Fansided

Every season of Modern Family so far, ranked

By Nir Regev

(EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE, PREMIUM RATES APPLY. EXCLUSIVE TO GETTY IMAGES UNTIL JANUARY 13, 2011) MODERN FAMILY - "Our Children, Ourselves" - Claire and Phil want Alex to relax a little about her studies, but then they start questioning their own intellectual drives. Meanwhile, Gloria tries to befriend another nice couple, much to Jay's chagrin, and Mitch and Cam run into and old female flame of Mitchell's, only to make a disturbing discovery, on "Modern Family," WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12 (9:00-9:31 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)MARY LYNN RAJSKUB, ERIC STONESTREET, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON
(EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE, PREMIUM RATES APPLY. EXCLUSIVE TO GETTY IMAGES UNTIL JANUARY 13, 2011) MODERN FAMILY - "Our Children, Ourselves" - Claire and Phil want Alex to relax a little about her studies, but then they start questioning their own intellectual drives. Meanwhile, Gloria tries to befriend another nice couple, much to Jay's chagrin, and Mitch and Cam run into and old female flame of Mitchell's, only to make a disturbing discovery, on "Modern Family," WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12 (9:00-9:31 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)MARY LYNN RAJSKUB, ERIC STONESTREET, JESSE TYLER FERGUSON /
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MODERN FAMILY – “Playdates” – Claire and Phil have dinner plans with this great couple they met on vacation; the only problem is they never pick up the bill, so Claire insists Phil be strong this time and make them pay. Gloria organizes a playdate with a couple that appears to have a lot in common with them – they also have a young son Joe’s age, but the husband is in his eighties and Jay takes it very personally. Elsewhere, Haley, Alex and Luke are surprised when Uncle Mitchell comes over to cash in on the birthday coupon they gave him for a belated celebration, so they scramble and end up on an impromptu tour of celebrity homes, on “Modern Family,” WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EST) on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Ron Tom/ABC via Getty Images)
MODERN FAMILY – “Playdates” – Claire and Phil have dinner plans with this great couple they met on vacation; the only problem is they never pick up the bill, so Claire insists Phil be strong this time and make them pay. Gloria organizes a playdate with a couple that appears to have a lot in common with them – they also have a young son Joe’s age, but the husband is in his eighties and Jay takes it very personally. Elsewhere, Haley, Alex and Luke are surprised when Uncle Mitchell comes over to cash in on the birthday coupon they gave him for a belated celebration, so they scramble and end up on an impromptu tour of celebrity homes, on “Modern Family,” WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EST) on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Ron Tom/ABC via Getty Images) /

9. Season 7

If there’s one situation Modern Family has always crafted to perfection, it’s the nuance of a friendly dinner with acquaintances. In season 7, the series returned to tinker with the classic formula on episode 10 “Playdates” in which Claire tells Phil it’s time the other couple picks up the check for once. At first it seems like good guy Phil can’t restrain himself from hovering over the restaurant bill but Claire puts an end to it. It becomes a staring contest, a metaphorical game of dinner chess where both sides look forward pretending the bill isn’t there. Despite the server nudging them to just pay the thing, both couples continue talking until the whole kettle is empty, no more to say. Like a game of Scrabble without nay a letter left.

Phil tries to get the attention of the server, calling it torture and telling Claire he’d do anything to end the dinner but she maintains her position. Finally, the other couple’s wife, Lisa Delaney, tells her husband Tom she knows what this is about, and he should pay the check. However, in an unexpected twist Phil reveals he has to pay the check because he has a bet with Tom about which wife can eat the most crickets. It appears at all the last dinners, Phil and Tom would place crickets in their wives food to see who would eat the most without noticing.

Meanwhile, it appears Lily has an innocent crush on a couple’s son so Cam decides to teach her how to flirt and ask questions. The next time the couple arrives, it turns out it’s actually the couple’s husband Lily has a crush on rather than their son! Lily uses all the tactics Cam taught her until Cam notices and calls her for a meeting.

The highlight of the episode however, is the dynamic between Jay and Marty (a husband of Gloria’s new friend at the school), the two enter a game of old man showmanship. Jay trying to prove to Marty he is not as old as Marty or of the same generation. The look on Jay’s face when Marty first proclaims, “Thank goodness! You really are as old as they said you were! I thought they were exaggerating,” says it all. Jay sees himself as a Baby Boomer not the Greatest Generation and is insulted by the idea that he forgets things like Marty. Eventually, things come full circle when Jay recommends “new service” Netflix to Marty for their mailing service rather than streaming.