Best Episodes
Modern Family is one of the most beloved sitcoms of the last decade, having aired on ABC since 2009. This show follows the lives of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan, a blended family which is a source of both comedy and drama. After 12 seasons, viewers have been able to rank the best episodes and discuss their favorite moments. Here we look at the episodes that have been highly ranked by viewers, and why they have become so popular.
Written by Sophie and last updated on dec 20, 2024.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Jay agrees to sub in on Cam’s bowling team, not knowing it’s an all-gay league. Phil and Clair have an unexpectedly nice time with their neighbors. Gloria and Mitch agree to go out with Haley.
The episode was rated 7.64 from 2389 votes.
Valentine’s Day means ’Juliana’ and ’Clive’ are back, but things get worrisome when Claire starts sensing Phil may be more into Juliana than her. Jay goes from feeling disappointed to scared when Gloria’s visiting sister becomes a larger deterrence for a romantic evening with Gloria than he thought. Mitchell and Cameron get themselves in a precarious situation with a good friend.
The episode was rated 7.64 from 1846 votes.
Alex’s worst nightmare is realized when she gets news that she has to share the Valedictorian title with her number one competitor, Sanjay! Both sets of parents get equally caught up in the rivalry and convince Principal Brown to let them break the tie via a gym grade they both have not completed – a one mile run. Elsewhere, Gloria is studying for her upcoming U.S. citizenship test and a visit from Javier throws her off her game, and Mitch and Cam blindly agree to join a protest against a local restaurant that they are actually secretly excited about.
The episode was rated 7.64 from 2264 votes.
The family is determined to make Alex celebrate her senior ditch day and Phil, Luke and Haley forcefully take her out but end up at an unexpected detour. Claire is torn when she gets a job offer from a big hotel chain but feeling torn quickly gets replaced with feelings of confusion when she can’t tell whether or not Jay really cares if she stays or goes. And with Manny groggy off of pain killers from his wisdom teeth procedure, Gloria seizes the moment to put a sabotage plan into effect to break Manny and his new girlfriend up.
The episode was rated 7.65 from 2185 votes.
The Dunphys stay in a cramped hotel room while the house is treated for mold; Gloria feels protective when Manny starts dating an older girl; Cameron wants to maintain his team’s winning streak but fears Mitchell is a jinx.
The episode was rated 7.74 from 2456 votes.
Phil must make creative edits in Cam and Mitch’s wedding video when footage reveals that Phil is responsible for a terrible cold that has plagued the family; Gloria and Jay try to help Manny cope with stress in different ways.
The episode was rated 7.76 from 2496 votes.
Phil is selling the house next door and he and Claire are excited by the prospect of having wonderful new neighbors, but that quickly turns into panic when a loud and obnoxious couple come to look at the house. Jay forbids Manny to see his new girlfriend when he realizes she’s the granddaughter of his biggest business rival. Mitch and Cam are determined to switch Lily out of Mrs. Plank’s class since she is known to rule with an iron fist – and she also scares them.
The episode was rated 7.76 from 2417 votes.
Claire allows Phil to take over Halloween this year, so he decides to turn the house into AwesomeLand. Cameron gets overwhelmed by the day’s activities. Mitchell has closing arguments for a huge case, and it doesn’t help that the stenographer is dressed like a spider.
The episode was rated 7.77 from 2404 votes.
Jay and Gloria can’t agree on what kind of anniversary gifts they want to exchange; the Dunphys go with Alex to Caltech for her college tour; Mitch, Cam and Lily take a new family portrait.
The episode was rated 7.79 from 2578 votes.
Haley is turning twenty-one and the whole family is taking her to a bar to celebrate! Claire really wants Haley to start seeing her as a friend rather than her uptight mom, Mitch and Cam make the sad realization that they may not be as cool as they thought, and Phil and Jay’s quick pit stop to pick up Haley’s gift, a new car, becomes a disaster. Back at home, Alex, Luke and Manny babysit Lily and she decides to drop the ‘where do babies come from?’ bomb.
The episode was rated 7.84 from 2337 votes.
Phil is cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year with Luke as his sous chef, and Claire has no confidence in them and prepares a secret turkey of her own as backup. Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria had plans to spend the holiday away but when the trip gets canceled last minute, they decide not to tell anyone which quickly becomes the worst idea ever since the family dinner gets suddenly moved to their house and it turns into a mad scramble to cover their tracks. Mitch is tired of always being the bad cop so when Lily refuses to wear a nice dress to dinner, he forces Cameron to deal with it who then comes up with a very unconventional approach.
The episode was rated 7.88 from 2431 votes.
When Alex returns from a humanitarian trip, the family dynamic shifts; Cameron remains in a lovey-dovey mood even after the honeymoon ends; Gloria gives Jay a taste of his own medicine after noticing the lack of effort he puts into his appearance.
The episode was rated 7.89 from 2857 votes.
The whole family is at Jay & Gloria’s for Alex’s graduation party, except for Phil, who ingeniously figured out a way to be there via skype and a robotic vessel after being unexpectedly detained in Seattle on a business trip. During the celebration, Jay frets about Gloria’s cousin who has overstayed his welcome, Claire stresses out about giving Alex the perfect gift, Mitch hides news of being laid off from Cam and Andy’s girlfriend, Beth, is in town stirring up a whole lot tension with Haley which finally leads to a realization that may have come too late
The episode was rated 7.89 from 2239 votes.
Phil and Claire don’t know if they should be happy or concerned that Haley and Andy are spending a lot of time together, however, they soon find things are not what they appear. Gloria is pushing Manny to learn Spanish instead of French so she goes ahead and hires a Spanish tutor, Diego, who also happens to be very handsome, much to Manny and Jay’s chagrin. Meanwhile, Mitch and Cam meet a popular news reporter at a school function and one of them piques her journalistic interest.
The episode was rated 7.90 from 2490 votes.
The episode of Modern Family titled "Connection Lost" is an infomercial in the best way possible. It showcases the incredible capabilities of Apple products while also displaying the witty writing and fantastic acting of the show. When Claire gets stuck at the airport and is desperate to reach Haley after a big fight, she turns to her computer as the hub of all the family's activities. Through FaceTime and online snooping, Claire, Phil, and the rest of the family get involved in an online drama. This episode is sure to please anyone looking for both a good laugh and a great tech demonstration.
It's easy to see why some might be put off by the episode's heavy product placement, but it's hard to deny how great the technology and the cast are in this episode. It's definitely a must-see for any fan of Modern Family and for anyone who enjoys a good advertisement every now and then. The cast does a great job at drawing out the humor and the drama of the episode and the Apple products are sure to leave viewers impressed.
The episode was rated 8.26 from 2413 votes.
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