When Modern Family first came on the scene in 2009, it was lauded for the progressiveness of its characters’ multicultural living situations. In its sixth season, it has largely eschewed trying to say something profound about American society, and has stuck to its pun-filled multi-storyline formula. Which, for the most part, works great. In “Integrity,” though, Modern Family flirts with some of those themes of identity, but never pulls the trigger on exploring them fully.
The episode begins with Manny nursing a spurned heart and Baby Joe about to have a birthday party (most plots in Modern Family seem to revolve around an excuse for a large gathering). As Manny clutches his pearls on the couch, Gloria admires Joe’s painted toenails, which she has just completed. Jay, as the slightly conservative point of view, laments that while he wanted just one football-loving, chest-hair-growing son, all he got was a “Manny and a pedi.” Cue the rimshot. And then Jay has to go pick up a pink castle for the party. His man-dar starts going off.
It’s honestly a bit strange how Modern Family handles this storyline. First of all, Joe’s desire to have his toes painted and have a pink castle is a tiny detail against the backdrop of the larger plot. Although voiceover is used twice in the episode, not one is used to discuss the male child’s attraction to socially feminine things. I’m not saying the show is required to dive into a thesis on gender dysmorphia, but you’ve never seen fear on a dad’s face like when his boy grabs a pink bike. “Integrity” seemed to be set up to make fun of Jay’s fears, but instead skirts and somewhat excuses them. None of it feels narratively cohesive. I was disappointed in a missed opportunity to comment on a very real and relatable issue.
Phil and Jay both have misunderstandings with their wives, I Love Lucy-style. Phil agonizes over buying a Ms. Pac Man arcade cabinet, but Claire demurs. Jay is supposed to pick up the giant pink castle for Joe’s party. Definitely the best scene of the episode has Jay and Phil discussing standing up for what they believe in as they ride down the highway. All sorts of signals are getting mixed as they inadvertently pump each other up. Again, since they are talking across each other, when Jay says, “I just want to have one red-blooded man in the family,” Phil never contradicts. It’s like the episode both takes Jay’s feeling seriously, but makes certain that no one else responds or reacts to them. Jay convinces Phil to buy the arcade machine and we’re off to our inevitable Three’s Company ending.