User Reviews

We can't trust plot points anymore because we already know how each and every character will react - and they always do as expected. There's no element of surprise, and most punchlines and climaxes seem recycled from earlier, more acclaimed episodes (bringing Dr Donna Duncan feud back - and on the past episode "The Escape", when all Haley's ex-boyfriends appeared; and how Phil, Cam, and Gloria perfectly anticipated their resolution) - or worst yet, lazy and unfunny. I praise the actors for their impressive consistency: For giving elevated and fully realized comic performances for over 9 years, most remarkably with the latests and last season's very poor material; which makes me condemn the writers and showrunners for relying exclusive on the acting, delivering unelaborated teleplays (with some reservations, of course); but therefore leaving the show, mostly, on arrested development. Season 9's finale, "Clash of Swords", illustrated just how foreseeable the show has gotten. The "Cam's sister is in jail line" bluntly stated that they would keep and raise her baby, while they drag this the entire episode as it would come out of nowhere. Phil's overly-confident and excitement for the cosplay for the "hero-con" experience could only lead him to mess up - while Mitch's shyness could only break out. Jay's rage over the "hipsters-nerds" offering to buy the company, and his dismissiveness towards their highly modern technology, could only lead him to eventually settle a deal, and Claire giving him a pep talk. How on every episode there's someone who can only see their problems after seeing someone else's (Manny deciding to cross the country after seeing Alex obsessed about school on break; Mitch growing self-assured about his nerdiness only after Phil's debacle). As soon as Gloria messed up Joe's hair, you could tell the party would end up failing (Dr Duncan being a surprise, however an old one). The episode could have been written by anyone, and is actually shocking to have such a trivial, automatically, dull story line on a ground-breaking show. Manny interacting with Haley (and Alex) as friends and family, Ronaldo's "Peter Pan" party, and Ben Schwartz sharp performance were this episode best - which says a lot, giving the former had about 3 minutes of screen, and the latter were only recurring and guest stars. I want to say something about Gloria as well. Her extremely stereotyped representation of the Latin Women is borderline offense, and overall boring. A trait that started situating hilarity on subtleness, has come from it to ridiculousness: She has no purpose other than being loud. She's treated as a back-up character. She rarely has a plot to herself and when she does, she usually ends up being a reaction to someone else's, she seems forgotten by the show - in this episode particularly: when her party goes wrong, she does nothing, she trusts on Cam to "save" the day. When he can't, she gives up, all the while yelling frenetically. A disappointing outcome for an once one of the best shows on television, and my absolute favorite. It makes me sad, specially with a season finale so bland that gives you no cling to watch the next season. I can only hope next season, the final one, brings back the joy of its firsts and concludes the show on a high note.

Normally season's finale episodes are interesting, but this is the worst one. Very predictable.

Goos lord. I was bored before the credits even stopped popping up in the beginning.

Man the Joe character and actor are terrible. Just keeps getting worse. And why hell was another kid thrown in to mitch and cam? I guess 2 gay guys, one flamboyant, one neurotic, with a vietnamese adopted daughter doesnt provide enough material. Let's throw in a terrible actress/character and her stupid kid.

Not that they do anything good with Lily anyway...or that I even like her that much...but she basically doesnt get mentioned at all for chunks of time.

They don't even preface or prepare for the Phil and Mitch story line. That just shows up out of nowhere. It's fine. I guess I'm just used to a kitchen scene. What are you up to today, Phil? Oh...me and Mitch are gonna go to blah.

Hey...u know who's funny. That guy from parks n rec...the guy who says..."the worrrssssst".

Yeah...ben schwartz. Yeah. Let's get him and then absolutely not do anything with him.

That's how you do a season 9 modern family finale.

When u have nothing to prove... Enough audience...and stop caring about quality ..come join our tv show as it limps towards the finish line. Bad jokes...recycled lines...etc etc. Bring em all. We have to get as much junk into the final years of this dying show before it expires.

Oh good. Manny has some lines. Terrible.

Oh great. Claire and Jay and closets. Haven't gotten enough of that yet.

Party plot with kids was weak...and got weaker with peter pan thing.

So...how to rate this. Not awful...just boring. Probably another 5...maybe 4. Nothing really memorable. These episodes are more a chore to get through than enjoyable.

And wait...this was the season finale?

Shows don't have to be cliffhangers or anything...but something that makes it feel unique or special? I guess that's not necessary. None if Seinfeld's season finales were anything special. Just another episode.

I guess there's just so much wrong with the show that I'm being critical of everything.