The TV show Modern Family is known for its wacky, mockumentary style. It follows three families whose lifestyles are different and humorously reflects contemporary issues.
The Pritchett, Dunphy, and Tucker households are based in suburban Los Angeles, California. They’re also a reflection of the changing demographics of the American home and society as a whole.
Modern Family was created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, two comedians who grew up with very different kinds of families. As a result, they wanted to make a family show that was relatable and fun to watch, and that reflected the changes in families across the country over time.
Ed O’Neill plays Jay Pritchett, a divorced and widowed father of three who lives with his second wife, Gloria Delgado-Pritchett (Sofia Vergara). He and her have a son, Manny, and a daughter, Joe. Their youngest child is an adopted Vietnamese girl, Lily Tucker-Pritchett.
Claire Dunphy is the oldest and a stay-at-home mother to three kids, her own children and her daughters from her first marriage, Haley (Candace Cameron). She has an obsession with perfection and can’t stop trying to take perfect pictures of herself and her kids in front of a camera.
The Dunphys share a house with their neighbors, the Kleezaks, and they often hang out at Pappa Don’s on the Westside of Los Angeles. But when Phil’s ex-wife Hayley LaFontaine (Ashley Hinshaw) moves in next door, it turns out she is a little too friendly and a bit too much like an adult.
When the LaFontaines move in, their teenaged daughter, Lavonna, begins to hang out with their older son, Rexford (Jason Lewis). It’s not long before the two become a close friendship.
While the LaFontaines become a friendly neighborhood rival, they also start to get close with the Pritchett and Dunphy families. As a result, they end up getting invited to their homes and filmed there.
As the show progresses, we begin to learn more about how Jay’s family came to be and where it all began. The family patriarch is Jay’s father, who was born in the 1920s.
His mother, DeDe Pritchett, was born in the 1950s. Her husband, Walt, was born in the 1930s. They married in the 1980s.
It’s not clear exactly when the show starts, but the 1980s are a big part of the plot. At that point, Jay and his best friend, Earl Chambers (Jon Polito/ Robert Costanzo), started a closet company.
After a few years, Earl betrayed Jay and his closet business, so he took over the business from him. At this point, Gloria, Jay, and Manny were also in their 20s.
In addition, the Pritchett and Dunphy households began to have their own kids. Eventually, the Pritchett and Dunphy houses had six members: Jay and Gloria; their children, Manny, Alex, Luke, and Lily; Jay’s stepson Mitchell; his daughter, Claire; and Phil’s wife, Haley.
In recent times, America’s family sizes have been on the decline. While household sizes are still relatively large, they have declined by a significant amount since 1960. This could be a result of many factors, such as the economic recession in 2007-2008. Sociologists believe that these changes may be linked to the increased costs of raising a family.
