Figure skating lifts in the school parking lot.  High-larious.  I was wondering what Claire was doing when she struck that funky pose, and then I realized it was their old routine and thought, “Awesome!”  It was nice to see her make Mitchell so happy for once, since usually they’re fighting over something or he’s worrying about something else.  I love the way this show writes their relationship.

Manny as the killer fencer was pretty funny too.  There always seems to be something in this show that reminds me of my own family, and this time is was the fencing.  Or more specifically, Jay and the fencing.  My dad was exactly the same way growing up, not fulfilled in life unless one of his kids was winning a championship in some sport.  Luckily we all loved sports on our own, but the pressure to win and be the best ruined more than one tenth grade basketball game for me, not to mention when I completely choked at the state tennis tournament my senior year just knowing he was there watching.  He was always coaching from the sidelines, pulling me aside during time-outs to tell me what I was doing wrong when I should have been huddled up with my coach and teammates.

Back to Jay, however.  I loved how pumped he was, “Who’s the Manny?” T-shirts and all, which is why the big championship was so funny to watch.  The pity cards for Manny’s opponent just kept piling up: orphaned, diabetic, and then all the wheel-chaired friends rolling in.  And then there’s Manny just taking it to her, misreading Jay’s signal to back off as “Go get her!”  Good stuff.

Claire’s husband drives me crazy in a Michael Scott embarrassing kind of way, and the way he used Luke to sell real estate was so typical of something he would do.  No shame.  I loved how he tried to cover up Luke’s injury and then lost his own shoe trying to walk up the stairs.  That poor couple must have thought he was crazy.

I can always count on this show for some good laughs.  It’s definitely one of my new favorites this fall.

Modern Family is on ABC, Wednesdays at 9pm.