Tear Jerker / Modern Family

Yeah, this is a show full of hilarious moments and the sweetest scenes, but it still has these moments, scenes, and dialogue which make one teary.

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• "Coal Digger". Basically, Gloria learns that Claire thinks (or thought) of as her as a gold digger. And she was deeply hurt by the revelation.
  • Claire's reasons for saying what she said makes it even worse. In her own confession she tries to defend herself but stops midsentence, coming to the realization that she went too far.
• Mr. Kleezak, the grouchy neighbor whom Phil and Claire worry Luke is spending time with, telling them as he walks back to his house, "I used to be a fireman. I don't hurt kids."
• After Alex is horrifically embarrassed, and says, simply, "I have no friends."
• The opening of "Fears," where everyone on Confession Cam says his or her biggest fear. Manny says, completely seriously, that his is dying alone. This is a first season episode, by the way. Manny wasn't even a teenager yet. Although given Manny's Casanova behavior, it is more likely that the 11-year-old Manny meant he won't be able to get girls.
• Jay crying in the Mother's Day episode after remembering his mother ("You only get one mom..."). This causes the Dunphy kids to run to Claire and hug her.
• Mitch and Cam's adoption falling through, and their subsequent reactions in "Baby on Board".
  • How about Mitchell's breakdown? That's one of the few scenes where we see a guy like him be that way. And the reasons why is so understandable. Which makes it even more heartbreaking.
    Mitch: (crying) Every time someone says that we’re getting a baby, I get my hopes up and then. And then, when it all falls apart, we just have to go through the whole thing again. And then meanwhile, the child that we do have is at a recital and and we’re missing it.
• Haley's phone call to Phil and Claire after they drop her off at college. Haley manages to keep it together, but by adding "I'll miss you" and "I love you", her parents have a hard time choking back tears. Coupled with Haley wearing the shirt her Dad made.
• On their way to Sal's wedding, Mitchell and Cameron hint at their resentment that they can't be the ones getting married, especially since the (opposite-sex) couple whose wedding it is have only been together for a few weeks in contrast to their eight years. It's kept uncharacteristically low-key for the two of them, which just underlines how strongly they feel about it. It's over in about two lines of dialogue but it is heartbreaking while it's going on.
• In one episode, Luke confesses about how difficult it is to be Alex's younger brother, since she's extremely intelligent, whereas Luke often struggles academically, and teachers often judge him harshly in comparison to her. It's a brief piece of dialogue, but it's something many younger siblings can no doubt relate to.
• In the episode where the family goes to a dude ranch, Phil finally tells Jay that "If he [Jay] can't accept the fact that Claire chose him [Phil], even after never cheating on her and giving him [Jay] three beautiful grandkids, then you're [Jay] the one with the problem". What makes this scene sad is that Phil has always tried to earn Jay's respect, but now he's fed up with the jokes and jibs at his expense. And for the first time, Phil just tells Jay, in his own way, "I give up on you".
  • In fact Jay's line (to Claire) that led to this was after Dylan proposed to Haley the night before: "You got out of having a doofus for a son-in-law". And an insulted Phil with a slight anger in his voice asks, "What's that supposed to mean?" Notice that Jay doesn't say anything and just gives Phil a look. This scene is particularly sad because Jay was probably just doing his usual insensitive humor, but from Phil's POV (and rightly so) Jay often makes fun of Phil's masculinity.
  • In the same episode, Dylan is usually the Butt-Monkey, but when Claire said that "him and Haley marrying is a big mistake", he's genuinely hurt. Then, a few scenes earlier, Dylan is aware that Claire doesn't like him.
• After having a meltdown at her 16th birthday over her SATs Alex sees a therapist where she admits she feels alone in her family as the academic overachiever. After the session Claire picks her up after an open house at her school and after seeing what her advanced classes are like tells her she never realized how much pressure she was under. Alex breaks down and cries, hugging her mother and saying "Thank you". One of the saddest moments in the show's history, due to how real it is.
  Claire: I don’t know how you don’t have a meltdown every day.
  Alex rushes into Claire’s arms and sobs.
  • Following that episode's release, that clip was played around the country, with many kids showing it to their parents, as it perfectly illustrated the harm of high-school pressures. For many, it was the first time that any show had portrayed that subject, especially in such a raw light.
