S06.E15: Fight or Flight

[Kiddvideo]

Claire takes a first class seat on a flight, leaving Phil in coach; Gloria makes Jay teach Manny how to defend himself; Mitch, Cam and their friends throw Sal a belated baby shower.

 

[Shermie]

Dang, they cram a lot into one episode each week. This week we had four plots, with 17 characters (19, if you include the baby and the invisible texting girlfriend).

It was nice to see Haley and Alex working together and not sniping at each other for once.

Big waste of Elizabeth Banks. I figured she'd come back with some ridiculous excuse, the odds were ever in her favour.

[Stella MD]

Pepper is suddenly desperate to have a kid? What happened to the navy seal in Yemen?

[spaceytraci1208]

Jay and Manny confronting Gloria about her bossiness was hilarious, especially when she kicked them out and ordered them to get pineapple pizza

Jay to Manny (under his breath) "We'll get our own pizza and eat it in the car!"

[Kiddvideo]

Doesn't Pepper have a son already? The Navy SEAL, stationed in Damascus?

I think it would've been more fun to show what a trooper Claire had been at the reunion rather than telling us. I can't imagine her grinning-and-bearing much even though she plays the martyr.

I was hoping Mitch and Cam would get the baby for keeps. There was no reason to preserve Sal's character -- how much lower can you go from drunken, cuckolding slut?

Meh. Won't be re watching it, but middling for this season, I thought.

[Shermie]

Hated that scene with Gloria, Jay and Manny and the pizza, ugh. Not only did she bully Jay into bullying Manny into bullying the cooking school kid, she then bullies them into getting a pizza they hate and making them eat it. I know that's supposed to be funny, but "shrewish controlling bitch for no reason" is not funny to me.

[blaase]

They are all becoming unlikable assholes  and not in a funny way like Seinfeld or Will and Grace managed to make their characters.

Edited February 19, 2015 by blaase

[kat165]

And again, no cross family interactions.

 

I just started watching this show a few months ago, around the Christmas holidays and saw only repeats and was surprised at how enjoyable it is/was. Only lately have I started to watch the first run eps and wow, what a difference. I've been reading the complaints in these threads and now have to agree them. Are there different writers now? The quality has gone so downhill.

 

On a shallower note, Ariel Winter looked so tiny in this ep, like she shrunk a bit and lost some weight, more like she looked in the earlier seasons. Or has the actress who plays the older sister gotten taller? I hate to remark on a young person's appearance, especially an adolencent (never a good looking time for anyone), but the difference was striking. She looked very cute.

Edited February 19, 2015 by kat165

[biakbiak]

I laughed at the Blackhawks/Blackcocks joke because a lot of my friends are hockey fans who hate Chicago so regularly call them the Blackcocks.

[CleoCaesar]

Lots of laughs in this one. My favorite line was Claire's seatmate's opinion about camping trips: “If I’m ever in the woods for three days, it means I’ve been dead for two of them.” I hear ya, sister.

 

Loved Alex and Haley being nice and partners-in-crime. Why can't we have that more often, instead of them arguing and screaming at each other like 8-year-olds?

 

As has become a frequent occurrence, the Jay-Manny-Gloria subplot is dumb and superfluous. Could have been lifted right out of the episode, IMO.

[Donny Ketchum]

Liked Phil and Claire's storyline.  At least since Claire actually got some kind of comeuppance for screwing over Phil, for once.  But I also wish Mitch and Cam had gotten the baby.  I also enjoyed Jay, Gloria, and Manny's storyline, and I did like Jay and Manny calling out Gloria . . . even though she made it moot by ordering them around once again.

 

The Dunphy siblings' storyline was my favorite, though.  I liked Haley and Alex trying to help Luke . . . and then him disappearing at the end upon seeing what they'd done.

 

And where the hell was Lily?  That's two straight weeks without her! :(

Edited February 19, 2015 by Donny Ketchum

[Beach Party]

I heard Elizabeth Banks was a guest on this week's episode.  Darn, I was hoping to see her and Julie Bowen in the same scene together.  They could pass as being sisters. 

