But pho is not an Asian thing. It's a Vietnamese thing. Believe me, I tried to order pho from a Chinese restaurant that had a noodle soup dish, which sounded exactly to me like pho, but the woman said she had no idea what pho was, and only took my order when I told her the menu item number.

But again, if Cameron is assuming that pho is a pan-Asian thing, then he's still being clueless. That's not a reason for the doctor to be nicer to him. The only thing that could have got Cameron out of it would be if, once she said she was from Denver, he got all embarrassed and said, "I'm so sorry." That's a way that they could have smiled and laughed the whole misunderstanding off.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I noticed that Mitchell was certainly aware that Cameron was going off too much about pho, and looked like he wanted Cameron to stop creating an "incident."

Edited to add: Hey, did you guys see the "Question of the moment" poll on the front page? It's asking which is your favorite sitcom, and Modern Family is currently on top with 16% of the vote.

I really liked Claire this week, cheesy voiceover at the end aside. I laughed out loud when Mitchell called her and asked her if she ever smashed her kids' heads into a wall, and she answered matter-of-factly, "We usually just give time-outs."

That was such an awesome conversation, and I did have a moment of pure joy that the gay couple was also having a parenting conversation that every straight couple could identify with.

Hee, of course my reaction to the "pho" comment, was that the "from Denver" juxtaposition didn't work quite as well. I think they picked Denver, since it seemed like a sort of good, middle America contrast. But Denver has a pretty big SE Asian community, so it might actually be good odds that an Asian-American from Denver is Vietnamese-American. (And there are pho places all over town.) I understand the doctor's response in a real sense, it just didn't work for me as well as a comedic contrast. For instance if they were saying it to a Latina doctor, and he was asking about menudo, of course, Cam is still clueless, but if she responded with "I'm from Los Angeles," that isn't a negation of her knowing about menudo. And I have now totally overthought this joke.

I think part of Cam's whole pho/bowing thing was that he and Mitchell are still concerned that people are judging them (like, how could these two men know how to raise an Asian baby?). I certainly don't think it was meant to be rude, as Mitchell was obviously like "Ugh, what is he doing?" I don't think it was meant offensively.

I thought the scene with Cameron and the doctor was cute and funny. In my opinion it's completely absurd to become bitterly offended by a clueless somebody who very clearly doesn't mean to offend. Multiculturalism is a lot less painful when tolerance is a two-way street.

But Cam was trying to show that they were raising Lily in a non-clueless way. For him to obviously have no idea what the hell he was talking about, and to be completely lacking in cultural etiquette, shows he hasn't done anything to back up his claims. That makes it more obnoxious, because he's trying to sell the doctor on his cultural sensitivity and he's demonstrating not only that he lacks it, but also that he clearly hasn't done anything to work on that. It seemed out of character, too. It was Phil behavior.

I just want to read.

Thank you. I took Cam's behavior more like JennyLiz's interpretation. I thought he was just nervous about possibly of being judged, as two gay men that adopted an Asian baby, and he was awkwardly over-compensating. People say stupid stuff all the time, especially when they're upset, or nervous, or uncomfortable or whatever. I thought they were just exaggerating the awkwardness for laughs.

Especially when they just accidently conked their baby's head on the ceiling, their baby who just happened to be dressed like Diana Ross.
"Please tell your wife to calm down".

I'm Asian and wasn't offended. I know what real, mean-spirited racism feels like so I'm not offended by someone who is obviously trying not to be. Besides, misguided cultural sensitivity stories make for hilarious conversation at family get-togethers.

But he did do it, in a later season, and the movie was awful. Its the only reason I know Pablo Escobar as well, though.

I don't think the doctor was offended, more just annoyed that he wouldn't stop talking about the topic.

Just the way Gloria says this and grins at the end makes me love the show even more. They say jokes very deliberately and other people find them funny... just like in real life. (Unlike, say, The Office where someone is doing something purposely funny and it's so weird how usually everyone's natural reaction is to cringe or nothing at all. I would laugh if I were in that situation!)
Also realistic for me is Hayley's freaking out over her mom yelling at her to "Merge! Merge!" because I have totally freaked out at my dad while he was backseat driving!

And don't forget, re the use of the word "still," that this was shot as (and was intended to be) Episode Two. So "still" isn't actually a very long time. (It just seems like it. Which is one of the problematic things about showing episodes out of order. Characters act in ways that don't make the most sense to the audience. Not that Cameron might not still be concerned with being judged after two months or whatever, but he might be a little less sensitive to it than he seemed this week.)

So many LOL moments that others have already mentioned (the garbage can charging bull was so funny I missed the fall the first time from laughing). And so were the student driver scenes. I'm now making this appointment television. Hilarious.