  • Another moment worth noting is when Claire goes to the whiteboard and adds up the hours of homework each of Alex's classes expect of her. It only leaves Alex with a few hours a day to herself, not including sleep.
• Cameron's shocked reaction when Jay refers to him as "Mitchell's friend" to his old buddies.
  • Made worse a couple of scenes later in Mitch's confession that after he came out to his father while in college, afterwards Mitch would only talk to his mother.
    • It's even worse. Mitch says that at the start of college Jay would call him nearly every night. Then after coming out the calls stopped.
  • With the above, when Gloria states that "you [Jay] must have made it easy for Mitch to come out", you can see Jay's sad expression after she turns away. He probably wouldn't admit it, but he regrets how he handled his son's coming out and is probably mentally kicking himself for calling Cam "Mitchell's friend" earlier.
    • Not to mention that Cam and Jay normally have a very close and open relationship - arguably closer (or healthier) than Jay has with Mitchell.
• Cameron finding out that Mitchell deliberately didn't put a hyphen on Lily's adoption paper, making his name a middle name, and not his daughter with Mitchell. Mitchell trying to apologize and Cam just leaving and slamming the door makes the scene even more heartwrenching.
  • Your sympathies are turned around when Mitchell gets to explain himself. Cam freaked out about everything while they were getting the adoption together so badly that Mitchell was afraid he was going to leave him. Mitchell did it because he didn't want Lily's last name to be a reminder of "the man who left us."
• When Mitchell tries to comfort his father when the pair are out shopping for baby stuff, you can see just the pure shock and sadness on Mitch's face when his own dad is just being a jackass and making fun of his son's attempt to try and comfort him.
  • Making Mitchell's statement: "Sorry. Don't care anymore" all the more sad.
• Jay hitting Phil with his model airplane. It does count as a Funny Moment, but then you realize something: Jay deliberately hit his son-in-law all because the latter was "trying too hard". Jay may have changed over the course of the series, but this scene really shows how much of a jackass he could be.
  • Claire chews him out for not once approving of Phil in 16 years of a happy marriage with three children. Her voice cracks as she asks, "...how do you think that makes me feel?"
• In the pilot, while at Mitch and Cam's house, Jay makes an insensitive comment about Mitch and Cam having adopted a baby: "Well, kids need a mother." Then, when he thought that Mitch and Cam had broken up, he's glad, as he finds Cameron to be "a bit of a drama queen". He wasn't exactly being "Father of the Year", as he later admits.
  • Jay does get over it after seeing Lily, but any person who is gay and had a parent who was like Jay (or even worse) and saw this scene can relate.
• Claire telling Phil that she's afraid that Luke will turn out like him. Ouch indeed. Way to go Claire.
• Phil making his old rival believe that his wife is Gloria and they have a daughter (Lily) together. Phil looks very smug until his rival tells Phil that he thought [Phil] would marry Claire Pritchett; and that the man who married her is probably the luckiest man alive. Phil's reaction is a mixture of anger, sadness, and utter guilt for not only using Gloria and Lily, but also for realizing (at that moment) how lucky he was to have her.
• On a couple of occasions in the earlier seasons, it's implied that Mitchell resents Jay and Manny's close relationship, especially considering how hard Jay works to accept Manny's more eccentric behavior and the implications that he was a lot less accepting of Mitchell's hobbies, ignoring what he couldn't change. The worst part is, knowing how much he screwed up with Mitchell is probably why Jay tried so hard with Manny, but for Mitchell, it doesn't change the past.
• Jay and Mitchell's argument in "Message Received" hits the nail on the head in regards to how different generational views can hurt and even split a family apart. Jay tells Mitchell that maybe he and Cam should take their wedding down a notch in extravagance — a suggestion that he makes clearly because of his discomfort with the issue of gay marriage and his confusion about how such a ceremony is conducted. Mitch points out that Jay still hasn't fully come to terms with the idea that Mitchell and Cam are getting married and Jay responds that yes, he is uncomfortable with the idea. Mitchell's voice breaks as he then disinvites Jay from the wedding and he and Cam leave. Gloria's look of disapproval to Jay says enough, and Mitch holding back his tears in the car on his way home is absolutely heartbreaking.
