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It has only been a few years since Modern Family ended, but the series premiered 15 years ago today with a perfect pilot.
The pilot makes or breaks any sitcom. If you do not successfully script it, a series could be DOA. For one, you have to introduce all of the key players. You also have to establish the tone of the series.
The Office had a rough pilot in 2005. Luckily, it was able to recover. But its first episode is hard to watch, thanks to the writers not finding the right formula for its humor and uneven characters.
Every successful sitcom evolves from its pilot, sure. I would argue that Modern Family is a rare example of a sitcom that did evolve but also retains its core identity through all 12 seasons.
The Pritchetts
Each family brings a unique vibe to the show. The Pritchetts are led by the family's patriarch, Jay (Ed O'Neill). The newlyweds face issues, thanks to Jay and Gloria's (Sofia Vergara) large age gap.
Jay is the definition of a “macho” guy. A renowned business owner, Jay has clashed with both of his kids—mostly Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson)—and is stuck in his ways.
This causes deep-rooted trauma that affects both of his kids. It is explored throughout Modern Family's run, but it looms over the pilot episode's plot.
Even still, Jay has his own struggles and insecurities. He is married to Gloria, a woman younger than his daughter Claire (Julie Bowen). When in public,
His machismo is further tested by his relationship with Gloria's son, Manny (Rico Rodriguez). Manny, a lovestruck romantic, is the type of kid Jay would bully in high school.
Now, Jay has to put aside his ideas of manhood to build a connection with Manny. That is especially hard when he has to support Manny's pursuit of an older teenage girl.
Cameron and Mitchell
Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell are coming back from Vietnam at the beginning of the Modern Family pilot. They just adopted a young girl, Lily (played by Jaden and Ella Hiller for the first two seasons).
Given Jay's discomfort with his son being gay, Mitchell avoids telling his family that they are adopting Lily. The Modern Family pilot concludes with a dinner party thrown by Cameron.
He wants to present their new adopted daughter with a number from The Lion King. This shows the contrast between the two. Cameron wants to make a show of the reveal, while Mitchell wants to avoid telling his family.
Their dynamic continued to carry Modern Family throughout the subsequent 12 seasons. Honestly, they should have gotten a spin-off once the main series ended.
The Dunphys
Phil (Ty Burrell) and Claire Dunphy lead the final family in Modern Family. Their kids, Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter), and Luke (Nolan Gould) are all introduced.
The biggest plot line revolves around Haley, who is now a high schooler, and her boyfriend Dylan (Reid Ewing). Throughout the rest of the series, Dylan becomes more of a prominent role.
In the pilot, he is depicted differently than in the rest of the series. This is where the Modern Family pilot varies the most from the rest of the series. He is mild-mannered and not dumb as a rock, as portrayed in future episodes.
Adding a boy to the mix is a new dynamic for the Dunphys. Claire is afraid that her oldest child is making the same mistakes she did in high school. Phil is threatened by a new male presence around.
As you will soon learn, Phil is the ultimate people-pleaser. He does not know how to be intimidating to him and yet wants Dylan to like him. He also has to grapple with disciplining his son, who shot his sister with an airsoft gun.
It makes for one of the most awkward dates ever. Dylan comes over to the Dunphy household, and he and Haley attempt to watch a movie behind closed doors.
By the end of the episode, Phil inadvertently scares Dylan and annoys his daughter in turn. He also does discipline his son (even if it is also accidental).
How the pilot sets up Modern Family
One of its strengths is that every episode of Modern Family ends with a lesson. Each family is entering a new phase of life in the pilot. From a new marriage to new kids to new teenagers, the adults are all learning new lessons.
Jay has a long way to go from the pilot, but it ends with a sweet moment. He criticizes the idea of Cameron and Mitchell having kids right before Lily is revealed.
In his own way, he eats his words, even if there is a hint of racism. “She's one of us now,” Jay says. “Let me see the little potsticker.”
Haley has the first of many clashes with her parents involving Dylan. Cameron's theatrics are at their mildest in this episode, even with the “Circle of Life” moment. And Mitchell's scars slowly begin to heal when he sees how open his father is to his child.
Modern Family is an iconic series, and its pilot helped it reach that status. Every character gets their moment. And unlike other pilots, it is rewatchable. Perhaps that is due to the series remaining relatively consistent with the pilot.
Sure, some sets may change (how did the Dunphys randomly get that extra room off the foyer?), and the series gets funnier, but Modern Family's pilot may be the greatest ever.
