number of funny sitcoms on right now with many different styles and many different approaches that all in their own way deserve some recognition.

[Stella MD]

Clearly an unpopular opinion and also potentially somewhat off target, but IMO The Middle sucks and doesn't even belong in the same sentence as Modern Family. Talk about tedious one-note characters.

[Quickbeam]

I never get enough of the Mitchell/Claire dynamic. Those wounds and experiences have such a rich history, it makes their chemistry really good. 

[Eolivet]

MF actors do awesome work inside their stereotypical rolles and limited screen time.

 

Yes! Plus, I don't think the Emmy voters have changed their standards that much -- "Frasier" won a huge number of Emmys compared to "Friends," and I always believed the superlative acting of the former had something to do with it. I love "Parks and Recreation," but I can't say with a straight face that the majority of that cast are good actors (Poehler and Offerman are the exceptions). They're a bunch of really appealing people who portray adorably quirky characters designed to make the audience laugh. I actually feel like that's the majority of comedies on TV. It takes talent to portray unlikeable characters that will constantly (or often) be in the wrong to produce comedy, yet are still meant to be somewhat sympathetic (by the writers -- audience mileage may vary). I don't feel it's a coincidence that the MF characters who always go a little too far are the actors who have won Emmys (Burrell, Bowen, Stonestreet). Niles was a basket case -- and David Hyde Pierce has a zillion Emmys to prove it.

 

I feel the main standard for Emmys is still acting, and in that sense, Modern Family has an advantage over pretty much every other comedy on TV.  The writing/directing/everything else is always going to look better, because the acting is so good. Much like "Frasier."

Edited February 19, 2015 by Eolivet

[DrSpaceman]

Clearly an unpopular opinion and also potentially somewhat off target, but IMO The Middle sucks and doesn't even belong in the same sentence as Modern Family. Talk about tedious one-note characters.

 

 

I fail to see how they are any more tedious or one note than most of the characters on Modern Family have become. 

 

I like both shows though and watch both shows.  They are just very different portrayals of life in this country, one California upper-upper middle class and one Midwest middle/lower class. 

Yes! Plus, I don't think the Emmy voters have changed their standards that much -- "Frasier" won a huge number of Emmys compared to "Friends," and I always believed the superlative acting of the former had something to do with it. I love "Parks and Recreation," but I can't say with a straight face that the majority of that cast are good actors (Poehler and Offerman are the exceptions). They're a bunch of really appealing people who portray adorably quirky characters designed to make the audience laugh. I actually feel like that's the majority of comedies on TV. It takes talent to portray unlikeable characters that will constantly (or often) be in the wrong to produce comedy, yet are still meant to be somewhat sympathetic (by the writers -- audience mileage may vary). I don't feel it's a coincidence that the MF characters who always go a little too far are the actors who have won Emmys (Burrell, Bowen, Stonestreet). Niles was a basket case -- and David Hyde Pierce has a zillion Emmys to prove it.

 

I feel the main standard for Emmys is still acting, and in that sense, Modern Family has an advantage over pretty much every other comedy on TV.  The writing/directing/everything else is always going to look better, because the acting is so good. Much like "Frasier."

 

 

Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia has a whole cast of unlikeable and weird characters, not just "oh they are quirky and sarcastic" like Modern Family but truly sociopathic characters in many ways, and they are still hilarious, in my opinion

[Eolivet]

Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia has a whole cast of unlikeable and weird characters, not just "oh they are quirky and sarcastic" like Modern Family but truly sociopathic characters in many ways, and they are still hilarious, in my opinion

 

I've never watched this show, so I can't comment on it specifically, but as a concept, I don't feel like sociopathic characters would impress Emmy voters because they're not relatable. Modern Family has walked a fine line I'll call "relatable unreasonableness." I feel like characters can't be too likable (or they have no depth) and they can't be too heinous (or they have no soul). Obviously my opinion, and mileage may vary, but I think it's a balance Modern Family's actors have handled well over the years -- and a reason for much of their awards show success.

