The sitcom Modern Family is a show and cultural phenomenon that took off in the late 2000s after it premiered in 2009. Modern Family follows the antics of one large and diverse family in Los Angeles, California. Despite being filled with stereotypes and offensive jokes, when taking a closer look at the comedy, Modern Family was actually one of the most progressive shows of the 2010s. Its ingenious comedy helped people learn to accept everyone and treat them like family without losing its unserious energy.

Modern Family is most well known for its masterful use of hyperbole and irony to convey meaningful life lessons while keeping the energy lighthearted. For example, Season 4, Episode 19, “The Future Dunphy,” primarily follows Cam and Mitchell, a gay couple living in Los Angeles with their adopted Vietnamese daughter, Lily. During the course of the episode, Cam and Mitchell feel they need to connect Lily to her Vietnamese culture, and antics ensue. Cam and Mitchell worry that their daughter is “turning white,” and comment that she will become a typical white person if she does not connect with her Vietnamese roots. They joke that she will forget she is Vietnamese and become racist. This is an amazing use of hyperbole to bring comedic light to an issue that many parents of adopted children struggle with. Then situational irony brings the opposite outcome of what is expected. When trying to introduce Lily to Vietnamese culture, Cam and Mitchell are first made fun of by Vietnamese people for their over-the-top attempts to introduce Lily to the culture. Then, to add the cherry on top, Lily begins to hate the Vietnamese culture that is being forced upon her.

While this episode is particularly funny because of the writers’ use of irony and hyperbole, it also comments on several deeper issues beneath the surface. First, it tackles the issue of adoptive parenting—how difficult it can be to raise an adopted child and navigate the challenges of addressing a child’s heritage and native culture. The genius of Modern Family is that its comedic commentary goes even deeper than that. The comedy also comments on the difficulty of being a gay couple with a child in America. The show was released before gay marriage was legalized nationwide and highlights the challenges gay couples faced in American society. It shows how society often labels gay couples as bad parents without actually seeing how they parent and care for their child.