S09.E02: The Long Goodbye

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Phil and Claire realize that Alex may be more self-sufficient in college than they give her credit for when they drop in for a quick visit. Meanwhile, Manny is determined to avoid a long tearful goodbye after Gloria and Jay move him into his college dorm. Finally, Mitch may have accidentally accelerated a planned renovation, and Hayley gets an unexpected opportunity when she befriends a wealthy female member at the country club.

[Roaster]

I'm digging Gloria's haircut.

Setting a fire in your kitchen to have an excuse for a remodel?  They didn't speak the words "insurance fraud" but that must have been a motivation.  (You can remodel a kitchen that hasn't been burned, but the insurance company doesn't pay for it.)

I don't know if I like members of America's favorite upstanding sitcom family committing fraud.

[Nordly Beaumont]

But they didn't, Mitch didn't know the smoothy machine made sparks until after the fire.

I liked it when Hayley pointed out a guy for Vanessa Williams and VW said "That's a golf bag, but you're starting to get me." Great delivery.

And I loved the visual joke of Luke walking behind Hayley as he said "in one ear... and out the other." It took them awhile, but I like where they've landed with Luke's character.

I was hoping they'd redo the opening with a new picture of Mitch/Cam/Lily. She's so different now, it seems silly to have the old pic of Cam holding her.

[useryikes]

It was an OK episode. 

Vanessa Williams is pretty hard looking.  Claire looks like somebody else, but I can't think of who.  I do like Gloria's hair.

[suzyq8017]

I still can’t get past Julie Bowen’s face. She looks so different and I also thought she resembled someone. I kept thinking a Bravo housewife, but I’m not sure which. Maybe Tamara? 

[Traveller519]

I officially don't care that the writers have dialled the precocious-meter on Joe up to 82. His delivery of "What if I told you, you could have Christmas everyday?" slayed me. It may be overly whimsical, but the fresh material is completely welcome! 

Oh, and on a show known for its wordplay, the air shower jokes may have made me laugh the most since "Offensive Line" way back when.

[AnnaRose]

1 hour ago, Roaster said:

Setting a fire in your kitchen to have an excuse for a remodel?  They didn't speak the words "insurance fraud" but that must have been a motivation.  (You can remodel a kitchen that hasn't been burned, but the insurance company doesn't pay for it.)

I wasn't paying close attention to this episode, but I was surprised they were discussing the theory that Cam set the fire on purpose right in front of a kitchen full of firefighters.  And Mitch is a lawyer, so it seemed extra stupid.  Arson and insurance fraud are serious crimes.  Maybe I'm remembering wrong and the firefighters were out of earshot when they were saying incriminating things???  (And yes, I did get that it was the blender that sparked the fire, not Cam leaving the oven on... I just thought their earlier behavior, while the firefighters were there, was crazy stupid.)

Traveller519 - I think Joe is adorable, although I know there are people here who can't stand him.  I think he delivers his lines surprisingly well and usually manages to elicit at least some smiles from me, if not full on laughs.  The 'Christmas every day' line was funny and unexpected.

[NUguy514]

I haven't noticed Julie Bowen's face looking particularly different (I haven't really been looking, though, to be fair), but Sarah Hyland's new lips have been beyond distracting.  I can't look at anything else in her scenes.

[Scott]

4 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

And I loved the visual joke of Luke walking behind Hayley as he said "in one ear... and out the other."

That, and the Luke/Rhonda angel/devil on Haley's shoulders as she decided what to do, were my favorite parts of the episode.

[voiceover]

How did I miss last week's premiere?  I think I sat through 500 premiere ads for the whole ABC comedy lineup, excepting this show & The Middle.

So I don't know how Luke got this job (probably explained last season, right?), or why Haley's with him, or where Manny's  going to school (UCLA?).  Obviously, my interest in this show is in the ICU, only sustained by USA reruns.

Co-sign the insurance fraud issue.  And if that fireman didn't hear, it's because he was singing a loud song in his head, since he was close enough to Mitch & Cam in that moment.

There's someone in the cast who hasn't aged well.  And I'm not talking about one of the parents.  I feel mean for even pointing out the obvious.

[biakbiak]

48 minutes ago, voiceover said:

So I don't know how Luke got this job (probably explained last season, right?), or why Haley's with him, or where Manny's  going to school (UCLA?).

Luke got his job through Jay because it's his club it might have been even two seasons ago but he is really good at it. This episode introduced Hailey working there and explained that she was trying to save up to get an apartment, I don't know if it's specifically been stated what college Manny is at.

[voiceover]

Thanks @biakbiak! 