[DrSpaceman]

I've never watched this show, so I can't comment on it specifically, but as a concept, I don't feel like sociopathic characters would impress Emmy voters because they're not relatable. Modern Family has walked a fine line I'll call "relatable unreasonableness." I feel like characters can't be too likable (or they have no depth) and they can't be too heinous (or they have no soul). Obviously my opinion, and mileage may vary, but I think it's a balance Modern Family's actors have handled well over the years -- and a reason for much of their awards show success.

 

 

I have no doubt that is probably true and the reason for Its Always Sunny......being shut out of the Emmys, consistently. 

 

Doesn't make it right, though.  The awards should be based on acting ability and how funny the show is, how well written the show is, not necessarily on how likeable/unlikeable the characters are or how closely they conform to accepted societal norms of  the boundaries of behavior we accept.

 

I don't dispute though that demographics and what you point out plays a large part in why Modern Family keeps winning Emmys.   

[Maharincess]

Clearly an unpopular opinion and also potentially somewhat off target, but IMO The Middle sucks and doesn't even belong in the same sentence as Modern Family. Talk about tedious one-note characters.

If that was flipped and said that Modern Family doesn't belong in the same sentence as The Middle, I'd agree.

I think The Middle is so underrated. I think it's so much better than Modern Family.

[marriedaniac]

I like Haley a lot too. Hers and Phil's relationship is very sweet.

Edited February 26, 2015 by marriedaniac

[CofCinci]

I want Haley and Andy to end up together.

[barbarylane]

Clearly an unpopular opinion and also potentially somewhat off target, but IMO The Middle sucks and doesn't even belong in the same sentence as Modern Family. Talk about tedious one-note characters.

 

I absolutely agree!  I was so excited about The Middle because I loved Patricia Heaton in ELR.  I could not make it through one episode, and now I have to change the channel the minute it starts!

 

I still love Modern Family, but some of the characters (looking at you, Cam!!) have become very one-dimensional caricatures.  After a number of seasons, it seems writers on every sitcom go overboard on the dominant attributes of the character and lose their way.  I'm still hopeful that they will get back on track, and they definitely need to start having more interaction among the three households.  At a loss as to why they are so segregated this season!

[dinkysquid]

When this show first came out, I watched the first episode and that was it for me. I will not watch ANYTHING with that shrill, annoying, what-the-hell-is-she-even-saying Sofia Vulgara. She has had some major work done since she first appeared on TV and with those huge, fake choppers, she reminds me of a donkey. And if you've ever seen her on a talk show, she comes across as a vapid, conceited, complete idiot. 

[Brandi Maxxxx]

I just saw "Strangers in the Night" and "Haley's 21st Birthday" back-to-back, and I don't think the former was the worst episode ever and the latter the best episode of the season. They were both pretty average to me and I actually think "Strangers in the Night" was slightly funnier.

[callie lee 29]

I started this show late and then binge-watched a few seasons and honestly I enjoy the current shows as much as the early shows and I have a much smaller time frame to compare them.  I still laugh, I still like the characters, and I really enjoy when they pair up "odd couples". I would like to see more Gloria and Claire interaction and Mitch and Phil to hang out. And one of my favorite scenes was Jay hanging out with Mitch and Cam at the bar with their friends during the Vivaldi concert.

 

I am not a Cam fan (not sure if that's unpopular).

[DrSpaceman]

Again, I like both shows, The Middle and Modern Family.  However nothing shows how different the two shows are than how they handled the same stoyrline last night, Alex and Sue handling getting excepted to colleges. 

 

Alex's bit disappiontment was she didn't get into Harvard.  And admittedly I did like Haley's advice "Get over yourself, you aren't always going to win", basically, but still, they biggest disappointment she faces is not getting into one of the top schools in the country

 

Sue on the other hand was just happy to make it in to college, and even then they aren't sure how they will pay for it, as has been mentioned before. 

