S06.E19: Grill, Interrupted

[formerlyfreedom]

Jay's birthday brings everyone together and Phil is beside himself over the super cool gift he got Jay, a high-tech outdoor grill. Claire and Mitch decide they will "offer" to pay back the money Jay loaned them ages ago as their gift not really thinking he will take them up on it, and Gloria teaches Manny and Luke a lesson about drinking, while Andy gets real awkward with Haley when she brings over her new doctor boyfriend.

[TV Anonymous]

Why does Andy get a confessional? He is not family!

[Donny Ketchum]

Why does Andy get a confessional? He is not family!

I thought the same thing!  How on Earth did he get one?!

 

Pretty much only really cared for Luke and Manny's storyline, and a bit for Alex's.  Loved that Jay thought that she would be the most capable of keeping the family together when she gets older.  Oh, and Cam and Lily with the fur coats.  And Jay's awkward hug with Phil, assuming that was his odd way of hugging another guy without looking like he was actually hugging him.

 

Everything else . . . "meh" to "bleh."  Didn't care for Claire leaving Mitchell hanging.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Donny Ketchum

[Lizzing]

At least the whole family was together, which was a nice change of pace.  Claire really irritated the shit out of me though, more than normal.  Not only does she leave Mitch hanging, but she brings out that tired martyr complex by deciding Alex was just out to torture her.

 

Anyone have any idea why they went back to the original opening credits?  I actually rewound the credits to make sure I wasn't seeing things, but yeah, original Lily and no Joe, etc.

[lucindabelle]

Oh I laughed so hard at the spinning rotisserie and the flying chickens. Well worth the price of admission.

[readster]

 I enjoyed the episode but Andy confessional and looking like a pathetic love struck puppy was too much. I did like the doctor boyfriend though, I think it was his timing. Man, Luke is just too much these days, I get the tricks with the fake vodka but when Manny said he had a problem at the end. I was like: "He has wayyyy to many problems." Of course Cam would feel the money he got would burn a hole in his pocket. Cam gets way compulsive when he sees something he wants and the price is there. Never does he go: "I don't really need this and maybe I should talk with my husband since we a lot of extra money now." I loved the talk between  Jay and Alex and I laughed so hard with the grill. Poor Phil, he tries, he just tries.

Edited April 2, 2015 by readster

[Rowsdower]

Anyone have any idea why they went back to the original opening credits?

 

I'm guessing that it was for April Fools' Day.

[DrSpaceman]

              I found it a bit odd one week Alex was upset about not getting in Harvard and this week she is upset about getting into Cal Tech.  Make up your mind, writers.  At least they could have spaced out those story ideas a bit

 

               I am still just not big on Haley and Andy together.  I don't care if he gets a confessional even if he is not family.  The will they/won't they thing they are doing though I just find irritating, overdone and cliche. 

 

              The show had its moments.  Found it hard to believe Manny would be this naive about his mother's actions.  And that they couldn't tell the difference between vodka and water.  I guess they had never tasted vodka though.  Straight vodka is hard on anyone. 

[Lizzing]

I'm guessing that it was for April Fools' Day.

I'd considered it might be an April Fools Day joke, but it just kinda seemed off.  Then, given how uneven the writing has been this season, you're probably right! :)

 

People, it was NOT vodka! It was tequila! :)  There are no worms in bottles of vodka!  If there are, return it to the store and get a refund.  LOL!  (But even then, high end tequilas do not have worms/larvae in them.)  But at least that played out into a kinda decent joke, though tequila has a far more distinct taste than plain water or even vodka. 

Edited April 2, 2015 by Lizzing

[mwell345]

Not a bad episode, certainly a step above what they have been airing.  At least the families were together for a celebration.

 

I liked the Manny/Luke story only because I think it's exactly what kids would do - thinking they're getting drunk and then worrying about the worm.  Claire still grates on me, but it's more Julie Bowen than anything else.

 

As for Haley and Andy, I am totally, 100% over them.  Not interesting at all.  Either end it or put them together, either way, move on. They are dragging the show down and it's struggling as it is.

