S07.E11: Spread Your Wings

[whatsatool]

Really great ep. I'd have to watch it again to get all the jokes. Lots of great quotes. Great job writers.

[Eolivet]

I loved this episode -- the absolute perfect mix of humor and heart. I laughed, I smiled, I teared up. Oh, robots. Oh, ducks. Oh, prom dress.

 

I just adored all the plots tonight, but Ty Burrell...man, he is just so good.

[giovannif7]

Loved Mitchell's Pho Pas line.

 

I'm glad see the duck storyline pay off so well - I was wondering where they were going with it.

 

SO glad Alex took the (literal) plunge at the end.

 

Can Ty Burrell please be my daddy?

Edited January 14, 2016 by giovannif7

[Driad]

Ty Burrell was featured on last week's episode of "Finding Your Roots." 

http://www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots/profiles/ty-burrell/

 

I missed part of Alex's story line.  Was she deciding whether to quit college (which would be silly)?

[K-9]

I missed part of Alex's story line.  Was she deciding whether to quit college (which would be silly)?

Alex wanted to move back home and commute instead.  Maybe her phone call to her dad at the end (following the jump into the pool) was indicative of deciding to stay in her dorm.  Fits with the "Spread Your Wings" episode title. Edited January 14, 2016 by K-9

[VCRTracking]

I'm glad Phil is letting both Alex and the ducks go. I wondered if that was Alex' old prom dress because I remembered that it was pink but checked and it was a different one, so Phil bought her a new one!

 

I laughed at Mitchell bowing with hands together at the other girl's mom who was just bending down to pick up her purse!

 

Favorite scene: Cameron and Gloria's "breakup" and the commentaries from both Mitchell and Manny.

 

Favorite line: "Get up! I'm not losing to the Vietnamese twice in a lifetime!"

Edited January 14, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Bobbin]

I love how no matter how crazy all of the plot lines get, it all comes together at the end. I, too, vote for Phil as Father of the Year. Too bad the writers don't know what to do with Nolan Gould now that he's grown up and blossomed.

[Artsda]

A really great episode!

Loved Alex putting on the dress and choosing to try more at the end.

Letting the ducks go and fly. Awww.
 

 

Too bad the writers don't know what to do with Nolan Gould now that he's grown up and blossomed.

I think it's more Manny they don't know what to do with. 

Edited January 14, 2016 by Artsda

[jjj]

Adding to the chorus that loved this episode.  Had we seen the sauce discussed previously?  The Farmer Cam label was actually very folksy; probably would buy that more than Gloria in a pose.  The sauce sure *looked* good!

 

I really appreciated the mother of one of the girls showing up while they were in production mode, and saw it as a sweatshop line, then hustled her daughter out of there.  Also enjoyed Jay and his stories of wearing out the children at the kids' sleepovers. 

 

And the prom dress in the brown grocery bag was really sweet.  He really showed Alex the way forward. 

[Kanner]

I really liked this episode.  It started off strong with Clair trying to "subtely" tell Luke and Hayley that they would get rid of the ducks and them just not getting it.

 

I have always liked Phil but it has become clear as the seasons go by that he is the best thing about the show.

 

The whole inappropriateness of Mitch and the girls was great (the bowing, the sweatshop, etc.).

[readster]

I'm agreeing with everyone else, great episode and that Phil really is the best character on the show. Followed by Jay. The problem with Luke and Manny is they don't know what to do with them. Gould is phoning in his lines all the time and not to mention, they have decided to capitalize on his characters flaws to the extreme. Thinking it will be funny and it makes Luke look so stupid, its amazing he knows how to tie his shoes. He has been "Jaked" (Two and a Half Men reference). While the stories from Mitch's unemployment to Gloria trying to do something outside of being the trophy wife. Manny has either had extremely stupid story lines that go against the character or given one problem that is never brought up again. They really could have worked with Manny dealing with being a big brother more and not being the only child any more with Joe. However, we get an episode where Manny is jealous or Joe does something to mess up a date or situation he is in. Its a done in one and then we never deal with it again. Same goes with Haley this season, so  now they can have her and Andy together, but that's all it is. Very few fans like Andy and the entire situation getting them together has made them look horrible.  Haley has this crazy boss and is working in her dream filed, but she is going nowhere with it or complains how "hard" it is. She might be attractive, but her boobs and hair aren't going to get her through life all the time. 