[WickedTuna]

Episodes like this one make me sad. The only time I laughed was when Pepper and his boyfriend thought they could take care of the baby. I cringed at the thought of Cam and Mitchell getting a baby that way. It just seemed like it was a cheap and easy way to go.

[Milburn Stone]

The only time I laughed was when Pepper and his boyfriend thought they could take care of the baby.

  

I laughed when Pepper said they'd be there for the baby, and then said, "Oh, wait, not July. And also June."

 

(For some reason, though, even though I've known that Pepper always throws fabulous theme parties, I haven't picked up in his previous appearances that he's supposed to be fabulously wealthy. Like in a whole different social strata fabulously wealthy. Is that new?)

Edited February 19, 2015 by Milburn Stone

[readster]

 I really enjoyed Phil on the plane and Haley and Alex working together. See, this is what is needed with the Dumphy siblings not hating and mocking each other. I'm not saying it isn't needed after all, they are siblings but half the time they look like they are about to kill each other. Even worse, Haley and Luke lose and gain intelligence every other episode I'm waiting for them to forget how to breathe. I completely agree, Gloria is a controlling bully. I do agree that its time that Manny stand up for himself, he's almost 16 and I was happy he punched the guy. Even after it was revealed he was acting out but man, that was the Manny that needs to show up more. Not in punching people out but how he can't take it. Plus, the guy did keep calling him by his last name and wanting him to answer if he "wanted a piece of this?" I was like: "Moron, he didn't see you with the pie." "Say his name and then wait for him to turn around." 

[DrSpaceman]

Nathan Lane is hiarious on this show as a guest star. 

 

I had never thought of the Blackhawks/Blackcocks thing. 

 

I am not a big Elizabeth Banks fan in general, kind of glad she came in and out at the beginning and end.  Can only take so much of her. 

 

I liked Haley's line about breaking up with the girl in person "What are you, 30?", or something like that.  I really was born too eary, my life would have been so much easier as a kid with texting.

[Sandman]

 

I laughed when Pepper said they'd be there for the baby, and then said, "Oh, wait, not July. And also June."

I don't mind telling you I laughed for about two minutes at the Blackhawks joke. It's all in Nathan Lane's delivery. I also loved "And 'Sammy Salzman' is just silly."

[Traveller519]

I'd been admiring how restrained Gloria had been this episode. Spicy but not shrill and overbearing. Then that all went out the window.

[Tony]

Uggghhh HATED this episode. For the first time, I actually found Claire insufferable and completely selfish. Was pretending to laugh at your husband's friends' jokes that much of a hardship for her that she feels she's entitled to ditch him to get the first class seat? And then instead of telling the annoying woman next to her off, she'd rather just switch with her husband and let him "suffer" it? (the lady wasn't that bad IMO)

[mikem]

It's bad enough when they have three non-intersecting plots, but to have 4 completely unrelated stories?  That's too much.  I really miss the interactions between the different families.

 

I don't know if Pepper is supposed to be fabulously wealthy or not.  The writing hasn't helped us figure that out over time.  He's always made comments about Mitch and Cam's place being small and in a bad neighborhood, but I just thought that was him being catty as opposed to not knowing how big normal homes are.

 

It would have been nice if Claire had let Phil sit next to a professional magician whom he admired.  That would have been a more satisfying ending for me than having Phil make the sacrifice.

 

 

[Miss Scarlet]

Gloria is always shrill and always the same. I hated the part where she told Manny and Jay to go wipe off their mascara. Did the Modern Family writers not see the "Like a Girl" commercial during the Super Bowl? (I realize this episode was probably written before that, but still).

 

Phil can be immature at times, but overall he is an awesome husband. I've always thought that he was too good for Claire.

[Rosieroo]

When I first started watching I didn't think Phil was good enough for Claire...but have completely flipped around. Phil is my favorite out of the whole cast...everyone else is just so mean spirited and judgy.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Rosieroo

[seacliffsal]

I loved Phil's airplane story: his magician idol and a massage.  Until, that is, Claire guilted him into switching-well after she ranted over how she deserved first class.  Claire's clue as to her seatmate's attitude should have been when the seatmate called the flight attendant 'hon'.  I did like the call out about Gloria being a bully, but I don't think they will develop her character.  I often wonder if Jay ever wishes he hadn't gone for the trophy wife.

