It’s an illusion, not a trick.
“There are two things I know with dead certainty: how to shoulder roll out of a human pyramid and the black arts of the Butler’s Escape.” – Phil Dunphy
In a brilliant connection between storylines, Modern Family’s latest episode tied the significant plot changes of recent episodes to an issue of household balance and the importance of regaining stability.
The Dunphys
Luke wants to quit magic – which ranks as one of Phil’s greatest passions, next to his iPad and selling houses. Phil freaks out and tells him he can’t quit, because he knows Luke quitting magic will be the first step in him growing up and losing interest in his dad. Alex is often snappy and mean because Haley’s departure has left her without someone to bicker with.
Phil asks Luke to do the Butler’s Escape – a trick all about balance in which a magician’s hands are locked into a butler’s costume and the magician must then escape from said pose. Luke does the trick easily, but when Phil tries it, he gets stuck in the costume and can’t escape. It’s here that Claire realizes the imbalance in the house.
Luke helps Phil do the trick; Haley and Alex talk over video chat. Balance is restored.
The Tucker-Pritchetts
Cam starts his job as the music teacher at Luke and Manny’s school. He’s uber excited – he enters his first day in a yellow sweater with a large black treble clef on it, saying, “Here comes treble!” – and ready to achieve his dream. But he flubs his first day, being overenthusiastic and uttering creepy catch phrases such as, “Let’s form an orchestra made up of my favorite instruments: your bodies!” At lunch, no teachers want to sit with him.
Mitchell, on the other hand, has the other end of the role reversal – taking care of Lily, going to the grocery store and fixing a dimmer light. He fails at running all his errands and eventually calls Claire in to help him impress Cam after Cam’s first day at work.
Cam then starts sobbing over dinner just as Claire is leaving the house, saying his even his sweater was ruined when “The shop teacher spilled juice on it. He said it was an accident, but it wasn’t an accident.” Then Mitchell admits he, too, had a horrible day and they hug it out, saying they just need to achieve – what else? – balance between the two of them.
The Pritchetts
Gloria is snoring constantly. The extra weight and the new baby makes her “Huge and loud – it’s like sleeping with Rush Limbaugh,” according to Jay. So Jay dodges the bullet of telling her the truth and heads to San Francisco on business, but gets back a day early. Desperately needing to sleep, he checks into a hotel for a night. Manny, who can’t stand the loudness of Gloria’s snoring in the house, sees Jay from the hotel lobby while spending time there for peace and quiet. Soon after, Gloria is standing in the lobby, proclaiming that she will kill Jay for cheating on her. When he explains her snoring, she takes his room key and spends the night in his hotel room, telling Jay to go home and make some pasta for Manny.
Why the episode works
It’s an example of a great Modern Family episode – one that ties everything together, starting with parallel cold opens of noisiness while sleeping and building a central theme that’s hidden until the main metaphor of the Butler’s Escape is revealed. The families barely interact in this episode, yet we can see how the theme affects every person. It’s also hilarity at its best in extreme settings – Cam looking foolish in a treble clef sweater and Phil clad in an old butler’s costume with chains on it – and exemplifying classic character quirks. It’s because of episodes like these that Modern Family wins Emmys. Unlike many other comedies on television, the writers are skilled in uniting concepts over three storylines effortlessly.
What could have been better
I wish there was less sappiness. I know it’s important to keep the plotline going, but we really could have done without all the hugs. The audience would get the point that there was mutual understanding just as easily without all that straightforward affection, and it opens up room for more funny moments of resolution.
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