[readster]

3 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Luke got his job through Jay because it's his club it might have been even two seasons ago but he is really good at it. This episode introduced Hailey working there and explained that she was trying to save up to get an apartment, I don't know if it's specifically been stated what college Manny is at.

Yep, Haley never learns, still wants to have the easy and fun job to make a lot of money, but can't work for it. Or she gets the job she wants and then has a boss or supervisor who is insane. Speaking of insane, a voice activated cleaning unit. I'm sorry, I know the writers were trying to be funny and explain that it keeps your hands from picking up dirt by being voice activated. But there wasn't an activation switch to press before you enter the room. Plus, what is with the Modern Family universe where colleges have "maximum" settings or have their units attached to big red buttons? Not surprising Manny's roommates packed up and left because he was "too much". It's the beginning of school again and nice how Alex can't hear her parents through glass, but the other student can hear people no problem. Then add in the fact that Mitch and Cam are talking about burning the kitchen on purpose and the firefighters are just sweeping up and going about their jobs. 

[docmatt]

When Haley was going on about how well Vanessa Williams had held up, I was mostly noticing that she ... hadn't

[luna1122]

I am never good at seeing when someone has had plastic surgery, apparently, unless they come out looking like the joker. Neither Claire nor Haley look any different to me.

I saw Vanessa Williams on a New York street after she'd performed on Broadway once many years ago and thought she was practically the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in real life.  Ah well. Time sucks. She looks a little rough, but then again, so do I.

Nobody actually set the kitchen of fire on purpose, and I think even when Mitch was speculating, he didn't believe Cam had done it deliberately, just subconsciously. Do they still have Larry the Cat? (or whatever iteration of Larry they were on last). First thing that I thought of was how terrible this family is to pets (Stella aside, tho Gloria would still  hit her with a shovel  if she never got caught at it, I fear).

I'd run screaming if Manny was my roommate too.

[SimoneS]

I have really liked the first two episodes this season. It feels like the old show. I think Vanessa Williams looks good. I should look that good in my 50s. Julie Bowen on the other hand... It is made worse that she is in the same show with Sofia Vergara who is more careful with her cosmetic surgery and looks more stunning every season. Her new hair cut is sharp. I blame our society and Hollywood for putting so much pressure on women.

I love Alex. I don't like the guy she is dating though. Claire and Phil in the clean room was hilarious. They are great parents though.

Hayley will never learn. She and Vanessa's character had great chemistry. I like the Luke is now the more reliable one. He was so spazzy as a kid.

Oh, Manny. He needs to live with his parents until he meets the right woman. He will never survive living by himself and his roommates won't survive him.

Cam and Mitch's story was okay, but I thought the weakest. I am amazed at how tall Lily is now.

Edited October 5, 2017 by SimoneS

[readster]

42 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

I have really liked the first two episodes this season. It feels like the old show. I think Vanessa Williams looks good. I should look that good in my 50s. Julie Bowen on the other hand... It is made worse that she in the same show with Sofia Vergara who is more careful with her cosmetic surgery and looks more stunning every season. Her new hair cut is sharp. I blame our society and Hollywood for putting so much pressure on women.

I love Alex. I don't like the guy she is dating though. Claire and Phil in the clean room was hilarious. They are great parents though.

Hayley will never learn. She and Vanessa's character had great chemistry. I like the Luke is now the more reliable one. He was so spazzy as a kid.

Oh, Manny. He needs to live with his parents until he meets the right woman. He will never survive living by himself and his roommates won't survive him.

Cam and Mitch's story was okay, but I thought the weakest. I am amazed at how tall Lily is now.

 

Hayley usually has great chemistry with any special guest stars on the show I have noticed over the years and I do hope they continue where they are going with Luke. He doesn't have to spazzy or so stupid he forgets to tie his shoes. Being good at the club, moving up to management is great. I could see Luke not street smart, but knows management pretty well. 

 As for Manny, I agree, I don't think he can survive on his own and now in college, I can see him continuing to do fine academically and even find women who like his personality and so forth, but he is so uptight about his living style that it's going to drive people away even if he gets a roommate who doesn't shower and rather bring home a new girl every night.  As for Cam and Mitch, can't they have a decent story without constantly hiding something from the other, or buying something that doesn't work or really expensive. They were lucky just the kitchen burned down. That kind of fire could have sent the entire house on fire. I am surprise the smoothie machine sparked when only being used. Because how did it spark while they were gone and not in use? I mean, Cam's sister would have noticed; "Hey, what's burning?" if she saw to put the stove off. 

[Blakeston]

For the love of all that is holy, will the writers please ditch Cameron's sister already?

