Why So Blu?

Modern Family Season One (Blu-ray Review)

This is without a doubt the funniest show on TV right now.  Usually when a show this good is on TV that means that no one is watching it and it’s going to be canceled like Arrested Development.  The good news is that that’s not the case this time as not only is the show doing well in the ratings but it’s also winning Emmys.  Show-runners Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd who last produced the underrated Back To You, have rebounded from that cancellation with this expertly cast comedy.  It’s a show that the entire family can and should enjoy together!

“I decided to get in better shape quick. Didn’t want to end up like my old man. Although he did die doing what he loved — refusing service to hippies who came into his store.” – Jay

Film 

The show is about three families that are all related to each other but couldn’t be more different.  The show is filmed in a documentary kind of format similar to The Office which works really well for this show as the interviews are just as funny as the craziness going on in their day to day lives.  The patriarch of the family, Jay (Ed O’Neil) has recently married a beautiful Colombian woman named Gloria (Sofia Vergara) who is not only significantly younger than him but also has a 12 year old son named Manny (Rico Rodriguez) that keeps him on his toes.  Like all of the couples on this show, Jay and Gloria are a polar opposites.  Gloria is a passionate extrovert while Jay’s mellow and just wants to watch the football game.  Manny is a precocious boy who acts much older than his years and is often seen in a velvet smoking jacket or trying to full poncho to school.

“Batman doesn’t get picked on and he wears a cape. A poncho is just a cape that goes all the way around.” – Gloria
“Batman doesn’t get picked on because he’s a muscular genius. Manny can’t make it to the top bunk.  Am I driving him to school or is he riding his burro?” – Jay

Jay has two kids with families of their own. His uptight perfectionist daughter Claire (Julie Bowen) married a goofy real estate agent named Phil (Ty Burrell) who thinks he is the coolest Dad around. Claire and Phil have three kids,  Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter), and the dimwitted Luke (Nolan Gould).  Claire was apparently a wild child growing up but now she is a control freak who humors her husbands eccentricities.  Jay does all he can to be hip with his kids and has his own way of parenting them which is hilarious.  He refuses to accept that Luke is incapable of playing any sports and even dons a fake mustache to sell more homes.

“Here’s the deal. Girls don’t go for all that romantic stuff. They go for power and success. And since you don’t have either one of those things, you’re gonna be the funny guy.” – Phil

Jay also has a highly strung son named Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who lives with his exuberant partner Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) and they have just adopted a daughter from Vietnam.  Part of the great humor from this show is watching the old-school Jay interact with his gay son and his partner.  Jay does his best to be accepting but still is still adjusting and Cameron enjoys tweaking him now and again.  An episode where the two of them went to the gym to play racquetball together and accidentally bumping their butts together as they undressed was hilarious.  For Cameron it was no big deal but it had a bigger impact on Jay which just made it even funnier.

“Part of going to the gym is the locker room atmosphere, and if I’m there with a gay guy, it’s just not gonna be the same. I mean for me it’s a locker room, for him it’s a showroom.” -Jay

The appeal of the show is that all of these characters are relatable and they are expertly cast.  Every person in this cast is perfect and combined with the brilliant writing staff and this one is a home run.  It usually takes awhile for a cast to gel like this group has and for a show to find its voice but Modern Family had it all right out of the gate.  I’ve included some of the lines from the show to give you an idea of how funny the show is but it’s even better on the show as each of the cast delivers these lines with perfect comic delivery.

“It’s Cameron’s turn to be out in the world interacting with other grown-ups while I get to stay at home and plot the death of Dora the Explorer.”

Video

The show’a 1.78:1 transfer overall looks really good but some of the early episodes don’t have the same quality as the later ones did.  Flesh tones are good and colors pop out especially as the show progressed so by the time Cameran becomes Fizbo the Clown.  The image is sharp and has a nice clear picture with fine detail.

“You know how in a fairy tale there’s always a potion that makes the princess fall asleep and then the guys start kissing her? Well, this is like that except you don’t wake up in a castle — you wake up in a frat house with a bad reputation.” – Phil’s response to Alex when she asks what Jägermeister is.

Audio 

As this is comedy show, expectations should be realistic as far as how much your surround system will be utilized.  The show’s DTS-HD Master Audio track offers very clear dialogue but only through the front speakers.  The only time every channel is used is during the show’s theme song which is a lot louder than the rest of the show, but it sounds great.

“Oh sure, when you’re gay you just walk around giving butt bumps to everybody. It’s like a high-five — it’s a low two.” –Cameron after Jay says that their butt bump helped Cam’s racquetball game.

Special Features

These special features aren’t that extensive but they are fun and interesting.

“We’ve locked our baby in the car and people are judging us!”- Cameron

Final Thoughts 

This is my favorite show on television right now. If you haven’t seen it make sure you pick up Season 1 and get going on it!  I don’t think there has been a show that found its humor through the characters like this since Arrested Development but this one looks like it’s going to make it!  Check out the funniest show on TV that is armed with a fantastic cast and brilliant writers and see why it just won Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Show, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy (Eric Stonestreet), and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Steven Levitan and  Christopher Lloyd)!

“I am going to do what I am trained to do. I am going to lie, grovel, debase myself until I get what I want. I am a lawyer, damn it.” – Mitchell

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