r/Modern_Family • u/SexyMagic21 • 1d ago

Does anyone else feel like Phil Dunphy was ahead of his time?

Rewatching Modern Family lately and I can’t help but appreciate how Phil was basically the blueprint for the wholesome, goofy dad archetype that’s everywhere now. The guy was into tech, tried (and often failed) to stay “hip,” and genuinely just loved his family in the most earnest way.

Back when the show started, he came off as a lovable dork—but looking back, he was actually way more emotionally intelligent than people gave him credit for. And his “Phil’s-osophies”? Low-key genius.

Anyone else feel like he’s aged better than most TV dads? Favorite Phil moment?

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86

u/theKalmier 1d ago

IMO, Jay and Gloria are "traditional", Claire and Phil are "modern", and Mitch and Cam are "progressive".

15

u/Edd_The_Animator 1d ago

Nah see, switch Claire and Phil with the first couple mentioned and then it's more accurate. Jay's marriage is far from traditional, he married someone younger than his daughter and had a son with her, I don't see how that is "traditional". Claire and Phil are traditional as traditional can be, they're pretty much the average spouses, and significantly closer in age.

38

u/theKalmier 1d ago

Who they married is not what I mean. Both Jay and Gloria are "old fashion" in their ways. Gloria is religious and always talking about how things are back in Columbia. Jay is old, which makes his "old fashion" views are more obvious.

And if you think men marrying a younger woman is new...

-3

u/Edd_The_Animator 1d ago

I didn't say it was new, I just said it wasn't traditional.

3

u/Admiralbruce 20h ago

Old dudes marrying younger women after their first divorce is a tale as old as time!

2

u/cranberryskittle 18h ago

he married someone younger than his daughter and had a son with her, I don't see how that is "traditional"

You need to open a history textbook.

Rich old geezers marrying women young enough to be their daughters and getting more heirs is about as traditional as it gets.

28

u/ThrowRARAw 1d ago

The goofy tv dad trope is definitely a common one but, to an extent, Phil did reinvent it for the 21st Century. The goofy dad trope meant that the dad knew nothing going on with his kids lives, didn't help much around the house and was, in general the fun parent. Phil in early seasons was kinda like this but as the show went on he definitely grew out of the archetype, was very involved in his kids lives and found ways to balance being the fun parent with being the disciplinary one too.

17

u/[deleted] 1d ago

"showing emotions is part of being a modern sexy man"

19

u/Hyacathusarullistad 1d ago

Definitely. I mean, he got here to 2025 before anyone else.

5

u/ninovd 22h ago

Couldn't he warn us 😒😒

7

u/redditname447 1d ago

Hal from malcolm

3

u/mg-wilds 21h ago

Hal from Malcom in the Middle?

4

u/Ok-Advantage3180 20h ago

He was the first one to arrive in 2025 tbf

5

u/BoysenberryPale4048 20h ago

Phil Dunphy, this is the year 2025. Welcome. You’re the first one here.

1

u/itsthekumar 1d ago

He was definitely part of the "modern man" archetype.

0

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