Edited October 5, 2017 by Blakeston

[readster]

Just now, Blakeston said:

For the love of all this is holy, will the writers please ditch Cameron's sister already?

AMEN!

[AriAu]

Quote

I think Joe is adorable, although I know there are people here who can't stand him.  I think he delivers his lines surprisingly well and usually manages to elicit at least some smiles from me, if not full on laughs.  The 'Christmas every day' line was funny and unexpected.

Is it just me, or is he really, really, REALLY hard to understand? I have to play each of his lines at like "11" and rewind it twice to have a chance of understanding it.

 

Quote

That, and the Luke/Rhonda angel/devil on Haley's shoulders as she decided what to do, were my favorite parts of the episode.

That was incredibly clever and classic Modern Family. Otherwise the episode was really not funny.

I feel bad for Manny-he should go far, far, far away from home for school for his own good.

[hoodooznoodooz]

7 hours ago, voiceover said:

There's someone in the cast who hasn't aged well.  And I'm not talking about one of the parents.  I feel mean for even pointing out the obvious.

I am guessing you mean the Lily actress.

I want to play with the rock/paper/scissors robot.

Edited October 5, 2017 by hoodooznoodooz

[hoodooznoodooz]

12 minutes ago, readster said:

I am surprised the smoothie machine sparked when only being used. Because how did it spark while they were gone and not in use? I mean, Cam's sister would have noticed; "Hey, what's burning?" if she saw to put the stove off. 

I came here to post the same. The smoothie machine seemed fine--unless someone was trying to use it.

Also, if the smoothie machine did start the fire, it or everything near it would have been burning for the longest period of time, so wouldn't it have been damaged to the point that it was no longer operable?

[PradaKitty]

I was wondering what college Manny was at too.  Since there are so many colleges in southern California, he could be anywhere!  Between the UC system, The CSU system and all of the private universities close to his home, he could be anywhere.  I think he probably wanted the "full college experience" so has opted to live in the  dorm (with the revolving roommates).  I actually had friends in college who lived in the dorms and their parents were literally only a few BLOCKS away.

[tennisgurl]

I mostly liked the episode, except for Cams sister being around again! She`s ok for some guest spots, but she is being WAY overused, and had basically no purpose in this episode at all. 

The visual of Luke walking in one ear and out the other with Haley was hilarious, I enjoyed that whole plot. I hope they continue to show a slightly more mature Luke. Or at least one who can seemingly function in society without forgetting for clothes work. 

I want a rock paper scissors robot! 

[PaulaO]

It's sad that Luke is the most mature.  He gets working, gets being responsible.  Alex is the worst.  No self-awareness, no clue as herself.  The character has shown no growth the entire series, and tonight she made a pitiful attempt at it.  Hayley is more mature than Alex is at this point.   I'm shocked at how matronly Vanessa Williams looks.  And I don't like Sophia's bangs.

[Blakeston]

The new, responsible version of Luke took me completely by surprise. Was there anything leading up to this, other than him having a pretty menial job at the golf club last season? It seems like even at the end of last season, he was still an extremely immature, wannabe pickup artist.

[DrSpaceman73]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

For the love of all that is holy, will the writers please ditch Cameron's sister already?

Yes, please do so.  She is so annoying and unfunny. 

 

And I can't understand Joe either. 

[meep.meep]

2 hours ago, PradaKitty said:

I was wondering what college Manny was at too.  Since there are so many colleges in southern California, he could be anywhere!  Between the UC system, The CSU system and all of the private universities close to his home, he could be anywhere.  I think he probably wanted the "full college experience" so has opted to live in the  dorm (with the revolving roommates).  I actually had friends in college who lived in the dorms and their parents were literally only a few BLOCKS away.

I think we are supposed to think that he's at Cal Arts.  

[AriAu]

Quote

I think we are supposed to think that he's at Cal Arts.  

Doesn't USC have a renowned film school? We know that Manny did pretty well in high school, or at least a LOT better than Luke, but I had the impression that he had his choice of schools and USC's film program would make sense....and be close to home. Like I said earlier, for his own good, he should have gone to New York.

ETA the recent rankings-USC is #1 but Cal Arts would make a lot of sense for Manny!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-film-schools-2016-top-united-states-rankings-920344/item/california-institute-arts-25-film-920361

Edited October 5, 2017 by AriAu

[NUguy514]

I assumed he was at UCLA (or maybe USC), which is adjacent to West LA, which I think is where everyone in the family is supposed to live (it looks like West LA/Holmby Hills to me anyway).

[JAYJAY1979]

Vanessa williams....the queen of deadpan shade.  She and Hailey worked well together.  I wonder if she would come back later in the season since she still is a member of the club.

