A modern family for modern audiences. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at moments from “Modern Family” that at least one person in your family is bound to identify with, whether it’s the little things in life or major turning points.
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00:00 "Whoa, you're being a little-"
00:01 "UPSTREPOROUS!
00:02 RECALCITRANT TRUCULENT!"
00:03 "I was gonna say cray cray."
00:05 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at moments from modern family that at least
00:10 one person in your family is bound to identify with,
00:12 whether it's the little things in life or major turning points.
00:16 "Gloria, you're so much more than how you look."
00:19 "That's what you say to people that are not that pretty anymore."
00:25 Number 10.
00:26 Walking around a broken step
00:28 Every household has a perpetually broken item.
00:31 In the Dunphy household, it's a faulty step.
00:33 From season one onward, Phil repeatedly notes that he needs to fix that step, but the task
00:38 is put on hold for over a decade.
00:40 "You gotta fix that step."
00:42 Whether it's a crooked shelf or a loose doorknob, fixing these blemishes is never at the top
00:46 of our to-do lists.
00:48 After all, they're just minor inconveniences that are easy to ignore.
00:52 The longer you ignore a little problem, though, the bigger it can get.
00:55 "You gotta fix that step."
00:58 You probably won't notice how big a problem has gotten until somebody gets their foot
01:02 stuck in it.
01:03 This is exactly what happens in season 11, when Claire falls through the step, just as
01:08 Phil committed to repairing it.
01:09 "I'm not cutting my leg off."
01:10 "Think about how fast you would run with a robot leg."
01:13 "Luke, your mom's not getting a robot leg.
01:16 She'd need two or she'd just run in a circle."
01:18 Number 9.
01:19 Realizing your child is no longer a virgin
01:22 A lot of parents will always view their children as, precisely that, children.
01:26 But a parent is bound to see their child at least a little differently once they become
01:30 sexually active.
01:31 "Funny, I used to think it'd be yours until everyone was ready, but I guess I was wrong.
01:34 Wrong and naive."
01:35 Like most subjects, this sitcom tackled the loss of virginity through a modern lens.
01:40 Claire is understanding when she learns that Hayley and Dylan consummated their relationship.
01:44 After Alex accidentally spills the beans to Phil, though, it's an awkward adjustment for
01:49 everyone.
01:50 "Don't worry, girls, we're not gonna deprive ourselves just 'cause Hayley's a virgin."
01:55 "Oh, oh, Hayley's a virgin.
01:58 I thought you said…
02:00 Never mind."
02:02 Phil doesn't scream or shame Hayley, but the ensuing silence can be almost as uncomfortable.
02:07 It isn't until later that Phil finds the right words that he should have said from the get-go.
02:11 Phil still manages to convey that he loves and trusts Hayley, reaching a relatable reconciliation.
02:16 "Do you want the counter or booth?"
02:19 "Whatever seems right to you, I trust you."
02:25 8.
02:27 The chaos of getting a family photo
02:29 Getting a family photo shouldn't be that hard.
02:32 You all pose for a few minutes and you're done, right?
02:35 As we see in the Season 1 finale, assembling your family for a photo is more like wrangling
02:39 wild horses.
02:41 "Oh my God, are you kidding me?"
02:44 What's more, the horses all have to wear matching outfits, remain still, and smile.
02:49 Even when everyone finally shows up, there may be some buried tension and hostility that
02:53 arises at the worst time, making it hard to keep up the happy family facade.
02:57 "Phil, not now."
02:58 "Yes, now.
02:59 I don't want to look at this picture when I'm 80 years old and you're long dead and
03:02 know that you were angry at me when we took it."
03:04 You can often tell which family photos were orchestrated to the point of feeling artificial,
03:08 and which ones captured a genuine moment of family bonding.
03:11 In this case, the family gets their Kodak moment once they decide to roll with their
03:15 imperfections.
03:16 "I had this mental picture of the family that if I was lucky enough, one day I would end
03:21 up with a perfect wife, perfect kids, guess what?
03:25 I didn't get any of that.
03:26 Wound up with this sorry bunch.
03:28 And I'm thankful for that every day.
03:32 Well most days."
03:33 7.
03:35 The emotions following a near-death experience
03:38 Even if you're lucky enough never to be involved in a horrible car accident, many of us can
03:42 identify with close calls.
03:43 "Why does everything with him have to be so dramatic?"
03:49 The Dunphys and Manny experience that sudden jolt when an average, noisy car ride nearly
03:54 turns into a collision.
03:56 Everybody processes that almost-fatal crash in different, yet relatable ways.
