Modern Family was the hit “mockumentary” that followed the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of three families living in California. The award-winning sitcom ran for 11 seasons, coming to an end in 2020 with a touching finale that left fans grief-stricken. Its authentic and “unedited” style, coupled with the show’s loveable characters, made Modern Family what it is - one of ABC’s funniest comedies.
Modern Family has given its audience some hilarious and highly memorable moments over the years, from watching Phil and Claire Dunphy stumble down the hill to Alex’s graduation in "See You Next Fall" to their fun Halloween-themed episodes, such as "The Last Halloween". There is no debate when it comes to deciding whether Modern Family is a hilarious show, but here’s a tough question to answer - which Modern Family episode is the funniest?
Modern Family
10 "Fizbo"
Season 1, Episode 9
As well as being a hilarious episode, "Fizbo" is one of the most rewatchable Modern Family episodes, and presents us with one of the show's best Cam and Mitchell moments too. Mitchell Pritchett (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) are happily married and live with their daughter Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons). Cam and Mitchell often get into fights about seemingly petty things, but it's this constant bickering between the two that makes Cam and Mitchell both hilarious and relatable to Modern Family fans. This dynamic creates the perfect build-up to the Pritchett-Tucker's more tender and loving moments, such as when Cam defends Mitchell at a gas station dressed as the persona that irritates Mitchell most - Fizbo the clown.
The persona of Fizbo means a lot to Cam, but Mitchell could live the rest of his life never seeing or hearing a mention of the clown ever again. In the episode "Fizbo", Cameron dresses up as the clown for Luke Dunphy's (Nolan Gould) birthday party, but in typical Modern Family fashion, nothing goes according to plan and chaos leads to Luke injuring his arm. It is a day of chaos that's hilarious to watch, but what seals this as one of the funniest and sweetest moments of the episode is Mitchell's "smitten" expression after he gets back into the car with Cam dressed as Fizbo, after the clown defends Mitch at a gas station after another customer is rude to him. Despite the bickering and how much they seem to irritate each other, there is a lot of love between Mitchell and Cam.
9 "The Last Halloween"
Season 11, Episode 5
One of the funniest sitcom Halloween episodes has to be Modern Family's "The Last Halloween". Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) is stunned to discover that his wife Claire (Julie Bowen) is never scared of anything, so he sets off on a mission to terrify her for the first time. This episode of Modern Family showcases the competitive spirit of the Dunphy family well - especially Claire, who is known for her fiercely competitive nature and her desire to always get things "just right". The fifth episode of Modern Family's final season also shows that, throughout over a decade of storylines, the writers never found themselves running out of ideas and continued to come up with situations that were just as hilarious to watch as the earlier seasons were. This particular Halloween-themed episode is bitter-sweet, however, because "The Last Halloween" really is that - the final Halloween of the Modern Family clan.
In "The Last Halloween", the Modern Family characters are forced to face the rapid passing of time. Gloria Pritchett (Sofía Vergara) feels "old" after she isn't mistaken for her husband Jay's daughter for the first time, Jay (Ed O'Neill) is trying to track a candy bar from his youth so that he can show his youngest son Joe, who is the only child of Jay's left that isn't all grown up, and Phil and Claire are trying to adjust to a Halloween without the kids, who are all out doing their own thing. While such storylines are bound to evoke sadness from the audience, they are done in a light-hearted way. This episode is just as funny to watch today as it was when first released. And to top it all off, the Halloween special ends with Phil finally scaring Clare in a satisfyingly elaborate scheme.
8 "Clean Out Your Junk Draw"
Season 7, Episode 8
"Clean Out Your Drunk Draw" is a hilarious episode where the couples in Modern Family have therapy with Dr Debra Radcliffe (Catherine O'Hara). Meanwhile, sisters Hayley (Sarah Hyland) and Alex (Ariel Winters) confide in each other about boys; Hayley is conflicted about Andy (Adam DeVine) who was a fan-favorite character - while Alex is seeing a younger guy called Reuben (Spenser McNeil) and is embarrassed yet conflicted as she likes the attention from him despite feeling ashamed of the relationship. Meanwhile, the grown-ups are at the Dunphys' house with Dr Radcliffe, clearly not taking their therapy seriously, but as the episode goes on, the more competitive and angry they become, making for a highly entertaining watch.
