ABC’s Modern Family is a favorite comfort show for many, including myself. It’s perfect for streaming in the background while unwinding after work or doing chores. The show never fails to bring a smile, especially in its first six seasons. However, as the series progressed, it shifted into a caricature of its former self, with its characters, particularly the women, not getting the development they deserved.
Towards the end, Modern Family did not do justice to its characters. Claire (Julie Bowen), for instance, was depicted as constantly failing at her job. Notably, there was the incident with the bad wood that had to be recalled and the hacked mirrors. Did the show really need to portray her as the one who would mess up the company? Then there was Gloria (Sofia Vergara), who became a “Femme Fatale” and distanced herself from Phil (Ty Burrell) despite his guidance in real estate. What happened to her deep love for Manny (Rico Rodriguez)?
The younger characters fared no better. Alex (Ariel Winter) was bullied throughout the series, even by her own mother, and she never got a significant other of her own. But today’s focus is on another character who was shortchanged repeatedly: Haley (Sarah Hyland). Despite being a more assertive character than her mother, Claire, Haley was often forced to follow in her mother’s footsteps, reducing her to a mere copy.
In college, Haley showed a talent for photography, even selling one of her portraits at an exhibit. This artistic side could have balanced Alex’s character nicely, especially given Haley’s success with her blog. Yet, this potential was never fully explored.
Haley’s brief stint as an assistant to fashion designer Gavin Sinclair (Michael Urie) also had immense potential. This job helped Haley become more outspoken and assertive professionally. Unfortunately, this storyline went nowhere. Her role as a Style Editor at NERP was another missed opportunity to showcase her strengths.
Even Haley’s promotional job, which she was good at, went nowhere. Her brief job at a club, where she was fired for being too pretty, felt like a misguided attempt at symbolism. Instead of making a statement, it seemed like someone had a vendetta, leading to wasted spinoff possibilities.
In summary, Modern Family missed numerous opportunities to develop Haley Dunphy’s character and explore her potential through spinoffs. The show often made her pay for being pretty and popular, overshadowing her strengths and talents. This lack of character development and exploration left fans disappointed and yearning for what could have been a series of great spinoffs.
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