Luke is the more adjusted, mature of the kids...who knew that would happen.  It certainly didn't seem that way back in season 1 lol

Manny is the room mate we all feared having and also feared being to someone l

[Traveller519]

1 hour ago, Blakeston said:

The new, responsible version of Luke took me completely by surprise. Was there anything leading up to this, other than him having a pretty menial job at the golf club last season? It seems like even at the end of last season, he was still an extremely immature, wannabe pickup artist.

There were some signs of it last season, coming into his own a little as the Class President. That coupled with the requirements of his job at the club leaned into him learning some responsibility and accountability that he didn't get from his close relationship with Phil. He was very capable at the club, and it seemed to motivate him, enough to the point that it made sense for him to defer looking to college while he found himself and his interests a little bit more.

[TheLastKidPicked]

2 hours ago, PaulaO said:

It's sad that Luke is the most mature.  He gets working, gets being responsible. 

 

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

It seems like even at the end of last season, he was still an extremely immature, wannabe pickup artist

 

21 minutes ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Luke is the more adjusted, mature of the kids...who knew that would happen.

 

14 minutes ago, Traveller519 said:

There were some signs of it last season, coming into his own a little as the Class President. That coupled with the requirements of his job at the club leaned into him learning some responsibility and accountability that he didn't get from his close relationship with Phil.

We mentioned the Luke transformation at our house, and find it very believable.

A couple of neighborhood kids went through this exact same thing.  They found jobs they liked and were good at, and they matured literally over night.

Listen to your friends with kids that age and see if you hear:

"I could never get him to clean his room, but he volunteers to stay late at work to clean!"

"It was a fight every morning to get him out the door for school, but he gets up on his own for his new job and I've never had to wake him up."

"He never cared about his grades, never was bothered by going to the principal's office, didn't care about detention in the councilor's office.  But he stayed up late worrying about his 30 day reveiw at his new job"

When this show gets it right, it really gets it right.

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Yes, please do so.  She is so annoying and unfunny. 

 

 

I don't find jokes about babies rolling off the couch funny, either

[voiceover]

5 hours ago, SimoneS said:

I like [that] Luke is now the more reliable one. He was so spazzy as a kid.

I guess we should've seen that coming -- he's his father's son, and Phil was a success even before the series started.

 

4 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

I am guessing you mean the Lily actress.

Nope.

[Blakeston]

I just realized that Cameron's sister is being used just like Daphne's mother on Frasier (another Steven Levitan show).

When the writers don't know how to write for a couple - and they clearly have no clue how to write for Mitch and Cam - they throw in an unbearable family member as a house guest who won't leave, as a distraction.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Blakeston

[readster]

7 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

I came here to post the same. The smoothie machine seemed fine--unless someone was trying to use it.

Also, if the smoothie machine did start the fire, it or everything near it would have been burning for the longest period of time, so wouldn't it have been damaged to the point that it was no longer operable?

Exactly. That was what made no sense. I mean it was catching on fire again. Everything in the kitchen minus the fridge was ruined. Yet, the smoothie maker is fine. 

[Evangeline]

17 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

I haven't noticed Julie Bowen's face looking particularly different (I haven't really been looking, though, to be fair), but Sarah Hyland's new lips have been beyond distracting.  I can't look at anything else in her scenes.

I found her lips distracting too, but she said it's because of an allergic reaction to the steroids she's on, not plastic surgery as "new lips" implies.  Given the medical issues she has, I have no reason to doubt her explanation. 

[voiceover]

4 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I just realized that Cameron's sister is being used just like Daphne's mother on Frasier (another Steven Levitan show).

When the writers don't know how to write for a couple - and they clearly have no clue how to write for Mitch and Cam - they throw in an unbearable family member as a house guest who won't leave, as a distraction.

Wow.  Nail on the head!

And I didn't like the addition of either character.

[stcroix]

Can someone fill me in on the Joe joke where he asks,"What if I told you you could have Christmas every day?" or something like that?  I thought I was watching this show but seemed to have missed that part. While I was watching (or thought I was...)  I kept finding myself feeling more anxious over IF the episode would be funny (like back in the day the show was) than laughing at the jokes!  When a sitcom makes you anxious rooting for it to succeed, is it worth watching? 

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, stcroix said:

s,"What if I told you you could have Christmas every day?" or something like that?  I thought I was watching this show but seemed to have missed that part.

He was planning on druging Santa's milk, kidnapping him, and keeping he locked in Manny's closet.