[meep.meep]

 

(For some reason, though, even though I've known that Pepper always throws fabulous theme parties, I haven't picked up in his previous appearances that he's supposed to be fabulously wealthy. Like in a whole different social strata fabulously wealthy. Is that new?)

 

He has an event planning business.  He's not fabulously wealthy, he just likes nice things.  And, he's supposed to have already raised a son so presumably he knows about the diapers.

[peeayebee]

I don't mind telling you I laughed for about two minutes at the Blackhawks joke. It's all in Nathan Lane's delivery. I also loved "And 'Sammy Salzman' is just silly."

I loved that too, but I think it was "Sammy Salzman is so silly." Lots of sibilants.

 

I'm not sure which was my favorite story, Claire and Phil on the plane or Mitchell and Cam's baby story. I loved seeing Phil in heaven sandwiched betw a masseuse and a magician, who sounded like Penn Gillette to me. I also thought Claire's seat mate was hilarious. I don't know the actress's name, but I've seen her in a couple of things very recently, and she's just so good.

 

And I love Pepper. I can't remember his boyfriend's name, but he's great too. I absolutely LOVED the way he sat down on the couch all huffy and crossing his legs. But Pepper is the best. I liked Elizabeth Banks, and I like Sal, but I wish there was more of her. I loved the reactions of the men to every thing she said. 

 

The Manny/Jay/Gloria story line didn't bother me. I like Gloria and think she's funny. 

 

I wasn't really into the Luke/Alex/Haley story. It was ok. Yes, it was nice seeing the sisters getting along, but I didn't find many laughs here.

 

Didn't miss Lily.

[Stella MD]

 

a magician, who sounded like Penn Gillette to me

Dude, that was Penn Jillette. Though I wondered why he just didn't play himself, if he's supposed to be a famous magician that Phil is agog to meet in person.

 

On the other hand I sort of doubt Penn Jillette flies coach, so maybe that's why they didn't go there.

[Maharincess]

peeayebee, the magician didn't just sound like Penn Gillette, that was Penn Gillette.

The seat mate was Natasha Leggero.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Maharincess

[Sandman]

I loved that too, but I think it was "Sammy Salzman is so silly." Lots of sibilants.

 

Ah, right! Lots of starting sibilants, too. Super!

[Gulftastic]

Not much to add to what people are saying, it was better than last week's poor effort.

 

I liked Jay's advice to Manny about not winding his fist up like Popeye.

[peeayebee]

Dude, that was Penn Jillette. 

Well I'll be damned. I kept squinting at him, trying to see if it was him. I didn't spot the red fingernail. Did that show?

[biakbiak]

Was pretending to laugh at your husband's friends' jokes that much of a hardship for her that she feels she's entitled to ditch him to get the first class seat?

Yes. Hell I would have ditch my boyfriend for a first class seat even if we had just spent a relaxing week in a luxury spa and my boyfriend would be fine with it! Claire spent a weekend with his friends in the woods, even if she had actually enjoyed it they were still his friends gabbing about old times for three days, I thought he was a dick for being pissed off.

I did laugh at a Tumbler Tumblr!

I may have identified with the Alex/Haley storyline a little too much because on more than one occasion I have texted on behalf of my friends (with their permission of course).

Edited February 19, 2015 by biakbiak

[tennisgurl]

Phil is just the nicest guy ever. I used to think he was a pain in the ass man-child, but now I find his enthusiasm enduring as hell. If Claire hated hanging out with Phil s friends, I think she should have said she didn't want to go, instead of getting all passive-aggressive and taking the best seat. I did love the increasingly impressive tricks of Penn Jillette! He really is a sorcerer. 

 

I like Gloria, but I wish she had actually learned some kind of lesson in this episode. Her satisfied little smirk at the end annoyed the crap out of me. 

 

Always happy to get a Pepper appearance! He`ll be in Capri all of July! 

[Sandman]

"Sorcerer!"

 

Hee. That was a nice moment. Phil's just never blasé about anything, is he?

