S06.E20: Knock 'Em Down

[formerlyfreedom]

Jay agrees to sub in on Cam’s bowling team for the finals but Cam was not fully upfront about it being an all gay league, which puts Jay in a precarious position. Phil and Claire have a surprisingly good time with unlikely dinner companions, their neighbors Ronnie and Amber, and Gloria and Mitch agree to go clubbing with Haley to prove they’re still young and fun but they didn’t anticipate the pre-party portion of the night.

[MerBearHou]

I laughed out loud several times in this episode. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Enjoyed the neighbors, especially the wife's accent (Minnesota??) and their comments. Son going to Juilliard. Gloria and Mitch dancing to the theme from Antiques Road Show. Oliver Platt. Cam and the fries. Hailey "pre-gaming". Phil calculating the price of the $500 wine bottle -- "that's like 100 of your wine bottles, Claire". As the case has been lately, Alex and Luke were boring to me though -- sorry to say. Serious lack of Lilly in this episode, but I'll get over it -- love Lilly, even a little!

[MaryMitch]

The fact that Jay would even stay on the team after finding out he had to pretend he was gay is pretty amazing, considering that a couple years ago he was actually thinking of not going to Mitch and Cam's wedding. So good for Jay for growing.

[Donny Ketchum]

While I don't feel much sympathy for Cam since he had to trick Jay into joining his league, I did feel bad that the rest of his team had to suffer over Jay's big mouth at the end.

 

Phil and Claire with the neighbors was incredibly fun.  I liked that even the neighbors, as redneck as they were, were as sickened by the statue as Phil and Claire were.  Though at the same time, it caught me by surprise that they were sickened by it.  Still, they bonded over destroying it, so that was nice to see.

 

Didn't pay much mind to Mitchell, Haley, and Gloria's storyline, though.

 

What little Alex and Luke we got was funny, especially the ending scene with Luke drawing his own junk.  I liked how Alex went from enthralled by art to disgusted by it when she saw Luke's drawing.

 

Missed Manny and Lily this week.  While it wasn't noticeable with Manny, I could definitely feel it from Lily.

[DrSpaceman]

Jay trying to be gay was hilarious. Not sure why he told the truth at the end though. Seemed to be out of nowhere.

Really didn't think the Mitch/Gloria/Haley story was that interesting. Its seems like they have done to death the story of "Mitch is feeling old and tries to prove he is young again" Not only was this on the same theme but it was also boring and went nowhere

Loved the statue storyline.

They seem to have just turned Luke into just a little perv. They have crossed the line I think from just another teenage boy doing those things to just a sexual weirdo when he is drawing his junk. ANd it seems any scene he is in he has to mention internet porn or something to do with sex anymore.

Just in general today I realized what bugs me the most about Cam : he gets mad and upset when people view him as a stereotypical gay man, but then turns around and 95% of the time, acts like a stereotypical homosexual. Yes he coaches football and has some manly interests but for the most part otherwise, he just acts out every gay cliche you can stuff into your head. He seems petty and jealous over everyone about everything.

[Latverian Diplomat]

Jay trying to be gay was hilarious. Not sure why he told the truth at the end though. Seemed to be out of nowhere.

 

 

If he just wanted to make the guy feel better, he could have honestly said "I'm married" and left it at that. But they had to set up the "living in fear I'd be found out, do you have any idea what that feels like?" which was probably the joke that inspired that whole subplot.

 

First time I thought the neighbors worked. Having a mix of awkward moments and common ground is better comedy that just neighbors-from-hell, I think.

[tennisgurl]

The time honored tradition of bonding with people through your dislike of more annoying people!

 

Loved everything with Phil, Claire, and the neighbors. And how the neighbors have a son at Julliard and are into fancy wine. I`m always a sucker for the "dumb rednecks who are actually smart" jokes. 

 

 

The fact that Jay would even stay on the team after finding out he had to pretend he was gay is pretty amazing, considering that a couple years ago he was actually thinking of not going to Mitch and Cam's wedding. So good for Jay for growing.

