Tv program evaluation (modern family) - Essay Example

Modern Family (ABC, every Wednesday, 8-9 PST is a television sitcom involving three different families and the unconventional extended family that they have created between each other. The sitcom is well acclaimed for mixing the liberal and unconventional form of family depicted in the show. It involves the family of Jay Pritchett, who is married to Gloria, a Columbian woman half of his age, Mitchell Pritchett (son of Jay), and his gay partner Cameron, who both adopted a child in Vietnam; and Claire Pritchett-Dunphy (daughter of Jay), the house wife and married to Phil with three children.

Among the three families, Claire’s family may seem to be the most traditional, but twists in the plot makes it more complex than usual. Modern Family depicts the possible mixture of modern families in America. It tackle issues that was once in a life time considered taboo, such as inter-racial marriages, same sex unions, and age gap differences. The sitcom introduces a break on the prejudice created by tradition and creates more complex characters, defying proper convention. It is realistic in a way, as it involves problems usually taken by modern families and effective ways to cope with them.

An example is the bias depicted against Gloria, a Columbian native with his son Manny who have entered into the lives of the Pritchett by marrying Jay, a man twice his age. Another example is the same sex union between Mitch and Cameron, and their attempt to create a normal family by adopting a child, to which their father Jay, at first did not approve of. The show also breaks stereotypes in gender roles. This is best shown in how Mitch and Cameron, despite being both a man, creates a sort of roles of father and mother.

Mitch being a lawyer, is the provider of the family, while Cameron, a former music teacher chose to quit his job to take care of the household and their adopted child, Lily. It shows that even in an unconventional gay family, stereotypes and roles are made. But as the plot develops, their characters are diversely dissected and become another contradiction on stereotypes. Cameron is portrayed to be more of a “manly man”, a former football player while Mitch, although with manly features seems to be less of a man, without any experience in sports or even using basic construction tools.

This depiction again, creates a break in tradition and stereotype of how gay couples are. It also tackles normal family issues, the relationship between fathers and sons and sibling rivalry both in the immediate and extended family, like that between Mitch and Claire and also between the Dunphy children. It also shows similarities in rearing and raising children, regardless of gender or race. It breaks certain prejudice on how children are brought up by unconventional families and the difference that lies not on the environment but rather on the proper love and care each parent provides.

An example is how Manny, although brought up by the devoted single Columbian mother Gloria, turns out to be a gentleman and a very mature and intelligent boy. Lastly, the sitcom portrays how proper communication and acceptance plays a big role in any sort of family. It is the support and understanding between members of the Pritchett family that has united each and every one of them despite their over-all differences. The universality of love breaks any form of diversity. Modern Family breaks tradition, biases and discrimination in a light and comic way.

It involves different themes involving differences between age, character, race and gender and the same time, similarities made despite these differences. It provides how love between families can unite each other; it is the theme that breaks all prejudice, differences and discrimination. Works Cited "Modern Family (TV Series 2009)". Imdb.com. The Internet and Movie Database (IMDb), n.d.. Web. 4 April 2011. “Pilot”. Modern Family. ABC . Los Angeles. 23 September 2009. Television. “Family Portrait”.

Modern Family. ABC . Los Angeles. 9 May 2010. Television.