The Enduring Legacy of “Modern Family”
By: Richard Lebeau
Tags: Television, LGBTQ, Media, Culture, Writing

A Review of the Modern Family Series Finale

The timing of the Modern Family series finale was somewhat cruel for two reasons. First, it came amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This is a time when we need comfort not more loss and sadness. Second, it aired exactly 24 hours after the series finale of Schitt’s Creek, another long-running show I was deeply invested in. Nevertheless, I tuned in live to the two-part finale and the one-hour retrospective documentary that preceded it.

Image from the “Modern Family” series finale (Image Copyright: ABC/20th Television)

The documentary, A Modern Farewell, did a great job of reminding me what an astonishing legacy the show had. It chronicled the grueling process of auditioning literally thousands of people for the ten central roles, the reaction of the cast and crew to the initial breakout success, what it was like to literally grow up on set for the show’s younger actors, the watershed portrayal of same-sex relationships (more on that later), and the cast and crew’s difficulty letting go of the show and each other.

Image from the “Modern Family” series finale (Image Copyright: ABC/20th Television)

The two-part series finale will not join the ranks of the truly great series finales like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, Friends, and The Good Place. But it will decidedly not join the massive disappointments of the Seinfeld, Roseanne, and (original) Will & Grace series finales. It was a rock solid affair that hit all the notes it needed to — no more, no less. It essentially centered on two main plot lines. In the first, Cam and Mitch have moved into their new home and brought home the new baby they have adopted only to find out that Cam got his dream job in Missouri. Mitch selflessly (but anxiously) agrees to give up their life in LA and go on an adventure. In the second plot line, Phil and Claire lay down the law and tell their three free-loading kids that it’s time to move out. But when the kids take them seriously and move on with their lives, they are devastated.

Image from the “Modern Family” series finale (Image Copyright: ABC/20th Television)

The finale feels chaotic and exhausting at times in large part because it attempts to provide closure to every relationship on the show. It not only gives us beautiful moments between Jay/Gloria, Mitch/Cam, and Claire/Phil, but also between Mitch/Claire, Gloria/Manny, and the Dunphy children. (It also features a bizarrely cold interaction between Gloria/Cam that marked the low point of the finale for me.) On paper, it ended just as it should. Jay and Mitch have decided to sacrifice for their partners. Claire and Phil adjust to being empty nesters by going on an adventure. All four of the kids are ready to finally grow up (and, in a beautiful touch, Haley and her family move into Mitch and Cam’s recently vacated home). In execution, however, it was a bit unevenly paced, peaking a bit too early in the hour and not quite knocking all of the key emotional moments out of the park.

But, these minor quibbles aside, it really did hit all the right notes. It invoked laughs, tears, and nostalgia and managed to give each member of the gigantic ensemble at least one special moment. And the final image of the lights going off at each of their homes, with Phil and Claire turning the porch light on in case any of the children needed to come back home was both hopeful and heartbreaking.