Is there any combination of these characters that doesn't work? The question when discussing Modern Family is what doesn't work, not what does work, and there is very little to harp on. All three stories were winners which shouldn't be surprising by now.
Luke needs to get a project on Vincent Van Gogh finished, and his attention span should be a big problem. Haley needs to bake 40 cupcakes, but she's not good at anything. The Dunphies stayed isolated during the episode, but it didn't matter much. It turns out that while Phil stumbled around with a divided attention, Luke buckled down and finished the posterboard without help. Haley has no clue how to bake, but tries halfheartedly, so Claire has to step in. Claire knows Haley will have to learn eventually and throws the cupcakes in the trash. Bad idea. Haley's cupcakes are terrible.
Jay and Mitchell's usual astronomy outing now has Manny involved, and Mitchell feels out of place and awkward, almost like a sibling rivalry. Manny is cracking jokes at Mitchell with Jay pushing, and Mitchell doesn't have a good time. He learns that Manny wasn't invited to a party and was teased, so Jay brought him out. Relating to his own experiences, Mitchell bonds with Manny in brotherly fashion.
Cam and Gloria go out to eat after an unfortunate gaffe after the talks about Columbia and Brown people (the universities) with Gloria around. Instead of eating at a fancy restaurant, they go to a local place where Cam orders the same thing Gloria gets--the spiciest thing ever. Throughout the night, Cam misspeaks several times and apologizes profusely even though Gloria doesn't seem to care. They end up in Gloria's old neighborhood and Cam's tires get stolen. Cam and Gloria have great chemistry. More please.
Score: 9.3/10
