The Modern Family Christmas episode from last year was an instant Holiday classic, and their Halloween episode this year shoots for the same goal. The thing with this episode, like the Christmas one, is that while none of the plotlines are too original, the show finds a way to make them unique. Except for a few stumbles, it mostly works.
Claire is instantly believable as being obsessed with Halloween. She is constantly doing something: cooking, cleaning, laundry, vacation reservations, jogging, anything. So if she likes something, such as Halloween, she LOOOOVES it. We already know she's a perfectionist, so her explosion at the end was not a surprise, though her confessions about the holidays were great character development.
Also believable is Phil's concern over the neighbors' divorce. Even Phil knows he really lucked out by getting Claire to love a doofus like him, so like a friend's death, he wants to know where the neighbor failed so he might succeed. Phil can be stupid, childish, and irresponsible, but one thing that never comes into question about Phil is his love and devotion to Claire and the kids. He would do anything for them, even get touchy-feely with Claire on a ladder.
I thought a lot about whether or not the divorce scare could have come up in another episode, and while I think technically, yes it could have, it would not worked as well as it did here. Claire is in full-on Halloween-Nazi mode. Unless you're doing something that screws up her plans, she doesn't care. And without noticing that Phil was really worried about divorce, it ate away at him and made him overly scared.
Gloria's speaking came up again in this episode, but Sofia Vergara was more than game to mock herself. The last scene alone was powerhouse acting on her part. I have always taken her pronunciation as just a part of her personality, and so did Jay and Manny, but I completely understand both Gloria's need to know what she's doing wrong AND her anger at being called out as different. Her "American English" was worth anything, and I loved her half-hearted "bruja" speech.
Unfortunately, Mitch and Cam's story again left me in the cold. I liked the fact that the only people he listened to about costumes was the tool and the douche, but his antics around the office were a bit too cheesy for my tastes, except for the phone calls to Cam.
Cam's actual childhood trauma was not that big of a deal, and it was kind of a stupid thing to carry on your mind for so long. That said, I liked not only how dramatic Cam made it sound, I also enjoyed everyone rolling their eyes at him for the drama. I suppose the story did serve the purpose of reaffirming that Cam is a drama queen, but still, that story...
As for the costumes, they were pretty cool, but not the best I've seen. Jay's gargoyle was cute, and Manny and Luke were cute together too, but the winner was Hayley's Sexy Mother Theresa costume. Everyone else was passable but not fantastic.
Moments of Note:
-The hand scene was funny, though I knew this show was too smart to just have Claire fail at a joke and have Luke walk away. Good one, Phil.
-The screaming coffin replaced the broken step for an episode!
-Baby Cheeses. Enough said.
-I prefer Gloria's Doggy Dog world, honestly. Poh-pies!
-"A bruja is a witch, and a gargol is a gargol!"
-It's so weird to see Andy Botwin as someone level-headed. That was a tad bit jarring to me.
-"That's hot. Who is this?"
-I am now going to ask everyone in cat costumes how rough their tongues are.
-"Yesterday's lazy cures today's crazy!"
-"I am your mother now!"
-I like Claire, but I'm positive the gays do much better with it than her, though fireworks at Christmas is pushing it. Best moment of Claire's breakdown? Cam's "That's a lot of complaining from someone who asked for thirds on our tandoori turkey last year," followed by the best sassy head turn ever.
-"You're a girl being held in the haunted house against your will." "I know, but why the cage?"
-Phil muttering "I love you" into the monster microphone
-Who knew Mitchell was a master climber?
-Jay's speech to Gloria was the most perfect thing I've ever seen Ed O'Neill do. Jay is not much for sap, but he knows exactly what to say to Gloria to get her back into the groove. He told the oh-so-sweet story like a begrudging apology. Just like you would expect a grumpy old man to say to his wife. Perfect.
-Then Gloria wails on Mitchell. Ha.
-The family pulling together for Claire at the end was second for sappiest scene, but miles away from Jay.
GRADE: B+
Cam's whining and Mitchell's office were the low points, but they weren't so bad as to take away from the rest of the episode. Sexy Mother Theresa? Baby cheeses? Loving Ghoul Groom? A perfect sendoff for the dearly departed Rigg R Mortis.
MVP Ed O'Neill, for Jay's speech alone. Perfect
Runner-Up Julie Bowen. Claire's never been so perfectly crazy.
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