  I feel sorry for Phil, because he is a good guy and a good dad, who does try to still have fun in life. I mean, why not. He has been very successful despite problems in the realstate business. He sticks up for his family when someone hurts them. He doesn't just jump into something, he actually looks into it first before he does one of his crazy projects. Yet, Claire is always trying to find a way to undermine it. Haley has no direction in life, Alex hates change and Luke has gotten to the point to its amazing if he knows how to use the bathroom by himself. He's not perfect, but when I look at all the characters on the show, I feel the most sad for Phil. Because he is a good guy and his family is basically a failure of self-centered asses. 

Edited January 14, 2016 by readster

[AriAu]

Why was Phil in the bow tie/tweed jacket look this episode? Knowing the writers and producers, it was not an accident, but I have not figured it out..

 

Loved the meta lines about the 3 ducks/3 kids parallel, especially Haley saying, "look at that one with giant brown eyes taking up half her face"

[seacliffsal]

I agree with every previous comment and perspective. I just loved this episode-and, at the last scene with Alex on the phone with Phil I actually teared up which I don't remember doing with this show before. I really liked Phil's line when he acknowledged that he doesn't always listen to Claire, as that mirrors my own reaction to her at times. I also really enjoyed Jay and Mitchell working together to tire out the girls. I most appreciate it when characters are working together. Everything about this episode worked for me. I hope that the writers continue in this mode.

[Ina123]

Favorite line: "Get up! I'm not losing to the Vietnamese twice in a lifetime!"

 

So funny  and so Jay.

 

Loved the stereotypical "Asian sweat shop" with Cam and Mitchell oblivious..

[MaryMitch]

Why was Phil in the bow tie/tweed jacket look this episode? Knowing the writers and producers, it was not an accident, but I have not figured it out..

I think that was Phil's idea of what adults (non-students) wear at that college.

 

Loved the meta lines about the 3 ducks/3 kids parallel, especially Haley saying, "look at that one with giant brown eyes taking up half her face"

That was great!

[Traveller519]

Well done everyone involved. This was an episode I felt like I enjoyed for the episode, and didn't have to justify it based on little parts. It was character driven, didn't have guest star crutches, funny and sweet. And most of all no one was overly annoying.

 

Maybe its just knowing what Ariel Winter has been through in her own life these past few years, but I find these episodes that delve into her complicated psyche to be the most interesting and compelling.

 

I'm wondering if we're leading to a break up/separation for Mitch and Cam. For the second week in a row, they were separated by the need of the plot. And the "Junk Drawer" episode certainly seemed to hint at some troubles in their relationship. Even Cam's gesture of going back to turn off the light in that episode was after Mitch rolled his eyes heavily at it happening again.

[peeayebee]

Why was Phil in the bow tie/tweed jacket look this episode? Knowing the writers and producers, it was not an accident, but I have not figured it out..

 

I think he was going for the professor look.

 

I enjoyed this ep, too. All of the storylines were good.

 

Something I was expecting to happen was Cam and Gloria being caught picking peppers. Oh, and then I expected Claire, Luke, and Haley to be caught trying to steal ducks. I don't mind that neither happened.

 

Loved Cam's breakdown. Loved Jay doing aerobics. Loved Phil period. I understand Alex being bugged by his goofing around in the robotics lab, but I thought it was funny when he was playing with the robot hands. "Jazz hands!"

[mansonlamps]

I enjoyed the episode a lot, but I did almost throw up when Mitchell referred to Gloria as "the most beautiful woman in the world."  God, does it never stop with the fawning over her?  Blech.

[AbsoluteShower]

I sure hope that Mitch and Cam's garage had been approved for food production, otherwise the next plot line might be "Gloria's sauce causes salmonella outbreak"...

[DarkRaichu]

Adding to the chorus that loved this episode.  Had we seen the sauce discussed previously?  The Farmer Cam label was actually very folksy; probably would buy that more than Gloria in a pose.  The sauce sure *looked* good!

