TV Review: MODERN FAMILY: Season 5, Episode 19: A Hard Jay’s Night

ABC‘s Modern Family A Hard Jay’s Night TV Show Review. Modern Family: Season 5, Episode 19: A Hard Jay’s Night is indicative of some of the issues this comedy, hilarious as it may be, is going to have going forward. In the episode we have Gloria and Phil attempting to sell Gloria’s old apartment that she has apparently been renting out (do you remember this coming up in previous episodes? I sure don’t),  Manny and Luke arguing over whether or not to go to a party, Cam and Mitch fighting over the impending wedding, and finally Jay and Claire struggling over Claire’s role in his business.

I’ll begin by saying that one of the strengths of Modern Family is undoubtedly its ensemble cast. However, as the characters grow in scope and in age, there is only so much room within a half an hour for everything to fit. Haley and Alex are relegated to little more than set dressing, and Lily is little more than an afterthought. In the earlier seasons this dynamic worked because the adults arguably were bigger players, but now that everyone is getting older there is too much going on to the point where it all feels a bit pointless.

Of course, it is a comedy after all, and maybe taking it so seriously is not the point (although good television is good television). The episode is certainly not all bad. Phil continues to be my favorite character causing me to literally laugh out loud. In this particular episode it was the bit when Gloria proclaims “there is no one like you” as he stands against the backdrop of his latino doppelganger. Priceless. I also think the show is moving in the right direction by further developing the relationship between Manny and Luke. Even if there are what feels like 100 characters you have to love the acting. Both characters are deep and this juxtaposition of the underlying humanness and comedy is what makes Modern Family such a great show.

And while the show does press in the right direction in this regard, the marriage between Mitch and Cam is a questionable narrative. I can understand the importance and jubilation behind the idea of these two being able to get married, and celebrating it and the comedic mishaps and whatever that they get into along the way, but the fact is it isn’t that much different than their relationship before. They have always been a couple seriously in love – marriage is not going to change anything for them. What would be more interesting is a bigger focus on them raising Lily and the challenges they encounter there. I feel like there is much more room for comedy than watching the two get in petty fights every week.

They say not to take comedy too seriously so I’ll leave it at that, and honestly after 5 seasons the show continues to be hilarious. As the season winds down it will be interesting to see what develops, and all bets on how over the top Cam and Mitch wedding begin now!

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