In "Clean Out Your Junk Draw" we see a rawer side to Jay as he opens up about his childhood, allowing the audience to connect with this tough go-getter who built his own closet business from scratch. The scene where Jay gets angry about his childhood has to be one of the most touching. Modern Family expertly intertwines the more emotional scenes with laugh-out-loud moments, and that's why it's such a great show. One of the funniest scenes of this hilarious yet emotional episode has to be when Mitchell accidentally lets slip something about his and Cameron's intimacy issues and is so mortified by the admission he tries to hide behind the curtain.
7 "iSpy"
Season 5, Episode 14
Hayley is one of Modern Family's most likable characters. However, she's always looked down on as the Dunphy kid who still has some growing up to do and needs the most help, which causes Claire and Phil to apply pressure to her as they try to prepare her for adult life. Still, their tactics (such as when they spy on her in "iSpy") often push Hayley away as she continues her reckless behavior, partying and generally enjoying being a carefree teen convinced that the stresses of adult life are far away. But despite the carefree and sometimes immature persona, Hayley has had some great moments in Modern Family that show she’s capable of so much more than what her parents expect, such as in "iSpy" where Hayley shows she’s a talented photographer.
Hayley is usually late for things, whether it’s appointments or important deadlines, as she doesn’t usually show much passion or interest for things outside of her world, but in "iSpy" we see a more passionate side of Hayley when she undertakes a photography project, which turns into a breathtaking exhibition showcasing candid moments of family life. What makes this episode so funny is that often the most candid moments of the family are the funniest. One of Hayley’s most comical and iconic shots has to be the recreation of the American actress Jayne Mansfield's photo where Italian actress Sophia Loren is looking at her cleavage with an expression that suggests disdain. This famous photo is hilariously recreated by Claire and Gloria, showing Modern Family’s classic humor.
6 "Run For Your Wife"
Season 1, Episode 6
It's undeniable that Cam and Mitch are made for each other, and are one of Modern Family's most realistic sitcom couples, going through the same challenges as all couples do. In the first season of Modern Family, Mitch and Cam are new parents, having introduced their adopted daughter Lily in the very first episode, and the Modern Family writers really played on the relatable new-parent fear to deliver some comic mishaps in the first series, one of them being when baby Lily Pritchett-Tucker is accidentally locked in the car and Cam and Mitch start to panic.
One of the funniest scenes in this hilarious episode is when Cam comes running with a trash can held aloft, screaming as he races to save Lily, with the intent of smashing the car window to get her out of the car. Whilst Mitch is also panicking, he is much calmer (as always) than his highly dramatic husband, which adds to the humor of this situation as their two different personalities once again collide as they try to deal with the stress of the situation. This is another scene that yet again showcases what Modern Family excels at: keeping things simple by heading back to classic comedy techniques such as wild juxtapositions (in this case, two highly contrasting personalities being thrown into a panic-inducing situation) to make a scene incredibly funny and memorable.
5 "The Party"
Season 7, Episode 18
One of the most exciting things about this episode is that we get to see different characters spend time with each other who are not normally seen together on screen - such as Jay and Cam going to a bar to watch sports together, and Claire and Gloria enjoying a spa date. And as Modern Family fans will expect, each person’s night in “The Party” ends in disaster.
Claire can’t relax because she’s convinced her son Luke is throwing a party when he and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) are supposed to be looking after Lily. Jay and Cam feel awkward since they don’t often spend time together and, personality-wise, they are poles apart. But the funniest scene in this episode of mishaps is when Phil and Mitch take “special” gummy bears whilst waiting in line to see a movie, and are forced to go home after Phil gets a notification on his phone that the fire alarm has gone off back at his house. Phil and Mitch arrive at the same time as Claire and Gloria and have to pretend they’re not high. Ty Burrell and Jesse Tyler Ferguson give great performances in this episode - as do all the cast, since it's no secret that Modern Family is the sitcom with the best acting. "The Party" ends with Claire’s suspicions being correct about Luke and Manny throwing a party. It’s also hilarious that Claire is so determined to catch her son out that she doesn’t even notice that her husband and brother are high!
