Misunderstandings can often lead to comedy.  ‘Not In My House’ takes full advantage of the idea with a Modern Family episode that requires more set up than a 3-D puzzle.

The Stream

For the most part, the storylines blend very well with each other, especially Jay and Mitchell’s dilemmas.  The comedy here is very, very situational.  At parts, it feels like a bit of a stretch (Jay and the dog, for example), but it doesn’t distract from the hilarity of the moment.

Given the circumstantial elements of the episode, the plot takes over the acting and the writing.  This is rather unusual for Modern Family, but given the results, I can’t really say I’m disappointed.

The Switch

An interesting juxtaposition of the episode is the comparison between Jay and Mitchell’s lifestyles.  Jay is inexplicably enamored with a dog butler, a distinctly abnormal choice to Gloria.  Meanwhile, Cameron’s sense of hospitality goes too far and brings in a Latino wedding into Mitchell’s house.  Had the storylines been given to the other family, this would seem rather conventional.

All in all, this is an improvement from the previous episode.  Modern Family is still one of the season’s premiere sitcoms.

Rating: 8.7/10

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