04:00 "For many, a near-miss with death is a wake-up call.
04:04 But when a man misses his own near-miss, he truly sees what he's been missing."
04:09 Luke evaluates the things he's put off, Phil is motivated to take more chances, and Manny
04:13 is afraid to get back into a vehicle.
04:16 Haley's just relieved that her phone survived.
04:18 "Oh my god, I thought I lost you."
04:21 That sounds shallow, but let's be honest, even if you have everything backed up, losing
04:25 a phone can feel like losing a part of yourself.
04:28 That said, we'd share Alex's frustration if our sister prioritized their phone over their
04:33 own sibling.
04:34 "I just can't.
04:35 I can't."
04:36 6.
04:37 Electronics getting to you
04:38 Technology is supposed to make life simpler.
04:41 If you know how to use a device, it probably will.
04:43 If you don't, it can feel like trying to solve a riddle without an answer.
04:47 "So I can't point it at the TV when I want to watch the TV?"
04:50 "No, you point it at the receiver."
04:52 "What's a receiver?"
04:53 The most patient person in your family can be pushed to their breaking point when technology
04:57 enters the mix.
04:58 A universal remote proves to be Claire's Achilles' heel.
05:01 When pressing all the buttons doesn't work, she does the next most rational thing.
05:06 Smash the useless expensive gadget.
05:08 The learning curve is one thing, but Phil's teaching methods further fuel Claire's animosity
05:12 towards new tech.
05:13 "Come on, you proved your point.
05:15 Nobody in this house is smarter than me."
05:17 Claire gets a grasp on technology by Season 6, demonstrating how devices can keep families
05:22 connected and provide vital tools in online sleuthing.
05:25 "Get your father now."
05:26 "Dad, Mom needs you."
05:27 "Tell her I'm in the shower!"
05:30 5.
05:31 Not feeling pretty anymore
05:33 As much as Jay and Gloria love each other, both are well aware that one is, and always
05:37 will be, out of the other's league.
05:39 "You could be my age and 30 pounds heavier and you would still be unbelievably out of
05:44 my league."
05:45 Gloria starts to see herself in a different light on their 10th anniversary.
05:49 A decade after saying "I do," Gloria turns into a bridezilla upon finding that her wedding
05:53 dress no longer fits.
05:55 "This dress doesn't fit me anymore."
05:58 "That's it?
05:59 I drove all the way to Manny's dorm for nothing?"
06:01 "Oh, because you've made the sacrifice today."
06:03 No matter how confident, healthy, and radiant a person is, there's bound to be a day when
06:08 insecurity takes over.
06:10 When you're Gloria Pritchett, that might sound baffling, but anyone who has outgrown an article
06:14 of clothing will know how she feels.
06:17 "But now my body is getting…"
06:20 "Bigger?"
06:21 "How dare you!"
06:23 "But yes."
06:25 Jay assures Gloria that what she's experiencing is normal and that whatever changes await,
06:30 he'll adore her all the same.
06:32 "I'm in it for every pound, every wrinkle, every gray hair."
06:40 That's why she married him.
06:42 4.
06:43 The struggles of adopting
06:44 Cam and Mitch became parents in the pilot, but bringing another child into their family
06:49 captures the complexities of adoption.
06:51 "Can we please just see our baby?"
06:54 "No!"
06:55 It can be a drawn-out endeavor, and just when it appears that patience is going to pay off,
07:00 your excitement may turn to disappointment.
07:02 "She's saying that she's going to raise the baby."
07:06 Learning that their newborn baby is going to remain with their biological family, Cam
07:09 and Mitch are both devastated.
07:12 Although neither had a chance to meet the baby, the future they were mapping out is
07:15 suddenly shattered.
07:16 Their subsequent breakdown will resonate with anyone who's faced setbacks on the road to
07:20 parenthood.
07:21 "Every time someone says that we're getting a baby, I get my hopes up, and then when it
07:25 all falls apart, we just have to go through the whole thing again.
07:29 And then meanwhile, the child that we do have is at a recital, and we're missing it!"
07:34 It also serves as a reminder that you need to take care of yourself so that when the
07:38 time comes, you can take care of your bundle of joy.
07:42 Number 3.
07:43 School pressure
07:44 For some, a sweet 16 is a time to cut loose.
07:47 For Alex, it's more like a midlife crisis as the pressures of schoolwork manifest into
07:51 a smashed cake.
07:52 "I really need to focus.
07:53 There is a 16-year-old science prodigy studying cancer research at Johns Hopkins.
07:54 16!
07:55 What am I doing?
07:56 I'm eating cake!"
