S10.E22: A Year of Birthdays

[paulvdb]

As the birth of Haley and Dylan’s twins approaches we take a look back at how each family member celebrated their birthdays this past year.

Season finale. Airdate: May 8, 2019

[Snow Apple]

My station had a weather warning. What happened after Claire's birthday? Thanks.

[CleoCaesar]

This would have been a great series finale. Loved the reenactment of the pilot's "Circle of Life". Hard to believe it's been a decade.

Do I really think we need another season, probably of Haley and Dylan being mediocre parents to Pixar and Coachella? No. But I'll still watch. I'm not quite ready to say bye to these characters.

Well, except Manny. And Cam.

[DrSpaceman]

17 minutes ago, CleoCaesar said:

This would have been a great series finale. Loved the reenactment of the pilot's "Circle of Life". Hard to believe it's been a decade.

Do I really think we need another season, probably of Haley and Dylan being mediocre parents to Pixar and Coachella? No. But I'll still watch. I'm not quite ready to say bye to these characters.

Well, except Manny. And Cam.

It really would have been a good series finale.

One of the more enjoyable episodes this season. 

Should have had LILLY hold up at least one of the babies though for a true "circle of life" theme.  But then Cam or Mitch would have had to give up some of the attention they feel they deserve. 

Glad Manny's GF is gone. 

it can't be said enough......Cam really is the worst. 

[Koalagirl]

Have to admit I got a little teary when Mitch and Cam did the Circle of Life bit. 

[incandescent]

So is it just me or was Alex's whole wardrobe suddenly, miraculously good this week? The rest of the episode was great, much better than this season as a whole has been, but I was more focused on the dress she wore to Jay's roast.

[Aileen]

The show cut out for our area due to weather warnings right after Claire’s bday until the tag. 

[Lizzing]

This was hands-down the best episode of the year.  I genuinely laughed at a couple of things and the Circle of Life ending was great.  ITA that it would have made a fantastic series ending.  And I'm also glad that we avoided all of the generic sitcom tropes of a woman in labor--the quick cut from the recital to the hospital with the babies already born was a relief. 

[Supagirl]

The sour kid at the piano recital made me lol.

[Mystery]

This was better than most episodes lately. The line that made me laugh was Luke telling Phil that Phil's bad piano playing looked pretty good against Manny's unaccepted proposal. 

The Circle of Life stuff only reminded me that they aged Lily up. 

I don't think I'll be watching the last season. 

[JenLily]

14 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

Have to admit I got a little teary when Mitch and Cam did the Circle of Life bit. 

Same. Such a great callback to the pilot.

This episode was pretty funny. Loved Phil accomplishing all his goals, and when Claire's present started vibrating.

14 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

But I'll still watch. I'm not quite ready to say bye to these characters.

Same here.

[Ottis]

Yuck, a show that caters to the neediness of these characters. “It’s all about me on my birthday!” And Manny... oy. He’s 20 and proposing? These people are smarter than that. This is the worst side of this show. It can be brilliant when it deals with things that happen to them. It makes me want to vomit when it is about their neediness. Only Phil’s comment about the kid’s mom was funny. And Gloria counting to three. 

And I’m done with Cam and Mitch. They had so much potential. 

Edited May 9, 2019 by Ottis

[Aryanna]

I guess I'm in the minority. I didn't care for most of this episode. Luke had a few good lines. I love Phil as always. But it wasn't really good until near the end of the episode.

I still can't stand Dylan. What a moron.

[Traveller519]

2 hours ago, Mystery said:

This was better than most episodes lately. The line that made me laugh was Luke telling Phil that Phil's bad piano playing looked pretty good against Manny's unaccepted proposal. 

Luke definitely got the best roast of the year in, even if it was a few months late. That combined with the earlier, "I wish this was a little funny" were Christopher Lloyd's words come to the light. You could have easily seen Martin Crane delivering the Piano Line, and Niles the Improv one.

This is the type of episode Modern Family has done so well, where they focus more on the characters than the shenanigans. I agree there were a lot of elements that made this a good series finale too.

Though it will never happen because of the Wednesday night cash-cow it is, I wish they would go the route of a Parks & Rec, or New Girl. And make the final season a short-order (8-13 episodes) and treat it like an epilogue to the series.

