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Modern Family was the hit “mockumentary” that followed the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of three families living in California. The award-winning sitcom ran for 11 seasons, coming to an end in 2020 with a touching finale that left fans grief-stricken. Its authentic and “unedited” style, coupled with the show’s loveable characters, made Modern Family what it is – one of ABC’s funniest comedies.
Modern Family has given its audience some hilarious and highly memorable moments over the years, from watching Phil and Claire Dunphy stumble down the hill to Alex’s graduation in “See You Next Fall” to their fun Halloween-themed episodes, such as “The Last Halloween”. There is no debate when it comes to deciding whether Modern Family is a hilarious show, but here’s a tough question to answer – which Modern Family episode is the funniest?
- Release Date
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September 23, 2009
- Seasons
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11
15
“The Incident”
Season 1, Episode 4 (2009)
The fourth episode of Modern Family’s first season sees Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell’s (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) mother, DeDe (Shelley Long) arriving unannounced and wanting forgiveness for her horrid (yet hilarious) behavior at Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria’s (Sofía Vergara) wedding. Jay is Claire and Mitchell’s father and Gloria is his much younger wife, whom Dede appears to be incredibly jealous of. Seeing the less-than-perfect relationships between the characters makes for a great watch, but what steals the episode is Dylan (Reid Ewing) saying something so heartfelt that it unites the fractured and dysfunctional family for a moment – just one of many snapshots of Modern Family showing what the family sitcom is all about. But following this sweet moment with a song for his girlfriend Hayley (Sarah Hyland) that makes the rest of the family extremely uncomfortable.
Dylan comments on how much love there is in Hayley’s family, showing his sweeter side, then proceeds to sing a song for Hayley in front of her whole family, including her parents, Claire and Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) – a song that has the lyrics “I just wanna do you, do you, do you wanna do me, do me” and “I wish that I could steal you just so I can feel you.” Super awkward – but hilarious.
14
“Our Children, Ourselves”
Season 2, Episode 12 (2011)
While Claire and Phil question their intelligence after a comment made by their highly clever and sarcastic daughter Alex (Ariel Winter), Mitchell and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) bump into one of Mitchell’s old flames from eight years ago. It appears the ex-girlfriend of Mitchell’s has a son, who has red hair just like Mitchell. Mitchell doesn’t see the person’s face, just the back of his head, and can see that he is small. Mitchell believes that the person he saw with his ex-girlfriend could be his son, and in an attempt to do the right thing, Mitchell meets with his old flame to give a gift to his “son” Bobby (Mark Povinelli). But it turns out Bobby is an adult with dwarfism and the current boyfriend of Mitchell’s ex-girlfriend.
When the boyfriend opens his gift and finds a child’s baseball glove, he is understandably offended and seeing Mitchell make such a huge blunder is hilarious. But while seeing Mitchell’s embarrassment is funny, one of the most awkward situations in a sitcom ever has to be when Bobby opens his gift to find a baseball glove that says “little slugger.” It really is a shame that fans are unlikely to get more hilarious and embarrassing moments from the Pritchett-Tuckers since Modern Family will never get its planned spin-off starring Stonestreet and Ferguson.
13
“The One That Got Away”
Season 2, Episode 4 (2011)
Phil tries to one-up an old rival by pretending the stunning Gloria is his wife. But when the old rival remarks on how he always thought Phil would get with Claire, the jealousy of Phil’s old enemy makes the former appreciate his wife more. Meanwhile, Claire and her brother Mitchell try to recreate an old childhood photo as a gift for their father on his birthday, but they get stuck in a tree house after sneaking into the back garden of their old house.
The second season’s fourth episode is another example of how Modern Family creates humor through embarrassing blunders and contrasting characters that work well together on screen. The episode also reveals that Cam and Mitchell may adopt another child.
12
“My Funky Valentine”
Season 1, Episode 15 (2010)
What makes this episode such a great episode is seeing the usually cynical Mitchell have a more passionate and emotional side as he shows off his skills as a lawyer. At first, Mitch is stressed by a case that’s going to court, but before he can deliver his epic closing speech, his client gives in – but Mitchell randomly finds another chance to have his big moment when he forces a boy called Durkas to admit that he didn’t write the poem Manny wrote for his crush Fiona. Unfortunately, Fiona still picks Durkas over Manny, but it was still great watching Mitchell yell “Shame!” repeatedly in the Great Shakes ice cream parlor.