Whats exactly what I was thinking! And he actually committed to acting the part, while still being Jay. The only reason he told the truth was because he felt bad about turning the guy down. He really could have just said he was seeing someone, but sitcoms and all that. 

 

Come on, Mitch and Gloria! You cant tell me you never pre-gamed! Drinks at bars are expensive as hell, you need to build up at home and work your way up! The funniest part of that story was how it mirrored my parents when I tell them my weekend plans, especially when I was an undergrad. 

"Hey, having a good night?"

"Yeah Mom, just heading out!"

"Heading out!?! Your father and I are going to bed!"

[Trick Question]

Oh come on, you have Ed O'Neill in a bowling-themed episode and you couldn't have him let out one Al Bundy-esque STEEEEEEEE-RIKE! for old time's sake?!

[SimoneS]

Great episode. Jay at the bowling alley had me in stitches. I loved how he told Cam that he respected him for using deception to win the competition. Cam's over the top competitiveness was so "Pritchett."

 

Claire and Phil and their neighbors were a hoot. I liked how Claire and Phil discovered that their obnoxious neighbors were actually more classy and middle class than they thought. Claire deciding to help move the statute was so in character as was Phil resisting only to turn around and save them all from the cop's interrogation because he is such a nice honest guy that his clients like him a lot.

 

Gloria and Mitch being unable to party late like when they were young was funny as hell. Unfortunately, I understand it all to well. . :)

Edited April 23, 2015 by SimoneS

[Julie23]

Loved Phil, Claire and the neighbors.

Liked Cam and Jay bowling, except I didn't like that Jay caused Cam to lose his trophy.

I can identify with Gloria and Mitchell. I can't even go out to a late showing of a movie because my husband would fall asleep and possibly snore loudly in the theater.

[mwell345]

Loved the neighbors because I didn't see it coming - the wine knowledge and the son at Julliard and since I love Ed O'Neill in almost anything, I liked the bowling part too.

 

The rest, ok, but at least the families are interacting again. That's what made this show work to begin with.

[EVS]

If he just wanted to make the guy feel better, he could have honestly said "I'm married" and left it at that. But they had to set up the "living in fear I'd be found out, do you have any idea what that feels like?" which was probably the joke that inspired that whole subplot.

 

First time I thought the neighbors worked. Having a mix of awkward moments and common ground is better comedy that just neighbors-from-hell, I think.

I thought he would say that he was married and that his husband's name is Phil.

I agree about the neighbors. I loved that the son was going to Juliard.

[readster]

I really enjoyed it but yeah, saw Jay ruining everything at the end but the rest was great. My wife and I can completely identify with Mitch and Gloria. We are like that too, it comes 10 pm and we are like: "Let's go to bed." While our son wants to be up at all hours and never slows down. First time I really enjoyed the neighbors and the story worked out great. However, Luke has turned into that: "We have no idea what to do with the character and the actor is phoning it in now." I mean at the end that was too much. Alex originally loving the statue but then realizing where everyone was coming from with Luke's drawing was great. The statue neighbors like Alex adored the statue and didn't care what anyone else thought. However, what they like others didn't and even Buddy the Cop didn't like it but he had to uphold the law. 

[EVS]

I really enjoyed it but yeah, saw Jay ruining everything at the end but the rest was great. My wife and I can completely identify with Mitch and Gloria. We are like that too, it comes 10 pm and we are like: "Let's go to bed." While our son wants to be up at all hours and never slows down. First time I really enjoyed the neighbors and the story worked out great. However, Luke has turned into that: "We have no idea what to do with the character and the actor is phoning it in now." I mean at the end that was too much. Alex originally loving the statue but then realizing where everyone was coming from with Luke's drawing was great. The statue neighbors like Alex adored the statue and didn't care what anyone else thought. However, what they like others didn't and even Buddy the Cop didn't like it but he had to uphold the law.