 

The sauce was in the episode where Cam brought his award winning BBQ sauce to a dinner and Gloria's sauce basically was better.  She showed him the recipe written on an old piece of paper and Cam accidentally burn it by holding it over a candle.  They worked together to reverse engineer the sauce and went to a business together as the result.

[DarkRaichu]

I loved this episode -- the absolute perfect mix of humor and heart. I laughed, I smiled, I teared up. Oh, robots. Oh, ducks. Oh, prom dress.

 

I just adored all the plots tonight, but Ty Burrell...man, he is just so good.

 

I agreed this was basically the best episode this season and everything worked.  If I could like Eolivet's comment 100 times, I would ;)

 

So many little details from Jay towards the end.  I liked how Jay put the girls to sleep by reading one of his closet assembly manuals.  "I guess I am still the king" he said as he put blanket over Mitch AND rubbed his hair gently (like a father would).  He then picked up Jane Fonda exercise tape as he left.  LOVE it!

[indeed]

Good episode. I especially enjoyed Phil and Jay, but didn't mind any of the pairings. Glad the ducks got their send-off (cute but enough)...and Gloria could more than handle Cam without winding up giving in a bit (like Mitchell tends to do). This is yet another episode this season, though, that felt out of order.

I for one need the break with Cam and Mitchell since Cam so far seems less annoying with other characters. I don't necessarily think it means there is any trouble with those two, just that the writers realize they need to shake up the character interactions a bit. I liked that Jay and Mitchell got to hang out and, yes, the hair ruffle was a nice touch.

[DrSpaceman73]

I enjoyed this episode.

However, I find Alex annoying now. Even on the nerdiest campus in the country, she is the nerdiest and most uptight of them all. Glad Phil convinced her to stay, by tricking her. I just tire of the repeated themes of "Alex struggles with being a hard driven Type A outside", learns a lesson from Phil, or Haley, or someone. It's more the writing than anything. Can't they come up with anything new?

And where is Andy recently?

[Bobbin]

Phil fancies himself as an inventor. I got the impression he was going for the "Bill Nye, the Science Guy" look. For anyone who doesn't know, Nolan (Luke) has belonged to Mensa since he was eight! Both boys have matured beyond their characters' roles. Kids grow up. The writers need to keep up.

[peeayebee]

I forgot to mention that I believe the scenes with Cam & Gloria picking peppers and with Claire, Luke, and Haley releasing the ducks were both filmed at the nearby South Coast Botanical Gardens. There's a pond there, but with the drought it's been pretty low. I don't think we actually saw a shot of the water while the people in the frame, so I think that part was cut in from another location. Anyway, the neat thing about these gardens is that it was built on top of a landfill.

[tenativelyyours]

Well I'll voice an unpopular opinion I guess.  I felt the show was incredibly weak trite and predictable.  The show always deals in parallels, I get it.  But these were so heavy handed I felt bruised and violated by the end of the show.  I've never been impressed with the show as much as critics and those who hand out awards.  It was always too deliberately bland.  But at least I saw effort.  Last night was so bad that I felt the actors were skyping in their performances from their various vacation/hiatus locales.  The only attempts at some wit where the bits with the whole 'nothing but nerds here' approach to Alex's school.

 

Somehow I think had this happened in the first season, the show would have ended with Jay and Cameron continuing in finding common ground and bonding by grilling themselves some duck with a dash of Gloria's sauce.  And dumbass Phil raving about how tender it is while Claire gives the camera yet another weighted look.

[mojito]

Finally, I've been rewarded for not giving up on this show.

Edited January 15, 2016 by mojito

[AbsoluteShower]

Agree with everyone on Ty Burrell's performance in this episode - he was tjust the right mix of slightly stupid Phil ("they're rising up!!!") and great dad Phil. The look on his face when he asked Alex not to be mad was just wonderful...

[Traveller519]

This season has been an interesting one of Phil wrestling with being a Dad to children who are now essentially adults.

 

There was the house showing with Luke (kicking off the Duck episodes) where he knew when to give Luke his space, seemingly having learned his lessons with his two daughters. There was the frank discussion with Andy after everyone caught Haley making out with him, and not trying to be friendly. And now this episode.

 

While the others have evolved into more cartoon-ish versions of their prior selves. It's cool to see the route Ty Burrell has taken Phil.

