The truth about suburban living that 'Modern Family' missed
What's the story
Everybody loves Modern Family, but let's face it, the show isn't exactly a practical guide for what suburban family life is really like. Despite its humor and entertainment, suburban family life on the show is far from reality. The show is guilty of exaggerating certain aspects, making some people think that's what suburban life is really like. Here's what Modern Family might be getting wrong about suburban family life.
#1
Overemphasis on drama
In Modern Family, drama is always at the doorstep, isn't it? While conflicts do arise in a family, they aren't that frequent or exaggerated, as shown on-screen. Most of our suburban families have days of calm and routine, with slight disagreements that are resolved without much fuss.
#2
Unrealistic financial situations
The characters in Modern Family often live comfortably without financial stress, even with large homes and so many expenses. In reality, many suburban families struggle with finances like mortgages, education costs, healthcare, etc. The show ignores these common financial pressures that affect day-to-day decisions for many households.
#3
Simplified parenting challenges
While Modern Family paints parenting with wit and simplicity, it often overlooks the nitty-gritties of it. In reality, parenting means dealing with several challenges, including finding a work-life balance, tackling educational needs, and dealing with an emotional child. All of this is not really discussed in the show's storyline.
#4
Limited cultural diversity representation
While Modern Family has a diverse range of characters, it lacks in being culturally representative of what most suburban areas look like today. American suburbs have become increasingly multicultural over the years. However, the series doesn't dig deep enough or represent that diversity in its storylines, missing out on an opportunity to showcase the true flavor of suburban life.
Tip 5
Exaggerated social dynamics
The social interactions between neighbors showcased on Modern Family are often over-the-top for comedic effect. In truth, though neighborly relationships do exist in suburbs, they may not always entail constant interaction or over-the-top events like the ones we see on our television screens week in and week out in this series.