Modern Family is without a doubt one of the best sitcoms out there at the moment. It's a refreshing twist on the tired tropes that dominated TV comedies for a while, managing to carefully balance social commentary about the reality of the multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-sexuality American families that typically get glossed over in favour of yet again showing us a group of 20-something cohabiting white college graduates with outright hilarity. Rightfully so, Modern Family has been both a critical and ratings success. With 21 Emmy Awards, 6 Writers Guild of America awards, and even a recommendation from the First Lady of the United States, it's one of the best received TV comedies of all time. Modern Family doesn't need to be an accurate presentation of your average American family to be entertaining, but it gets praise for being exactly that in a world ruled by varying depictions of privileged 20 somethings. It's not hard to see why - the same tired formula has been used for Friends, How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory, with pretty much the exact same group dynamics shown each time. By actually portraying some of the realities of family life in a relatable way that's seldom seen in American comedy, Modern Family treads exciting new ground. But the family in Modern Family is anything but your average Modern Family. They're privileged with their wealth, their health, and their free time in ways that normal families just aren't, and the show glosses over a number of major societal issues for the sake of comedy. So, how exactly does the complex Pritchett/Dunphy differ from your average family in America today? Let's take a look.
Currently living the dream by studying in Wales and writing articles about the things I love for beer money. My proudest achievements are teaching myself Accordion and getting my head round the off-side rule.