The fact that the Pablo Escobar reference was used as a gag line in a sit com would indicate that this should be common knowlege to all of us...just sayin'.

EW.com has a 'photo shoot' of the show's characters...here's a little blurb from Ed O'Neill's picture:


Closet store - HA! All pics can be found here: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20316039,00.html

Why do I feel like him being a "closet king" is being contemplated purely as a way to make a pun about Mitchell...

For some reason, I've been imagining him more as the owner of some kind of substantial non-retail concern, like a contracting or engineering company or even a small aerospace firm.

Put me down as one who thinks of him as a builder/developer/general contractor type guy.

ETA - someone who might have had some unsavory business associations as well as some skeletons in his closet.

I like that at least it makes sense that if Ed's character owns his own business and makes good money, that Gloria wouldn't need to work (oh man, I loved her line about spending his money with her next husband).

We've established that Claire doesn't work. Since Phil said he canceled an open house, I guess he's a Realtor. He would have to be pretty good to have a family with 3 kids in a nice house and have his wife be a full-time Mom. However...Phil. Really? Can you picture entrusting this man to sell your house? Oh man.

It's think it has also been mentioned that Cam is currently unemployed but that might have just been in an interview not on the show.

I remember that too. I thought that in the pilot, that Phil mentioned that because of the ecomony, he wasn't working anymore.

I cosign on the car scene and that, though this episode was quite funny, it wasn't as funny as the previous episodes. Which says a lot about how good this show is, when a not as funny episode can still be hilarious.

I did catch one slip up though. When the two middle kids came home, right before Claire and Phil were going to race, the blue minivan dropped them off and drove away. They cut away to focus on Claire and Phil and when they cut back to the kids, the minivan is still parked at the curb.

People really do this. All.The.Time. So I was amused. Not offensive, just clueless.

I didn't think Cameron's Asian stuff at the doctor's office was offensive. I just thought it was an uninspired, overused joke, therefore not very funny.

I didn't think that joke was bad for one simple fact. Cameron was oblivious to the fact he was being offensive. After every comment Mitchell kept telling him to stop/giving him looks etc. It went completely over Cam's head, that is why it was funny IMO atleast.

I thought the same. I like the show, but I think there are a lot of jokes and elements that are played out and the flaws would be more obvious if the show was filmed as a traditional four camera sitcom.

That's the reason why Cameron was offensive. Because he couldn't take an obvious hint from either the doctor or from Mitchell. He'd have to be stupid, not smart and sensitive, to not take those hints. Yes he was overeager and truly meant no harm, BUT that doesn't excuse him (from the doctor's point of view) for continuing the offensive behavior after being politely corrected. A simple misunderstanding out of nervousness can be forgiven quickly if the other person admits they made a mistake. But if they continue in denial of the mistake, it gets more irritating.

To clarify, I personally did not find the joke offensive as an Asian; I'm used to far worse jokes about racism and how we all look alike. To me the joke was trite and overly long, but I didn't get mad about it, because other characters such as Mitchell and the doctor made clear that Cameron was meant to be stupid and clueless in that moment. I am merely pointing out why the doctor character would find Cameron's behavior offensive, and saying that the doctor, given Cameron's provocation, was not at all rude. She was being restrained.

Because he's a jackass?



I can't either. She doesn't seem like the type of woman who would enjoy having to treat her husband like a child to keep him placated, to the point that she has to let him win a race.



Why is that? Wasn't he fairly accurate? I believe there is even a Vietnamese place in southern California called "What the Pho".



It was a little much, but I find it interesting that since Cameron and Mitchell must deal with gay stereotypes all the time (or so I assume, based on Mitchell's outburst on the plane about the creampuffs), Cameron wouldn't be aware that he's doing it to another minority group. I agree with whomever said that the behavior was out of character for Cameron. It's something Phil would do/say, in the effort to seem down with Asians.



Especially since, being raised by a white couple and growing up in what looks like white-town (with the exception of her step-grandma and step-uncle), she's going to essentially be white. Classic banana syndrome.

Where is this show set?



Yep - it's like they're insisting that you're wrong. "You ARE Vietnamese. You DO like pho."

My turn to weigh in on the Cam and doctor exchange: It didn't strike me as offensive. To me, to find something offensive you generally look to where it is coming from...and in Cam's case, that seems like a pretty innocent place. Outright bigotry aside, the reality is that we all make generalizations at times. Is it wrong? Probably. Is it clueless? For sure. But offensive? not to me. With that said though, I agree with the others who have commented that more than anything, it bugged because it was out of character for Cameron. In that doctor's office, he definitely pulled a Phil.


