Love on the Small Screen

The American Fall TV Season is getting back into swing and loyal viewers will soon be reconnecting with beloved characters from the small screen. While I have several shows being recorded on my DVR the one the whole family is anticipating most is Modern Family. Following the trials and triumphs of three nuclear families that are part of an extended clan this sweet sitcom highlights love and family American style. I adore almost every character on it but my favorite duo on the show is easily Phil and Claire Dunphy. Here are five reasons why:

1. They’re smexy: In the episode My Funky Valentine we see them try to add some spark and sizzle to the relationship by doing role playing where Phil poses as Clive Bixby, a visiting businessman and Claire as Julianna, a local housewife. Of course it has a funnily disastrous result. They didn’t need it anyway – as the episode Caught in the Act showed, these two are still passionate.
2. They’re romantic: In the first season we see the episode Hawaii, where Phil tries to turn a family vacation into a second honeymoon (technically first since they never really had one.) While most of his attempts end in disaster he manages to create a truly special moment at the end. Claire, who is far more practical than romantic, takes years to reciprocate. She finally hits a home run in A Fair to Remember when she gives him a surprising (and appropriate to him) gift for their 20^th (china) wedding anniversary.
3. They enjoy each other’s company: In the episode Our Children, Ourselves Phil and Claire tell us of their shared love of cheesy cinema. “Our favorite categories include genetically engineered animals gone wrong, old and young people switching bodies, tough guys taking care of babies, any sequel three and higher. You usually get a new cast around five; that’s where the magic really happens.” In the episode Halloween they tell us of their shared love of the spooky and scary; when they met they went from “one please” at horror films to “two please.” In every episode we see how they truly get each other. In Run for Your Wife Claire figures out that the first day of school is hard for all her kids –especially the one she married. In Our Children, Ourselves Phil alludes to Claire’s OCD nature, which is a running joke in the extended family. Numerous episodes such as Me? Jealous? and Message Received talk about the fact that it is their ability to make each other laugh that really binds them together.
4. They complement each other: In the episode Aunt Mommy Claire is delighted by how Alex controls a bad situation (a definite Claire trait) and Haley and Luke use creativity ( a Phil trait) to solve some problems. It is their ability to pick up the slack for each other that makes them a good team, something they discuss with great sweetness on the episode Someone to Watch Over Lilly.
5. There is minimal drama: I love Mitch and Cam but most of their story arcs contain a lot of drama – whether it’s about the name on Lilly’s adoption papers or the idea that Mitch might have a child from a previous relationship. Phil and Claire have been together a lot longer and their relationship has settled into a happier, more comfortable routine. There is still a lot of drama in their lives, they are just at a point where they are facing it together rather than letting it come between them. Arrested is an episode which really highlights this aspect of their relationship.

So there it is, why I totally love Phil and Claire. What favorite shows are you looking forward to reconnecting with? Who is your favorite couple on TV?

Maggie AAR