A Sketchy Area is the third episode from Season 10 of Modern Family, it aired on October 10, 2018.
Plot Summary
Phil stumbles into an exciting new career after dropping by Luke's college; while Claire deals with her dad, Jay, and the merger of Pritchett's Closets with a tech-savvy, hipper company. Meanwhile, Mitch's new high-profile case as an assistant district attorney is marred by an unflattering courtroom sketch by the resident artist.[1]
Episode Description
Phil is helping Luke practice for the rugby team at his school. After he leaves, Phile notices a Real Estate class sign, he goes to investigate. He intterupts the class, whose teacher appears bored and ininpired. Surprisingly, he asks Phil if he would take over for him and Phil agrees. He talks to the Dean (whom he had previously sold a house to) who agees to hire him. He runs it past Luke and promises him that he will quit if Luke is uncomfortable about it. Luke tells him that he is not interested since for the first time on his life, he does not have to share a school with a member of this family. Phil is unhappy because the campus has everything he loves, like impromptu frisbee, an amateur inventors club and a Hall and Oates magic show, not to mention the admiration of his students.
Claire and Jay begin their partnership with EZRAVISION. Jay, always the old school businessman, pressures them and forces them to stop acting like teenagers, but Claire thnks Jay needs to get with the times and wants it to remain fun, with disastrous results.
Also, Mitch's first big case as a DA is marred when the courtroom sketch artist (whom they previously insulted while he was renting the room upstairs) draws unflatering sketches of him in court, and Cam goes on a mission to dig up dirt on him in order to stop him from doing so.
Finally, Alex struggles with what she wants to do after college, and Gloria worries about Joe's first day in first grade .
Main Cast
(The characters striked out do not appear in this episode)
- Jay Pritchett
- Gloria Pritchett
Manny Delgado- Joe Pritchett
- Claire Dunphy
- Phil Dunphy
Haley Dunphy- Alex Dunphy
- Luke Dunphy
- Mitchell Pritchett
- Cameron Tucker
Lily Tucker-Pritchett
Guest Starring
- Nick Schwartz as Nick
- Dan Levy as Jonah
- Andrew Bilgore as Glen
- Ron Perkins as Judge Katz
- Joe Coots as Coach Walls
- Matthew Bohrer as Kevin
- Greta Jung as Mia
- Michael Strassner as Ike
- Kalpana Pot as June
- Kevin Miller as Bob
- Candice Ramirez as Miss Carpenter
- Dustin Moss as Bailiff
Trivia
- Haley, Manny and Lily don't appear in this episode, though Luke mentions Manny and Mitchell indirectly mentions Lily. Joe only has two scenes.
- This episode was broadcasted six years after Schooled and Snip
- This is Joe's 50th episode. He is now in preschool.
- Phil becomes a teacher in this episode. He now has four different jobs such as a magic shop owner, a real estate agent and a parking attendant, though in Royal Visit it's been said that the magic shop went bankrupt.
- The sketchman's name is supposed to be Jonah, but he never says or is referenced by his name during the episode.
- The judge appears for the final time.
Continuity
- The Judge's third appearance after "The Verdict" and "Brushes with Celebrity".
- Nick's second appearance after Clash of Swords
- Phil was previously on radio in his youth, this has been said in Moon Landing.
- Jay previously encouraged Alex in Grill, Interrupted.
- Cameron prepares Mitch's breakfast again after The Alliance which also an episode which did not feature Lilly.
Cultural References
- Cam quotes A Few Good Men.
- Cam compares himself to Encyclopedia Brown.
- The student standing on his desk reciting "Location, location, location" is a reference to "Oh captain, my captain" from Dead Poets Society
Reviews
- The A.V. Club gave it a "C"