My Hero

"My Hero" is the twenty-second episode from Season 4 of Modern Family, it aired on May 8, 2013.
== Summary ==
The entire family is invited to the local roller rink for a fundraiser by Mitchell's ex-boyfriend Teddy. Cameron struggles to deal with Teddy's close relations with the family. Phil teaching Gloria to roller skate leads to disastrous and hilarious results. Haley and Alex exchange advice while spending time with a couple of boys. Jay and Claire are at ends over his offer to work for him and gradually take over the closet business. All the while, Luke and Manny are dealing with their own problems to complete their "" essay on a family member.
==Plot==
Mitchell and Cameron run into an old boyfriend of Mitch's: Dr. Teddy. Actually, he was Mitch's last boyfriend before Cameron long, long ago. He invites Mitch, Cam, and Lily to a roller skating fundraiser he was doing for the hospital, and they were delighted to do it. Mitchell was afraid it might be awkward for Cam, but Cam was perfectly fine about it. Finding the rest of the Pritchetts and Dunphys at the same roller rink, not so much. Apparently Ted invited all of them.
Manny and Luke had assignments to write about who they consider a hero. Manny had to keep scratching names off his list, either because they were drinking while babysitting Joe (Claire) or scamming a free dinner because they found one of their own hairs in the food (Gloria) or complaining Joseph is wrapped up in flowered clothing like Manny (Jay). Luke had a bigger problem: he chose his mother but didn't know how to break it to Phil. And this resulted in him binge eating at the roller rink. (Never a good idea.)
At the rink, Claire tried to avoid Jay because he offered her a job at his company and wanted to groom her to take over the business. She worked there for half a summer 20 years ago and hated it. Jay was very condescending and mean to her at that time, and he always talked about how she disappointed him.
CLAIRE: The four big times I disappointed him, it devastated me. The time I cut off all my hair, when I went to college out-of-state, I crashed his vintage Jag into a wall.
PHIL: That's three.
CLAIRE: Kids! Dinner!
Gloria wasn't much for getting out on the rink because she didn't know how to roller skate and didn't want to embarrass herself. Unlike Cam, who was starting to get upset everybody liked Teddy. But Phil took her out for lessons, despite Gloria claiming she'll look like an idiot out there. (PHIL: Gloria, trust me, as long as you're standing next to me, you won't look stupid.) Thankfully, Teddy stopped her from falling on the rink, and now even Jay and Gloria took a liking to Teddy. Which got Cameron so mad, he had to hit one of those punching bag games in the arcade. (And broke a record.)
Haley wasn't enjoying herself very much, particularly since she kept getting community college brochures that she threw out and not telling her parents about. (Of course, who empties the trash?) two guys show up and she has a double-date with Alex. And Manny has two more heroes to cross off his list when they ditch him. However, Alex would need a few lessons on flirting: the first of which is don't make a guy feel stupid. Alex managed to tone it down during a game of air hockey, but Haley ended things there. Alex was confused, but Haley told her she made great strides and they shouldn't be wasted on a couple of guys who felt emasculated by losing to them in air hockey.
Mitchell tried to make peace with the family for Cam's sake, asking them to not like Teddy so much. Well, those who were not taking roller skating lessons out in the parking lot (Phil & Gloria), fuming behind the snack bar counter about their father (Claire) or puking all over the place (Luke). However, Jay and Cameron got a moment. Jay admitted he wasn't rooting for Mitchell and Teddy to go all the way. Mitchell was a different person with Ted around and he didn't like what became of him. Mitchell thought Jay wasn't used to his son being gay, but Mitchell was a bit of a pill around Teddy, and Jay was glad Mitch found Cam. (JAY: When you two started up, everyone thought 'well there it is'.) It certainly made Cam feel better (although Jay still wouldn't do a couples' skate with him), and Claire overheard the whole conversation and decided to take Jay's offer to work at his company.
MANNY: (voiceover) What qualifies someone as a hero? Obviously, a hero has to be someone we respect, a person we look up to. A person who is generous of spirit. Who is willing to grow and learn. Maybe it's the person you love most in the world, or the one who makes the most out of life, no matter what anyone thinks. For me, though, the hero in my family IS my family because of who we are together. (holds up his paper) C-minus "This was not the assignment." I'll tell you who's NOT my hero: Mrs. Rita McNabb.
But at least Cam got to enjoy his moment in the sun with his picture on the wall for setting the record on the punching bag. And yes, Teddy breaks the record. With the first punch he's ever thrown.
==Main Cast ==
(The characters striked out do not appear in this episode)
* Jay Pritchett
* Gloria Pritchett
* Manny Delgado
* Claire Dunphy
* Phil Dunphy
* Haley Dunphy
* Alex Dunphy
* Luke Dunphy
* Mitchell Pritchett
* Cameron Tucker
* Lily Tucker-Pritchett
==Guest Starring==
*Larry Sullivan as Teddy
*Lex Medlin as Jeff
*Zack Roosa as Max
*Zac Goodspeed as Blake
*Cherinda Kincherlow as Employee
==Trivia==
*The episode title refers to Luke and Manny's school essay that consists of writing about a member of their family who is a hero for them and why.
**Additionally, this episode shares its title with a Foo Fighters song.
*Julie Bowen submitted this episode for consideration due to her nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards.
*During the episode, Manny crosses several names on his list but he never crosses Phil's. It is possible, however, he made it off-screen.
*This episode has no recurring characters.
==Continuity==
* This episode aired exactly six years before A Year of Birthdays.
==Cultural References==
*Jay calls Manny Hugh Hef-nerd.
==Gallery==
Category:Episodes
Category:Season 4
Category:Content