  Jay: I’m just saying keep it small. Why pay all that money for people you barely know.
  Mitch: Oh, oh, you mean like any of your friends?
  Jay: Oh please, you don’t want any of my friends there!
  Mitch: Really? Because I’ve— I’ve been asking for a list for months now. So who doesn’t want them there-me or you?
  Jay Why are you getting upset?
  Mitch: Because, if— if this was Claire’s wedding, you’d be all over it. You’d be wanting to have it at your club. You’d be inviting all your friends.
  Jay Oh please! I wasn’t that thrilled when Claire got married, either.
  Gloria: “Either?” For God's sake, just stop talking!
  Jay: (defensive) Everybody back off! I don’t think I’m out of line suggesting my friends don’t want to see a father-son dance at a big gay wedding!
  Mitch There is no father-son dance, Dad!
  Jay I don’t know what things go on there. Do I walk you down the aisle? Does someone throw a bouquet? I mean, I’m just saying I don’t know how this plays out with my guys from the club.
  Mitch: Oh, you mean the guys who sit around the locker room watching football naked? No! No! See, this— this isn’t about them. This is about you! You’re the one thats uncomfortable here!
  Jay: Fine! I admit it. This whole wedding thing is weird to me! Now, see, why do you get to be you, but I don’t get to be me? See, I didn’t choose to be uncomfortable. I was born this way!
  Mitch: Are you really throwing a gay anthem in our face right now?!
  Jay: Oh, damn it! Give me some credit. You’ve seen how far I’ve come! I mean, what more do you want from me?
  Mitch You know what, Dad? Y-you do. You do get to be you. If it makes you that uncomfortable, then— (voice breaking) then, don’t come to the wedding!
• When in Episode 18, Season 3, Haley is about to open her last response from college. A familiar feeling for many high school seniors, her absolute fear over whether or not she'll get into college anywhere is heart-wrenching.
  • What makes it even worse is that she was rejected from every other school she applied to. The fact that this was her very last chance really drives it home.
• The reveal of the nature of Andy's relationship with Beth is actually very sad since in past episodes have made it very clear just how much he loves her and the level of his devotion.
  • Subverted later in season six, where we see Beth for the first time when she drops everything in her Coast Guard training and rushes over when Andy is hospitalized. Leads to a new Tear Jerker when Haley opens her heart to him right before Beth walks in.
• In episode 2 of season 6 "Do Not Push" Haley has a breakdown in the waiting room of the psychology test. She basically loses it, threatening to beat Phil and Luke with a chair for wanting to break the rules and push the button. She reveals just how much the jokes that her family cracks at her expense really bother her and that even she considers herself a stupid, worthless loser.
• Even though it was played for laughs, and later disproved, the implication in the beginning of the season 6 premier that the Dunphys were happier and generally more at peace with each other without Alex is pretty upsetting.
• Gloria's impassioned speech about why she liked spending time with Manny's Spanish tutor: not because he's young and handsome, but because neither her husband nor her sons can ever truly appreciate how clever and funny she is, since she has to translate every thought into a second language she's less adept in for their benefit, and often gets laughed at for her troubles.
  Gloria: Do you have any idea how smart I am in Spanish?
• In "Undeck The Halls," early in the show when Jay and Gloria had just gotten out of their honeymoon period and Jay hadn't gotten close to Manny yet, they run into friction over whether Christmas should be celebrated in the Colombian tradition (including practical jokes, fireworks, and so on) or in the American tradition. Jay eventually comes around and decides to play a practical joke on Manny and Gloria by pretending to get mad and demand all Colombian traditions leave his house. It's made up for a few seconds later, but for a brief moment while Jay is shouting that "from now on we do Colombian things in Colombia and American things in America," Gloria flinches and hugs the heartbroken Manny quietly.
• Jay revealing that Mitch was born prematurely and was "touch and go".
• Claire's Heroic BSoD upon suspecting that Haley has gotten pregnant and eloped, watching a slideshow of Haley's childhood while playing "Return to Pooh Corner."
• Haley's speech to Andy about not settling for someone (Beth) when there's someone better he has a chance with (Haley), only for Beth to show up right as she finishes.