[Crucial]

Ugh I loved everything except Claire and Gloria.  They are two peas in the bitch pod.  Claire it was Phil's trip, you should have said no.  Can't he have his moment.  I would have made her stay in her seat instead of Phil switching.  And why didn't Clair just stay home since she didn't want Phil when she did her reunion.  Yet Clair is deserving of the first class seat until....until her seatmate sucks then poor Clair who is so put upon makes or guilts Phil in to changing.  They actually had him change seats.  He always has to give in and it's so tiring.

 

Gloria is another piece of work.  She's become nothing but a self absorbed biotch.  First having Jay get rid of the dog when it was her facial products that made the baby break out.  Never once did she think it was her but only Jay's dog.  Now this.  What would she do if they didn't get what she wanted?  Can't they write that type of comedy into the scene.  Let her yell and scream but not get her way.  I would have loved if they had the guys bring back an anchovies pizza.

 

Stop writing women like this and pawn it off as comedy.  I must be cranky because I don't find this funny at all.  And while I'm ranting can we send Elizabeth Banks and Rob Riggle to the same "do not return" stage of the show.  Both actors are so over rated and so not funny on this show (Rob Riggle I find not funny anywhere actually).

[blaase]

peeayebee, the magician didn't just sound like Penn Gillette, that was Penn Gillette.

The seat mate was Natasha Leggero.

Oh wow no wonder she looked familiar. She was in my all time favorite MTV show when I was back in middle school,  "the  70's house" She's awesome.

[Donny Ketchum]

Ugh I loved everything except Claire and Gloria.  They are two peas in the bitch pod.  Claire it was Phil's trip, you should have said no.  Can't he have his moment.  I would have made her stay in her seat instead of Phil switching.  And why didn't Clair just stay home since she didn't want Phil when she did her reunion.  Yet Clair is deserving of the first class seat until....until her seatmate sucks then poor Clair who is so put upon makes or guilts Phil in to changing.  They actually had him change seats.  He always has to give in and it's so tiring.

To be fair, as I said in my first post on this thread, I think the terrible seatmate was supposed to be Claire's karma for snatching the last first class seat.  Yes, Phil switched with her in the end, but at least she did get to suffer for her selfishness.

[Milburn Stone]

He's not fabulously wealthy, he just likes nice things.

 

Here's why I gathered I was supposed to think Pepper is in a whole other socioeconomic stratum. Spending a whole month in Capri? The month after you're spending a whole month in some other glamour spot (presumably)? That's somebody rich. Also, his remarks about how seedy/sketchy Cam and Mitch's neighborhood is, likewise their dwelling (both of which look, to my middle-class eyes, pretty darned nice!). I've known that Pepper has exquisitely refined taste and all, but this seemed like new information.

[peeayebee]

Yeah, I was trying to remember his wealth being mentioned before.

 

I loved when Phil says, "And then it hit me…" as we see the suitcase falling down and hitting him.

 

I also liked when Manny repeated what Jay had told him, "Violence solves everything, and don't wind my fist up like Popeye."

[LucyEth]

It seems now all the married couples really dislike each other.  It was always there with Mitch and Cam, but now we are seeing more of how Claire really doesn't like alot of things about Phil.  Same with Jay on Gloria being shrill, loud and bossy.  Theme here, the Pritchett's are the ones who are mainly hating on their partner.

[Stella MD]

I've never understood the argument that Claire has changed her attitude throughout the series. She's been a shrill, frustrated housewife who treated Phil like an idiot child since the pilot (wasn't that the episode where they compete with one another while running in the neighborhood and she lets him win because "the first day of school is hard on all her kids [including him]"). IMO, if anything has changed it's Phil - in the beginning his schtick annoyed me to the point that I agreed with Claire and wondered how he dressed himself without assistance, whereas now he's grown on me and for the most part manages to seem competent, with occasional flashes of downright brilliance.