[Star Aristille]

On ‎10‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 7:59 PM, Nordly Beaumont said:

I was hoping they'd redo the opening with a new picture of Mitch/Cam/Lily. She's so different now, it seems silly to have the old pic of Cam holding her.

YES!  I was about to say the same thing!  Aubrey's too big to be held now, whether by Jesse or Eric, so it's time to update their spot on the opening!

19 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Luke got his job through Jay because it's his club it might have been even two seasons ago but he is really good at it.

Actually, he just got it last season.

7 hours ago, voiceover said:

Nope.

Sarah or Ariel, then?

[K-9]

Seems like that kitchen fire should've caused smoke damage to their adjoining living room.  But the characters were able to hang out in that living room (which was in pristine condition) immediately after the fire.  If no smoke damage, then at least the room should've been reeking.

[VCRTracking]

I want a "rock paper scissors" robot hand!

This is the second "Angel and Devil" gag they've done(first was in a Halloween episode) and I love it just as much.

The air shower bit was funny. Like the cliff jumping gag last episode I like when Phil and Claire do physical comedy.

[readster]

7 hours ago, K-9 said:

Seems like that kitchen fire should've caused smoke damage to their adjoining living room.  But the characters were able to hang out in that living room (which was in pristine condition) immediately after the fire.  If no smoke damage, then at least the room should've been reeking.

Sad to say, I have had three neighbors in the last two years have their house catch on fire. One was from a bolt of lightning, one was from a faulty coil on an oven and the last one was because their teen age kids through they had the fire pit out and there were some embers and the wind picked up. Two were total destruction and the other one was similar to Cam and Mitch. However, the smoke, smell and burning made it into the adjecent rooms. Just like I mentioned how the smoothie machine was fine, the rest of the house sans the kitchen were destroyed. Another thing was Cam holding whatever was in the oven, no fire fighter would have let them do that until they had determine that was the cause. The writers really botched all of that. 

[Ottis]

On 10/4/2017 at 7:38 PM, Roaster said:

Setting a fire in your kitchen to have an excuse for a remodel?  They didn't speak the words "insurance fraud" but that must have been a motivation.

They didn't do this on purpose, but if they had, that's quite a risk you are taking that you don't lose your whole house. Not even Cam and Mitch would be that dumb ... would they?

The best line was Jay noting that, because Manny is a theatre major, his dorm room will be the biggest apartment he ever lives in. That's true on both a snarky and nonsnarky level.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Manny mentioned that his dorm room would be his home for the next 4 years-it's a freshman dorm room.  He'll be out in 1 school year.

On the other hand, Alex said she solved a math problem that had been on the board "all year" in her advanced mathematical chaos class (she actually scribbled something after the Σ symbol, but never mind) but we know that school just started, so I don't think so.  

At least Phil was correct that by "wheels", Alex did mean a bike.  The pink one was pretty!   Did they wheel it all the way to her dorm from their home with the toiletries still in the basket?  Otherwise, it made no sense that Claire dumped them in the basket at home rather than packing them up in the container with everything else she was bringing, or in a separate container/bag if the first one was full. Also, Claire, there's not much point in putting a sterile hair covering on your head if all your hair is sticking out.  (That's like when on hospital shows the support staff wear face masks during surgery but the main characters don't so they'll look better.)

I guess Reuben isn't going to college, either?

[mostlylurking]

On 10/5/2017 at 8:12 AM, luna1122 said:

Neither Claire nor Haley look any different to me.

They don't look any different to me either, and I was specifically looking at Claire since such a big deal was made after the premiere of how different she looked.  Her hair is longer, but apart from that I didn't notice anything.

[seacliffsal]

The timing in this episode was so off.  Manny had just gotten to his college, but Alex had already been at her college for an extended time-to the point that she resolved a math problem and was feeling socially isolated.  I know that they are at different colleges, but generally freshmen get to college about a week ahead of other students, and most colleges start at similar times, and they were both home when the eclipse occurred.  It's one thing when episode timelines conflict with one another-it's a bit frustrating when the timelines conflict within an episode.

[SnarkySheep]

On 10/5/2017 at 10:24 AM, readster said:

For the love of all this is holy, will the writers please ditch Cameron's sister already?

YES!! Actually, I had totally forgotten she was even around until I saw her...which of course brings up the fact that Alex's short-while boyfriend came on the Tahoe trip the previous week, but Cameron's sister who's living in their house apparently wasn't invited?

Regarding Manny's college...unless I'm forgetting something, they never really addressed how/why he was looking at all these schools in the East, then randomly ended up within a few miles of home, did they? (I mean, I get that they wanted the actor to stick around, but storywise, you'd think they would have come up with something...)