“My Funky Valentine” also introduces fans to Clive Bixby and Julianna, “sexy” personas created by Claire and Phil Dunphy as part of their romantic role-playing on Valentine’s Day – but of course, their plans go horribly wrong when Claire gets her coat stuck in an escalator and is unfortunately wearing nothing underneath.
11
“Fizbo”
Season 1, Episode 9 (2009)
As well as being a hilarious episode, “Fizbo” is one of the most rewatchable Modern Family episodes, and presents us with one of the show’s best Cam and Mitchell moments too. Mitchell and Cameron Tucker are happily married and live with their daughter Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons). Cam and Mitchell often get into fights about seemingly petty things, but it’s this constant bickering between the two that makes Cam and Mitchell both hilarious and relatable to Modern Family fans. This dynamic creates the perfect build-up to the Pritchett-Tucker’s more tender and loving moments, such as when Cam defends Mitchell at a gas station dressed as the persona that irritates Mitchell most – Fizbo the clown.
The persona of Fizbo means a lot to Cam, but Mitchell could live the rest of his life never seeing or hearing a mention of the clown ever again. In the episode “Fizbo”, Cameron dresses up as the clown for Luke Dunphy’s (Nolan Gould) birthday party, but in typical Modern Family fashion, nothing goes according to plan and chaos leads to Luke injuring his arm. It is a day of chaos that’s hilarious to watch, but what seals this as one of the funniest and sweetest moments of the episode is Mitchell’s “smitten” expression after he gets back into the car with Cam dressed as Fizbo, after the clown defends Mitch at a gas station after another customer is rude to him. Despite the bickering and how much they seem to irritate each other, there is a lot of love between Mitchell and Cam.
10
“The Last Halloween”
Season 11, Episode 5 (2019)
One of the funniest sitcom Halloween episodes has to be Modern Family‘s “The Last Halloween”. Phil is stunned to discover that his wife Claire is never scared of anything, so he sets off on a mission to terrify her for the first time. This episode of Modern Family showcases the competitive spirit of the Dunphy family well – especially Claire, who is known for her fiercely competitive nature and her desire to always get things “just right”. The fifth episode of Modern Family‘s final season also shows that, throughout over a decade of storylines, the writers never found themselves running out of ideas and continued to come up with situations that were just as hilarious to watch as the earlier seasons were. This particular Halloween-themed episode is bitter-sweet, however, because “The Last Halloween” really is that – the final Halloween of the Modern Family clan.
In “The Last Halloween”, the Modern Family characters are forced to face the rapid passing of time. Gloria Pritchett feels “old” after she isn’t mistaken for her husband Jay’s daughter for the first time, Jay is trying to track a candy bar from his youth so that he can show his youngest son Joe, who is the only child of Jay’s left that isn’t all grown up, and Phil and Claire are trying to adjust to a Halloween without the kids, who are all out doing their own thing. While such storylines are bound to evoke sadness from the audience, they are done in a light-hearted way. This episode is just as funny to watch today as it was when first released. And to top it all off, the Halloween special ends with Phil finally scaring Clare in a satisfyingly elaborate scheme.
9
“Mother’s Day”
Season 2, Episode 21 (2011)
The funniest and most golden moments in sitcoms often come from characters with tough or deadpan exteriors breaking character and doing something quite dramatic by their standards. Modern Family is no exception when it comes to this classic technique, and in episode 21 of the show’s second season, tough and unemotional Jay Pritchett does the unthinkable in front of Phil Dunphy, his son-in-law, who irritates him – he cries.
In ‘Mother’s Day’ all Claire and Gloria want to do is spend some time with their kids outdoors, but the nonstop complaints during the hike push Claire over the edge. While Claire and Gloria are hiking with the children, Jay and Phil are preparing a Mother’s Day feast. It is already comedy gold to see two such highly contrasting characters on screen. Then, in a shocking twist, the no-nonsense Jay, who has no time for overly sensitive or sentimental people, cried after finding a recipe he wrote for his mother when he was nine. The gentle and Labrador-like Phil is thrilled to have witnessed this moment and the importance of Mother’s Day is shown when, later on in the episode, an uncharacteristically tearful Jay says to his family, “You only get one Mom.”
