The Brainerd Dispatch - Today's Entertainment Magazine
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/451898
2 • January 25 - 31, 2015 • Brainerd Dispatch By Jacqui Wiens TV Media I n a cutthroat world where rat- ings reign supreme, everyone is trying to find something special to make their show stand out and withstand the dreaded early can- cellations. In the packed comedy world, many show-runners have been moving away from a more standard family setting towards the workplace. But in 2009, pro- ducers Christopher Lloyd and Ste- ven Levitan picked up some old sitcom ideas, spun them together with their own experiences and created the spectacular series we know as "Modern Family." The show centers around three very different households who, to- gether, form a large, close-knit family. Now in its sixth season, the mockumentary has depicted sev- eral significant milestones in each of the families' lives while consis- tently receiving glowing praise from critics and fans alike. Tune in to a new episode of "Modern Family" airing Wednesday, Jan. 28, on ABC. The first family unit depicted in "Modern Family" is that of Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill, "Married with Children") and his much- younger second wife Gloria, por- trayed by Sofía Vergara ("Four Brothers," 2005). Gloria has an adolescent son, Manny (Rico Ro- driguez, "The Muppets," 2011), from her first marriage and Jay has two adult children, Claire (Julie Bowen, "Boston Legal") and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "The Class"). In season 4, Gloria reveals that she is pregnant and, despite trying to stop her contrac- tions, eventually welcomes anoth- er boy into the family. Claire, Jay's eldest, is actually a year older than her step-mother. Along with her husband, Phil Dun- phy (Ty Burrell, "Dawn of the Dead," 2004), Claire has three children. The oldest of her siblings and cousins, Haley is played by Sarah Hyland ("Scary Movie 5," 2013) and is a typical wild child. Alex (Ariel Winter, "Phineas and Ferb") is the middle, nerdy daugh- ter, and Luke (Nolan Gould, "Friends with Benefits," 2011) is an energetic, if not-so-smart young boy. The last member of the Pritchett clan is Mitchell and his longtime boyfriend (now husband) Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet,"The Island," 2005). In the pilot epi- sode, Cameron and Mitchell final- ize the adoption of Lily, an infant from Vietnam. In the first two sea- sons, Lily was portrayed by twins Ella and Jaden Hiller before being recast for season 3. She is now de- picted by Aubrey Anderson-Em- mons, who is older and lends more to the show with a speaking role, unlike her predecessors. While Lily is perhaps the most obvious example of the passage of time, she is far from the only char- acter who has grown up over the years. Only introduced in season 4, Jay and Gloria's son, Fulgen- cio Joseph, was recast in sea- son 5 and is now played by the young Pierce Wallace. Gloria's mother, Pilar (the late Elizabeth Peña, "Ja- cob's Ladder," 1990), visit- ed soon after Joe's birth and insisted in having a hand in the naming of her own grandson. Fulgencio was the name of Pi- lar's late husband and Gloria's fa- ther, but despite (eventually) agreeing to use the name, Jay in- sists they will call Joe by his mid- dle name.Wild child Haley was in her second year of high school at the onset of "Modern Family" and struggled with her studies amidst trying to improve her peer relations. Despite confessing to being afraid of failing in college, Haley did eventually set off for higher education in season 4, with much embarrassing help from Claire and Phil. Unfortunate- ly, Haley's foray into college only lasted a short time before she ran afoul of the authorities and got kicked out of school. By season 5, she had enrolled in community college, studying photography and business while also running a blog. Most recently, Haley cele- brated her 21st birthday sur- rounded, as usual, by her large and loving family. While Alex has arguably aged less obviously than her siblings, she is now undertaking the ardu- ous task of choosing and applying to a university. As she is the most intelligent child in her family, Alex often helps keep the family from acting too immature. She's the po- lar opposite of her sister Haley, and her dedication to her studies typically makes her the butt of a lot of jokes. Thick-as-thieves Luke and his step-uncle Manny were both around 10 during the first season of "Modern Family." Manny grew up with an irresponsible father, Javier Delgado (Benjamin Bratt, "Miss Congeniality," 2000), giv- ing him a slightly skewed per- spective on life. Manny has al- ways acted older than his age, of- ten writing poetry and claiming BB guns were too mature a toy for him to use. Luke, on the other hand, takes after his goofy father in many respects. A bright and cheerful boy, Luke is a bit of an air head and finds himself getting into hilarious shenanigans and precarious situations. With many milestones behind them, the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan has many more ahead. Throughout it all you can be certain they will be there to love and sup- port one another. Don't miss a new episode of "Modern Family," airing on Wednesday, Jan. 28, on ABC. All grown up ABC's favorite 'Family' sprouts before our eyes Cover Story this week Aubrey Anderson- Emmons as seen in "Modern Family" 501 W Washington St, Brainerd | Ph: 218-828-1823 Free Pick Up & Delivery or Loaner Cars Available. We Can Do That! TIRE REPAIRS! Offer valid through 2/28/15. Must present coupon at time of purchase. VALVOLINE OIL CHANGE & TIRE ROTATION $19.95 (UP TO 5 QUARTS PREMIUM CONVENTIONAL OIL) Offer valid through 2/28/15. Must present coupon at time of purchase. BATTERY REPLACEMENT FREE INSTALLATION! WITH BATTERY PURCHASE MANAGER'S SPECIAL $20 OFF FREE STARTING, CHARGING & BATTERY TEST 001187061r1 BRAKE SERVICE OF $100 OR MORE Offer Valid Through 12/28/15 Not Valid With Other Offers Must Present Coupon At Time Of Purchase Addition charge for shop supplies, up to 7% or $25 maximum "Your One-Stop, Locally-Owned Medical Supply Company." FREE Delivery in our service area! • 8-5:30pm M-F, 9-12 Sat. 206 W. Washington, Tyrol Hills Center Brainerd • 218-829-2100 BRAINERD MEDICAL SUPPLY We Process Medical Assistance, Medica, Blue Cross, Medicare and Most insurance. 24 Hour Emergency Oxygen Service • Totally Adjustable • Ergonomically Designed • Ultra Compact Now Available for Rent Both chair & table top options l Attention: Eye Surgery Patients Light therapy boxes can be an effective treatment for SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder)- a type of depression that occurs in fall and winter BRING ON THE LIGHT! 001187190r1