[ljenkins782]

10 hours ago, Lizzing said:

This was hands-down the best episode of the year.  I genuinely laughed at a couple of things and the Circle of Life ending was great.  ITA that it would have made a fantastic series ending.  And I'm also glad that we avoided all of the generic sitcom tropes of a woman in labor--the quick cut from the recital to the hospital with the babies already born was a relief. 

It was a tailor-made series finale, they really should just cut it off here. 

And I was also relieved that they didn't drag out the labor scenes in a non-hospital setting, I was positive her babies were going to be delivered by Dylan in some wacky location.

[Quickbeam]

“You’re both going to get dog beds”. God, I love Ed O’Neill. 

[LadyintheLoop]

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Loved the reenactment of the pilot's "Circle of Life". 

And seeing Lily smile was the highlight of the episode for me.

[Artsda]

Loved it, was so great. The babies, roast, Phil's goals.

[Mystery]

1 hour ago, Artsda said:

Loved it, was so great. The babies, roast, Phil's goals.

"Babies, roast" took me to a dark place. 

[VCRTracking]

The ending got a big "AWWWW!" from me. Loved the call back to the "Lion King" moment from the pilot.

I don't know if they planned it or it was a retcon but re-watching the clip of Haley telling the family she's pregnant at Christmas and Cam and Mitchell's reactions do work if they already knew. Although I think Cam would exaggerate being surprised a la Phoebe on Friends "That is BRAND NEW information!"

Sorry if it's mean but Manny was an idiot to propose that way and deserved feeling bad.

Man, how long were they waiting to use Ty Burell's talent to speed play "Fur Elise"? on piano?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

I think Cam would exaggerate being surprised a la Phoebe on Friends "That is BRAND NEW information!"

Ha, I totally agree.

Edited May 10, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[AriAu]

That should have been the series finale with the perfect Circle of Life wrap up. Not looking forward to next year.

[Suzn]

10 minutes ago, AriAu said:

That should have been the series finale with the perfect Circle of Life wrap up. Not looking forward to next year.

I wasn't crazy about this episode but it was a high point of the season and squeezing another season out of this show will be an anticlimactic afterthought. These characters are tired.  

[ljenkins782]

16 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

“You’re both going to get dog beds”. God, I love Ed O’Neill. 

I loved it when he leaned in and said "good job, kid!" to Haley with a very genuine little smile. Again, would have been a lovely ending to the series.

Quote

And seeing Lily smile was the highlight of the episode for me.

Right? I was shocked to see it, I don't think she's smiled since like season 4.

[AriAu]

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I loved it when he leaned in and said "good job, kid!" to Haley with a very genuine little smile. Again, would have been a lovely ending to the series.

Agreed on both counts. I also loved the way Ty Burrell was holding Sarah Hyland's hand and being affectionate at the end.  I have no idea how these people really feel about each other in real life, but they sure seem to like and care about each other in real life

[Aryanna]

2 hours ago, Suzn said:

These characters are tired.  

The reason they're tired is that they're never allowed to change. They make the same mistakes and do the same things week after week. Just when it appears they're going to be allowed to grow as characters then that storyline gets abandoned. Then at the end of the season they give us episodes like this where it gives the impression that they've come so far but really they're mostly like they were in the beginning of the series.

[VCRTracking]

3 hours ago, AriAu said:

That should have been the series finale with the perfect Circle of Life wrap up. Not looking forward to next year.

2 hours ago, Suzn said:

I wasn't crazy about this episode but it was a high point of the season and squeezing another season out of this show will be an anticlimactic afterthought. These characters are tired.  

I'm more worried because Ed O'Neill is 73 now. There are shows with actors 20 years younger who passed away and had to deal with it. Like if they had ended the show this year they would have gotten it under the wire. Also Sarah Hyland has always had serious health issues regarding her kidneys. Knock on wood nothing happens next season but ABC and Levitan are pushing their luck.

Edited May 10, 2019 by VCRTracking

[Suzn]

19 minutes ago, Aryanna said:

The reason they're tired is that they're never allowed to change. They make the same mistakes and do the same things week after week. Just when it appears they're going to be allowed to grow as characters then that storyline gets abandoned. Then at the end of the season they give us episodes like this where it gives the impression that they've come so far but really they're mostly like they were in the beginning of the series.

Very true and well said.

[NUguy514]

If I had to spend more than six minutes with Cam...