 

Whether you like the two shows are not, its such an odd and interesting dichotomy that exists between two shows on the same network a half hour apart that are both at their basis simply family sitcoms, but at two very different socioeconomic levels. 

[LeisureTime]

I like Manny a lot more now that he's older. He plays better off of Jay and his romantic tendencies aren't as creepy as they were coming from a kid who had yet to hit puberty.

 

I really wish Dylan and Haley would have moved in together in...whatever season it was where that was a possibility. Even if (or maybe especially) if they didn't hop right into having babies. Because family doesn't just have to be about a spouse and kids.

[parrotlover]

I just discovered The Middle about 6 months ago and have been re-watching past seasons to catch up, and I also really like both shows, even though as DrSpaceman noted, they handled the same storyline last night very differently. I think I relate more to The Middle because of the economic factor - frequent mentions of Frankie shopping at the Frugal Hoosier, hand me down clothes, worrying about paying for college, being out of work, etc.  All three families on Modern Family are very well off and that I can't relate to, as much as I enjoy watching it. I know it's television, but I don't know anyone whose entire family can go on a vacation to somewhere like Australia or Hawaii.

 

Anyway, my unpopular opinion is that I really don't care for Sofia Vergara. Maybe it's because she does so many commercials. No pun intended, but she is over exposed! Plus her character is so shrill and always seems to be screaming or arguing. I agree the character of Manny doesn't annoy me as much as when he was younger, but he's never been one of my favorites.

 

And this is more of a gripe - I didn't start watching it until 3 seasons ago and tried catching up with prior episodes on USA, for the love of God, why can't they show the episodes in order? Even though I've seen them all now, when they do the marathon every Friday night I will watch sometimes and they will show an episode from last season and then show an episode where Lilly is a baby, rinse and repeat. Season 2, Season 5, Season 3, etc. You get whiplash. Plus they seem to show some episodes repeatedly. I'm sure there are others but off the top of my head,  I cannot watch the following episodes ever again - where Cam sits in the tree in his CATS costume to protest the tree being cut down, the one with Luke trying to get a video of the basketball hitting Phil in the head, and the one with Luke's birthday party where the bouncy house collapses, with Clair and her comb sheath table. Thanks a lot USA Network.

Edited March 26, 2015 by parrotlover

[kat165]

I didn't start watching this show until a few months ago. I loathes Sofia from her commercials, her many many many commercials. I couldn't understand a word she says & she just annoyed. Now that I've seen this show I like her. Yes, she is loud and screetchy and annoying her too, but she's kind of sweet in her own way.

 

Before watching the show I saw the actress who plays Claire as a guest judge of Project Runway and she just came off so weird & out of sync with her surroundings. I like her better here. I didn't expect to.

 

It's also nice to see Ed O'Neill in a show I can stand watching. I hated Married W/Children. I like him as Jay so much more than as Al Bundy.

[Blergh]

While I certainly don't like the idea of Haley (or anyone else) becoming a 'co-cheater' knowing Andy's engaged, I'm a bit puzzled why her parents and everyone else has consistently blown off her more destructive habits of drinking, pot smoking, partying and having no real ambition to do anything else but sponge off her family since getting expelled from college. All anyone has done is make empty threats (Claire) or given her a look when she got caught or told on herself. I mean a few 'slips' here and there re sobriety can be humorous but letting someone consistently do this (and enabling them) without any kind of consequence is not funny nor should be encouraged.

[DB in CMH]

My UO: structure wise, the show is as good as it ever was. The acting is still great, and all the pieces are there. Comedy wise, they can't seem to pump out a funny script to save their lives this season. It's always been a show that was more amusing than funny, but it seems to have completely forgotten that it's a comedy and moved into 100% amusing territory.

[NorthangerAbby]

This is still one of my two or three favorite TV shows, and I've watched hundreds because I have no life. It's one of those shows I'm so attached to that I can acknowledge the validity of most of the criticism without it affecting how much I still love spending time with these characters every week.  

