The Honeymoon Phase is Over

Modern Family Season 6 Episode 1 meant the end of the honeymoon phase, and not just for Cameron and Mitchell, who returned from their actual honeymoon.

Two to three months ago.

Through five Emmy wins in as many seasons, Modern Family has gone from must-see TV to everything that is wrong with TV in some viewers’ minds.

It’s not that the show isn’t good – it always has been, and still is – but the critical acclaim is seen as so over the top that it makes you want to dislike it.

There is truth to the oft-quoted refrain that it’s not as consistent as it once was, and that the characters continue to play off the same one-note jokes.

Modern Family Season 6 Episode 1 was still funny, though. At times very much so. Is this a worthy showcase of an Emmy winning comedy?

Probably not, but it would still warrant discussion in that arena, because the show still does what it does very well, as Wednesday’s show proved.

"The Long Honeymoon," which could also apply to Modern‘s Emmy run, come to think of it, was almost more about the Dunphys than Cam and Mitch.

Phil, Claire, Haley, Luke and his unsettling teenager voice are having the best summer ever, in no small part because buzzkill Alex is off volunteering.

The use of cutaways and the slapstick gags worked well, especially given the abruptness of their summer bliss crashing down as soon as Alex returned.

Haley’s webcam reveal and subsequent outakes were pretty amazing, too, and having to watch Phil eat plums all night was deliciously awkward.

Mitch and Cam’s story stretched the limits of believability just a bit, even for Cam, whose penchant for theatrics is rarely considered overselling it.

Would he really crash Mitch’s work event and do that, no matter how smitten he is? No, but it was worth it to set up the honeymoon phase’s unraveling.

The "three-monthaversary” romantic display he put together led to one ridiculous visual and verbal gem after another. Is fairy time over yet?!

Finally, we have Gloria, Jay and Manny, who sadly are the weak link if you watch Modern Family online a lot of times, and this was true last night.

Making high-maintenance Gloria look frumpy and potentially embarrass Jay in public got its share of laughs, no doubt, but it felt forced at times as well.

The age, cultural and lifestyle differences between the two will always provide material, but this felt a little recycled, in concept if not execution.

What did you think of the premiere? Are you still tuning in to the five-time Emmy-winning series, or have you moved on to bigger and better things?

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