A couple summers ago, our kids started staying up later than us. I told my husband, "That's how you know you're getting old. ". Now they stay up later than us almost every night.

I used to be a total night owl and loved to go out until 3 or 4 am so I could totally relate to the Gloria/Mitch storyline, but I still thought it was pretty boring and predictable.

[readster]

Same here, not until 3 Am but I could get there most easily. Now, not possible.

[Blakeston]

I used to be a total night owl and loved to go out until 3 or 4 am so I could totally relate to the Gloria/Mitch storyline, but I still thought it was pretty boring and predictable.

 

It certainly didn't help that last week they re-aired the one where Mitchell tries to have fun at a club, and realizes he isn't young anymore.

[lucindabelle]

I remember at 21 going out to clubs and bringing sunglasses for the drive home!

Yes, why didn't he just say he was married? Theyd set it up that he knew they'd be disqualified so that was beyond stupid.

LOVED the set up in the restaurant. Guy! Guy! He has a name.

Yes, and it's Guy,

And then the waiter knowing them approving the wine.

And you just know Claire was expecting to hear their son was off to join some nothing and, her deliver of Julliard was hysterical.

Juilliard.

Wakes up with symphonies.

And his this from the woman who ordered fish with my Cabernet.

The neighbors are more complex than we first thought, yes, tattoos, and still open to group sex, etc.... But rich, ambitious for kids. Friendly. Kinda suggests Claire and Phil were snobs. Love that.

[partofme]

This was not my favorite episode.  Way too much Haley who is my least favorite character, and very little Alex and no Manny and Lily at all!  I missed all 3.  Phil always makes me laugh though.

[Blergh]

Let me just say that IMO that Cam was pot calling kettle re stereotypes [as is the whole show]. Never once had any of their gay acquaintances had ever been anything BUT broad stereotypes nor has the show ever dared to show someone who fit some of gay stereotypes to actually turn out to be straight. I know it's a comedy and not a documentary but isn't it possible to find humor in discovering that oneself getting too invested in stereotypes even if one was supposed to be fighting against discrimination ?[off my soapbox now]

[kassa]

LOVED the set up in the restaurant. Guy! Guy! He has a name.

Yes, and it's Guy,

 

 

And the parallel when Phil called the cop "Buddy" and the neighbor wife said "cops hate it when you call them that!" and of course it turned out his name really was Buddy and Phil had sold him a condo.

 

And his this from the woman who ordered fish with my Cabernet.

 

 

Best line of a good show.  

 

The Mitch/Gloria thing touched on similar scenes in the past.  One of my favorite all time Modern Family scenes was Mitch and Cam in their car discussing a concert they didn’t want to go to because they’d get home really late, problems with the venue “...and those STAIRS!”  And then they gasped because pretty much everything they were saying was one of those old (middle-aged, really) things you roll your eyes at when you’re young.  I find myself saying “and those STAIRS!” whenever I hear one of those signs of aging coming out of my mouth.

 

nor has the show ever dared to show someone who fit some of gay stereotypes to actually turn out to be straight.

 

 

I actually agree with your point for the most part, but isn't Jay's best friend (the one married to Jennifer Tilley) straight, even though he hits a lot of the stereotypes?  Or are we just supposed to assume he's in the closet (closet closet)?

 

I think there may also have been an episode early on where Claire was trying on clothes thinking the guy helping her was gay and it turned out he wasn't?  But all in all, they really could do a better job.  Mitch is the only real non-caricature gay person on the show (though he has his moments, and he's thin, has facial hair, and he's neat.)

Edited April 23, 2015 by kassa

[joanne3482]

What I loved most about the Julliard line was how they wanted him to go to college but he just had to focus on his music. That cracked me up. 

 

I love Oliver Platt, but damn, he has not aged well. 