[MelsW]

As for Haley and Andy, I am totally, 100% over them.  Not interesting at all.  Either end it or put them together, either way, move on. They are dragging the show down and it's struggling as it is.

 

Agreed. We are entering Cousin Oliver territory now with Andy's confessional. The Hayley/Andy storyline is not interesting in the least. The writers are "Will they/won't they"-ing a couple that I just don't care about. If Andy never appeared on my screen again it wouldn't change a thing.

 

As usual, I found Cam to be immature and insufferable. He would be so exhausting in real life.

 

To end on a positive note, the highlight for me was the Jay/Alex talk in the car.

Edited April 2, 2015 by MelsW

[DrSpaceman]

I'd considered it might be an April Fools Day joke, but it just kinda seemed off.  Then, given how uneven the writing has been this season, you're probably right! :)

 

People, it was NOT vodka! It was tequila! :)  There are no worms in bottles of vodka!  If there are, return it to the store and get a refund.  LOL!  (But even then, high end tequilas do not have worms/larvae in them.)  But at least that played out into a kinda decent joke, though tequila has a far more distinct taste than plain water or even vodka. 

 

 

Sorry, I guess it was tequila.  But then I find it odd that even teenage boys would not know that tequila does not taste like water.  I guess that is why I assumed it was meant to be Vodka, both clear, though I guess reading about it Tequila can be clear as well.  I just usually think of it as more gold or other colors.  Either way, neither tastes like water and actually just letting them drink a whole bottle between them likely would be more of a punishment than a brief ice bath and embarassing picture.

[solotrek]

Well, isn't Cam teaching his daughter to be a thoughtful spender.  Hated that storyline.

 

The Andy/Haley storyline needs to end. I know the EPs from this show worked on Frasier and they had the Daphne/Niles storyline, but this will they/won't they arc is just not working.

 

I did like the talk between Alex and Jay. So that worked.

Edited April 2, 2015 by solotrek

[mwell345]

 

To end on a positive note, the highlight for me was the Jay/Alex talk in the car.

Yes that was the best scene in the show. I love when Jay interacts with the kids, Ed O'Neil does it so well. 

[readster]

Well, isn't Cam teaching his daughter to be a thoughtful spender.  Hated that storyline.

 

The Andy/Haley storyline needs to end. I know the EPs from this show worked on Frasier and they had the Daphne/Niles storyline, but this will they/won't they arc is just not working.

 

I did like the talk between Alex and Jay. So that worked.

 

 Oh Lilly is being taught FANTASTIC spending and living habits by her fathers. No wonder she has a superiority complex. Yes, Haley and Andy are just tired, the writers like the story but the viewers and critics don't yet they keep plugging away with it. Just end it already!

 

Ed O'Neil can just work magic with any crap he is handed. 

[Latverian Diplomat]

Oh I laughed so hard at the spinning rotisserie and the flying chickens. Well worth the price of admission.

"Why is that even a setting!" was pretty funny way to hang a lampshade on it.

 

Sorry, I guess it was tequila.  But then I find it odd that even teenage boys would not know that tequila does not taste like water.  I guess that is why I assumed it was meant to be Vodka, both clear, though I guess reading about it Tequila can be clear as well.  I just usually think of it as more gold or other colors.  Either way, neither tastes like water and actually just letting them drink a whole bottle between them likely would be more of a punishment than a brief ice bath and embarassing picture.

Manny and Luke were written like ten-year-olds here. Nobody who's ever had a taste of an alcoholic beverage would be fooled by tap water.

 

So a house down payment runs five, maybe even six figures. I know they tried to justify it by Cam's inheritance and Claire's bonus, but that's a hell of a lot of money to have just sitting in a checking account. And even if I had that much in there, I sure as hell wouldn't just whip up a check like that (without consulting their spouses). Even trying to be more realistic about money, this show fails at being realistic about money. Also, where did Phil think that money came from, way back when?

Edited April 2, 2015 by Latverian Diplomat

[Eolivet]

I liked the Andy/Haley subplot for the farce element of it alone (Andy in the robe, Hayley spilling something on her dress, her putting on his shirt, him taking off his belt). It was like something out of a play -- I just appreciated it for the staging. I don't quite understand where they're going with it, though -- especially since didn't they already kiss and felt no chemistry? That's not something you can just fix by getting rid of a significant other.

