Holiday episodes are usually some of my favorites, especially for comedy shows. “Modern Family” usually delivers some great ones. However, “Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook” was just shy of boring.
It wasn’t a particularly bad episode but it wasn’t too funny or unpredictable even. Let’s review it then, shall we?
Cameron, dressed as Batman, has a bad reaction to chocolates. Therefore, he is supposed to limit himself to very few candies but obviously doesn’t. This leads to some serious paranoia, especially when a trick-or-treater mocks him. He makes it his mission to get back at the kid, leading Mitchell and Lily into chasing the boy around the neighborhood until finally confronting his father. The father kind of gives him a lesson about being a grown up who is after a kid.
The moral here, however, is that Mitch doesn’t ever stand up for Cam. Unlike him, his husband always seems to have his back. Lily backs Cam up on this, too. So, Mitchell finally stands up for Cam with the kid’s father and rambles on about how Cam believes in living in a just society.
As for the Dunphy clan, Alex is home as always because she has no Halloween plans. Luke has organized a party but only a few dull kids show up, so the party is a dud. When Phil and Claire (who probably have the best couple’s costume, ever, in Beaver and June Cleaver), worry about their son’s feelings.
To make the party a hit, Haley offers to use her social media promoter profession to bring the cool kids to this party instead of another one in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Phil pretends to be their classmate and gets the party going in his beaver costume. Haley is unsuccessful at her attempt because she got sidetracked by a guy, leading Claire to use her ‘mom card’ into scaring kids away to Luke’s party.
Jay, dressed as Jesus, allows Manny (dressed as Trumbo) to go to his nemesis’ Earl’s party instead of Luke’s because he wants him to steal something. Gloria, however, wants Manny to attend his cousin’s bash instead and forbids him. Manny chooses not to go to Luke’s and even tries doing the stealing but gives up. Jay is forced to enter the house and do the stealing himself but is caught by Gloria, and then Earl, on his way out. Jay and Earl argue a bit until the former see’s his, er Jesus’ reflection in the mirror, feel’s bad about the redundant fighting and gives up the signed picture he stole.
Now, the episode’s theme seemed to be arguing and then getting over the arguing, but I did enjoy how some sweet moments were thrown in at the end. Phil struggling to make sure Luke’s party was a success is very sweet. Just as sweet as Mitch finally standing up for Cam. I’m glad that despite the comfortable plots in the episode, there are some standout moments to make you smile. The funniest bit? Jay guessing Manny’s costume, which was him standing in a bathtub, as Harriet Tubman.
What did you think of the episode? Did you expect some more laughs or did the relax approach suit you well? Can Alex please have some life, already? Was Earl dressed up as the devil too much or just perfect? Let me know in the comments.