[LakeLover]

I, too, really enjoyed this episode. I won't echo what everyone else has said, but I've been particularly touched by Phil - both his verbal smackdown with Andy a few episodes ago, and his knowing exactly what Alex needed in this one.

 

Well, I'll echo one thing: Jay putting the girls to sleep by reading the closet instructional manual was genius on the writers' parts.

Edited January 15, 2016 by LakeLover

[spanana]

I enjoyed this episode.

However, I find Alex annoying now. Even on the nerdiest campus in the country, she is the nerdiest and most uptight of them all. Glad Phil convinced her to stay, by tricking her. I just tire of the repeated themes of "Alex struggles with being a hard driven Type A outside", learns a lesson from Phil, or Haley, or someone. It's more the writing than anything. Can't they come up with anything new?

 

I don't remotely think that we are supposed to think that Alex is the nerdiest nerd on campus.  Not even close.  Being a nerd and being uptight are two completely different things.  I think it was more about how Alex just has a really hard time putting herself out there to meet people.   She's someone who has always been very much a loner, and the friends she did have were probably people she knew all her life.  So I can see how it's not so easy for her to just dive right into college from a social POV.  You don't change overnight just because somebody tells you you are too uptight once or twice.

 

Though I will say this episode reminded me why I don't love when kids who go away to school do so where they are close enough to run home every five minutes.  I had a cousin that did that and it took her way longer to adjust to college life because she would run home any time she was homesick or lonely.  Kids aren't forced to stick it out.

 

But at least the episode showed Alex taking a step towards the end and it didn't end with her rolling back up to her parents house.

Edited January 15, 2016 by spanana

[whatsatool]

Like I said I will be happy to see this episode in reruns. The robots, the sleepover and that stealth wit that Modern Family is so good at. They have more jokes in five minutes than most sitcoms have all year.

[mojito]

 

Kids aren't forced to stick it out.

That's exactly why I like to see kids go away to college. They'll do anything to return to their college friends after Christmas and summer breaks (they just don't click as much with their high school friends), and that requires getting passing grades. 

[Bobbin]

I can't get over how every episode has so many disasters that it seems impossible that it all will come together in the last five minutes, but it always does. I was afraid the ducks would take a swan dive off the roof, but you have to learn to trust Phil. Phil and Luke are certainly two of a kind, always coming up with the right answer when it counts, no matter how off-the-wall the thought process getting there.

[DrSpaceman73]

I don't remotely think that we are supposed to think that Alex is the nerdiest nerd on campus.  Not even close.  Being a nerd and being uptight are two completely different things.  I think it was more about how Alex just has a really hard time putting herself out there to meet people.   She's someone who has always been very much a loner, and the friends she did have were probably people she knew all her life.  So I can see how it's not so easy for her to just dive right into college from a social POV.  You don't change overnight just because somebody tells you you are too uptight once or twice.

 

Though I will say this episode reminded me why I don't love when kids who go away to school do so where they are close enough to run home every five minutes.  I had a cousin that did that and it took her way longer to adjust to college life because she would run home any time she was homesick or lonely.  Kids aren't forced to stick it out.

 

But at least the episode showed Alex taking a step towards the end and it didn't end with her rolling back up to her parents house.

Alex really didn't seem to have many friends in high school or enjoy high school. It seemed like she was waiting to get to college to find more people and friends with her own particular interests.

Now she is in college though, and she is acting the same way. And it doesn't seem like its trouble finding others to be friends with. She said she had been to parties and the one person on campus approached her, in a friendly manner, about the prom dress jumping thing. She just seems to treat it all with lack of interest and seems only interested, still, in studying and little else. The dorm is too loud and she needs noise cancelling head phones. At some point its not the environment, or everyone else, or adjusting to college. Part of it seems to be her and her attitude towards others

She is on a large campus full of very smart people and with literally hundreds of clubs and social events, and she can't find anything in any of it that's her likes besides her classes? At some point I just find it tiresome.

[ari333]

Wow I am a nerd dolt doofus,  but I'll say this anyway.  I hated that Alex jumped in the pool in that dress or jumped in at all. It's not her thing.... and I totally get that.

