We were first introduced to the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan in the Modern Family in 2009 and a lot has happened over the years. The fictional sitcom is considered one of the sassiest and fastest-paced primetime shows with over 18.5 million viewers per episode. Also, it was critically acclaimed throughout its early seasons, though reception became more and more mixed as it progressed, but it remains a fan favorite. Now in its ten years on the air with over 200 episodes, it is ABC’s longest-running comedy series; Season 10 premiered on September 26, 2018.
The show has won numerous honors including 22 Emmys, Golden Globes, among others, and the actors who play them have grown and changed before our eyes. Scroll to see how the cast has changed across the series, the latest info and news, and how to watch it online.
Synopsis
Modern Family first aired on the ABC network on September 23, 2009. The fictional family sitcom was created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan to reflect their lives and families, which, in their view, could serve as the basis for a show. The series, in turn, follows the lives of Pritchett patriarch Jay and his family, who call suburban Los Angeles their home. The family also includes his much younger second wife (Gloria Delgado Pritchett (née Ramirez), their son (Fulgencio Joseph “Joe” Pritchett) and stepson (Manny Delgado). Jay’s two adult children (Claire Dunphy (née Pritchett) and Mitchell Pritchett), along with their spouses and children, also make up the modern, interdependent family.
The series, which is set in Los Angeles, also revolves around three different varieties of families (nuclear, step and same-sex) which are comically portrayed by the different members of the larger family as they face the rigors everyday life in modern times, such as families in real life.
Modern Family was released to positive reviews to critical acclaim and remained popular over its 10 seasons, especially among 18 and 49 year olds. It was dubbed the funniest new family comedy of the year in its first season with a 100% rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The second season received mostly positive reviews, ranking the series among the 100 most influential television shows. Other seasons received more mixed receptions as they progressed, but the show remains a fan favorite nonetheless.
Modern family members
The family sitcom employs an ensemble cast. The long-running show features a long list of actors, both as lead characters and recurring roles. It also features numerous guest appearances. The main cast revolves around three families who are linked together by Jay, his two adult children, Mitchell and Claire Dunphy. They understand:
Ed O’Neill – Jay Pritchett
O’Neill stars as Patriarch Pritchett. He is well known for his role as Al Bundy on the Fox Network sitcom. Married with children and draws yet another classic character who will soon not be forgotten once the series ends.
Sofia Vergara – Gloria Pritchett
The youngest, sexy, strong, loving second wife of Jay, of Colombian origin, brings, in addition to family diversity, cultural diversity. After all, variety is the spice of life and Sofia Vergara has really added spice to the Pritchett dynasty. The real-life Colombian actress previously had small roles in various US TV shows but became a household name with her portrayal in Modern Family.
Julie Bowen – Claire Dunphy
The compassionate, aggressive and sometimes overly Jewish, once-stay-at-home mother of Dunphy’s three children is played only by Julie Bowen. She has a goofy but loving relationship with her husband, Phil, on the show.
Ty Burrell – Phil Dunphy
Ty Burrell brought in his gogo and lovable humor to Modern Family and managed to hold that position throughout the show’s decade. He plays the role of the most precious father of all fathers and her faithful husband and is a real estate agent. His sense of humor has become his trademark and is easily recognizable in other side projects such as the animated film. Find Dory where he voiced Bailey. For his performance on the show, he twice won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Mitchell Pritchett
Lawyer Mitchell Pritchett, the eldest son of Jay, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, gave Modern Family viewers a hilarious weekly insight into the gay marriage between him and Cameron.
Ferguson who is openly and proudly gay has been married to her husband, lawyer Justin Mikita, since 2013. In addition to his role on the show, he has had a successful theatrical career and more recently has held roles in Off -Broadway in The Tempest and Spamalot. Interestingly, he shares the same love for theater and film with his character.