Season 1 seems to be many fans' pick for the best season, but I don't even think it's in my top five. I didn't fall in love with the show until the second season. 

Alex is one of my three favorite characters for reasons I tried to explain in the Favorite Characters thread.

I cared way too much about Alex x Sanjay.

I can't get into Haley x Andy. I really want to. I love the idea of Haley with such a sweet and dorky guy. When they're actually on screen, though, I just don't see it. Andy is one of the few MF characters I don't love. I don't know if it's the casting or the way he's written, but even though normally I love his type, I find myself not liking most of his scenes. 

My favorite seasons are probably 2, 4 and 6. Based on my pattern, I'm still holding out higher hopes for Season 8. 

Not sure if this is very unpopular, but I don't like Luke and Manny's "bromance" the past few seasons. It doesn't feel authentic to me and they make each other less likable. I'm always relieved when Luke's storylines are with Phil or even his siblings that week and when Manny is with Gloria and Jay. 

[momtoall]

UO:  Can't stand CAM!!!!

[seacliffsal]

I don't know if it's an UO to not be able to stand CAM, as I just can't stand him either, and have read many comments from other posters that are critical of Cam.  It may actually be a popular opinion...

[indeed]

Whatever it is, count me in!  LOL

He has his moments, but usually Cam is too needy, too manipulative, and/or too self-centered.  Very unattractive qualities when turned up to 11 90% of the time.

[luna1122]

2 hours ago, NorthangerAbby said:

 

I can't get into Haley x Andy. I really want to. I love the idea of Haley with such a sweet and dorky guy. When they're actually on screen, though, I just don't see it. Andy is one of the few MF characters I don't love. I don't know if it's the casting or the way he's written, but even though normally I love his type, I find myself not liking most of his scenes. 

 

I think the thing is: Andy isn't really such a sweet guy--he wound up being a cheating cheater, and the fact that Beth was cheating too doesn't negate it. And that aside....I think my problem with him is that I've seen Andy Devine just play too many smarmy creeps--not charming dorks--and play them all too well. I should be able to separate those roles, but often I can't quite seem to. And I LIKE Haley, she amuses the hell out of me,  but she's not an especially nice person, so I don't know that I especially root for her to wind up with a nice, sweet guy, anyway.

And it bugged me when she told Andy he was her first real love. That's revisionist BS:  unhealthy or ill fated or not, Dylan was her first real love.

 

I often hate Cam too and his neediness, but Eric Stonestreet is so good I still don't REALLY hate him. I do tend to hate Claire. I would loathe her if I knew her. But that's also partly my own bias, I think: I have never liked Julie Bowen, ever, in any role. I think she's often quite good, so it's not that. Sometimes a certain actor will just rub you the wrong way from the get-go, and she does, for me.

[momtoall]

4 minutes ago, luna1122 said:

Sometimes a certain actor will just rub you the wrong way from the get-go

On MF I didn't like Nathan Lane, not sure if it was him or the character.  I know this is totally OT but I also feel that way about Nicholas Cage. 

[NorthangerAbby]

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On MF I didn't like Nathan Lane, not sure if it was him or the character

I'll join you here because I can't stand Pepper. He's one of the only MF characters I don't enjoy and I'm glad he's not around more often. The only other ones I almost never like are Andy and Lily. I feel actual guilt about not liking Lily, but I can't help it. Luke and Manny are iffy for me, depending a lot on the episode. 

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And that aside....I think my problem with him is that I've seen Andy Devine just play too many smarmy creeps--not charming dorks--and play them all too well. 

I don't know if I've seen him in other roles, but I agree that the casting is part of it for me. The character doesn't come across as authentically sweet and does seem a little smarmy. 

I completely understand why many dislike Cam. I wouldn't usually like him and am not sure what it says about my taste in characters that I do!

