It is that time of year again: television shows are returning from their summer hiatuses just in time for fall. No exception is Modern Family, returning to ABC for its sixth season this Wednesday night.
For those of you who haven’t been keeping up with the show, we’ll start with a short recap of season five. Same-sex marriage was finally legalized in California, and so Mitch, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Cam, played by Eric Stonestreet, finally got their chance at marriage. The season had wedding-related problems popping up throughout, ending with them finally getting married – but only after fighting through tons of obstacles, including a wildfire.
With the knot finally tied, Mitch and Cam will be taking their honeymoon, presumably, as the title for the premiere episode is “The Long Honeymoon.” Rumor has it they’ll find switching back into real-life a bit difficult, but at least we’ll get to see them as an actual married couple for the first time.
In addition to Mitch and Cam, keep an eye out for Alex, portrayed by Ariel Winter, returning from a humanitarian trip she took over the summer. Apparently, she experienced a change in attitude that will rub off on the entire family.
Also notable are Gloria and Jay, who apparently will be arguing about looks. If Jay, played by Ed O’Neill, won’t keep up with his appearance, then Gloria, played by Sofia Vergara, won’t keep up with hers. Will we be seeing a totally new side of Gloria? Also worth mentioning is that Manny, played by Rico Rodriguez, will have a girlfriend this season – and Gloria is not happy.
In addition to these spoilers, some season six guest stars’ names have already been dropped. Steve Zahn and Andrea Anders are joining up with the cast to portray new neighbors moving in next to the Dunphys. From what it sounds like, the two families will not be getting along, which is sure to make for some classic Dunphy mishaps. Also joining the show is Tyne Daly, who will be playing Lily’s no-nonsense teacher, Mrs. Plank. Lastly, Kristen Johnson is said to be joining the cast as a woman going through a personal crisis at Mitch’s law firm.
From the sounds of it, this season will not disappoint. Last season was met with mixed reviews, some stating the show had sunk into something of a low point. Understandably, some people felt the show was lacking in its characteristic witty banter and depth, and that it had resorted to superficial plots and dialogue. Nonetheless, it got better as it went on. The second half of the season certainly was rated better than the first, but no matter what the ratings were, the show never fails to bring a smile to people’s faces.
Even if some critics weren’t crazy about the season, there is absolutely no denying the success of the show. It did, after all, win a Golden Globe for best television series – comedy or musical, as well as 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, among many others.
New viewer or old, don’t forget to tune in on Septemeber 24 to find out where the new season will take the Dunphys and their family.
Lauren Detweiler is a first-year student with an undeclared major. She can be reached at LD838069@wcupa.edu.