  • Made worse by the context; it's been an open question for two seasons if Beth honestly cares about Andy at all, with Haley quite sure Beth is just a slightly older and darker reprise of her own behavior. At the sight of her, Haley chokes out a single reply, goes quiet, and leaves.
• In the appropriately titled episode "Crying Out Loud", Phil takes Haley, Alex and Luke to an abandoned theatre where he used to take the kids when they were little. After Haley and Alex spend the afternoon fighting, they witness Phil and Luke trying to fix the theatre in a cartoon-like manner and confess their fears and doubts toward their relationship once Alex goes off to college. After leaning on each other in the same pose they use to when they were younger, and Phil sees them, his line describing the girls' relationship:
  Phil: "I made that"
  • Haley's confession that she's worried Alex will and her will lose contact when she leaves for college, because Alex will be surrounded by other scientists (i.e., people who she has more in common with) and not need the family as much anymore. It goes to show that no matter how much she might make fun of or be made fun of by Alex, Haley truly does care for her sister.
    Alex: Sorry I was a jerk earlier. I'm actually having a lot of fun watching cartoons with you again.
    Haley: Eh, it was my fault. I'm just a little...[voice cracks] Are you ever gonna call me?
• In "American Skyper" Andy talks to Phil about his doubts on proposing to Beth because he has feelings for someone else. Phil talks to him for a while before Andy decides to stay with Beth. Later, Phil is talking to Haley, who realizes/admits that she is in love with Andy. Andy then comes in to say goodbye, because he and Beth are going to watch the sunset, and we assume he's about to propose. Phil, whose skype-robot is still in the room then realizes that Haley was the girl Andy was talking about earlier. He tries to call out to them, but his camera has been muted. The episode ends with Haley walking Andy to the door, him leaving with Beth, and Haley storming back into the house in frustration.
• "Summer Lovin'" picks up immediately after. Phil manages to get through and tells Haley, who confesses her feelings to her family and races to the beach with Claire. Haley admits that even if Andy and Beth are happy together, she has to see if she at least has a shot. Claire holds her back, asking her if she really wants to be responsible for breaking up a happy couple. And before either of them get a chance, Andy proposes - and Haley missed her shot.
  • Andy's distress after overhearing Claire and Phil discuss the situation is pretty bad too. He's clearly extremely thrown, and now in a bad situation where he either has to go through with the wedding, knowing full well that he had reciprocated feelings for Haley, or call off the wedding to his girlfriend and deal with all the backlash. Then, when he and Haley try to talk about the matter, they both get defensive and fight, possibly ending their friendship as well as any chance of a relationship.
• In "The Closet Case", Alex crying in her bed, telling Luke that Sanjay has broken up with her.
  • Luke comes to her dorm room for mints/mouthwash and despite having the chance to make out with a girl he holds himself back long enough to find out what's happened. He then says 'This is probably something you want to deal with on your own'. Alex replies with a quiet, and utterly broken 'I am alone.' Manny comes back to find Luke, who chooses to stay behind with his sister.
  • Alex later comes home to sleep in her old bed, though things take a semi-humorous turn because Dylan is there. It's a desperately sad thing when the family member who barely fits in feels she has no one.
• In the season 7 finale "Double-Click", Alex comes home for the summer and finds herself ignored or brushed off by the ret of the family, who proceed to make comments about her "surprise visit" throwing a wrench in things or ask why she's in the house. She's clearly deeply hurt by this, and by having to make her own "welcome home" dinner because no one else acknowledged the day. However, the family isn't ignoring or mistreating her on purpose; they're all preoccupied by their own stresses (Claire needing to let an employee go, Phil struggling with the idea of Luke growing up after catching a girl in his bed, and Haley finding out Andy got a job offer back in Utah). It's a difficult time for all the Dunphys, made even worse by them not being able to lean on each other. Claire's closing monologue is what sells it:
  Claire: Sometimes, you have one of those days where you're surrounded by people but still feel completely lonely. All you want to do on those days is to go home to the comfort of your family...But sometimes even your family can't give you that comfort, because they've all had one of those days too. All you can do on those days is go to bed and hope you wake up to a better tomorrow.