 

The Jay and the money subplot bothered me a little -- though I do feel like it's most likely that he took the money just to watch his kids work themselves into a frenzy, and had planned on giving it back all along. Why that bothers me less than thinking he actually intended to keep the money, I don't know. Maybe it's a parent thing.

[ari333]

Love Jay any time.

 

Very spendy tequila is pretty smooth, so I kind of bought it as a premise. It is a sitcom, so I suspend real life at times.  

 

I thought it was sweet and honest of Cam to share the news with Mitchell of his windfall, unexpected inheritance..... especially since it was a somewhat obscure-ish relative. Cam could have kept the money to himself and Mitchell would have never known, so it was sweet to be open about it since loving couples should be open and honest. Fake fur cannot be that expensive, can it? It was fake right?  

Edited April 2, 2015 by ari333

[solotrek]

Fake fur cannot be that expensive, can it? It was fake right?

 

Didn't Lily say it was faux mink? I thought that meant fake, but if 2 of those equals a house down payment in California...?

[bybrandy]

Tequila doesn't have worm either.  That's mezcal.   But Gloria was totally playing on what the boys thought they knew there rather than what they actually knew so that didn't bother me much at all.  There probably would have been some residual taste on the bottle unless she really cleaned it before she refilled it.  Enough for the boys to think they were drinking liquor?  I don't know.  But I doubt it would have been completely flavorless.  Still it was pretty silly.

 

Those were fake furs?  That makes sense cause, you know, fur... but then why were they house down payment expensive?

 

 

[CleoCaesar]

The good:

 

-The whole family actually interacting

-The Alex and Jay talk in the car

-Lily and Haley snarking at each other

 

The bad:

 

-Manny and Like are NOT some masterful comedic duo; to me they're not funny separately (or just rarely) and together it's just too much bad acting to take

-I hate Haley being the shallow, vapid ditz she frequently is; I like the more mature version and she was totally absent today

-Andy and Haley...zzzz I really couldn't care less

-I'm usually not one to criticize the show for daring to show well-off families (a common criticism is that the show is so out-of-touch, to which I say "whatever") but even to me the whole throwing-around of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars (a down payment on a Southern California suburban house) was kind of eyeroll-worthy.

[Snow Apple]

I thought the fake fur was being returned so the full check can go towards the down payment, not that the price of the fur equal the full down payment. Like if the check was for 30k and he spent 5k on the fur, they would need the 5k back to have just enough for the house.

[Blakeston]

I thought it was sweet and honest of Cam to share the news with Mitchell of his windfall, unexpected inheritance..... especially since it was a somewhat obscure-ish relative. Cam could have kept the money to himself and Mitchell would have never known, so it was sweet to be open about it since loving couples should be open and honest. Fake fur cannot be that expensive, can it? It was fake right?  

 

Cam and Mitch are married. Any money that comes Cam's way is also Mitch's. If Cameron had taken their daughter on a shopping spree, and never told Mitchell about the windfall, I think Mitchell would be completely justified in asking for a divorce.

 

Of course, it's also messed up that Mitchell offered it to Jay without discussing it with Cameron first. But I don't see that as being as much of a transgression as keeping the money a secret would have been. Especially because he didn't expect Jay to actually take it.

[anna0852]

I felt really bad for Jay watching Claire, Mitch and Cam argue about *his* money. 

 

And I felt worse for Phil, who tried to get Jay a really thoughtful birthday gift and was *appalled* that he and Claire had owed Jay a significant amount of money for 20 years. Given their rocky relationship, that was a gut blow for Phil and I'm pretty impressed that his first instinct was to pay it back immediately.

 

While I could see Alex worrying about failing at Cal Tech, I thought a line or 2 about having to stay in SoCal for college wouldn't have gone amiss. She's been pretty vocal about leaving home.

