BLU-RAY REVIEW: Modern Family - The Complete Third Season

[JessHorsley]

Season 3 of ABC's Emmy Award-Winning Comedy Hits Hi-Def...

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If you're not watching ABC's Modern Family, you're missing out on one of the best TV comedies of the last decade. Of course, critics and fans agree as the show's earned the Emmy Award for "Best Comedy Series" three years running and it shows little sign of slowing down.

For those not watching, the series follows the day-to-day lives of three generations of the Pritchett's, a "modern family" in ever sense of the word: Grandpa Jay (Ed O'Neill) is a divorcee who's remarried the much younger (and sexy) Gloria (Sofia Vergara), mother to tweenage son Manny (Rico Rodriguez). Of course, Jay's children from his original marriage are now grown and have families of their own. There's Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), Jay's only son, whose family is made up of his partner Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and their adopted pre-school daughter Lily and there's Claire (Julie Bowen), Jay's only daughter, whose family includes husband Phil (Ty Burrell), college-bound Haley (Sarah Hyland), high schooler Alex (Ariel Winter), and middle schooler Luke (Nolan Gould). Together, the three families form what could truly be considered a "modern" expanded family, to include everything from multiple generations, various ethnic backgrounds, different sexual orientations, and even various educational levels and professions. Though this extended family's interactions with one another and the both serious and hilarious situations they put themselves into, America watches weekly with enthusiasm and anticipation.

What's truly impressive about the show is the consistent quality, which is no doubt thanks to the brilliant cast and series' creators/producers/writers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd. Both Levitan and Lloyd, who're known for their previous work on Fraiser and Wings, make every episode family-centric, with plenty of humor, drama, and even some sadness from time to time. But never does the show lose its emphasis on the importance of family and the connection that binds each and every one of the family members to one another. This makes the show impressive as any show with this many main characters could very easily loose sight of individual characters' development, style, or personality. Of course, this never happens here and the natural growth of each character brilliantly unfolds week to week, ensuring viewers tune in to watch what happens next.

Season 3 of Modern Family continues in this vein, with the characters continuing to develop their unique personalities all while the family continues to develop as well. The best episodes of each season tend to be those focused on the family at home living their seemingly mundane day-to-day lives. Likewise, the less stellar episodes in the season tend to be those told away from home. Season 3 here is no different as the best episodes being "When Good Kids Go Bad," which follows Cam and Mitchell's daughter Lily rebelling against the idea of her parents adopting another child; "Treehouse," which finds Gloria giving Jay an ultimatum, Cam trying to hit on hot women, Phil attempting to build his son Luke a treehouse, and Luke getting a new "old" friend (in neighbor Walt, played perfectly by Philip Baker Hall); and "Aunt Mommy," which finds Claire volunteering to donate an egg for Mitch and Cam's next child which leads to dramatic and hilarious results.

Throughout the season, it's the every day drama and ridiculousness that brings to light the best of each character's personalities. There's no doubt each character's personality provides a glimpse of reality and most people who watch Modern Family will relate to one or more of the characters as they experience life through the eyes of this unique, funny, and loving family.

These 24 episodes, spread over three discs, include a gorgeous picture in 1080p and solid audio thanks to the 5.1 DTS Master Audio. The discs also include a variety of extras, including interviews with cast members, deleted scenes from various episodes, and a gag reel that's fun and entertaining. While there's really nothing that stands out in the bonus features, they're no doubt an appreciated addition for die-hard fans who love to watch more Modern Family and get a glimpse behind-the-scenes of their favorite show.

Overall, Modern Family - The Complete Third Season is crammed full of great humor, interesting and well-developed characters, and exciting drama that'll keep you glued to the TV for hours on end. While we all might not have a modern family - and some of us may not even have even a decent family - it's still fun to watch this series and its characters grow and become more a part our households.

Modern Family - The Complete Third Season is available now on blu-ray and DVD wherever fine home video is sold.

- Jess C. Horsley