Episode Title: Kiss and Tell
Air Date: Oct. 3, 2018
The newest episode of Modern Family takes place at a pool party at Jay's house. Most times, the better episodes are when everyone is together and shares a common thread of a bigger story. These situations especially make the final monologue at the end of the episode all the more meaningful - this time it was from Haley, and it was perfect - and all the pieces added up to one of the best episodes I've seen in a long time.
Haley confesses to her guncles she kissed Dylan even though she's still involved with Arvin (oh man, that relationship with that genius scientist needs to end). In classic Modern Family fashion, the problem of one person turns into multiple peoples' problems. Mitch doesn't think Haley needs to bother telling Arvin about the kiss, but Cam thinks it's deceptive to keep anything from your significant other. Let the bickering commence! The two of them even pose the situation to the rest of the family, which causes more rifts as Phil and Claire are also split on this (take a guess whom Claire agrees with).
This was a perfect story line. It laces through past decisions that get drudged up, and it brings out the worst in all of those involved. Cam's imagination runs wild while Phil is stunned and potentially heartbroken. It's great to see how fragile the two married couples were even though they've been together for nearly two decades. They're so dramatic!
So of course Haley calls him and tells him, and Arvin is heartbroken and hangs up on her. Haley tries to clear her conscience by clearing the air with Dylan, but alas, Dylan yet again proves that this annoying character isn't going away anytime soon. I'm just imagining it now, and it makes total sense: Why wouldn't a character they've dragged onto the show sporadically the previous nine seasons have some kind of significant story in the final season? If Haley ends up with Dylan after all this, I'm going to lose it. Then again, the two ditzes are perfect for each other, right?
Meanwhile, Phil apparently watched Mean Girls, which, as my wife pointed out to me, is a reference to the actual Mean Girls movie - apparently Oct. 3 is mentioned in a conversation in the movie. Phil, who is shocked with himself he hasn't watched this movie to this point in his middle-aged life, realizes Jay is a Mean Girl in his life. The solution? Treat Jay even more "Mean Girly." Jay one-ups him, of course, because he's a competitive Pritchett, but they have a rare touching moment later one between father-in-law and son-in-law and they express their true motivations for their behavior. As an aside, I actually appreciated that Phil was able to "Man up" without blowing it or getting mocked for a change.
NOTES:
- I could've gone the entire series without Manny's story line involving his mother thinking her son is gay, but it makes total sense.
- I wasn't curious about how much sex Alex is having with a fireman; neither wasPhil. It was a funny moment that could've been explored a little more; it's a side of Alex we don't really see all that much.
LINES:
-"Did you get a peck from pickled Pepper?" ~ Cam, in what may have been the most clever, almost forced, double-meaning innuendo.
-"People, there are too many actual reasons we need to hang out with each other. We cannot afford to hang out by mistake." ~ Jay, when realizing his pool party was for no particular reason.
THE WIFE'S TWO CENTS: She totally correctly predicted that Claire made up the part where Mitch later called Claire crying about his decision to kiss someone behind Cam's back.