Modern Family - 3

For this post I want to focus on the educational value of Modern Family.  I think it is interesting because this is definitely one of those shows that I don't think was written to have educational value but was written as a entertaining sitcom that would make money for the network.  On the other hand, I think there is educational moments that can be pulled out if put into the proper context.

Usually in each episode the characters that are the main  point of that particular episode all want something similar and then the episode progresses by showing how each character goes about getting the thing they desire.  For example:  In one episode both Mitchell and Claire don't want to tell their significant other something embarrassing that they do.  Mitchell doesn't want to tell Cameron that he hates it when Cam wears really tight bike shorts and Claire doesn't want to tell Phil that she hates it when he tries to tell jokes and be funny.  The two siblings decide to tell the other person's significant other so that they don't have to do it themselves.  So in that episode both couples learn the importance of being honest and forthcoming in a relationship.

I think the most important overarching theme of the show is the idea of the importance of family.  All of the characters squabble and have their differences, but in the end each of them overcome because they have their family to back them up.  It also shows the idea that every family and every couple are different, but at the same time, everyone goes through a lot of the same difficulties.  In the end, we're all human and we all make mistakes.

One of the things that Modern Family also does well is show a homosexual couple in the context of being in a happy, loving, committed relationship that functions more or less like any other couple would in the situations they are faced.  Cameron and Mitchell are loving parents and often function more rationally than the other couples on the show.  I think this could be used in an educational context to show that no matter a person's sexual preferences, people are still people and go through the same sorts of relationship and family matters that anyone does.