My favorite part of Modern Family is when the writers are able to find clever ways to make different pairings than normal. Increasingly, though, the writers seem to be shying away from that in favor of three separate stories in each episode for the different families.
"Regrets Only" sets up the great tag team of Phil and Gloria to decipher exactly what Phil did wrong, so we get clips of Phil and Claire interspersed among Phil and Gloria in a hilariously awkward situation of boobs and potential throat-cutting. Meanwhile, Jay and Claire go to the mall which was became infinitely more funny when Alex, who is supposed to be working but actually doesn't have a job, spots her mom making "noises" while being massaged.
Cam and Mitch weren't as marginalized as they were in the past, but it's clear they were the lowest priority in the episode. Cam has a fundraiser and Mitch forgets sending the invitations, so the usual hijinks ensue. While it's not blatantly dumb like many of their plots as of late, the plot isn't expanded much beyond Mitch saving the day. Overall, even if Cam and Mitchell weren't given the proper respect they're due, "Regrets Only" was a funny episode for me.
Score: 9.0/10