Since the out of order(ness) of the episode has been bugging me, I've been trying to find out the reason for the shuffle. No luck. If anyone solves the mystery, can you let me know?

This is pure (but reasonable) speculation: Somebody at TPTB thought the later episodes were stronger, and wanted to build up an audience for the show right away.

If anyone knows anything more factual than that, I would be interested like ems09, but in the meantime this reason is working for me.

I wasn't offended by the Cam stuff. But I did think it was over the top and too stereotypical a sitcom device. Basically not funny and stupid. I guess I was offended that the show would stoop to that with Cam (and not Phil) but not offended by his behavior.



I will say for Cam that people stereotyping him doesn't bother him too much. He didn't care about it on the plane. He was annoyed that he couldn't live up to people's stereotypes in the toddler time episode. And I think if things were reversed and someone was making insane and outrageous assumptions about him but it was coming from a good place he would be totally understanding and wonderful about it. In fact, I bet he would play it up a little bit. He seems to get along well with Jay who sort of does this to them all of the time. I do think he would be furious if it was coming from a hateful place. But I think he would be totally fine with someone who was just insanely clueless.

Mitchell would not be happy about it at all and that is why he immediately recognized how awkward and terrible that stereotyping was. And I think its totally understandable and normal to be annoyed and eventually angry if someone continually stereotypes you after you have corrected them. I just don't think Cam is the type that would be.



I hate that Claire is a stay at home mom. So much. Not because I have anything against stay at home moms or the depictions on television. I don't. In fact, I have never even questioned it before. But I refuse to believe that Phil is competent enough to be a sole provider. I know its probably like a Michael Scott perfect personality to sell something. But no. He is just so over the top dumb. I guess before the bubble popped anyone could sell because there was such demand. But now? No way.

It would make a lot more sense if Claire was a the main provider and Phil contributed now and then with his houses. Just because of their personalities. Again, not because I hate the concept in general.

Maybe there will be a plot development at some point where Claire has to or wants to go back to work... you know the household (especially Luke) would fall apart if Phil had to oversee the day-to-day stuff, though.

I get what you're saying. I so get it. But the problem is that if she then becomes the primary financial contributor as well, that will most definitely tip the WTF scale over regarding why she stays with Phil. (And this from a person that really likes Phil.) This episode had a textbook example of why I like Phil. After just getting run over by his daughter, he gets up and encourages her that she's getting better at driving. I love that. But that can't be the only thing he brings to the family.

I am so procrastinating on the lit review I should be doing.

I really like this show, and think it's one of the best of the season. But it pales in comparison to Community.

The reason I bring this up is because on Community a couple of weeks back, a character was talking about black holes. Chevy Chase's character comes in and says "There's only one black hole worth studying", at which point it cuts to a black character cocking her eyebrow. Chase then says "It's called Sagitarius A and it's located in the center or our galaxy."

The point I'm trying to make is that the writing on this show is much more clever. I find Modern Family's writing, while hilarious, much more predictable.

I love Community as well.

I think Modern Family has better actors than Community which tips the scales a bit in MF's direction. This show is more subtle in alot of ways too.

Case and point, the moment that sticks out for me from the last episode is the moment after the kids turn Phil down after school. For just a split second, his face drops before the race. That one look told more than anything that could have been said. It's the little things that makes this show work for me on a whole.

We are in dire need of a episode that shows why Claire love Phil beyond how caring he is as a father though.

Now I've only started to watch this show, so I've missed the first few episodes, but if I have the family dynamics down Jay is dad to both Claire and Mitchell both of who are type "A" anal retentive personalities and are "married" to men who so aren't. I just think its an interesting (and I am hoping intentional) dynamic.

As to why they stay. Opposites attract. Good sex. Hell it might actually be love. Love is weird.

adding to the overthinking about the show:

Maybe Claire used to work, but when the real estate market took off, she quit? It would be true to character if she had a high-achieving job, like Mitchell (another lawyer?), and now she can return to the job, while Phil becomes a stay-at-home dad.

also, Pho is pronouned "fuh"

I don't think its a coincidence at all. The same could be said of Jay. He is very repressed and uptight and he married a woman who is very much the opposite. It seems like they are all attracted to people who are more free and open.

I really don't like Phil. But I don't think its strange that Claire married him. He is a good father in the sense that he loves his kids to a fault. And that is something that I am sure came off about him before he had kids. He loves his wife. He wants everyone to get along and have fun. I see that being very very appealing to someone like Claire.

I'm loving this show and finding it so enjoyable to watch. The characters are sometimes annoying but also delightful. I also love Community and don't see the comparison or competition between them.