[biakbiak]

Given that Phil I a real estate agent I found it ridiculous that Phil didn't know where they got the down payment. Cam I can buy because as with the adoption we have seen him leave things like that to Mitchell and they weren't married so it's possible they had separate finances and Mitchell just told him he had the money in savings but it doesn't make sense for Phil assuming Claire had that money when we know she didn't work very long after they were married because she became a stay at home mom shortly after college.

Edited April 2, 2015 by biakbiak

[theatremouse]

So a house down payment runs five, maybe even six figures. I know they tried to justify it by Cam's inheritance and Claire's bonus, but that's a hell of a lot of money to have just sitting in a checking account.

I sort of got the impression Jay gave Phil and Claire the money, like, decades ago. When their children were super young, if not when only Haley existed. So the amount he would have given them was probably a lot smaller than what he gave Cam and Mitchell, who I assume have been together less time, and thus have owned their condo for much less time. In that way, it made sense to me that Claire might pay her father back out of a recent bonus. Depending on whether Cam and Mitchell bought pre or during the most recent bubble, it's believable enough for me to think Mitchell paying their down payment back would definitely make buying the upstairs unit impossible, but that doesn't necessarily mean the borrowed/gifted down payment was equal to the inheritance that purportedly would merit a new down payment on another unit right now, just that it'd take a large enough chunk out of it to not leave much over.

That said, I thought it was super clunky how Claire just randomly brought that up in the first place. Also, they're both morons because if the point were to offer, and then expect him to say no, you don't take your effing checkbook out when you make said offer, and you sure as fuck don't write the damn check. I'm taking this too seriously, but let's play armchair psychologist and decide this could go one of two ways: if Mitchell has the checkbook out, offers to pay back and literally writes the check, perhaps Jay sees this as a moment of pride, and wouldn't dare insult Mitchell by refusing to accept it. On the other hand, Mitchell just says it outloud, nothing in hand, as an offer, in that scenario I think it much more likely Jay might say it's unnecessary, or say it was a gift.

It just played really badly to me, that Claire brought it up out of nowhere, goaded her brother into it and immediately backed off. It didn't bother me because it was a jerk move; it bothered me because it screamed plot contrivance.

[seacliffsal]

anna0852, I really agree with you about Claire, et al, talking about Jay and his money and the entitlement they felt regarding his money and loans for down payments.  There was a lot of greed evidenced throughout this episode.  And what a burden Jay feels for his entire family as he knows exactly what they think about his money and that they are overreactive about issues.  It was like he felt the weight of the world when he told Alex that she would have to take care of them when he was no longer able to do so.  

[readster]

anna0852, I really agree with you about Claire, et al, talking about Jay and his money and the entitlement they felt regarding his money and loans for down payments.  There was a lot of greed evidenced throughout this episode.  And what a burden Jay feels for his entire family as he knows exactly what they think about his money and that they are overreactive about issues.  It was like he felt the weight of the world when he told Alex that she would have to take care of them when he was no longer able to do so.  

 

 Yes and that even hammers home the season premiere when they told Alex they can't function without her. Sadly, Alex will be Jay for the family next. Because Luke, Manny and Haley can't take care of themselves and Lily is the next Claire. 

[kat165]

The Haley & Andy stuff was pure sitcom crap. What really bothers me about their relationship is Andy. I can't stand that guy. There's something really creepy about him & I shudder whenever he's on screen.

[needschocolate]

           I am still just not big on Haley and Andy together.  I don't care if he gets a confessional even if he is not family.  The will they/won't they thing they are doing though I just find irritating, overdone and cliche.

 

So true - The will they / won't they thing has been done many times by many shows - Cheers, Frasier, Friends ... it would be old and overdone even if Haley and Andy had any sort of chemistry or if the audience cared a little it about them. But it is even worse because they have no chemistry and I have yet to read or hear anyone say that Andy was a nice addition to the show.

 

Personally, I don't think the actor playing Andy can act very well.  He expression rarely changes (well, it goes from happy puppy to excited puppy, with an occasional  blank stare) and there is not much variation in his voice. I am almost convinced that he is the producer's nephew or something.  

[DrSpaceman]

Adam Devine/Andy has been in a bunch of other things and is one of the stars of a show for the last several years on Comedy Central, workaholics, which is actually decent. He'd be doing fine without this stint on Modern Family.