[readster]

I always saw Phil as a bit naive and a bit ADD. How something very simple or something HUGE can make him change his thought process in a second. However, he's a very nice and charming guy who hasn't lost the "fun" in his life. He'll be serious when he has to be or wants to be. Example would be yelling at Haley after she got kicked out of college or his rival saying horrible things about Claire and the kids. He tries to take life one day at time but he wants to enjoy life. He is professional, he loves what he does but at times he gets a bit caught in the naive side. From inappropriate commercials on his business van. To having a guy who is gay and is thinking he is into him or trying to be a Hollywood FX guy and then at the end going: "Oh... wait..."

Edited February 20, 2015 by readster

[DrSpaceman]

At the beginning of the series Claire and her controlling ways really annoyed me. I have grown to understand her though and that she is much better now than at the beginning of the series, in my opinion. I could totally understand where she was coming from in this episode. I like Phil as well, but he does need Claire, otherwise he would be off doing stupid things constantly. She keeps him grounded, as they have demonstrated many episodes.

And also I guess I think back as well to the episode where she went off to her college reunion, she didn't invite Phil because she knew it was a different group of people he didn't know and he likely wouldn't have a good time, it would just lead to problems. They like different things at times. However, he showed up anyway. This was a similar situation and Phill would have to been wise to do what she attempted, go without her and enjoy his old friends, he should have known these were not activities or things Claire would be interested in.

[CleoCaesar]

I always saw Phil as a bit naive and a bit ADD. How something very simple or something HUGE can make him change his thought process in a second. However, he's a very nice and charming guy who hasn't lost the "fun" in his life. He'll be serious when he has to be or wants to be.

 

I agree. Phil is a mix of "goofy" and "adult". He can be playful and silly and childlike, but he's also a devoted husband, a fantastic father, a successful realtor who is a partner in his own business, and provides a very comfortable lifestyle for his family. We've seen him get annoyed and angry and serious, so it's not like he's a manic wind-up toy.

[Shermie]

Yeah, but goofy guys like Phil need a stern grounding force like Claire to keep,them from going off the deep end. The idiot came home with an alpaca, remember? Who does that?

I don't blame Claire for taking the first class seat; if it's offered, take it! Take it!!! Even if they had a great weekend, take it! If my husband and I were offered one first class seat, we'd both grab it (we'd take turns). But Claire spent three days in the woods with a whole group of Phils. Some people might think that sounds fun, but that sort of person wears on you, and in mass quantities? Yeah, take the first class seat.

But of course, she deserves to be punished for wanting some luxury.

[needschocolate]

I am under the impression that Claire isn't a fan of magic.  So, I thought the final scene would be Claire sitting in the back, flinching because the massage was uncomfortable, and getting visibly annoyed at this guy pulling quarters out of her ear and hiding her phone, while Phil is eating warm cookies in first class, next to the obnoxious lady, who has passed out.  

 

If my husband and I were about to take a flight and one of us had the chance to switch to a first class seat, we would take it, and then switch halfway through the flight.  

 

 

 I really enjoyed Phil on the plane and Haley and Alex working together. See, this is what is needed with the Dumphy siblings not hating and mocking each other. I'm not saying it isn't needed after all, they are siblings but half the time they look like they are about to kill each other. Even worse, Haley and Luke lose and gain intelligence every other episode I'm waiting for them to forget how to breathe. I completely agree, Gloria is a controlling bully. I do agree that its time that Manny stand up for himself, he's almost 16 and I was happy he punched the guy. Even after it was revealed he was acting out but man, that was the Manny that needs to show up more. Not in punching people out but how he can't take it. Plus, the guy did keep calling him by his last name and wanting him to answer if he "wanted a piece of this?" I was like: "Moron, he didn't see you with the pie." "Say his name and then wait for him to turn around." 

 

I am fanwanking that the bully never intended to apologize, his plan was smash the pie into Manny's face while saying "here's your piece." But when Manny knocked him down, he changed his story to make Manny look bad.  And since I am fanwanking anyway, the bully gets kicked out of cooking school to for "inappropriate use of butter." 

[redlaces]

I am fanwanking that the bully never intended to apologize, his plan was smash the pie into Manny's face while saying "here's your piece." But when Manny knocked him down, he changed his story to make Manny look bad.  And since I am fanwanking anyway, the bully gets kicked out of cooking school to for "inappropriate use of butter." 

 

That's exactly what I thought and didn't see it any other way.