Cool News
Herc Says ABC’s MODERN FAMILY Is Funny Stuff!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
A sitcom that aims to marry the mockumentary style of the “The Office” to wacky “Malcolm In The Middle”-like home environments, “Modern Family” follows an extended multicultural clan that encompasses May-December American-Colombian marrieds, Caucasian homosexuals with a Vietnamese daughter, a mammoth nerd, and more.
It’s from “Wings” and “Frasier” writer-producers David Levitan and Chris Lloyd.
Ty Burrell, who may have gotten his role in part because he resembles Steve Carell, plays a very Michael Scott-like head of household. The fabulous and always-busy Julie Bowen (“Ed,” “Lost,” “Boston Legal,” “Weeds”) plays his wife.
My favorite third of the pilot by far follows “John From Cincinnati” vet Ed O’Neill as the wealthy, wily oldster trying to keep up with his much younger Colombian wife and her lovelorn preteen son.
It’s no “Better Off Ted,” but it gets the job done.
USA Today says:
… Each family member is treated with respect, but each is also tweaked and given some funny business to play, from O'Neill's sitcom-pro chagrin at his stepson's romantic notions, to Bowen and Burell's method of dealing with a misused BB gun, to [Jesse Tyler] Ferguson's flustered reactions to [Eric] Stonestreet's flamboyance. …
The New York Times says:
… the best new half-hour of funny television in a season rife with half-hours of funny television …
The Los Angeles Times says:
… Astute in a way we haven't seen since, oh, I don't know, "Family Ties" or maybe "Married . . . With Children," "Modern Family" is sharp, timely and fresh, complicated enough to be interesting but with a soft, sweet center because, and I'm speaking loudly so even cable channels can hear, there is nothing wrong with that. …
The Chicago Tribune says:
… has the finest cast of any new fall show and, thank goodness, this excellent comedy gives these talented performers the kind of sharp material they deserve. …
The Washington Post says:
… cause not just for cheer but also for outright jubilation. The writers and producers of the domestic sitcom have found sharp new angles for tales of the great American family, and they juxtapose them in smart, savory ways. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… In a fall season surprisingly flush with good sitcoms, the best new comedy by far - and it's not that close of a race …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
… the fall's best new sitcom. …
The Newark Star Ledger says:
… Though I enjoyed NBC’s pilot for "Community" a little bit more, "Modern Family" has as assured and entertaining a start as you could hope for. …
The Boston Herald says:
… There are some funny moments, but the series’ premise and execution may be too commonplace to win a large audience. …
The Boston Globe says:
… If you’re expecting a laugh riot, you’ll probably be underwhelmed. “Modern Family’’ finds its humor in the variety and eccentricity of the characters, in the fact that Anytown, USA, doesn’t really look like “According to Jim.’’ …
Variety says:
Easily the new season's best comedy pilot, "Modern Family" deftly serves up laughs on multiple levels -- from understated one-liners to grand sight gags. Flitting among three storylines, it's smart, nimble and best of all, funny, while actually making a point about the evolving nature of what constitutes "family." …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… Long on heart, brimming with great characters, smartly cast, expertly written and funny from start to finish, "Family" is the obvious choice for best new fall comedy -- and possibly best series. …
9 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.
TREK BLU-RAY SHIPPING NOW!!
The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)!!
Next Generation Movie Collection (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek: First Contact (Blu-ray)!! 
TREK BLU-RAY SHIPPING NOW!!
The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)!!
Next Generation Movie Collection (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Blu-ray)!!
Star Trek: First Contact (Blu-ray)!!
-
+ Expand All
-
He's not just funny as hell, but is also great in serious stuff. Track down his "Dragnet" remake and/or the episode of "The Unit" where he guest stars and tell me that isn't great!
-
Has been for years.
-
Hello Sofia Vergara!
-
And I will watch anything he does. When does this air??
-
just the airplane gag with the gay couple would have had be tuning in. adding in Ed O'Neill, that's just a bonus.
-
I was hoping this was going to be good. From the tv spots it was looking like it could go either way.
-
But, from what I've seen of the show so far, I don't think I'm going to like it. I hope it succeeds just so good ol' Al Bundy gets another hit, but I may not tune in. But, then again, since I'm not married with children, maybe this show's not for me, anyway.
-
Is that gone for good?
-
Sucked.
-
Well, I can always watch it on Hulu, and Fox always shows repeats of Glee each Friday, but I'll watch Modern Family tonight. I'm a huge fan of Ed O'Neill ever since Married With Children premiered. Nice to see him on TV again.
-
I'll watch anything he does, because he's such a pro.
-
Wow, he must be busy b/w this and Burn Notice!
