10 Best Modern Family Episodes, Ranked

Modern Family is considered one of the greatest American sitcoms to have ever graced the small screen, with the best of the show’s 250 episodes earning greater distinction among TV’s most acclaimed outings. Modern Family‘s quality jokes, gags, characters, and writing helped it sustain its eleven-season run, and the show’s documentary-like sensibilities helped it establish its own unique tone and identity. Co-created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, the series remains popular three years after its conclusion thanks largely to the performances of Modern Family‘s ensemble cast and the writing to make the families relatable in many ways.

Along with other great mockumentary shows like The Office and Park and Recreation, Modern Family ranks as one of the best sitcoms of all time because it wasn’t afraid to display both the good and bad times that many families experience in sincere and hilarious ways. In addition to Modern Family‘s celebrated themes, the show picked up numerous awards and critical praise, which further solidifies its status as one of ABC’s best shows. From the series premiere to the series finale, certain episodes from Modern Family truly stand out in granting the long-running sitcom the great success it maintains today.

10 “Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1)

Original air date: September 23, 2009

In addition to jump-starting the pop-culture darling, Modern Family‘s pilot episode felt unique as it introduced audiences to the three families who would anchor the show when things inevitably got out of hand. From Phil and Claire’s overbearing ways, to Jay and Gloria’s electric relationship, to the ever-so sensitive Cameron and Mitchell, “Pilot” excelled at ensuring every main character was fleshed out early on. Furthermore, the pilot episode flowed really well despite its expansive cast, and its superb usage of documentary-style humor immediately drew audiences in.

9 “The Wedding: Part 2” (Season 5, Episode 24)

Original air date: May 21, 2014

In a cast of beloved characters, Cameron and Mitchell endeared fans early as they had chemistry, were hilarious to watch solve bizarre problems, and were one of the more realistically portrayed LGBTQ+ couples on TV. After the number of unexpected issues that Cam and Mitch had to overcome in “The Wedding: Part 1,” it was genuinely heartwarming to witness the two finally tie the knot. Jay and Mitch making amends after their argument in the season 5 episode, “Message Received,” and Jay and Gloria walking Mitch down the aisle were very moving, and displayed Modern Family‘s ability to responsibly handle sensitive issues when it isn’t being outright hilarious.

8 “The Party” (Season 7, Episode 18)

Original air date: April 6, 2016

“The Party” sees Jay and Cam bonding over a big fight at their favorite bar, Phil and Mitch geeking out with Seth at the movies, Manny and Luke babysitting Lily, and Claire and Gloria spending time together at the spa. All is well until the fire alarm goes off at the Dunphys’ home, thus causing Claire to suspect the boys are secretly throwing a party at her house behind her back. “The Party” is highly rated because it’s a fun episode that sees some interesting character pairings. Moreover, these unconventional pairings give viewers greater insight into the characters’ personalities and make for surprisingly effective onscreen chemistry.

7 “Schooled” (Season 4, Episode 2)

Original air date: October 10, 2012

While there are a decent number of shows like Modern Family, it tends to stand out more than its competition because of its infectious family dynamic. “Schooled” focuses on issues intrinsic to parenting with Modern Family‘s signature brand of humor. Mitch and Cam find themselves handling a situation with one of Lily’s classmates’ parents, Jay and Gloria attend parenting classes, and Phil and Claire accidentally embarrass Haley while sending her to college. The episode resonated with audiences because it offered a comedic take on real issues that are no doubt stressful for real parents.

6 “Family Portrait” (Season 1, Episode 24)

Original air date: May 19, 2010

The season 1 finale, “Family Portrait,” is one of Modern Family‘s best episodes because of how authentically it portrays the dysfunction that essentially every family experiences at one point or another. Throughout the bulk of the episode, Claire goes through great lengths to get the entire family together for a group photo. However, despite her best efforts, things get complicated simply by virtue of everyone being too busy with their respective lives. Nevertheless, the family eventually gets the photo taken, albeit after dirtying their all white clothes with mud, and it genuinely felt like one of the show’s biggest feel-good episodes.

5 “Fizbo” (Season 1, Episode 9)

Original air date: November 25, 2009

The season 1 episode “Fizbo” was a unique outing because one of the members of the family got injured, and the mystery for the audience felt like a whodunit. Even though it is eventually revealed that Luke was the patient everyone visited in the hospital, it was satisfying to see the families come together to show him support. Furthermore, “Fizbo” was a fun episode because it portrayed a clown heroically with Fizbo (Cam) coming to Mitch’s aid when some bullies were giving him a hard time. Consistent with Modern Family‘s themes, the episode reminded viewers of the importance of family in a fun way.

4 “Finale: Part 2” (Season 11, Episode 18)

Original air date: April 8, 2020

“Finale: Part 2” is one of the best series finales because it emphasizes the show’s themes of family, unity, and love in a way that is authentic, all while maintaining the show’s signature brand of humor. Phil and Claire announce that one of the kids has to move out because their home isn’t big enough for too many adults, Cam earns a chance to start his dream job, and Jay makes a sincere effort to finally learn Spanish to better communicate with Gloria. Aside from the laughs, “Finale: Part 2” also wrapped up many subplots for the characters in Modern Family, satisfyingly bringing their character arcs full circle.

3 “Caught In The Act” (Season 2, Episode 13)

Original air date: January 19, 2011

Another case of portraying events that might be too relatable for some of the show’s parental audience, “Caught in the Act” partially centers around the embarrassment that Phil and Claire suffer after their kids walked in on them having sex. If that weren’t bad enough, Jay and Gloria’s vacation plans get postponed after Gloria accidentally sends Claire an offensive email, and Cam and Mitch go through great lengths to cover up a juice spill on an expensive rug. The episode stands out from Modern Family‘s other outings by depicting Phil and Claire’s predicament in an over-the-top way that makes for some of the show’s biggest laughs.

2 “A Year Of Birthdays” (Season 10, Episode 22)

Original air date: May 8, 2019

“A Year of Birthdays” is one of the best episodes on Modern Family because, while still offering audiences plenty of laughs, it also emphasized the show’s ability to engage its audience in a more thoughtful way whenever it covered serious topics. In spite of the family’s quirks and differences, they all came together in support of the birth of Haley and Dylan’s twins. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the episode is that the families reflect on how far they’ve come and how much they’ve grown, thus offering the audience additional insight into how much character development the titular Modern Family group experienced from the pilot to its final season.

1 “Connection Lost” (Season 6, Episode 16)

Original air date: February 25, 2015

While many other episodes of Modern Family received praise for their emotional storytelling and ability to convincingly develop the characters over time, “Connection Lost” stood out because the entirety of the episode was told from the perspective of the different family members’ laptop screens. After getting into a heated exchange with Claire, Haley leaves her stranded in an airport, and the mother of three reaches out to the families via her Mac’s camera to track Haley down. This artistic choice broke away from the show’s usual documentary-style formula in a way that was engaging and unique.

Moreover, the decision to tell the story this way effectively put the audience in Claire’s perspective as she desperately tried to locate Haley, giving glimpses into the characters’ personalities when they weren’t all together. The episode is heavier on the laughs than the emotion, but that doesn’t stop it from reinforcing its familial themes. Modern Family is mostly known for its humor, but its ability to innovate and handle serious subjects in creative ways also helps make it one of the best sitcoms of all time.