So, according to this episode, Luke turned 20 an unspecified amount of time before Alex turned 21...that math doesn't quite work, show.  In fact, the show's Wiki fan page has their birthdates listed, and Alex is almost two years older than Luke.  Also, since she graduated from college and was two grades ahead of Luke, she really should be (and according to the show itself is) 22.  Well done, morons.

Manny is hideous and cringeworthy every day, but especially when he's 20 and proposing to his girlfriend of, what, six months in front of people.  If my boyfriend proposed to me in front of anyone else, I'd say no; I would never brook that shit.

The last two scenes were really nice and would have (should have, really) made for a nice series finale.  My hope for the next and final season no one wanted is that Cam and Manny horrible each other to death and everyone dances on their graves.

[readster]

3 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

If I had to spend more than six minutes with Cam...

So, according to this episode, Luke turned 20 an unspecified amount of time before Alex turned 21...that math doesn't quite work, show.  In fact, the show's Wiki fan page has their birthdates listed, and Alex is almost two years older than Luke.  Also, since she graduated from college and was two grades ahead of Luke, she really should be (and according to the show itself is) 22.  Well done, morons.

Manny is hideous and cringeworthy every day, but especially when he's 20 and proposing to his girlfriend of, what, six months in front of people.  If my boyfriend proposed to me in front of anyone else, I'd say no; I would never brook that shit.

The last two scenes were really nice and would have (should have, really) made for a nice series finale.  My hope for the next and final season no one wanted is that Cam and Manny horrible each other to death and everyone dances on their graves.

Yes, to everything you said. Even said how two really good shows in their first and third season, which had the ratings and good writing were chucked and we are getting one more season of this show because they want to "wrap it up" and most likely might just be 18 episodes since ABC will testing a replacement. 

[Calvada]

Phil Dunphy didn't already know how to ride a unicycle?  I refuse to believe that.  

[Aileen]

Super sloppy editing... Lily led her dads in for Circle of Life and we saw her take her place next to the hospital bed. Cut to a shot of Cameron and Mitchell with Lily entering the room behind them 😕

[Nordly Beaumont]

On 5/10/2019 at 9:43 AM, ljenkins782 said:

Quote

And seeing Lily smile was the highlight of the episode for me.

Right? I was shocked to see it, I don't think she's smiled since like season 4.

I feel like the actress is at that age where being around babies makes little girls over-the-moon giddy and she couldn't have stopped smiling if she had to! 

[SoMuchTV]

19 hours ago, Aileen said:

Super sloppy editing... Lily led her dads in for Circle of Life and we saw her take her place next to the hospital bed. Cut to a shot of Cameron and Mitchell with Lily entering the room behind them 😕

Oh wow. I still had it on the dvr, and I had to go back and see that. Maybe the room had another door, and she went out and came back around...? But I doubt it.

[abc123]

On 5/11/2019 at 2:53 PM, Calvada said:

Phil Dunphy didn't already know how to ride a unicycle?  I refuse to believe 

Agree 100%

On 5/11/2019 at 7:42 PM, Aileen said:

Super sloppy editing

Also, when Dylan came out of the hospital room you could see tattoos on each arm, but then in the final scene with him at the hospital bed next to Hailey you could see really bad cover-up on his arm.

I don’t remember the circle of life reference from the pilot, but agree with those who said this would have been a good series finale.  

[biakbiak]

21 minutes ago, abc123 said:

don’t remember the circle of life reference from the pilot, but agree with those who said this would have been a good series finale.  

It was how Cam and Mitchell revealed to the family that they adopted Lily.

[abc123]

^^^^

Thanks!

[LucyEth]

I will admit I have been watching on and off.  What happened to Haley ending up with Andy?  Where is Cam's sister and her son?  Thanks.

[UncleChuck]

On 5/11/2019 at 8:42 AM, readster said:

If I had to spend more than six minutes with Cam...

So, according to this episode, Luke turned 20 an unspecified amount of time before Alex turned 21...that math doesn't quite work, show.  In fact, the show's Wiki fan page has their birthdates listed, and Alex is almost two years older than Luke.  Also, since she graduated from college and was two grades ahead of Luke, she really should be (and according to the show itself is) 22.  Well done, morons.

Manny is hideous and cringeworthy every day, but especially when he's 20 and proposing to his girlfriend of, what, six months in front of people.  If my boyfriend proposed to me in front of anyone else, I'd say no; I would never brook that shit.

