“Her spirits are high, her whole family is high – there’s your headline.” – Phil
Modern Family is far from a serialized series – ten weeks out of ten you should be able to tune in for certain laughs, not needing to know anything more than your favorite character’s name and that everyone loves each other. But “Election Day” finally delivers in such a way that has been in the making all season.
Claire’s decision to run for city council has inspired her whole family to rally as much support as they can on the day of the vote. Unfortunately, they don’t channel that inspiration very well. If the day’s events are proof of anything, it’s that the Dunphy’s and Pritchetts (and Tuckers and Delgados) are as divided as they are united, and vice versa.
Even though David Cross wasn’t around to reprise his role as Claire’s political opponent, Duane, his presence was certainly felt throughout. His constant undermining of Claire’s campaign manifests itself in all variety of matters and manners. She arrives to vote at her station entirely unrecognized by local reporters, and then has her false tooth knocked loose just before having her picture taken, and then again before giving a radio interview.
Claire’s accumulating concerns are just enough for her to assume that the rest of the family was more successful in their “Election Day” ventures, however, even though they weren’t. Cam and Mitchell get their hands on a car with a speaker to drive around town advocating Claires advocacy, but get caught up gossiping with the button pressed, broadcasting their banter until Lily’s old preschool teacher overhears. Jay doesn’t even get to cast his vote, as he finds an old flame and his history with her – standing in the way of his ballot being counted. Gloria, too, meets resistance, discovering that her womanly wiles hold no sway over the telephone. And Phil, meanwhile, spends the day taxiing around his elderly neighbor, Walt, to do chores instead of picking up the other forty-nine senior citizens whose votes Claire is relying on.
Although Claire ultimately loses the election, the family remains entirely supportive not only of her, but of Hayley, who is struggling with bad news of her own. After her first college rejection letter, Hayley has been keeping her subsequent refusals private. Finally seeing her own worries and disappointments in her mother, Hayley both comforts and confides in Claire, who urges her to open her final letter.
Even without David Cross, I found Walt (Philip Baker Hall) to be exceptionally hilarious as Phil worked incessantly to appease the old-timer’s demands before finally giving him his vote. Luke’s newest old friend needed some time to warm up to the Dunphy’s, but audiences have been increasingly endeared to the war-vet for some time now. Next week’s “The Last Walt” is nothing if not an ominous title, but these are the kinds of impactful episodes that keep a show around, not just for a good time, but for a good, long time.
Some stats and info about Modern Family, “Election Day”
TV SHOW – Modern Family
SEASON/EPISODE – Season 3, Episode 19
AIRED ON – April 11th, 2012
NETWORK/STREAMING SERVICE – ABC
GENRE – Comedy, Relationship Shows
CREATED BY – Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd
CAST – Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Rico Rodriguez, Nolan Gould, Sarah Hyland, Areil Winter, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.