“We have got to start talking in the garage…”

Modern Family is back! I don’t know what it is about this show but it never gets old for me. The season premiere of the Emmy winning series picks up right where it left off – with Phil trying to warn Hayley that Andy was on his way to propose to his girlfriend.

The episode follows the relationship of Hayley and Andy after they both discover their feelings for each other – a little too late. Hayley deals with the pain by getting back together with the show favourite, Dylan. Andy eats his feelings. And Phil and Claire steal the show as they try help bring the two together with no avail. There was something about the chemistry between Clair and Phil this week that made them my favourites of the episode. Something was on point. I think it was the fact that they were working together as a hilarious tag team rather than the chaotic parents that we always see. I really like how they have adapted all the characters now that everyone is getting older and the parental characters can spend more time being outrageous adults.

Jay and Gloria weren’t very funny this week. Either the show-runners were reminiscent and reused a storyline from Cam and Mitch or they just didn’t have any inspiration. The new parents shamelessly campaign to get Joe into a snooty daycare because they missed the enrolment date. Sound familiar? Mitch, still unemployed, suffers some kind of mid life crisis. Turning into an untalented hack of a painter. I love Jesse Tyler Ferguson for his ability to make a complete mockery of his character during these ridiculous Mitchell storylines. Hearing him drone on about how he gets his inspiration was one such moment – “I just see these images in my head of things I want to see, places I want to go…how much paint I have left...”. Cam struggles with Mitchell’s new hobby and conspires to get Mitchell’s old job back which fails for the most part. The rest of the family is still humming along, with Alex going through her first almost-breakup. I’m interested to see where Alex’s story is going now that she’ll be heading to college.

I’m so happy this show is back for another season. Amidst all the intense dramas out there it’s nice to have a lighthearted and familiar comedy series back on the air!