[MargeGunderson]

Let me just say that IMO that Cam was pot calling kettle re stereotypes [as is the whole show]. Never once had any of their gay acquaintances had ever been anything BUT broad stereotypes nor has the show ever dared to show someone who fit some of gay stereotypes to actually turn out to be straight. I know it's a comedy and not a documentary but isn't it possible to find humor in discovering that oneself getting too invested in stereotypes even if one was supposed to be fighting against discrimination ?[off my soapbox now]

 

There is an episode where Cam and Mitch think Jay's friend Shortie (the delightful Chaz Palminteri) is gay because of his interest in clothing and grooming (he asks about Mitch's jacket, where some passing guy gets his hair cut, always in reference to a guy. The disappointing part - for the show, in my opinion - was that Shortie was angry that Jay thought he was gay. I've noticed that in other episodes Shortie always seems to make a remark about clothing or grooming though.

[WickedTuna]

I love Oliver Platt, but damn, he has not aged well.

For some reason I thought they did that for the show. Maybe because I just saw him in a movie from 1999 and it didn't click that was 16 years ago.

Finally, I enjoyed the neighbors. It was good stuff but not enough to see them on a regular basis.

Haley, Mitchell, and Gloria were blah. Personally I think it's strange that now that Haley is 21 they have her going out drinking with family members that are lots older than her.

[peeayebee]

Good ep. I really enjoyed the Claire/Phil and neighbors story, as well as the bowling story. The rest wasn't very interesting or funny.

 

I thought Oliver Pratt was so so good. I loved everything he did.

 

I did not like Jay telling him he wasn't gay. As others here said, that made no sense. The writers should have figured out a different way to do it. Heck, I don't even see why Cam and his team couldn't have just won.

[Pollock]

Oh come on, you have Ed O'Neill in a bowling-themed episode and you couldn't have him let out one Al Bundy-esque STEEEEEEEE-RIKE! for old time's sake?!

Disappointing indeed! But we got "Where's the guy that scored the winning touchdown and was carried off by his team? at the beginning. 

I shouted : HE SCORED FOUR IN ONE GAME! 

Al, I miss you. *sigh*

[Gulftastic]

Totally on side with Gloria and Mitchell. I miss the days when I could drink in a pub all evening, then go onto a club till after 2am, then walk home and still be OK the next day. Night's out need to be followed by a free day now. I'm so old.

 

The 'Guy' and 'Buddy' gags made me laugh, as did the '100 bottles of your wine!'

[Ottis]

They seem to have just turned Luke into just a little perv. They have crossed the line I think from just another teenage boy doing those things to just a sexual weirdo when he is drawing his junk. ANd it seems any scene he is in he has to mention internet porn or something to do with sex anymore.

 

 

When he and Manny suddenly and inexplicably were stealing alcohol a few eps ago, it was WTF. Now he draws his junk and shows his *sister*? That's not normal. And no one seems to care on the show.

Edited April 24, 2015 by Ottis

[Traveller519]

Maybe it's Stockholm Syndrome, but I've enjoyed the second half of the season much more than the first half. There are still some things I wish they'd clean up, like moving Andy on to anything else, exploring Alex's pressure issues and therapy from last season and find something routinely better for Manny and Luke, but at least everyone (and the writers) appears to be trying again.

 

This was a good tie off with the neighbors. Unlikely in real life, but it's a sitcom, so I'll take the begrudging acceptance and reconciliation over common ground. And I like that they did it with Phil still not being comfortable with the idea. Steve Zahn's character explaining hiding in plain sight, was great. Getting Phil together with his Zahn and Kevin Hart neighbors for an episode of man-childness would be good.

[Quickbeam]

DH and I discussed the Jay reveal at length. We thought Jay told the Oliver Platt character the truth because he didn't want to perpetuate the guy's misery. KInd of  guy code thing; it was better to be honest than keep up with the lie to make Cam feel good. 

 

My favorite line was about Zahn's characters fantasies about Clare. And the wife enthusiastically supporting him. 

[Blakeston]

DH and I discussed the Jay reveal at length. We thought Jay told the Oliver Platt character the truth because he didn't want to perpetuate the guy's misery. KInd of  guy code thing; it was better to be honest than keep up with the lie to make Cam feel good.  