Eric Stonestreet – Cameron Tucker
Eric Stonestreet makes a smooth transition from star to TV icon with his role as adorable Cam, Mitch’s gay wife. Although Mitchell is a lawyer, Cam is a football coach and he is chronically optimistic, bubbly and caring. His other on-screen credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Almost Famous
Although he’s openly straight in real life, his character’s personality earned him two Emmys for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series out of three nominations.
Sarah Hyland – Haley Dunphy
The eldest Dunphy, ditzy, Haley, boy-crazy child is played by Sarah Hyland. Since 2009, she has thrived on the series which thrust her into the limelight. She also received rave reviews, numerous accolades and nominations.
Ariel Winter – Alex Dunphy
Dunphy’s super-smart middle child, Alex is played by Ariel Winter. She started the series when she was just 11 years old (born in 1998), but became a perfectionist in her teens.
Nolan Gould-Luke Dunphy
Nolan Gould is no longer a child. He is one of those child stars who grew up before our eyes. Gould joined the cast as an 11-year-old and played Luke, the rambunctious, dimwitted brat and youngest of the Dunphy children, who often spawned mischief within the family. Despite playing the clueless, quirky boy on TV, he’s a genius in real life. He graduated from high school at age 13 and his IQ is 150.
Rico Rodriguez – Manny Delgado
Rico began playing Manny Delgado, Mama’s Boy (Gloria) in September 2009. He grew up on the show, bringing a whole new sophistication to his character.
There’s also Aubrey Anderson-Emmons who joined the show in Season 3 at age 4 as Lily Tucker-Pritchett, Cam and Mitch’s adopted daughter. In seasons 1 and 2, Jaden Hiller and Ella Hiller starred. Jeremy Maguire voices Joe Pritchett as a recurring character in seasons 5 and 6. season 4 before Pierce Wallace takes the reins in seasons 5 and 6.
Other notable cast members and characters include Reid Ewing and Dylan, Fred Willard, Phil’s father, Frank, Shelley Long, DeDe Pritchett, Jay’s ex-wife and Claire and Mitchell’s mother, Nathan Lane, as well as Cam and Mitch’s wedding planner, Pepper Saltzman. Adam DeVine appeared as Andy Bailey, Jay, and Gloria’s affable “manny” (nanny), as well as Phil’s assistant, Benjamin Bratt, Gloria’s ex-husband and Manny’s father, Stephanie Beatriz, as Sonia Ramirez, sister of Gloria.
Modern family game, in fo
DeDe, Jay’s ex-wife, was revealed to have died while traveling with her girl band in Season 10 episode Good Grief.
Apart from its many rave and positive reviews, Modern Family has also received many accolades and accolades. The show has been nominated for more than 80 Primetime Emmys since its inception and has won 22 of them.
It also won four consecutive awards from the American Film Institute (2009-2012) among the top 10 television seasons of the year. Other accolades include a 2009 Peabody Award, 6 Writers Guild of America Awards, 3 Television Critic Awards, 5 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
Modern Family has also been positively compared to other hit series such as The Cosby Show, Parks and Recreation, and The Family for reasons ranging from its mock style or simply character similarities.
The docu-comedy family sitcom was renewed for ninth and tenth seasons in May 2017. Although the creators thought season 10 was the last season, words surfaced that it could be renewed for an eleventh season. potential from August 2018.
The show’s 2015 audience statistics released by Nielsen revealed that the wealthy love Modern Family. Additionally, it was the second most popular show ( The Walking Dead is on the No. 1 spot) among viewers in the 18-49 age bracket whose households earned an average annual income above $200,000. As such, Michelle Obama’s First Lady cited, in an interview with Kal Penn during the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Modern Family as her favorite TV show.
How to watch Modern Family online
You can watch your favorite family sitcom online, thanks to the growth and advancement of the Internet, which makes everything you want or need to know available online. Just press the button to get the information you need.
Whether it’s for mass watching, catching up, or just getting started on the show, there are plenty of websites streaming it online. It is also possible to stream or download it for free. You can also watch new and old episodes on the official Modern Family page of the ABC network’s official website, here.