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The Last Christmas is the ninth episode from Season 11 of Modern Family. It aired on December 11, 2019.

Plot Summary[]

Cameron is hoping to keep everyone happy for their annual Christmas dinner as he hides and prepares for his big interview for a head coaching position out-of-state. Meanwhile, Haley is excited to be finally be reunited with wine and Mitchell is suspicious of Cam's holiday trip to visit his family in Missouri. Also, Claire tries to dodge Jay's job offer to work at his dog bed company and Luke has to deal with the consequences of kissing Manny's ex-girlfriend, Sherri.[1]

Episode Description[]

It's Christmas time and Mitchell and Cameron are hosting everyone for Christmas dinner. Mitchell is suspicious though, as this year Cam was more than happy to stay home for Christmas instead of wanting to spend it with his family in Missouri as usual. The fact that Cam is stressing out about the arrangements doesn't help either.

The other family members are trying to avoid each other for different reasons; Manny is still upset over Luke dating Sherry, Alex witnessed Gloria interviewing for another real estate firm while Jay wants a still unemployed Claire to start working for his dog bed business. As a result, Cam's table arrangements are messed up as everyone wants to sit elsewhere. Mitchell, realising something is up, checks Cam's suitcase and finds a plane ticket to Missouri and confronts him about it. Cam gets sick of Luke and Manny arguing and puts them both into Lily's room ordering them to sort it out before they're allowed to leave. Luke offers to let Manny punch him (an offer Manny immediately takes up) but the two then talk and Manny agrees to let Luke date Sherry. Alex reveals to Phil that Gloria is looking for another job, making Phil angry while Jay realizes Claire is avoiding him when she leaps out of a window when his back is turned.

Over dinner, as everyone is still angry at each other which upsets Cam. Mitchell asks Cam what is going on with his trip to Missouri as he's found out Cam's parents aren't home so it can't be a family visit. Cam finally confesses to everyone that he's one of two people up for the job of Head Coach at the University of North Central Missouri, and he wanted this dinner to be perfect due to his guilt that if he gets the job he'll be breaking up the family. Mitchell is shocked, but tells Cam he'll be willing to move to Missouri if he gets the job. Haley, Alex and Manny all confess that they've been looking into potential opportunities that would result in them relocating so any of them could be the ones to break up the family. Jay and Gloria then start to discuss moving away themselves to Palm Springs. Realizing that this could be one of the final times for a while that the whole family will be together, everyone puts the arguments behind them and start enjoying Christmas dinner.

Gloria tells Phil that she only interviewed at another firm as she's worried that any work disagreements will affect their friendship. Phil assures her that would never happen and she agrees to stay. Manny manipulates Luke into becoming overbearing with affection towards Sherry, making her break up with him. Luke leaps at Manny as the Christmas family photo is taken.

Main Cast[]

(The characters struck out do not appear in this episode)

  • Jay Pritchett
  • Gloria Pritchett
  • Manny Delgado
  • Joe Pritchett
  • Claire Dunphy
  • Phil Dunphy
  • Haley Dunphy (Haley Marshall)
  • Alex Dunphy
  • Luke Dunphy
  • Mitchell Pritchett
  • Cameron Tucker
  • Lily Tucker-Pritchett
  • Dylan Marshall

Guest Starring[]

  • Josh Pins as Evan
  • Julia Fowler as Madge

Trivia[]

  • This marks the first episode since New Kids On The Block in which all characters are present and the first episode for this season in which they interact together.
  • Haley checks up on Dylan's phone while he sleeps.
  • This episode maybe foreshadows the Paris episode. On certain points, it has some connections with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
  • The episode takes place almost entirely at Cam and Mitch house, with a few scenes at Phil and Claire's and only one at a bar.
  • This is the final time Lily interacts with Luke, Manny and Phil.
  • At the start of the episode, Lily says how she doesn't want to sit next to Luke as she can’t stand his chewing. Luke said a similar thing about her in Punkin Chunkin.

Continuity[]

  • The seventh and final Christmas episode, after "Undeck the Halls" (2009), "Express Christmas" (2011), "The Old Man & the Tree" (2013 also broadcasted on December 11th), "White Christmas" (2015), "Snow Ball" (2016, though it's not really a Christmas episode but rather a winter episode) and "Stuck in a Moment" (2018).
  • Seasons 2, 4, 6 and 9 are the only seasons without any Christmas episodes.
  • Both episodes First Days and Red Alert previously dealt with Jay's suggestion to have Claire work with him and Integrity also focused on a love triange, between Luke, Manny and an another girl.
  • Both this episode and Dear Beloved Family featured a running competition between two "minors (underaged characters).
  • Both Evan and Madge return from Pool Party for their final episode.
  • A family portrait for Christmas has been made in The Old Man & the Tree.
  • This is the second episode in which Luke breaks-up during a text error after Fight or Flight and the third episode after Snow Ball to feature a plot with a texto error.
  • Dylan's 51st episode.

Cultural references[]

  • Cam makes a JibJab, and Haley makes an Instagram "Boomerang".
  • Jay thinks his scarf makes him look like Anjelica Huston
  • Manny compares himself to Masha from Chekhov's The Seagull.
  • Jay makes a dog bed called the "Pina Colassie", named after pina colada and Lassie.
  • Claire references Otis the town drunk from The Andy Griffith Show.
  • Cam compares himself breaking up families to Liz Taylor.
  • Phil's ad puns on 20/20 vision. It is also a Twilight Zone episode.
  • Jay's enemy is Jon Voight.

Reviews[]

  • The A.V. Club gave it a "B". "a tight, largely funny episode that creates comedy out of the hectic nature of the holidays and the generally dysfunctional dynamic of the family unit"

References[]

Gallery[]

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