ABC
Last night’s Modern Family was not its strongest, but the spirit of the season, and the fact that holiday episodes are often a little forced anyway, compels me to cut it some slack and focus on what I enjoyed:
* Jay and Manny’s sparring over American vs. Colombian Christmas, culminating in an argument over the relative believability of Santa vs. Baby Jesus that probably could have gone on longer and even funnier if not for the danger of blasphemy: “How could a newborn baby carry all those presents?” “At least a baby can fit through a chimney!”
* “I can forgive the smoking, but I can’t forgive the lie.” [Death glance from Claire.] “Or the smoking.” If you want to know what Michael Scott would be like as a father, no look farther than Phil.
* Given the style and tone of Modern Family, it only stands to reason Fred Willard would get a hand in it eventually. Someone needs to make a list (if they haven’t already) of all the sitcoms he has even a fleeting connection to.
* OK, one gripe (I will excuse the schmaltzy closing monologue because ’tis the season, &c.). Normally, I hate it when people complain about the verisimilitude of mockumentary comedies. (No, a real crew would not shoot footage in that office for five years! You are very observant! I do not care!) But this was the first Modern Family in which I was distracted by it. I can maybe believe the cameras would have gotten Phil, in flashback, taking dishes from his son’s bed. But why would they happen to have had a second camera shooting the reverse angle of the carolers coming down the mall escalator? I know I’m being as petty as the Office nitpickers who annoy me, but it’s partly because ModFam has been so good about using convincing home video, for instance, for flashbacks in the past.
* I totally saw the ending “Innocente!” gag coming, and totally laughed at it regardless.