I hated toga parties and "be sure not to wear a bra" parties and "wear your underwear on the outside " parties and "chug tequila" parties. HATED THEM all and did not fit in. I also hated loud music til 3 am . I'll shutty now. I guess Im saying that I get the Alex character.

 

Loved the ducks!

Edited January 17, 2016 by ari333

[missnanners]

But there are plenty of other clubs, organizations, and scenes that don't fall into those outgoing party stereotypes, for all types of people especially if you choose a college that suits your character. If you took a philosophy class, you might meet people into hanging out at the coffee house, if you're into music, you could easily find live performances. I was never into mixers or theme party / events, but I definitely found my niche in college. I was friendly enough with people in the dorm or class or my campus job to accompany me to things where I met people I clicked with even better. College is often great validation for those who felt like outsiders throughout high school. Though I will admit, it took me a semester to get out of my shell.

I actually really didn't like that Phil still kinda pushed her - as gently as he did - into that event, after she said she's not like him and already tried events like the cannonball thingy. A better ending to me would be Phil encouraging her to keep an open mind towards people and seek out things she's interested in (maybe that's how he found cheerleading) and her meeting someone at the library or something.

[spanana]

I just think it takes some people longer to find their niche than others.  Yes, Alex might find her place at school.  Or she may not.  She is still in her first semester presumably, so it's not totally crazy that she doesn't feel at home yet.  Especially since she's going to school close to home and probably jumps in the car to head home on weekends and any time she has a family anything.  Maybe Alex spent her entire life waiting to get to college to be with people like herself and then got there and realized that the other people weren't the problem.  I also don't honestly think Phil was pushing Alex to be more outgoing so much as to at least try a little harder to find her place and find what she's into at college as opposed to immediately running back home.  

 

I'd also argue that the show has been fairly inconsistent in terms of writing Alex's socialization over the years.  Sometimes it seems like has no friends and she hates everyone.  Then other times she's got a band of dorks worshipping her and she's in a fairly cool band band performing at coffee shops.  

[CleoCaesar]

I'd also argue that the show has been fairly inconsistent in terms of writing Alex's socialization over the years.  Sometimes it seems like has no friends and she hates everyone.  Then other times she's got a band of dorks worshipping her and she's in a fairly cool band band performing at coffee shops.

 

Preach it. It's annoying that the writers have no sense of continuity with Alex's character. She gave a speech at her middle-school graduation that had people inviting her to parties, plays and sings in a cool band, has had a number of admirers and boyfriends (ambiguously gay Michael, Alec who the Dunphys thought was fake, the tattooed bad boy after Alec, Sanjay). She's cute and smart, and should have literally zero problem making at least a couple of friends.

 

And yet the writers seem to forget all of this and write her as an asocial misanthrope who's never been kissed. Stop it, writers!

[readster]

Preach it. It's annoying that the writers have no sense of continuity with Alex's character. She gave a speech at her middle-school graduation that had people inviting her to parties, plays and sings in a cool band, has had a number of admirers and boyfriends (ambiguously gay Michael, Alec who the Dunphys thought was fake, the tattooed bad boy after Alec, Sanjay). She's cute and smart, and should have literally zero problem making at least a couple of friends.

 

And yet the writers seem to forget all of this and write her as an asocial misanthrope who's never been kissed. Stop it, writers!

 Exactly! Yet, they have to beat us over the head from Haley that she is so "uncool" and can't dress. Or that she always has to be snarky with her family or how she wanted to be out on her own and away from her "crazy family" yet, she wants to run home because she can't fit in at college.

[jhlipton]

I really liked this episode.  It started off strong with Clair trying to "subtely" tell Luke and Hayley that they would get rid of the ducks and them just not getting it.

 

I was sincerely thinking that she was going to cook them...

[needschocolate]

I was sincerely thinking that she was going to cook them...

 

Payback for making her eat crickets?

[SimoneS]

Great episode. It was as if the writers turned back the clock to the first season. My eyes might have been a little wet at the end when Alex called Phil. Haley and Luke going into the pond after the ducks cracked me up as did Jay doing aerobics. Gloria, Cam, and Manny were also fun. Hopefully, we get  more episodes like this one in the remainder of this season.

[jhlipton]

Payback for making her eat crickets?

 

I hadn't thought of that!  LOL