Modern Family. I’m Not Phil, Am I?

Helaine and Stef think Phil (played by Ty Burrell) and I are similar. Seriously? He’s the show’s most annoying character.

modern fmaily logo.pngI don’t watch that much prime time TV (though watching TV is encouraged where I work!). I’ve seen a few episodes of Modern Family and today Helaine asked me to watch this week’s episode which she’d saved on the DVR. This is the funniest show on TV, right?

It is the story of a father, his two children and their families. The easy comedic ploy would be to make the three families dysfunctional. They’re quirky. They’re unusual. They’re totally functional.

modern family 1.jpgIt’s clever. It’s smartly written. That’s the secret to all successful shows–good writing.

It’s a sitcom! I heard the genre was dead a few years ago. Guess not.

Helaine and Stef think Phil (played by Ty Burrell) and I are similar. Seriously? He’s the show’s most annoying character.

Phil Dunphy is the cool dad. That’s his thang. At least, that’s what he’d like us to believe. And you know what? We kinda do! Oh, sure, Phil has those “roll your eyes” moments that have us asking, “Is the guy for real?” You bet he is. As goofy as he may seem, Phil always has his heart in the right place. He dotes on his wife Claire and he constantly tries to bond with his three kids. Phil acts like a parent and talks like a peer. He calls it “peerenting.” Love it! As a real estate mogul, Phil says, “I could sell a fur coat to an Eskimo.” We believe he could. Phil has a severe fear of clowns and a not-so-subtle affection for his father-in-law’s beautiful new wife. But we know in our hearts this Modern Family man would never stray. He’s way too cool for that.

Maybe they’re trying to tell me something?