SPOILER ALERT: 'Modern Family' Finale Provides a Heart-Warming Distraction
SPOLER ALERT: The following contains spoilers about the "Modern Family" series finale.
After 11 years of running in television, Emmy-winning ABC series "Modern Family" finally bid farewell to its fans in a heart-warming finale on Wednesday night.
A recent review commends the writers of the family-oriented comedy for pulling it all together despite running on fumes a bit the past few seasons which is an inevitable byproduct of running this long.
In the finale episode, each family faced its own crossroads. After adopting a baby boy, Cam (Eric Stonestreet) got offered his dream job back in Missouri, forcing him and his husband Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) to vacate the new house they just finished lovingly furnishing.
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As Claire (Julie Bowen) and Phil (Ty Burrell) were dealing with a not just full but overflowing house, they asked one of their now all-grown-up children to move out to ease the strain, but soon having them all go, leaving the couple dealing with the scenario of being left alone together.
Finally, as Gloria's (Sofia Vergara) career takes she off worried that her sons don't need her the way they once did but Jay (Ed O'Neill) secretly attempts to learn Spanish to surprise her which was one of the funnies parts of the episode, especially when Phil misunderstood his request for a spoon.
The finale was a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from funny to the touching, starting with Jay commenting about Mitchell and Cam moving, "Both my sons are leaving."
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What is also commendable about "Modern Family" is its stance on some sensitive issues like homosexuality, having married its gay couple -- and watched Jay overcome his initial misgivings about the ceremony -- a year before the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on the issue.
Viewers are then shown with a medley of photos that shows how everyone had grown up which makes perfect sense when Phil tells Claire, "Leave the porch light on. They come back."
The finale also offered a welcome distraction from unsettling current events the way another family-oriented series, "The Cosby Show," did almost 30 years ago as people were forced to stay indoors.
One of the highest-rated programs of all time, "Cosby" aired its finale amid the outbreak of the Los Angeles riots in the wake of acquittal of police officers charged with the beating of motorist Rodney King. For residents of Los Angeles, the scenario of temporarily escaping bad news by watching a long-running comedy was nothing new.
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"Modern Family" not only holds the Emmy record for best comedy wins by a series (five, along with "Frasier"), but it was also the last show on a broadcast network to hold that title.
It is too early to say there won't be another "Modern Family" someday in the future but for now, all ABC can do is leave the porch light on.