8
“Clean Out Your Junk Draw”
Season 7, Episode 8 (2015)
“Clean Out Your Drunk Draw” is a hilarious episode where the couples in Modern Family have therapy with Dr. Debra Radcliffe (Catherine O’Hara). Meanwhile, sisters Hayley and Alex confide in each other about boys; Hayley is conflicted about Andy (Adam DeVine) who was a fan-favorite character – while Alex is seeing a younger guy called Reuben (Spenser McNeil) and is embarrassed yet conflicted as she likes the attention from him despite feeling ashamed of the relationship. Meanwhile, the grown-ups are at the Dunphys’ house with Dr Radcliffe, clearly not taking their therapy seriously, but as the episode goes on, the more competitive and angry they become, making for a highly entertaining watch.
In “Clean Out Your Junk Draw” we see a rawer side to Jay as he opens up about his childhood, allowing the audience to connect with this tough go-getter who built his own closet business from scratch. The scene where Jay gets angry about his childhood has to be one of the most touching. Modern Family expertly intertwines the more emotional scenes with laugh-out-loud moments, and that’s why it’s such a great show. One of the funniest scenes of this hilarious yet emotional episode has to be when Mitchell accidentally lets slip something about his and Cameron’s intimacy issues and is so mortified by the admission he tries to hide behind the curtain.
7
“iSpy”
Season 5, Episode 14 (2014)
Hayley is one of Modern Family‘s most likable characters. However, she’s always looked down on as the Dunphy kid who still has some growing up to do and needs the most help, which causes Claire and Phil to apply pressure on her as they try to prepare her for adult life. Still, their tactics (such as when they spy on her in “iSpy”) often push Hayley away as she continues her reckless behavior, partying and generally enjoying being a carefree teen convinced that the stresses of adult life are far away. But despite the carefree and sometimes immature persona, Hayley has had some great moments in Modern Family that show she’s capable of so much more than what her parents expect, such as in “iSpy” where Hayley shows she’s a talented photographer.
Hayley is usually late for things, whether it’s appointments or important deadlines, as she doesn’t usually show much passion or interest for things outside of her world, but in “iSpy” we see a more passionate side of Hayley when she undertakes a photography project, which turns into a breathtaking exhibition showcasing candid moments of family life. What makes this episode so funny is that often the most candid moments of the family are the funniest. One of Hayley’s most comical and iconic shots has to be the recreation of the American actress Jayne Mansfield’s photo where Italian actress Sophia Loren is looking at her cleavage with an expression that suggests disdain. This famous photo is hilariously recreated by Claire and Gloria, showing Modern Family’s classic humor.
6
“Run For Your Wife”
Season 1, Episode 6 (2009)
It’s undeniable that Cam and Mitch are made for each other, and are one of Modern Family‘s most realistic sitcom couples, going through the same challenges as all couples do. In the first season of Modern Family, Mitch and Cam are new parents, having introduced their adopted daughter Lily in the very first episode, and the Modern Family writers really played on the relatable new-parent fear to deliver some comic mishaps in the first series, one of them being when baby Lily Pritchett-Tucker is accidentally locked in the car and Cam and Mitch start to panic.
One of the funniest scenes in this hilarious episode is when Cam comes running with a trash can held aloft, screaming as he races to save Lily, with the intent of smashing the car window to get her out of the car. Whilst Mitch is also panicking, he is much calmer (as always) than his highly dramatic husband, which adds to the humor of this situation as their two different personalities once again collide as they try to deal with the stress of the situation. This is another scene that yet again showcases what Modern Family excels at: keeping things simple by heading back to classic comedy techniques such as wild juxtapositions (in this case, two highly contrasting personalities being thrown into a panic-inducing situation) to make a scene incredibly funny and memorable.
5
“The Party”
Season 7, Episode 18 (2016)
One of the most exciting things about this episode is that we get to see different characters spend time with each other who are not normally seen together on screen – such as Jay and Cam going to a bar to watch sports together, and Claire and Gloria enjoying a spa date. And as Modern Family fans will expect, each person’s night in “The Party” ends in disaster.
Claire can’t relax because she’s convinced her son Luke is throwing a party when he and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) are supposed to be looking after Lily. Jay and Cam feel awkward since they don’t often spend time together and, personality-wise, they are poles apart. But the funniest scene in this episode of mishaps is when Phil and Mitch take “special” gummy bears whilst waiting in line to see a movie, and are forced to go home after Phil gets a notification on his phone that the fire alarm has gone off back at his house. Phil and Mitch arrive at the same time as Claire and Gloria and have to pretend they’re not high. Ty Burrell and Jesse Tyler Ferguson give great performances in this episode – as do all the cast, since it’s no secret that Modern Family is the sitcom with the best acting. “The Party” ends with Claire’s suspicions being correct about Luke and Manny throwing a party. It’s also hilarious that Claire is so determined to catch her son out that she doesn’t even notice that her husband and brother are high!