 

That was definitely why he did it. It would have worked better, though, if he had just said, "Sorry, Cam, I know you're going to get disqualified, but I just can't lie about this anymore." Instead it came across like he was too dumb to realize that it was going to get them disqualified.

 

And it was pretty contrived, because there are plenty of other ways to spare the guy's feelings, other than saying you're straight.

[Maharincess]

DH and I discussed the Jay reveal at length. We thought Jay told the Oliver Platt character the truth because he didn't want to perpetuate the guy's misery. KInd of guy code thing; it was better to be honest than keep up with the lie to make Cam feel good.

My favorite line was about Zahn's characters fantasies about Clare. And the wife enthusiastically supporting him.

This is probably a stupid question but what is a DH?

[Lone Wolf]

Nitpicking, but I couldn't buy the premise of a pornographic statue in a family neighborhood - IRL I don't think it would have survived long enough to be an issue in these overly PC times.

I was actually feeling kind of bad for Martin until he killed it by gloating over the disqualification. It was consistent with the character however, not really having much else in his life and being Cam's arch rival.

I thought the Luke-drawing-his-junk-joke was the weakest part of the show.

"The Britney Spares". HA!(Edna Krabappel voice).

[deSchenke]

This is probably a stupid question but what is a DH?

DH = Dear Husband. 

[anna0852]

When he and Manny suddenly and inexplicably were stealing alcohol a few eps ago, it was WTF. Now he draws his junk and shows his *sister*? That's not normal. And no one seems to care on the show.

Given the experiences I've had dealing with teenage boys, alcohol and their 'junk' are both high up the priority scale. 

[Maharincess]

DH = Dear Husband.

Thanks. Is there any particular reason why that is done instead of just saying husband?

I'm not up on all of these acronyms.

[mansonlamps]

Come on, Mitch and Gloria can't stay up late partying for one single evening? I went to Purdue last weekend and was irritated when one of our party made is leave the bars at midnight since I was having so much fun. And I'm a lot older than Mitch or Gloria.

[readster]

Come on, Mitch and Gloria can't stay up late partying for one single evening? I went to Purdue last weekend and was irritated when one of our party made is leave the bars at midnight since I was having so much fun. And I'm a lot older than Mitch or Gloria.

 

 Yeah but Gloria does have a 3 year old at home that takes up a lot of her energy most of the time. Mitch is busy running around doing his job, pleasing Cam's constant whining and Lily's various activities. I can see how tired they can get so easily. 

[jbrecken]

I thought he would say that he was married and that his husband's name is Phil.

Or he could have said he lives with a guy named Joe, who he loves more than anything.

[DrSpaceman]

Nitpicking, but I couldn't buy the premise of a pornographic statue in a family neighborhood - IRL I don't think it would have survived long enough to be an issue in these overly PC times.I was actually feeling kind of bad for Martin until he killed it by gloating over the disqualification. It was consistent with the character however, not really having much else in his life and being Cam's arch rival.I thought the Luke-drawing-his-junk-joke was the weakest part of the show."The Britney Spares". HA!(Edna Krabappel voice).

That statue is the type of thing neighborhood associations and those who run them, and I am sure there is a powerful one in that neighborhood, just live to quickly crush (figuratively) rather quickly. They would have had that thing removed or the family owners in court pretty quickly if it was that bad. I can't imagine their being no rule against it in the neighborhood.

[kat165]

The statue was blurred out so we couldn't see how/why it was so offensive. Which reminds me of older eps where Cam is wearing these tight blue shorts & they're always blurred out. Does anyone know why? Is it suppose to be humorous?

[zxern]

Never once had any of their gay acquaintances had ever been anything BUT broad stereotypes nor has the show ever dared to show someone who fit some of gay stereotypes to actually turn out to be straight.

 

 

Well that's not entirely true, both Teddy (mitches ex) and Dave(Matthew Broderick) weren't sterotypes. 

