‘Modern Family’ 2.03 Recap: “You’re Playing Pretty Fast and Loose With My Soul!”

There’s an earthquake on ‘Modern Family’ this week, and some strange life lessons to follow it up.

One of the things I love about ‘Modern Family’ is that the show almost always ends on an up note and a learned lesson. The characters give a little, take a little, and in the end they grow a little. ‘Earthquake’ is different.

The episode starts out with arguments in every household. There’s a plumber coming to the Dunphy house, despite Phil’s assertion that he can fix the problem with the tub. He did finally fix the step after all.

Mitchell and Cam are fighting as well. Neither wants to go to a party that their friend Pepper is throwing, but Cameron feels obligated, since the couple missed the last one.

In the Pritchett home, Gloria argues with Jay about his decision to no longer attend church. Jay puts his foot down and declares that he has no plans to return to church. Just that moment, an earthquake hits.

The earthquake is literal, but it’s symbolic as well. The quake and the events that follow reveal weaknesses and cracks in the foundations of established relationships.*

Once the quake is over, things change. Cameron lies to get out of the party, Phil keeps Claire locked in the bathroom while covering for his failure to anchor a shelf to the wall, and Manny ditches church to golf with Jay.

The strange part is that things don’t wrap up nicely in the end. Manny ends up confused about religion, Phil relies on Alex to deceive Claire, and Mitchell lies to cover for Cameron’s lie. The moral: If you’re going to lie, lie well.

It’s not that this episode of ‘Earthquake’ isn’t funny. There are plenty of good gags, including some great lines by guest star Nathan Lane. It just doesn’t feel like ‘Modern Family.’

*Yeah, it’s a bit of a stretch. But it’s either that or I use earthquake puns the whole time. “Boy, Phil was really shaken up!” – “Boy, the kids were rumbling!” –”Mitchell sure shifted those plates!” Is that what you want?

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