Modern Family Review: Thanksgiving Jamboree (Season 8 Episode 7)
Modern Family Season 8 Episode 7, “Thanksgiving Jamboree,” ticks most of the boxes from our checklist of what we want from Modern Family this season. It’s a holiday episode, the gang is all together, the comedy is less contrived (and frankly a little dark), and there is even some heart.
However, “Thanksgiving Jamboree” is a mixed bag of an episode. It’s too crammed (same complaint every week), and some plot points are either rushed or didn’t have any traction.
Instead of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, Cam and Mitchell host a Thanksgiving Jamboree complete with hay bales, a petting zoo, and deep fried turkey. Cam is really in his element and even Mitch seems to be playing along quite well — too well, in fact.
The MVP for this episode is definitely Mitchell. He’s been stepping up his game the past few weeks, but with his commitment to denim overalls and jamboree jargon, Mitchell really steals the show.
Mitchell: Would you like a mason jar of wine?
Claire: Yes.
He spits into the tin like a pro too.
Mitchell and Claire have the best, most twisted relationship on Modern Family, and it’s glorious to watch. Claire immediately senses that Mitch is so accommodating about the jamboree because he’s done something really awful to Cam. She’s right of course.
Claire and Mitch are not nice people together, but their nastiness and quick one-liners oddly makes them more likable. Claire and Mitchell can get away with being awful to one another because they are so much alike, so they’re not really hurting anyone.
In last week’s episode, “Grab It,” there was a recycled storyline between Phil and Jay. Mitch and Cam have the honor this week; however, it’s more pleasant to watch Cam and Mitch play nice rather than bicker.
The Tucker-Pritchetts often keep secrets from one another, but when the secret is revealed by the end of an episode, all is good because their hearts were in the right place. “Thanksgiving Jamboree” strays a little from the usual formula, but there is nothing new here for Mitch and Cam plotwise.
Regardless, their storyline provides plenty of chuckles, so all is forgiven.
What’s not forgiven is the three guests at the jamboree who are not family and unfortunately don’t add much to the episode.
The Dunphys bring along their divorced neighbor, Jerry. Why is Jerry there? We don’t really know him nor do we care about him.
Haley’s boyfriend, Rainer Shine (guest star Nathan Fillion), causes some drama with Phil, who is annoyed that Rainer isn’t hanging out with him and that Rainer wants to take Haley to Mexico. The best part about Rainer is that we get this dialogue from Phil:
Brother can’t yank a brother’s chain? Ya trippin’!
It’s easy to understand why Phil is so upset about Haley’s relationship with Rainer. But we barely know Rainer and Haley as a couple, so even when there is a sweet moment between Haley and Phil about her relationship, it feels a little hollow.
Dwight, the football player, is also there and is dressed like a pilgrim. It’s nice to see him again, and his flirting with Alex is cute. It would have been funny to see an exchange between Dwight and Lily though.
Throughout the episode, we see the point of view of a goat from Cam’s petting zoo, who is wearing a GoPro camera.
After the goat gets spooked, it crashes into the fence, aiming for Cam’s farm banner. The camera is on its side, and we know the goat is dead. Dark stuff, Modern Family!
There is casual chatter about either eating the goat for dinner or heaving it over the fence. Gloria eventually throws it in the garbage. No wonder the kids in Gloria’s family are traumatized by animals.
Joe had grown attached to the goat, so Gloria tells him that the goat died. Because of this, Joe tells Jay (who wears a blood pressure monitor all episode) to stop smoking because he loves him, and doesn’t want him to die. Although this is a tender moment, it doesn’t quite pull at the heartstrings because it feels a little rushed.
There is seriously so much going on in this episode.
Overall, “Thanksgiving Jamboree” is a good episode elevated by the performances (and wine swilling) of Claire and Mitch. There are wasted opportunities with the guests and the need to overstuff the episode like a Thanksgiving turkey.
When will Modern Family writers figure out that less is more? Well, there’s always the next episode.
Quick Bits:
- Whoever does the paintings on Modern Family is on a roll. Cam’s farm banner is beautiful. No wonder the goat wanted to run there!
- Although Manny doesn’t say anything inappropriate to a family member, Gloria shouts to Manny and Luke to “stop making out.”
- Claire walking in on Mitch churning butter—gold.
- Is Fizbo the Clown gone for good?
- I’m definitely throwing a Thanksgiving jamboree next year. Now how does one acquire some Missouri bale?
What did you think of this episode of Modern Family? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on ABC.
Nora Williamson
Nora is pop-culture obsessed and has been since she was six years old-- writing stories about going to Hollywood premieres and dating Christian Slater. Her current favorite shows include House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, The Walking Dead and black-ish. She is a sucker for TV shows with forbidden love, bad boys and of course, a Big Bad. Nora may also be the only person on the planet who loves Fear the Walking Dead.