-
Sep 23, 2009 3:55:04 PM CDT
"who may have gotten his role in part because he resembles Steve
by itrainmonkeys
seriously?
must we compare any "documentary" type show to the office? and he doesn't look anything like carell. -
it will be back.
and "Modern Family" is hilarious. Caught the pilot online and really enjoyed it. Much more than I expected. All the characters were great with their roles. -
too bad he's been trying to shed the bundy baggage since mwc ended
The guy is a very good actor but he never gets the roles cos all people see when thy look at him is al bundy
the guys a victim of his own skill -
"Cancelled." - Home Simpson
-
Experience with sitcoms that star former sitcom stars. There was that one that had Henry Winkler a few years ago, and then Kelsey Grammer's news station one. Both cancelled after one season. Sorry, Ed O'Neill?
Or, ABC really, really liked "Back to You" and decided to give every cast member his or her own show. (Still waiting for Fred Williard's...) -
I KILLED THIS SQUIRREL FOR LOOKING AT MY GOLD!
-
and has pretty decent comic timing. Nice to see Al bundy still has it.
-
...we laughed a lot. For a first effort, this was better than expected.
-
Sep 24, 2009 12:32:36 AM CDT
Ed O'Neill's cameo in Wayne's World was the funniest part
by badmrwonka
Glen: "Why is it when a man kills another man in battle it's called heroic, yet if he kills a man in the heat of passion...it's called murder?"
Wayne: "OK!!! Moving on..."
Glen: "You know, if you stab a man in the dead of winter, steam will rise up from the wounds. Indians believed it was his soul escaping from his body." -
It'll have a spot on my Tivo, as well.
-
I had REALLY high hopes for it, because my family is a little...eh, let's say mixed also, but...I'm sorry, was it supposed to be funny? It's not. Not at all. Chuckle worthy at times, but it's a complete fucking turd on the humor factor. Ed O'Neill's a wonderful actor, but he's PAINFULLY wasted in this shit.
-
It was the worst thing he ever did but I'm glad he did it because it made him rich.
-
i thought it was very uneven. i was really into the ed o'neill stuff and the gay couple storyline. but with the main family, i felt like i could have seen them on according to jim or some other terrible sitcom. i did laugh quite a few times, so i'll give it another couple of episodes before i make the final decision. that lion king bit was fucking funny, but i thought the community pilot was overall much funnier and way more promising.
-
about the blatant parallels (rip-offs?) to the office. i like ty burrell in the dawn of the dead remake, but he just annoyed me here. the great thing about carrell as michael scott is that his awkwardness seems completely natural and you end up feeling bad for him. burrell's awkwardness seemed forced and irritating, but maybe i'm being premature and should watch a few more episodes.
-
There was another ABC family-oriented sitcom with some lame disclaimer about ad-libbing before every episode. It didn't have the docu-gimmick, but was remarkably similar.
-
Gee, Herc. I gotta disagree with you assessment of Ed O'Neil's work on "Married".
I mean, fine, if he can do Shakespeare then let him do Shakespeare. I imagine he's quite good at it. But MWC was a groundbreaking sitcom. It may not have had great character development but the shows of the 90's certainly took a nod from its cutting edge humor, which still holds up pretty well. The show was subversive for its time.
I still recall fondly his recent work on "John From Cincinnati". David Faustino will always be annoying, Christina Applegate will have to grow very old until she stops being sexy. And so will Katey Sagal (although never when she has her Peg Bundy hair. Ew, no wonder Al didn't want to sleep with her. She looked much better on "Lost", a decade later.) -
Then with all things cult, it went mainstream and the laughs got sparse. Although O'Neill's impression of The Godfather in Season 5 rivaled Belushi's.
-
Was funny, I was afraid it was going to be a waste of my time. But It was pretty funny will be tuning in if they keep it up. Anybody going to catch Flash/Forward today?
-
it looked good but I didn't expect to laugh as much as I did. Even the jokes you know are coming(with the dad shooting everyone) still got me. The best by far had to be the "Cool" Dad's remark at the end. Priceless.
-
I'm as surprised as anyone else. The gay couple is hilarious. And of course Ed rules.
-
I did not laugh once. This show is hysterically funny though.
-
The Lion King bit really had me laughing. Will keep watching. Although I do have to say the cool dad does remind me of Michael Scott, not because he looks like Carrell, just because he seems to have the same clueless way of acting "cool" when he is in reality not. Still, he did make me laugh."WTF = Why The Face".
-
...and it was kind of brilliant.
-
I found it likable, as with this one, if not memorable.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 439 total posts 159 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 144 total posts 142 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 155 total posts 140 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 55 total posts 45 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 196 total posts 45 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 35 total posts 35 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 34 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 127 total posts 32 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 513 total posts 29 posts
- The Sensorties Revisit The Friday Docback (And Still Smell)!! DOCTOR WHO Story #7 Again, The Coming Of Season/Series 7, And More!! -- 118 total posts 27 posts