• Jay at the climax of "Clean Out Your Junk Drawer":
  That's it! I'm out! What the hell are we doin'? Dancin' around, tellin' secrets, like girls at a slumber party! I can just imagine my old man with his buddies, sittin' at their lawn chairs, laughin' their asses off that I missed a whole day of football 'cause I'm tryin' to get in touch with my emotions. These guys didn't do that crap! These were men! His best friend, Tommy Ryan, lost half a finger in a sheet metal press, waited until his shift ended to go to the hospital. I broke my collarbone in a football game, there was Dad up in the stands, givin' me the old "Be tough!" So I played two more downs before I passed out. My date, Mary Jo Chlumsky, left the senior dance with another guy, broke my heart. 2 AM, at the kitchen table, my old man's tellin' me, "Eat the sandwich and forget about her." Feelings! Ha! I didn't even cry at his funeral, you believe that? The guy was my whole world. Not a tear. Everybody lookin' at me, like I... like I didn't love him, but he knew. [breaks down in tears] He had to know, right?
• In "Spread Your Wings", with Alex telling Phil that she has struggled at college and fitting in, and wishes to return home. Phil is immediately and completely understanding, and trusts Alex enough to know when she is distressed.
  Phil: If you say you've given it your best shot, I know you have.
  • And Alex going to the Freshmen gathering, wearing the dress that Phil picked out before. When she shows hesitation jumping into the pool like the others, the students encourage her to take part. After taking the plunge, Alex emerges from the water beaming, with the students cheering her name.
  • And Alex calling Phil about her day, something which she had stopped doing as college progressed. The look of delight on Phil's face upon hearing Alex's voice, coupled with Claire's tearful smile, makes this a Heartwarming Moment and a tear jerker.
• Andy going to Utah for his job, leaving Haley behind. Despite both of them assuring each other that it isn't the end, and they'll visit often, as Andy is leaving, both look back at each other at different times, showing hesitation and sadness over the decision.
  • Beforehand, when Haley lets Andy know that he should take the job offer, Andy's faces falls and he looks absolutely crushed. They both look heartbroken that they have to give up their relationship, trusting that they'll make their way back to each other in the end.
  • There's also the fact that Andy was willing to give up his dream job so that he and Haley could stay together.
• After believing that Claire didn't plan anything for Valentine's Day for Phil, Phil berates Claire for it being 'the worst valentine's day ever.' Unbeknownst to Phil, Claire had actually been getting magic lessons as a gift for Phil. The look of surprise and delight upon Phil's face, showing that Claire really understands Phil, makes this a joyful tear-jerking moment.
• Mitch and Jay have long struggled with their relationship, not having that much in common. When both arrive at the same hotel, and bump into each other constantly, both are really annoyed with each other, as they both wanted time alone. They soon discover that they've both turned into the other, making them closer to one another. Jay then helps Mitch learn how to throw a ball, since in Mitch's childhood, they barely did that.
• With Manny and Luke graduating, Phil, Claire, Gloria and Jay have to deal with their children saying goodbye to their childhood and their boys becoming men.
• Manny calling Jay his father. Even more touching is that he just spent the day with his biological father, but still considers Jay to be better.
• "My name's Manny Delgado and I'm two people. I'm the son of an immigrant single mother who taught me to believe in myself and dream big. I'm also the step-son of a business man who opened his home and his heart to me and showed me, by example, how to make those dreams come true. Whatever I am, whatever I have to give, is a product of these two very different worlds."
• Luke, Manny, Phil and Gloria go on a college tour. During the day, Luke gets more anxious, expressing to Phil that his constant uplifting just causes Luke to feel worse about himself. In one scene, Luke doesn’t want to take a class because it will only result in “one more thing he can’t do,” a line that many people can fully relate to.
• Manny: "Nobody gets me, Mom, and I'm starting to worry nobody ever will."
• Mitch and Claire being surprised by how friendly Jay and Dede are with each other.
  Mitch: "Who the hell are Sarge and Pea, and where were they when we were growing up?"
• Gloria and Phil reflecting how much it hurts when your child goes to college.
• Manny leaving for college, culminating in him, Jay, Gloria and Joe all hugging and crying.
  Manny: I’ll try to make you proud.
  Gloria: You already have.
• Cam and Gloria bonding over growing up in small towns.
  Gloria: "It's hard when you have to leave a place you love. Every year, it feels like more of it fades away."
• Jay assuring Gloria that she's "so much more than how she looks."
