Modern Family Review: I’m Going to Miss This (Season 11 Episode 16)
We’ve just witnessed our first heartfelt goodbye in the penultimate episode of the series, Modern Family Season 11 Episode 16, “I’m Going to Miss This.”
Only, the goodbye is to a house and not a beloved character — which means we’re in for an emotional ride next week as we say goodbye to everyone at once.
While the episode scores points for welcoming the newest member of the Tucker-Prichett family and sees them move into their new home, the rest of the episode seems almost extraneous.
Given how major this storyline is for Cam, Mitch, Lily, and their journey throughout the show, it makes perfect sense. They’re set up for a beautiful (and dramatic) sendoff, with everything in place to imagine how their lives might play out down the road.
The other storylines — the Dunphy kids throwing parties and Manny and Jay challenging each other to wine tasting — feel out of place, all things considered. That is likely because these storylines are one-offs.
Their goodbyes are going to feel much more abrupt, having not allowed a buildup during this episode.
However off it may seem, the episode is, altogether, fairly enjoyable for nostalgic reasons.
It gives us a little taste of everything we’ve come to love and will be saying goodbye to during the series finale. And maybe that’s the whole point — not to explicitly establish an ending just yet, but to show us what we’ll be missing.
One such thing is Haley’s wild side. Preparing to and becoming a mom to twins has definitely changed and matured the eldest Dunphy kid over the last two seasons. However, the show hasn’t let us lose sight of the at-times aloof, fun-loving young adult still lurking inside.
Hosting a crazy party with her siblings — with the caveat that her kids are being cared for by Dylan’s mom — is a great balance between the “old” and “new” Haley.
What is Phil Dunphy best known for? Dad jokes and magic tricks, of course. This episode gives us both.
First, we get an understated dad joke about a yoga class not making room on the beach, “You’d think they’d be more flexible.”
Then, we get a little slight of hand as he comes in clutch, stealing the about-to-hatch snake egg out of a little girl’s basket and hiding it up his sleeve.
All of this in a ridiculous costume that just happened to be in the house somewhere? We’ll miss this well-meaning goofball.
Finally, Joe’s sass and the slightly unexpected bonding moments between Manny and Jay — things we haven’t really seen a lot of throughout the series (but more so this season) — will definitely be missed.
The wine tasting scene is somewhat random but cute, and it serves as a nice bit to offset the chaos the other characters are facing.
What did you think of this episode of Modern Family? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Modern Family‘s hour-long series finale airs Wednesday, April 8 at 9/8c on ABC. Preceding the finale, tune in for a documentary special, “A Modern Farewell,” airing at 8/7c, which will feature interviews with the cast and crew, along with footage from the show’s 11 seasons.
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Kaitlin Willow
Kaitlin is an aspiring novelist who works in digital marketing. When she's not writing, you can find her snuggled on the couch with her poodle-terrier mix Benny—either reading a book or rewatching New Girl for the 17th time.