The last two scenes were really nice and would have (should have, really) made for a nice series finale.  My hope for the next and final season no one wanted is that Cam and Manny horrible each other to death and everyone dances on their graves.

Read more  

Congratulations!!!!!    You would last 4 minutes longer than I would.

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 5/15/2019 at 12:30 PM, LucyEth said:

I will admit I have been watching on and off.  What happened to Haley ending up with Andy?  Where is Cam's sister and her son?  Thanks.

I think Adam Devine (Andy) was unavailable (or I hope it was that) as I REALLY wanted Hailey to end up with Andy.

Pam and her son can never show up again and I am more than good with that.  Maybe back in Missouri?

[LadyintheLoop]

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Where is Cam's sister and her son?

Pam was last seen taking over the upstairs apartment. I bet Mitch and Cameron end up adopting her child after she abandons him or suffers a really stupid death.

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Yuck, a show that caters to the neediness of these characters. “It’s all about me on my birthday!”

Better that than Manny's "It's all about me on her birthday." 

Quote

Glad Manny's GF is gone.

I quit disliking her when she fled. Maybe she'd finally realized that to Manny, life was one long piece of performance art and other people were nothing but props.

[readster]

7 hours ago, LadyintheLoop said:

Better that than Manny's "It's all about me on her birthday." 

I quit disliking her when she fled. Maybe she'd finally realized that to Manny, life was one long piece of performance art and other people were nothing but props.

Even more, that Manny always EXPECTS everyone will love his stuff, when everyone hates it and no one just tells him to go get a life and leave them alone. Manny is one of the people who will always be beaten over the head his crap doesn't fly, but he'll just keep doing it because he believes it will work. As the old saying goes: "Learn from your mistakes shows intelligence, Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome is called insanity." 

[qtpye]

On 5/22/2019 at 7:17 AM, readster said:

Even more, that Manny always EXPECTS everyone will love his stuff, when everyone hates it and no one just tells him to go get a life and leave them alone. Manny is one of the people who will always be beaten over the head his crap doesn't fly, but he'll just keep doing it because he believes it will work. As the old saying goes: "Learn from your mistakes shows intelligence, Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome is called insanity." 

Even more annoying is he is the type of person who thinks people who do not appreciate his art are just not intelligent enough to appreciate his “genius”.

I loved this episode and it was nice to see the family caring about each other again.

[readster]

15 hours ago, qtpye said:

Even more annoying is he is the type of person who thinks people who do not appreciate his art are just not intelligent enough to appreciate his “genius”.

Yep, which is known as stupid stubborn. It's one thing when you want to be a tree and don't want to move, but when you insult people or constantly believe you are right and the world is wrong you are being very ignorant about your views. It's like being told the house is on fire and going: "No it's not." until your arm catches on fire. 

[DrSpaceman]

On ‎5‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 7:17 AM, readster said:

Even more, that Manny always EXPECTS everyone will love his stuff, when everyone hates it and no one just tells him to go get a life and leave them alone. Manny is one of the people who will always be beaten over the head his crap doesn't fly, but he'll just keep doing it because he believes it will work. As the old saying goes: "Learn from your mistakes shows intelligence, Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome is called insanity." 

I think Manny will/would end up as a critic who is constantly trying to put out his own stuff unsuccessfully.  He has that knack for knowing and caring about a whole lot of useless industry stuff and minutia you need to know as a critic but without the talent to actual act, write or produce anything very good.  He knows what should be good, but he just can't make it himself

[qtpye]

I also love that Phil keeps his childlike enthusiasm for learning no matter what his age. The people with this type of attitude are always young at heart. 

[LadyintheLoop]

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And Manny... oy. He’s 20 and proposing?

He got to star in a proposal scene. I'm not sure marriage was the point.

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I think Manny will/would end up as a critic who is constantly trying to put out his own stuff unsuccessfully.

Well, thank you for the laugh. Now I'm reminded of the late great Brendan Behan: "Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves."

[possibilities]

OOf. What are we here, then? Eunichs, I suppose.

[Suzn]

On 5/31/2019 at 5:33 PM, qtpye said:

Even more annoying is he is the type of person who thinks people who do not appreciate his art are just not intelligent enough to appreciate his “genius”.

I loved this episode and it was nice to see the family caring about each other again.

You're absolutely right where Manny is concerned, but I have to say there are "geniuses" who come along and are not appreciated in their time, and who persist and succeed later, sometimes after their death.