  Jay: These have been the best 10 years of my life. I'm in it for every pound, every wrinkle, every grey hair."
• Gloria expresses her concerns that Manny is so grown-up.
  Gloria: "I'm still bigger than Joe, even though that Manny is like... [her voice cracks and tears well up in her eyes.]
• The whole family, without hesitation, rushing to the hospital to see Phil.
• The message of the episode "Under Pressure":, that high school anxieties are real and that it's worthwhile seeking help.
• Phil cuddling Luke after thinking he was lost for the whole day.
• Jay reading Earl's note he left before he died:
  Earl's note: "As young men, we'd hike this path up to an old oak tree, where we'd brainstorm how to conquer the closet universe. We foolishly thought that we knew everything back then. But hopefully, I've learned a few things through the years. Like, live today as if there's no tomorrow, that it's not too late to right past wrongs, and when things are looking down, look up or take chances you never imagined you would."
• Jay telling Manny that he’s his dad, and will be till the day he dies.
  Jay: “It’s not who brings you into the world. It’s what you do when you’re there.”
• Jay to Manny:
  Jay: “If today was the first time you’ve felt that I was proud of you, than I’m the one who should be apologising, cause I’m proud of you everyday.”
• After spending more than a year trying to adopt a baby boy, Mitch and Cam find out the very next day after the adoption falls through that Gloria is unexpectedly pregnant. Not only that, but she ends up having a boy, no doubt causing Mitch and Cam unimaginable heartbreak.
• Dede passing away suddenly.
• Claire discovers a voicemail from Dede after she passed away, causing her and Mitch to get teary as they hear her voice.
  Dede: (voicemail) I love you, and I always will.
  Claire: (voice breaking) I love you too, Mom.
• The birth of Joe, with Jay having a poignant monologue, with clips of episodes being played out:
  Jay: There are all kinds of milestones in life, the kind you expect to go through— first kiss, birthdays, graduation. If you’re lucky, even a wedding or two, or even a new addition to the family. Then there’s the kind you never dreamed you’d get to live through again. And that’s the best kind of all.
• Phil loves Haley too much to let her go out with a creepy guy:
  Phil: That’s my little girl! I need her to know that no guy on earth is good enough for her, let alone some slimy middle-age jeans salesman!
• Mitch and Cam’s proposal to each other, underneath the stars as they change the tyre on their car.
  • The fact that prior to June 26, 2013, this would have been illegal really cements the reality of the situation.
• Claire freaks out when Alex graduates from middle school.
  Claire: (crying) We’re losing her!
  Phil Alex?
  Claire: Yes.
  Phil: We’re not losing her.
  Claire: Oh we are. She’s going to high school. This is just when I lost Haley. This is when Haley went from being my sweet, little angel to being a moody, texting, snotty little princess who hates me!
  Phil: Haley doesn’t hate you. And we’re not losing her.
  Claire: Do you remember when you used to come home from work and Haley would meet you at the door in her little Aladdin pyjamas? You know, and she’d stick her arms up in the air and say ”Daddy! Daddy! Take me on a magic carpet ride!” Remember that? When was the last time Haley was that excited to see you?
  Phil: (teary) I cant remember. It’s been so long.
  Claire: We’re losing another one. That’s what kids do. They leave. They leave and they don’t come back.
  Phil: Oh, well ours will come back. Right?
  Claire: What if they don’t, and pretty soon, it’s just the two of us?
• Alex, after scolding her family for being so different to her, thanks Phil for always believing in her:
  Alex: Riding a bike, my first cello concert, freshman chemistry, this job. Every time I was sure I couldn’t do something, you convinced me I could. It’s nice to have a believer in the house. (Alex tightly hugs Phil)
• An exhausted Haley sits on the floor after trying to make sense of her pregnancy. You can hear the pain in her voice as she hesitates to tell Claire.
  Haley: It seems I’ve gone and gotten myself... promoted.
  Claire Haley, that’s fantastic.... Sweetheart, I’m very proud of you. You really pulled it together.
  Haley: (sadly) Yeah well,I still have a lot of stuff to figure out.
  Claire: Of course you do. Everyone does at your age. Boy, I know I did.
  Haley: Did you ever regret having me when you did? Like how it kind of derailed your career?