I've always assumed that they are an extremely well-to-do family, maybe not Arrested Development caliber, but comfortably so, so that they don't have to all earn their own living. Work and careers, yes, but supplementary. That also would explain why they're so spoiled.

I just caught the latest episode, and I cannot remember the last time I had to stop the playback so many times from laughing so hard. What a wonderfully funny show.

My favorite line was "We locked our baby in the car, and people are judging us!".

Also loved the bit about Cam "eating" his way to whatever he needed to get from the fridge (You weren't there, I made a judgment call!), and the bit about him being a "nervous eater" when talking about his egg baby in school.

LOVE THIS SHOW. Honestly, I don't think that I have ever laughed as many times in one half hour in my entire life as I did with this episode.

Please, please let this show keep this level of hilarity.

That's not surprising at all. I'm a type A personality and I would never want to be with one. Can you imagine how un-fun and stressful your life would be if you and your partner were type As?

I think Claire got the short end though. In movies the A-type female ends up with a man-child who needs to grow up while the A-type male ends up with a cute "pixie"(Natalie Portman in Garden State, Kirsten Dunst in Elizabethtown) who helps the guy loosen up and enjoy life. In this case Cameron is Mitchell's "Pixie"!

Oh man, I can so picture this...and it's hilarious. In the same way he thought he was "down" with Haley's boyfriend, and everybody was just mortified. Sometimes Phil grates (when he's hitting on Gloria, especially) but sometimes he is really hilarious.

Jeaux35 I so agree! This show is so freaking funny. I love them all but I think especially Phil. He just cracks me up. The latest w/his daughter running him over was too funny. He's such a great character actor. Loved TY Burrell on Back To You.

I also love The Middle.

Ok so just got to this week's episode...does anyone know why it was out of order? Did anyone get that? Didn't the kids have episodes in school in an episode a few weeks ago? When the two kids got in a fight b/c Manny was saying he was the other kids' uncle?

Yeah, they were definitely out of order, which is why we already saw the kids in school. I think the general consensus is that the network thought that the later episodes were stronger, so they showed them out of order to attract more viewers.

Claire and Phil aren't as funny as the other two couples, but I LMAO'd when they were talking about Haley learning to drive - "We're really all just hanging by a thread" as they turned to each other, dramatically/lovingly. Also, Phil's childishness makes it funnier when he does get parental over Haley's love life - for example, that "We're all grounded!" line after the family watched the "Do You" video. (Btw, I just watched that online - they should have kept it in the show! Except the Haley actress looked 12 in it, which was creepy, but I guess that was the point...)

Might be overstating the case just a little bit, but i agree, it's hilarious. Certainly the best new comedy, hands down.

So, it's official that my husband and I are Cam and Mitchell. We recently adopted our son from Korea, we went to Illinois, and drive a red malibu. We're just missing the gay part.

Defending Phil here for a sec. Read an article in Entertainment Weekly and the actor (Ty Burrell) says, "I am Phil... and I love how well-intentioned he is. He's basically a dog that can talk. Everytime anybody comes in the door, he's crazy happy to see them, but he's always knocking things over and eating crap out of the fridge and getting his paws over everything." I think that explains a lot about the character. We get the creepies from him hugging Gloria too much, but (going with the dog explanation), I can see him hugging everybody too much, given half the chance, including the daughter's boyfriend (Lord, that Do You song is STILL stuck in my head and I never even saw the video mentioned). Also, I can see a dog totally wanting to be the coolest bestest friend to everyone. I, too, loved the scene where he is encouraging his daughter after being hit by a car. We have gotten that he is pretty awful at lying and matching that with his genuine love of people and excitement over just about everything, I think he would probably make a good realtor. He would want to find you your absolute dream house so you will be pleased with him or sell your house at the very best price possible and would always be thrilled to hear from you. He would LOVE buyers who want to look at 20 different houses before making a decision, because - People!Yay! Yes, a doof and I am sure there is probably much more involved in being a realtor, but those factors seem like some (not all) of the factors that would make a good seller.

Plus, for the record, a few episodes back there was talk about how he said "malt shop" and that was a weird choice for him to use, but he originally said juice bar (I guess like Jamba Juice or Orange Julius in the malls?) and when his daughter asked him what that was he said something like "whatever, a malt shop then." Given the age of the daughter, coffee shop propably wouldn't have popped to mind.

Okay, off my high horse. I do love the show and am fine with the character. Don't love him like Mitchell and Cam, but don't think he reaches Michael Scott-land at all. I fast-forwarded the MS scenes in The Office since season one.

From the Modern Family website:

En Garde
The family comes out to support Manny's newfound interest, fencing; Phil is determined to find Luke's hidden talent.

I can't wait! My kids fence so I'm really looking forward to this episode. I love this show.