Modern Family deals with insecurity in a touching way

If there is one thing that will never change in the group of people that make up Modern familyis that they are all deeply insecure. This is not a bad thing though. Part of the human being has perverse thoughts about ourselves, and if my 31 years of life in this world are a clue, it never really changes. You have your good times and your bad times, of course, but sometimes there are only insecurities that you can not shake. They are part of who you are and you simply learn to live with them.

"Stand By Your Man" is about people who are not safe and how no time has pbaded and no exchange of love can change that kind of mindset. It may sound hard, but it's kind of nice. Putting Haley's pregnancy in abeyance, the series decides to focus on the rather tertiary characters of the season. We are confident that Phil is a role model for his growing family, a rare appearance of Bill and Luke and another rehearsal of Mitchell and Cam who do not feel comfortable in their relationship. Each scenario has its strengths and weaknesses, but the episode as a whole gives the impression that it is a valid stop before the inevitable arrival of the twins of Haley and Dylan.

Let's start with the most puzzling plot, which involves Mitchell and Cam. The first has forgotten his birthday and that means he will spend a lot of time trying to catch up with him. Cam is about to embark on one of his online dance nights, so Mitchell buys him a new belt buckle adorned with a Texas Longhorn. .

Here is what is predictable: Mitchell turns out to be embarrbading, he fumbles online dancing and the Beer Derby when he can not bother. Cam must admit that, although he has always wanted to see him there, the reality is disappointing. It's a perfect scenario. Cam and Mitchell agree not to feel compelled to do things they do not want and to understand that it does not mean a spark lost in their relationship, but it's also something we've seen many times before. Modern family likes to remind us that Cam and Mitchell have very different backgrounds and different interests. In the larger theme of this week's episode, it's the familiar writing of a story.

Side note: Alright, maybe Gloria is trying to sabotage Jay's new business of selling dog beds, but I can not even say more because I'm completely done with Jay and Gloria. The series has no idea how to tell an interesting story with them. Each episode is either an empty exploration involving Jay's age and transition out of the business world, or based on the fact that Gloria is just a stereotype. Add a character like Manny who never changes and a character like Joe who is there for reasons I can not explain, and you have a constant mess.

Well, back to that. The other two scenarios this week are a little more promising. What's interesting is that "Stand By Your Man" does not feel like telling a story about Lily and Claire until halfway through the episode, when we learn that she's babysitting for that Mitchell can get in trouble. It's an arrangement that worries Cam, because Lily and Claire never talk to each other. This configuration gives way to something that does not quite compensate for how the series leaves Lily alone, but offers something emotionally substantial. At first, Clair and Lily hear well to think that her aunt is cool, before Claire has to go through nonsense and tell the truth about her lack of freshness. They essentially reconstruct the Conversation of Lester Bangs and William Miller of Almost knownand it's really delicious.

This brings us to the best part of the episode, which is that Phil has failed in his attempt to bond with and impress Luke, Dylan and Bill. He tries to have them for an MMA fight, but accidentally orders Mom Mia! instead of. He tries to rotate and show them the Karate Kid as a means of transmitting wisdom, but only suffers through the insupportable commentary of those millenials lagging behind. There is no victory, or at least that's what he thinks.

Again, all of this is rather predictable, but it makes a lot of good grades. When Phil locks up in his room and tells the guys that it's sad that he can not be a role model for them, they all realize that it's amazing. He is a good father, a good magician and he has a lot of wisdom to offer.

There is nothing particularly new and exciting here, but it's an episode that has enough emotional punch as we approach the end of the season.

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Observations lost

• Jay sprayed hair. Just not.
• Claire says what we all think: "I'm afraid of Lily."
• Claire: "Is MTV still cool?" Lily: "I've never heard of it."