Modern Family – “See You Next Fall”
In case you don’t watch Modern Family, let me tell you that you should. In addition to being a very funny sitcom it provides a rich cross-section of family archetypes to laugh at.
There’s the non-traditional gay couple who have an adopted Asian baby. There is also the family patriarch and his much younger second wife who has a son from her first marriage. Then there is the more traditional family with a mother, father and three kids. What amazes me about this show is that the traditional family is clearly the one with the weirdest and most hilarious problems.
In this week’s episode, Alex, the middle child, is graduating from middle school and has been picked valedictorian. This is cause for a variety of concerns. First there is Claire, her mom. Claire really wants to spend time with Alex getting their nails done and prettying up for her big speech. Her father, Phil, is concerned because Claire is bound to have a meltdown before the big event and he wants it to happen before he has to leave to meet his old college cheerleader buddies in Vegas and Alex, herself is concerned because her speech, which is a scathing condemnation of the popular kids in school, has to be perfect.
In addition to a host of other calamities, including a fall into a wading pool and a bad Botox decision, Phil and Claire end up in a mad dash to get to Alex’s speech on time. At one point, the bicycle they are using breaks down and so do they.
As they stand in an alley worried about how they are getting to the commencement, Phil and Claire break out in tears lamenting the fact that their little girl is growing up. As I watched this episode, I was struck with one overpowering thought. Why the hell do middle schools have commencement ceremonies?
I may have graduated a long time ago, but I don’t remember middle school being that hard. High school is where students are really tested and graduating high school is a major accomplishment that everyone should be proud of. Middle school, however, is easy enough for a thirteen year old to complete, which they do every summer. I fail to see any reason to celebrate any type of graduation other than high school or college.
To make matters worse, parents will then throw lavish parties for these students thereby lowering the bar for success so much that graduating college and finding a good job seems like pipe dream. I mean how can a mere eighteen year old attain a 2.5 grade average? It took every brain cell they had to learn algebra just 4 years earlier.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to take my daughter out for dinner, as she did a pull-up in P.E. today.
Hear more from the King of TV on The Paul Goebel Show podcast and at his website, www.TheKingofTV.com. You can also follow Paul on Twitter @PaulGoebelShow.
Truman
on May 26th, 2011
@ 12:42 pm:
In my middle school, 7th and 8th grades specifically, we had to do things like memorize then recite the Preamble to the Constitution, Gettysburg Address, and part of the Declaration of Independence, in front of the entire class. Took a test that involved all the countries of Africa, and their damn capitals. In science, you would get points deducted if just a small corner of your report had a fold in it. Shit was ridiculous. And this was just a local public school!
I will say, Modern Family is amazing. The season finale really capped off the entire season perfectly too.