4
“See You Next Fall”
Season 2, Episode 23 (2011)
There’s a big moment in “See You Next Fall” as Alex Dunphy graduates from high school and all the family are dressed up and ready for the ceremony. Everything will go smoothly and this super-important day is going to go exactly according to plan, right? Of course not – everything goes wrong, and Claire ends up panicking that she’s going to miss Alex’s graduation ceremony altogether.
When Jay’s gate won’t open to let the cars out, the family has to jump over the fence to get out. Claire and Phil end up having to hitchhike to the graduation and turn up both late and disheveled as they roll down a steep hill into the formal occasion. While being hilarious to watch, it also shows just how dedicated the Dunphys have been to their kids and that they’ll do anything for them. It’s also an episode where fans can see how relatable the Dunphys are. They are a family that’s far from perfect, with each member having their flaws and shortcomings, but there is a lot of love and good intentions in this family, making the Dunphys one of the most likable sitcom families.
3
“Caught In The Act”
Season 2, Episode 13 (2011)
Hayley, Alex, and Luke prepare breakfast for Claire and Phil’s wedding anniversary and soon learn that they should always knock before entering their parents’ bedroom. The Dunphy children excitedly open the door with a surprise for their parents but end up getting an unpleasant surprise of their own as they accidentally see their parents in a “compromising position” on the bed.
After the Dunphy kids have accidentally walked in on their parents being intimate with one another, a hilarious scene follows where Alex is washing her eyes out in the sink, Hayley is panicking and Luke has no idea what’s happened. Back in the bedroom, Claire is panicking and doesn’t know how to handle what just happened. Should she talk to the kids or pretend it never happened? The embarrassing moment makes for one of the funniest and best episodes on Modern Family.
2
“Schooled”
Season 4, Episode 2 (2012)
It’s a tough day in the Dunphy household as Phil and Claire send their oldest daughter Hayley to college, but one of the most touching moments of Modern Family leads to one of the most iconic: Phil’osophy – a book of life lessons written by Phil Dunphy. Are these normal life lessons? Of course not. They are random, hilarious, and a little mad, such as “If you get pulled over for speeding, tell the policeman your spouse has diarrhea” and “Marry someone who looks sexy while disappointed.” However, there are a few Phil’osophies that show there is method in the madness, such as “Never be afraid to reach for the stars, because even if you fall, you’ll always be wearing a parentchute” and “If you love something, set it free… unless it’s a tiger.” Phil’s unique pearls of wisdom are definitely some of the best Modern Family quotes.
Whilst Phil’s book of life lessons makes “Schooled” such a hilarious episode, Gloria and Jay also deserve some credit for making “Schooled” one of Modern Family‘s funniest episodes. Gloria’s son Manny makes these old-school parents take a parenting class to prepare for the arrival of their baby. It’s both funny and relatable to see that Jay and Gloria think they have it all figured out, but are stunned when they see the rules of parenting have changed. It’s funny to see Jay and Gloria messing around like cheeky schoolkids at the start of the lesson, which leads to their competitive streak coming out as they finish swaddling their toy baby first. When Gloria’s swaddling technique is corrected, she says to Jay “I wrap my son with one hand while driving a stick – I think I know how to keep a baby safe!”
1
“Little Bo Bleep”
Season 3, Episode 13 (2012)
“Little Bo Beep” is part of Season 3, the best Modern Family season. It’s a special moment for the Pritchett-Tuckers as Lily becomes a flower girl for the first time. However, the timing of this occasion couldn’t be worse – Lily has just learned her first expletive, giving Mitch and Cam a new parenting challenge that’s hilarious to watch.
Cam cannot stop laughing when Lily says a rude word, which encourages her to say the word to make her dad happy. On the big day, Cam starts to cry as the wedding makes him feel emotional – and Lily sees him. In the middle of the aisle, whilst the church is silent, Lily keeps throwing out expletives, and, to make matters worse, her family can’t stop laughing! It’s a hilarious episode, in which Modern Family writers showcase yet again how well they use two contrasting elements to make something hilarious – in this case, it’s putting something highly inappropriate in a formal setting. It’s a silly and simple storyline – and that’s why it’s so funny. “Little Bo Bleep” is another example of why Modern Family is a masterclass in comedy writing.
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