Why the hit TV series Modern Family has such enduring appeal

Ellie Willcock thinks that this hit series stands the test of time by embracing real struggles, honest mistakes, and the messiness that makes family life so relatable, offering Christian parents a bridge to meaningful conversations with their kid

When I completed a review piece on Modern Family, I never imagined that three years later it would still be attracting consistent interest. I assumed it would gradually fade away as newer television shows emerged, and different stories became more relevant to modern families and teenagers. Yet people continue to seek it out. So, what is it about this show that has allowed it to remain so popular?

For starters, let’s look at the characters

They’re family, they’re fun, they flounder, and they also flourish. None of them are perfect, and none of them pretend to be. They simply keep putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.

What makes the show particularly effective is that sometimes they move backwards. Sometimes the writers place them in situations that make you think, “Wow… that’s exactly how I would have handled that.” They back out of commitments, break promises, change careers, and have arguments that shake the household.

It encourages empathy, promotes understanding, and presents a wide variety of life experiences without demanding that viewers abandon their own values

Yet through it all, the family remains intact. The children know that ……