7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A satirical look at three different families and the trials they face in each of their own uniquely comedic ways.
Starring: Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler FergusonComedy | 100% |
Family | 65% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Region A, B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
There’s been a supposed critical consensus that Modern Family’s fourth season saw a minimal, if material, decline from what has been one of the highest bars ever set by a television comedy. I would argue that if—and I repeat if—the series has taken an incremental step downward, it is still so much better than virtually everything else on the boob tube that it’s ridiculous to even talk about whatever perceived shortcomings the series has. But I’ll even go one step further—I don’t think Modern Family has suffered anything near the “issues” some have ascribed to it during its fourth season, and in fact I found many of this season’s episodes to be among the best the series has offered over its entire run. Four years ago, I stumbled on Modern Family’s premiere episode quite by chance. For whatever reason that year I hadn’t really paid any attention to pre-season hype about new shows, and I think it was basically just the luck of the draw that led me to turning on ABC that night and being introduced to the extended Ptitchett-Dunphy families, an interconnected lot of lovable misfits who were not even revealed to be related until the closing moments of that debut outing—just the first of many sleights of hand the show’s writers would pull over the ensuing years. What struck me then, and continues to strike me now with really astounding regularity, is how brilliantly Modern Family manages to provoke laugh out loud hilarity while also being incredibly touching. This motley crew of characters has “something for everyone”: a crusty elder and his Colombian trophy wife who parent both her young son from her first marriage as well as their brand new baby (an addition to this season), a middle aged suburban couple and their three radically different children, and a gay couple raising a Vietnamese child whom they’ve adopted. One of the best things about Modern Family is, despite this overly PC assemblage of characters, the show rarely if ever feels contrived. This is some of the most honest comedy television has ever seen, and that genuineness continues largely unabated through the fourth season.
Modern Family: The Complete Fourth Season is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Those who have the previous seasons on Blu-ray will know more or less what to expect here. This native HD presentation is sharp, colorful and nicely detailed, boasting solid contrast that easily navigates both the interiors of the various family members' abodes as well as the sunny exteriors of Los Angeles and its environs. Fine detail is really excellent in the close-ups, including the mockumentary confessionals that fill each episode. As with previous seasons, a lot of this show seems to be shot on the fly utilizing hand held cameras (one gets the feeling things are more rigorously choreographed than they might first appear to be), and that gives a slightly imprecise ambience to some of the shots. Otherwise, though, this is another very enjoyable high definition presentation that should easily please the series' many fans.
Modern Family: The Complete Fourth Season features another perfectly serviceable lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is, as with previous seasons, a pretty front heavy affair, with only the bumper music and occasional ambient environmental effects really creating much depth in the surrounds. There are some nice moments here, though—the episode with Phil trying out Jay's motorcycle has some great low end and immersion as Phil tools through the suburban streets, and the episode where Cam and Mitch try to save a tree in the park has a nice sense of aural space. Dialogue is always presented very cleanly (though Nolan Gould really needs some elocution lessons), with excellent fidelity. Dynamic range is pretty limited here, aside from when Gloria loses it (that's a joke—kind of).
Disc One:
I'm more or less in the same generation as Phil and Claire (maybe a tad older), with two teenage kids of my own, and I continue to find Modern Family a genuine oasis in what can still be the "barren wasteland" of network television. This is in fact one of the rare "appointment television" moments my entire family will sit together and watch, which is a testament to just how accessible and relatable the various characters in this series are. I've frankly been a little surprised at some of the criticisms I've seen lobbed at Modern Family this past year. For my money, it is easily the strongest, most consistently brilliant, sitcom currently airing on television, network or cable. The video and audio preesntations here are great, and it's nice to finally get some commentaries as supplements. Highly recommended.
2009-2010
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with Phil Dunby's Phillowcase
2012-2013
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1984-1992
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2018
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1993-2000
30th Anniversary Edition
1989
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2012
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2006
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2010
+ Unrated Version on BD
2016