Modern Family Review

“Modern Family” had one of the best pilots I’ve seen in years, and it’s instantly one of the funniest shows on television.

(My word alone should be enough for you to watch - it’s on tonight at 9! - but I’ll go ahead and expand on my opening statement.)

The show is shot in a documentary-style not unlike “The Office,” yet it is completely distinct from that other great show. (“Parks and Recreation”, a show that is improving but still mostly feels like a copy, should take notes.)

“Modern Family” follows three separate families who are nonetheless related to each other.

Ed O’Neill (“Married with Children”) is probably the most recognizable face in the bunch. He plays Jay Pritchett, who has a much-younger Colombian wife (Sofia Vergara) and a stepson (Rico Rodriguez) who he doesn’t entirely get along with and who most people likely assume is his grandson. O’Neill does a grumpier variation on his Al Bundy character, but infuses it with enough under-the-surface warmth to make us care for his character (especially in episode 2). Vergara so far is scoring laughs with her Colombian accent alone, but she’s a good comedic actress. Rodriguez is adorable, a little annoying (as most kids are) and (most importantly) not sappy as Manny.

Jay’s son Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) just adopted a baby with his partner Cameron (scene-stealer Eric Stonestreet). I love that the most interesting thing about these character is NOT that they’re gay - it’s that Mitchell is WAY too uptight (“I just stole a baby’s intellectual property) and Cameron is always trying to get him to loosen up. That being said, their homosexuality has been the source of some of the show’s best zingers. (“Wow. Paisley AND pink - was there something wrong with the fishnet tank top?) Also, as I mentioned earlier, Stonestreet swipes pretty much every scene he’s in. I’m still laughing at his “Lion King” moment in the pilot. (“Lion King” reference = my sweet spot.)

Finally, there’s Jay’s daughter Claire (Julie Bowen) who is married to Phil (Ty Burrell) and has two daughters and a son. Since they represent the “traditional” family, they have the most potential to be boring. However, Bowen is doing a great job as the exasperated and overworked mom, and she’s been a terrific straight man (so to speak) to Burrell.

I’m starting a new paragraph because Burrell deserves it. I’m making a prediction – Phil is going to be TV’s next great dumbass, following in the hallowed footsteps of Homer Simpson and Michael Scott. Phil is the kind of father who is more concerned about being a Cool Dad, than he is about being a good dad, to hilarious effect. All I know is that, from now on, WTF stands for “Why the face?” (Thanks, Phil.)

“Modern Family” is not perfect (I hope Claire and Phil’s daughters won’t be so one-dimensionally bratty the entire time), but so far, so VERY good.

You should watch (tonight!) and support one of the great new sitcoms on TV. (I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there aren’t too many of those lying around anymore.)

Modern Family…A