5. "Party Crasher" - Season 4, Episode 16
... in which he explains perfectly how he feels regarding Haley dating a much older dude In one of the most watched episodes in Modern Family history, Phil has another breakout father moment. This episode focuses around Claire's father, Jay, and his wife, Gloria, during Manny's birthday, while the unexpected birth of their child rocks the evening. In a side plot, though, Haley, having been expelled from college and now working in retail, brings home a much older jean designer. Throughout the episode, he learns more and more things about the guy Haley is spending her time with, like how he's been married and divorced several times, though Claire convinces Phil that Haley isn't seriously attracted to the man and is doing it solely to piss them off. Once at the hospital after Gloria goes into labor, Haley and her beau state that they are going out to dinner, then to a party, and then going to get a hotel room because they'll be out really late. Claire, plastering a smile on her face, gives Haley a credit card and sends her on her way. As the elevator doors close, Phil loses his mind, dismantling Claire's course of action and calls a second elevator to run after her. As he travels down, Haley returns alone in the original elevator, demanding to know what Claire was thinking letting her leave with this older man. Claire remains silent and smiling. Phil returns, not realizing Haley has come back, and again starts yelling at Claire about her reverse psychology and how his daughter is only a young girl and he cares too much about her to let her go off with a scum bag. Haley then gets off her elevator and hugs him. Phil revels in his daughter's good judgement, Claire revels in being right, and Haley revels in knowing that her parents do care about her, even though she begs for adulthood. Phil was worried enough about his daughter to chase after her despite his wife's plans. Sometimes not listening to the other parent is the right thing to do. Had Haley not returned, Phil would have won father of the year for bringing her back down to Earth. You can see, though, that seeing Haley make the right choice greatly effects him and from this point on in the series, Phil trusts her even more. Not only that, but he takes Claire's methods of attack more seriously.