4 "See You Next Fall"
Season 2, Episode 23
There’s a big moment in "See You Next Fall" as Alex Dunphy graduates from high school and all the family are dressed up and ready for the ceremony. Everything will go smoothly and this super-important day is going to go exactly according to plan, right? Of course not - everything goes wrong, and Claire ends up panicking that she’s going to miss Alex’s graduation ceremony altogether.
When Jay’s gate won’t open to let the cars out, the family has to jump over the fence to get out. Claire and Phil end up having to hitchhike to the graduation and turn up both late and disheveled as they roll down a steep hill into the formal occasion. While being hilarious to watch, it also shows just how dedicated the Dunphys have been to their kids and that they’ll do anything for them. It's also an episode where fans can see how relatable the Dunphys are. They are a family that's far from perfect, with each member having their flaws and shortcomings, but there is a lot of love and good intentions in this family, making the Dunphys one of the most likable sitcom families.
3 "Caught In The Act"
Season 2, Episode 13
Hayley, Alex, and Luke prepare breakfast for Claire and Phil’s wedding anniversary and soon learn that they should always knock before entering their parents’ bedroom. The Dunphy children excitedly open the door with a surprise for their parents but end up getting an unpleasant surprise of their own as they accidentally see their parents in a “compromising position” on the bed.
After the Dunphy kids have accidentally walked in on their parents being intimate with one another, a hilarious scene follows where Alex is washing her eyes out in the sink, Hayley is panicking and Luke has no idea what’s happened. Back in the bedroom, Claire is panicking and doesn’t know how to handle what just happened. Should she talk to the kids or pretend it never happened? The embarrassing moment makes for one of the funniest and best episodes on Modern Family.
2 "Schooled"
Season 4, Episode 2
It's a tough day in the Dunphy household as Phil and Claire send their oldest daughter Hayley to college, but one of the most touching moments of Modern Family leads to one of the most iconic: Phil'osophy - a book of life lessons written by Phil Dunphy. Are these normal life lessons? Of course not. They are random, hilarious, and a little mad, such as "If you get pulled over for speeding, tell the policeman your spouse has diarrhea" and "Marry someone who looks sexy while disappointed." However, there are a few Phil'osophies that show there is method in the madness, such as "Never be afraid to reach for the stars, because even if you fall, you'll always be wearing a parentchute" and "If you love something, set it free... unless it's a tiger." Phil's unique pearls of wisdom are definitely some of the best Modern Family quotes.
Whilst Phil's book of life lessons makes "Schooled" such a hilarious episode, Gloria and Jay also deserve some credit for making "Schooled" one of Modern Family's funniest episodes. Gloria's son Manny makes these old-school parents take a parenting class to prepare for the arrival of their baby. It's both funny and relatable to see that Jay and Gloria think they have it all figured out, but are stunned when they see the rules of parenting have changed. It's funny to see Jay and Gloria messing around like cheeky schoolkids at the start of the lesson, which leads to their competitive streak coming out as they finish swaddling their toy baby first. When Gloria's swaddling technique is corrected, she says to Jay "I wrap my son with one hand while driving a stick - I think I know how to keep a baby safe!"
1 "Little Bo Bleep"
Season 3, Episode 13
"Little Bo Beep" is part of Season 3, the best Modern Family season. It’s a special moment for the Pritchett-Tuckers as Lily becomes a flower girl for the first time. However, the timing of this occasion couldn’t be worse - Lily has just learned her first expletive, giving Mitch and Cam a new parenting challenge that’s hilarious to watch.
Cam cannot stop laughing when Lily says a rude word, which encourages her to say the word to make her dad happy. On the big day, Cam starts to cry as the wedding makes him feel emotional - and Lily sees him. In the middle of the aisle, whilst the church is silent, Lily keeps throwing out expletives, and, to make matters worse, her family can’t stop laughing! It’s a hilarious episode, in which Modern Family writers showcase yet again how well they use two contrasting elements to make something hilarious - in this case, it’s putting something highly inappropriate in a formal setting. It’s a silly and simple storyline - and that’s why it’s so funny. “Little Bo Bleep” is another example of why Modern Family is a masterclass in comedy writing.
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