I just don't like the storyline and don't care for the Andy character much. Him as an actor I am OK with.

Actually what would be actually interesting and a twist for Haley's characters who is looks and boy obsessed is to actually focus on her supposed job and other parts of her life to actually expand and develop her character, rather than being all about her love life at the still very young age of 20 when most women nowadays are a good decade away from getting married

Edited April 3, 2015 by DrSpaceman

[Blakeston]

I'm still trying to figure out the whole tequila storyline. My understanding is this:

 

Manny and Luke wanted to drink tequila, so they stole a bottle that belonged to Gloria and Jay. What they didn't know was that Gloria already knew they wanted to drink it, so she'd poured out the tequila (but not the "worm," apparently) and replaced the tequila with water.

 

Manny and Luke drank the water, thinking it was tequila. Then, when she knew they were watching, Gloria acted out a ruse with Haley's boyfriend - in which it appeared that Gloria was panicking because she saw the worm missing in the bottle of the tequila, and assumed she drank it, and asked the doctor what to do, and he told her to drink a lot of pickle juice, or freeze the worm by getting in an ice bath.

 

So Luke and Manny somehow got their hands on a huge pile of ice, and used it to take an ice bath together. And then Gloria came by and took a photo of them in the bathtub together, with their arms around each other, and told them she'd show it to their classmates if they ever drank again.

 

That's right...right?

 

So wouldn't only the one who drank the "worm" think they needed an ice bath? Or did they share it?

 

(And to anyone who would say I'm overthinking a silly little joke - the writers are the ones who decided to make the joke absurdly complicated.)

[mstar1125]

Personally, I don't think the actor playing Andy can act very well.  He expression rarely changes (well, it goes from happy puppy to excited puppy, with an occasional  blank stare) and there is not much variation in his voice. I am almost convinced that he is the producer's nephew or something.

 

I think I blame this more on the way the character is written than the actor himself. 

 

I thought the Manny/Luke storyline was funny, because I can believe that's how they would really act (paranoid) if they thought they were drunk. They got the ice for the ice bath from a cooler that was outside for the party, if I recall correctly. Although I'm not sure why that small group of people needs an entire cooler full of ice/drinks, seems like the fridge would be large enough. 

 

I didn't understand the Alex storyline at all - I assumed when they started heaping all the praise on her for getting into CalTech that she was uncomfortable because she was playing an April Fool's joke on them and really hadn't gotten into CalTech. I thought it was a touching moment between Alex and Jay, with Jay passing the torch (and crown) on to Alex. I didn't care for Cam/Mitchell's storyline, and they didn't seem to have much to do with Claire this week, so they just inserted her wherever they could. 

 

Best line of the episode for me was the one where the doctor said "I'm a doctor, so I'm not allowed to admit that I'm bad at anything".

[MaryMitch]

So wouldn't only the one who drank the "worm" think they needed an ice bath? Or did they share it?

I don't think there was a worm; Luke and Manny just accepted that as fact, and since they were "drunk" they didn't question it. And since it was missing, one of them MUST have drunk it, but they didn't know who.

Edited April 3, 2015 by MaryMitch

[Snow Apple]

So wouldn't only the one who drank the "worm" think they needed an ice bath? Or did they share it?

 

They didn't know which one of them drank the worm so they both got into the bath just in case. What I don't understand is why they didn't just drink pickle juice.

[kathe5133]

Gloria made a point of saying she only had "a leetle" pickle juice left and she drank it!

[biakbiak]

Also. Manny hates pickles!

[DarkRaichu]

Love:

- Jay & Alex talk

- The grill basically burned the receipt out of Phil's hand as he was talking to customer rep (to return the grill)

- Jay & Phil

- Jay & his kids (end credit)

 

Like

- The whole tequilla subplot

- Rotisserie chicken 

 

Not like:

- I do not get what attracts Cam to Mitch and vice versa.  They need to tone Cam down a few notches.  All of his pettiness and high-maintenance traits are turn offs (at least to me).