I also really understand not liking Claire even though my UO is that she's one of my three favorites, along with Phil and Alex. Julie Bowen does have a brittle quality and Claire can be difficult to like, but somehow that's part of what I find intersting about her...? She just resonates with me. I think of her a little like an adult Hermione Granger, high strung, competitive, overachieving, serious by nature and not really 'likable' but loving and pasisonate underneath. A lot of Claire's flaws stem from how much she cares about everyone and everything. I like her unexpected creepy side, her love of horror movies, Halloween and so on. It adds a fun layer to the character. I also don't know that I've ever been as touched and entertained by a TV marriage as I am by Claire and Phil's. 

Another possibly unpopular opinion is that I find Gloria and Jay's relationship really touching too, and I really did not expect to like them when I first started watching the show.

I just wanted to say it's a pleasure posting here. Everyone is so kind, elqouent and receptive to other opinions.  

Edited January 24, 2017 by NorthangerAbby

[MuuMuuChainsmoker]

3 hours ago, NorthangerAbby said:

I just wanted to say it's a pleasure posting here. Everyone is so kind, elqouent and receptive to other opinions.  

Co-sign that.  You MFers are an easy forum to mod.  

Keep up the great work! 

[Quickbeam]

My husband hates this show with a white hot passion....except for Stella. So every time it's on, he asks: "will there be a lot of Stella?" . Like I'm some kind of script psychic. 

I love this show, especially Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell. Maybe it's past it's prime but still makes me laugh. 

[Literata]

Definitely in the minority here, but I love Haley and Andy and miss Adam Devine. For me, Andy humanized Haley, who before he came along was every girl I didn't like in junior high. I loved that they were basically Claire and Phil 2.0, and I hated the way the writers got rid of him ... pretty unrealistic, IMO, and a giant disappointment. I get that Devine had other commitments, but I keep hoping they'll magically bring him back. 

[tribeca]

How did Andy leave ? 

 I don't think Haley is like Claire at all.  She does not seem like either parent to me. Maybe more like uncle Mitch or Cam LOL

 

not sure this is unpopular opinion or not.  I like Alex and would love her to have some happiness.  

Edited March 26, 2017 by tribeca

[OtterMommy]

2 hours ago, tribeca said:

How did Andy leave ? 

 I don't think Haley is like Claire at all.  She does not seem like either parent to me. Maybe more like uncle Mitch or Cam LOL

I don't think Haley is like Claire now, but I think she is supposed to be like Claire was at her age.  Of course, we only get that from a comment here are there about Phil and Claire's early day, but it seemed to me that it was what the show was going for when they were trying to couple up Andy and Haley.

[qtpye]

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I don't think Haley is like Claire now, but I think she is supposed to be like Claire was at her age.  Of course, we only get that from a comment here are there about Phil and Claire's early day, but it seemed to me that it was what the show was going for when they were trying to couple up Andy and Haley.

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not sure this is unpopular opinion or not.  I like Alex and would love her to have some happiness.

I think Haley is supposed to be like young Claire, with her love of partying and drinking (though current day Claire does put away the wine) and Alex is supposed to have Clair's obsessive tendencies and need to always be in control.

My unpopular opinion is that, while I think the actress is adorable, I do not find Hailey to be that much prettier then Alex.  I actually would say both sisters are fairly even, looks wise.  So the old trope of pretty but dumb and smart but socially inept, falls flat for me.

Edited March 27, 2017 by qtpye

[voiceover]

On 1/24/2017 at 4:29 PM, MuuMuuChainsmoker said:

Co-sign that.  You MFers are an easy forum to mod.  

Sorry, but the first time I read this, I read it wrong.  And laughed my MFing butt off.

[MuuMuuChainsmoker]

2 hours ago, voiceover said:

Sorry, but the first time I read this, I read it wrong.  And laughed my MFing butt off.

Oh, you read it right. :)

[joanne3482]

I don't like Lily. I'm glad when she's not on.