08:01 Being the most gifted Dunphy child, one might assume that school comes the easiest to Alex.
08:06 It isn't until Claire sits through one of Alex's advanced classes that she realizes
08:10 school can be just as stressful as a full-time job.
08:13 "Now a list of practice tests I recommend the students take before then.
08:16 3A, 4C, 12A through F, 18D, 19A, 23C, 24G, 25H, 26A."
08:28 Meanwhile, Alex unpacks her internal and external pressure in therapy, getting to the root of
08:33 her breakdown.
08:34 Alex feels as if she can't confide in her family about her struggles, figuring that
08:38 they wouldn't understand.
08:40 "I feel kind of alone."
08:45 When Claire recognizes the pressure her daughter must experience, Alex feels seen and so do
08:50 any viewers who've taken the SATs.
08:51 "I don't know how you don't have a meltdown every day.
08:55 Oh, honey.
08:57 Sweetie, what?
08:58 Did I say something?
09:01 Yes.
09:02 Thank you."
09:03 2.
09:04 Missing your family at college
09:06 Throughout high school, all you wanted was some distance from your family.
09:10 Arriving at college, that dream finally comes true, and it lasts about five minutes until
09:14 loneliness creeps in.
09:15 "Take a lesson from parakeets.
09:19 If you're ever feeling lonely, just eat in front of a mirror."
09:23 Looking around a dining hall of strangers, it dawns on Hailey that she's in a new intimidating
09:27 environment.
09:28 Her parents might not be there to hold her hand, but they're only a phone call away.
09:33 Before Phil and Claire even get home, Hailey gives them a ring, just wanting to hear their
09:37 voices.
09:38 "Hailey!
09:39 Hi, honey, you okay?"
09:40 "Yeah.
09:41 Where are you guys?"
09:42 "Almost home, honey."
09:45 While Hailey's relieved to know that her parents are always there for her, Phil and Claire
09:49 take solace in knowing that they haven't lost their little girl.
09:52 Every family member grows up, but that doesn't mean you have to grow apart.
09:56 "I love you guys."
09:57 "I love you too, honey."
10:00 "So, so much."
10:02 "Bye."
10:03 "Bye, Hailey."
10:04 "I'll miss you."
10:07 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:12 Getting rid of an aging car
10:13 Being long past its prime doesn't make letting go any easier.
10:17 "I'm just being realistic, but we're gonna need to lower the asking price."
10:21 Annoying smoke detectors
10:22 Yeah, we know they're important, but whenever we hear one, we get fired up.
10:26 "Guess that one won't be chirping anymore, will it?"
10:29 Paying the bill at dinner
10:31 There's always that one couple who never reaches for the check.
10:34 "Let's get some champagne."
10:35 "Let's do it."
10:37 Having an empty nest that's still full
10:39 Even when the kids move out, alone time is just out of reach.
10:43 "Drive."
10:44 "What?
10:45 What about Alex's pills?"
10:47 "Drive."
10:48 Trying to have it all
10:49 That moment when career and parenthood unexpectedly collide.
10:53 "Did you ever regret having me when you did?
10:55 Like, how it kind of derailed your career?"
10:58 "I didn't love it at first.
11:02 But then, I saw this face."
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11:22 1.
11:23 Jay accepting Mitch
11:24 When a person comes out, some parents are immediately supportive, others never come
11:29 around, and the rest need time.
11:31 In the first episode, Jay has gotten to a point where he accepts Mitch.
11:34 However, he hasn't entirely accepted his son.
11:38 "Okay, I know that I said I thought this was a bad idea.
11:42 But what do I know?
11:45 I mean, it's not like I wrote the book on fatherhood."
11:48 The series realistically explores the baby steps a lot of parents take in accepting their
11:53 children.
11:54 Without the love that Jay has for his son, Mitch senses that there'll always be some
11:57 hesitation on his father's part.
11:59 "Enough about dad.
12:01 He doesn't get gay weddings and I don't get tracksuits as casual wear."
12:05 It isn't until his wedding day that Mitch sees that his father gets him.
12:08 "Take your seat, dad.
12:09 We're about to start."
12:10 "Actually, I thought you and I would take a little walk."
12:13 Following a series of disasters, Jay finds Mitch and Cam a wedding venue at his country
12:18 club.
12:19 Walking Mitch down the aisle, the show rounds out Jay's relatable journey to acceptance.
12:23 Which modern family moment reflected your life?
12:26 Let us know in the comments.
12:27 "Being a mom is like being a model.
12:29 You have to learn how to live on crumbs."
12:32 Do you agree with our picks?
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12:41 -
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