- Haley and whathisface subplot

- Claire subplot 

Edited April 3, 2015 by DarkRaichu

[DrSpaceman]

Gloria made a point of saying she only had "a leetle" pickle juice left and she drank it!

Or "a leetle peekle" juice.

[partofme]

Just popping in to say I hate the Andy/Haley plot. Drags the show down.

Love anything to do with Phil.

[Stella MD]

Do people really still walk around with checkbooks in their pockets in 2015? Particularly when attending a casual family barbecue, instead of some location where they're expecting to make a major purchase? I rolled my eyes when both Claire and Mitchell whipped them out instantly.

[Shermie]

Nobody uses cheques anymore, most stores don't even accept them. For a show that's usually very modern with it's tech, the chequebook stuff was silly.

Didn't care for the episode. Luke and Manny being that naive about booze was ridiculous, plus they google how to drink tequila and nothing ever comes up about a worm? I find it hard to believe guys that age don't know what liquor tastes and smells like and that they would drink water and be fooled.

I must be the only one who doesn't mind Andy, I don't really care who Haley dates as long as her ego is taken down a peg.

I like Jay and love his interactions with the kids, but I wish he wasn't such an ass to Phil. Just thank him for,the gift and move on.

The fur coats were hideous. If they paid more than $100 for them, they're nuts.

[MaryMitch]

Nobody uses cheques anymore, most stores don't even accept them. For a show that's usually very modern with it's tech, the chequebook stuff was silly.

 

How else would you give someone a large amount of money like that?

 

I don't know anyone who doesn't use checks, and I use them quite often when I don't want to use a credit card.

[LAgator77]

the writers are the ones who decided to make the joke absurdly complicated.)

EVERY joke on this show is absurdly complicated and clunky. Nothing ever happens organically... Everything is FORCED.

 

So happy to see the ratings for this show plummeting. This greedy group of imbeciles are just painful to watch.

[lucindabelle]

People use checks. I pay my co pays with them. Peivate music teachers expect them.

[Perfect Xero]

Didn't care for the episode. Luke and Manny being that naive about booze was ridiculous, plus they google how to drink tequila and nothing ever comes up about a worm? I find it hard to believe guys that age don't know what liquor tastes and smells like and that they would drink water and be fooled.

 

I don't know if water would have fooled me, but I didn't drink liquor for the first time until I was in college.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Re: tequila vs. vodka - when Jay walks in and sees Gloria pouring the liquid in/out of the bottle, he said, "A little early for tequila, isn't it?" Later Luke refers to it as "sweet Mexican treasure." Manny reads about body shots with lime and salt online, which is usually done with tequila. Later during Gloria's fakeout with the doctor, she says, "I've been drinking this tequila and I cannot find the worm." So yeah, it was definitely tequila!

[Snow Apple]

Nobody uses cheques anymore, most stores don't even accept them. For a show that's usually very modern with it's tech, the chequebook stuff was silly.

 

Since you spelled it "cheques," I'm going to assume you're from Europe? From what I understand, checks are practically extinct there, but they are still used in the US. Not as much as before since credit cards and debit cards became common, but we still use them. Most of our stores still accept checks even if they require several forms of ID. 

[Shermie]

Not from Europe, I'm from Canada. But yeah, few people use cheques here. It's debit or credit, stores don't take cheques. Debit is huge here, younger people rarely carry cash either. Even places like auction sales and festivals, debit is king. Cheques are used for occasional person to person transactions, but few people carry a chequebook around.

[DrSpaceman]

I agree it was very odd that Claire and Mitch just happened to have their checkbooks with them, most people don't carry them around everywhere, especially to a party at your dad's house. Only thing most people use checks for anymore are maybe birthday gifts, paying bills and person to person payments/repayments like in this situation.

And yes, I know it was tequila now. My confusion again was water traditionally looks more like vodka than tequila because its clear. Though tequila can be clear as well I think most people don't think of it that way. I suppose if we are assuming they don't know that tequila doesn't taste like water though, they certainly aren't going to know if it does/doesn't look like water.

And body shots I think can be of any drink, they don't have to be tequila, though that may be the most common shot to do that way.