  Claire: I didn’t love it at first. But then (grabs Haley’s chin) I saw this face.
• Haley becomes terrified after finding herself pregnant, especially because her Mom often warned her about that. She especially doubts her ability to be a parent, and her words to Alex and Luke really showcase how disappointed and worthless she feels about herself.
  Haley: (teary) Guys, don’t look at me like that, okay? You must think I’m some irresponsible idiot, don’t you?
• Claire’s reaction to her pregnancy was what Haley was dreading the most. When she does tell the family, she looks absolutely fearful of her judgement, tears in her eyes. However, Claire just says how incredible it is and hugs her.
  Haley: (scared) Mom?
  Claire: It’s...it’s a lot...to process...at once...and...
  (She sees how terrified Haley is, refrains from yelling and smiles at her.)
  Claire: (sighs) A baby! Unbelievable! (hugs Haley.)
• Haley at the realtors banquet talking about Phil:
  Haley: You all know him as an amazing realtor, but I know him as the world’s greatest Dad.
• At Christmas:
  Gloria: Family is family. Whether it’s the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the family that you gain along the way.
• When Javier, Manny’s father, spends a day with Manny and Jay:
  Jay: I know I’m not his real father... I guess I just don’t like the reminder.
• Alex to Phil:
  Alex: You know what I’ll never forget? The time my Dad spent an entire day trying to create a special memory for me.(Phil kisses Alex on her forehead)
• When Phil’s Mom dies, he reminisces about her to the woman she set up for his Dad:
  Phil: (tearfully) She was always doing crazy stuff like this. Going out of her way to take care of us. I coughed on the phone once and she overnighted me soup. When I wanted to learn how to ski, she knit me a sweater. When I wanted to be a marine biologist, she knit me a sweater with a whale on it. Who does that? It’s just the kind of person she is... Was.
• Alex tightly hugging Haley after moving to college.
• All of Mitch and Cam’s wedding. Especially because of how many couples in real life that were now able to be married.
• Luke and Manny have their first day of high school, and Phil and Gloria discuss how grown up their boys are-as they act as extras in a commercial.
  Phil: How was your day today?
  Gloria: Lousy. My own son didn’t want to hug me.
  Phil: Ok, so use that. My character- Dr Stephen Wilson- is also sad because his son wouldn’t take his advice. And he wanted to be dropped off a block away from school. He expected that from his daughters, but thought his son would be different.
  Gloria That’s so sad. [...] Maybe it’s time for us to—to accept that we have to let them go.
• At her ultrasound, Haley finds out she’s having twins and justifiably freaks out. Claire knows just how to calm her down.
  Claire: (stroking Haley) Haley, everything’s gonna be ok.
  Haley: (hysterically crying) You don’t know that!
  Claire: I do.
  Haley: I’m in way over my head Mom! I—
  Claire: But you’re not alone. [...] I’ll be here.
  Haley: But you kinda haven’t been lately.
  Claire: I know, I know, and I’m very sorry about that, but as you’re about to find out, being a mom is very complicated. Luckily, there are these instincts that kick in, especially when your kid’s in trouble. So, if you’re ever overwhelmed, I am right over your shoulder on the wings of a hummingbird.
• Claire vents aloud all these changes she’s experienced in just a few short months, primarily Haley’s pregnancy. It’s enough to make the calmest woman overwhelmed, let alone someone as tightly-wound as Claire.
  Claire: It’s all going too fast. Five months ago, Haley gets back together with Dylan. Then my Mom dies. Then Haley’s pregnant. Then it’s twins.
• When Dylan’s step-daughters arrive at the Dunphys and cause immense chaos, Claire views it as a preview of their life to come. Overwhelmed, she escapes.
• Gloria feels stuck in life, void of finding something she’s passionate about. Phil convinces her to give real estate a shot; this belief encouraging her to truly go for it.
  Gloria: It can be scary to ask yourself “what’s next?” All the doubts start to creep in. Are people going to like me? Can I handle the challenge? You can ask these questions forever. Or, you can just take the first step.
• In the very first episode, when Mitch is holding Lily on the plane, people coo over her, with a man commenting that Mitch and his “wife must be thrilled.” When Cam comes in, everyone just looks at them in pure disgust.