 

But yeah it's the typical sitcom writer lazyness to fall back on sterotypes for jokes and plot lines.  As the show gets older the more they fall back on this and the worse the characters become.  They were all much more reasonable and realistic in the 1st season. 

[Lone Wolf]

That statue is the type of thing neighborhood associations and those who run them, and I am sure there is a powerful one in that neighborhood, just live to quickly crush (figuratively) rather quickly. They would have had that thing removed or the family owners in court pretty quickly if it was that bad. I can't imagine their being no rule against it in the neighborhood.

Word. My HOA comes down with furious vengeance on residents who don't bring in their trash cans in a timely manner after they're emptied. As it should be - we pay dearly for the privilege of living in this community, and I'm guessing the Dunphys do as well.

 

The statue was blurred out so we couldn't see how/why it was so offensive. Which reminds me of older eps where Cam is wearing thesetight blue shorts & they're always blurred out. Does anyone know why? Is it suppose to be humorous?

There was something said to the effect that the statue was made of marble and wood, and there was more "wood" than marble, so there you go. As for Cam, my assumption was always mooseknuckle (Google it - today's Sunday so I'm being discreet).

Edited April 26, 2015 by Lone Wolf

[Maharincess]

I will never live where there is an HOA. Never,ever. Nobody will ever tell me where I can park my car or what kind of flowers I can plant in my own yard. No way.

I'd have as many dirty statues as I wanted.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Maharincess

[Mittengirl]

Are we sure the Dunphys live in an HOA neighborhood? Not all upscale areas are.

[anna0852]

Are we sure the Dunphys live in an HOA neighborhood? Not all upscale areas are.

I don't think they do. When the new neighbors moved in and drove Claire nuts with the boat, she only mentioned calling the city not the HOA.

[mansonlamps]

To each their own but I love my beautiful, clean neighborhood that is patrolled by our HOA. For the most part they are very reasonable and will work with you when you have an issue like when my garage door broke and I couldn't take my garbage cans inside until I had a chance to be home to have it fixed. Literally took a whole month because I work so many hours and they never hassled me at all even though that is a strict taboo. I guess it's what you are willing to agree to do when you buy your house but in the end I'd be happy to have a regulation preventing my neighbor from having a pornographic statue on display!

[Thog]

After many years of perusing (and laughing at) the SkyMall catalog, Mr. Thor and I are convinced the statue was the "Hercules and Diomedes" statue from Design Toscano (not sure if it's appropriate to show here, but it's easily Googled). It's the right mix of classical and offensive, and we're pretty sure we recognized the feet. I always thought it would make a great feature for a sit-com, so I was tickled to see it.

[TheLastKidPicked]

Which reminds me of older eps where Cam is wearing these tight blue shorts & they're always blurred out. Does anyone know why? Is it suppose to be humorous?

 

This is another gag that falls flat-- unless you know somebody like this and then it is hilarious!

 

We have a friend who is much too old to be wearing those shorty shorts, and people avert their eyes when he comes into the room.  If you know somebody like that, then Cam's blue shorts are pretty funny.

 

It's like,  "Those shorts show so much that they actually had to blur them out!"

[Shermie]

For those who think Oliver Platt hasn't aged well, he is 55. I think he has aged normally. Maybe viewers are too used to the weird fake botoxed and surgeried version of aging in Hollywood.

As for Mitch and Gloria being too tired? Please. What exactly is Gloria so tired from? Running from her massage appointment to her mani-pedi? Telling her nanny and housekeeper what she wants done? Tottering around on 5-inch heels all day? She can do all that stuff, I don't care, but please don't play the "I'm exhausted" card. It's an insult to people who actually work, clean their homes and do all the childcare.

I could say the same for Mitch, since he has one self-sufficient child and a SAH spouse. But at least he has a job.

[Donny Ketchum]

I could say the same for Mitch, since he has one self-sufficient child and a SAH spouse. But at least he has a job.

If "SAH" means "stay-at-home," Cam coaches for the high school, remember?  He has a job, too.