• Lily gets her period, with her dads offering words of support:
  Mitch: Lily, your whole life, it’s been the three of us figuring out stuff together... You don’t have to figure this out alone.
  Cam: Yeah. We may not have gone through the exact same thing, but, you know, in the seventh grade, our bodies started changing too... And those changes, they were confusing.
  Mitch: Yeah, they were confusing and scary and also, um, exciting because, um, (tears well up in his eyes) you’re growing up.
  • In that moment, they were embodying what any great parent does. Admitted they were wrong, spoke of their best intentions and shared a piece of themselves, all out of love for their daughter.
• Mitch tries to say to Jay that he loves him. When he can’t spit it out, Jay just looks at him, smiles and says “I know.”
• Hours after winning a prestigious award at Caltech, Alex places the award she won with her Dad playing a silly trivia game on her mantle instead.
• Even though they both want to see Haley getting married, Claire and Phil urge Haley to have the wedding of her dreams and elope. After she’s left, they both feel heartbroken and voice their feelings.
  Claire: (teary)I hate that we’re not gonna be there. I always assumed we would be at her wedding. Is that selfish?
  Phil: No. It’s only fair. (places his hand on Claire’s stomach) She was at ours.
  • Later, Haley wakes up Claire and Phil:
  Haley: I thought about what you said. About how I should have the wedding that I want. Well, the wedding that I want has you guys there.

  • Then, Haley and Dylan get married in the Dunphy’s living room, with their immediate family beside them.
• Cam and Mitch introduce Haley’s twins to the family by playing “The Circle of Life”, exactly the same as they first introduced Lily to the family 10 years ago.
• At Christmas, Cam tells the family that it might be the last one they have together, as he’s up for a job in Missouri. They all get really sad, recounting how their next Christmas could look very different.
• Phil spends the day with his dad Frank, ending with a heart to heart talk as Phil cuts Frank's hair. To the camera, Phil recounts:
  Phil: We didn’t do much that day, but it might have been one of the best days I ever had with my dad. I just didn’t know it would be the last.
  • At his funeral, Phil states that what the message he got from that trip was to not miss a chance letting “the people you appreciate know that.”
  • Frank’s actor, Fred Willard, died a few months after the end of the series.
• Jay says this line, about watching your kids grow up.
  Jay: The thing about babies. You fall in love with a baby with the cutest little fat folds, and then bam they’re gone. But it’s ok, because in its place is this toddler with the greatest laugh on earth. And, then one day, the toddler’s gone, and in its place, a little kid that asks the most interesting questions. And this keeps going on like that, but you never get the chance to miss any of ‘em, cause there’s always a new kid to take the place of the old. Until they grow up. And then in a moment, all those kids you fell in love with walk out the door at the same time.
• Cam and Mitch finally meeting their son. After years of hoping and false starts, they have the family they set out to have.
• ALL of the finale. When you weren’t laughing, you were crying.
  • Cam and Mitch singing “Endless Love” to one another, as they agree to go to Missouri.
  Mitch: I don’t care where we live, as long as you’re there by my side.
  • Jay to Mitch and Cam: “Both my sons are leaving.”
  • After the Dunphy kids all announce they’re moving out, Claire and Phil hear all their chaos and say to each other how much they’ll miss it, a feeling a lot of empty-nesters can relate to.
  • Haley, Alex and Luke hug, promising to always be there for one another.
  • Claire and Phil look at the girls’ empty bedroom:
  Claire:(crying) They’re really leaving. What do we do?
  Phil: What people have always done. Leave the porch light on. They come back.
  • The final group hug is a massive tear-jerker. Pure, real emotion.
  • (voice breaking) “Who knows when we’ll all be together again?”
  • “Not everybody gets to have what we have.” For many viewers, the show was their substitute family and that line reiterated how much love the show gave to people. Also, it's a reminder of the cast and crew and how blessed they were to be in a long-running show, where they all felt like family.
  • The group hug was the final shot they filmed, and no one wanted to let go of each other.
  • "Life is full of change. Some big. Some small. I learned a long time ago, you can fight it, or you can try to make the best of it, and that’s all a lot easier if you’ve got people who love you helping you face whatever life throws at you. At least that’s what helps me sleep at night."
    • The clips during that mirror the clips of the very first episode, 11 years ago.

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