Modern Family is known for pushing boundaries and redefining family relationships on television, but one of its most impactful choices was how it handled public displays of affection. While the show highlighted various types of relationships, from affectionate Claire and Phil to quirky and reserved Jay and Gloria, to same-sex couple Cam and Mitch— the show’s portrayal of physical affection was quite striking.
The creators cleverly downplayed the PDA between not only Jay and Gloria but also Cam and Mitch. The show’s decision to keep the physical affection minimal in comparison to the straight couple was both a strategic and thoughtful move, especially for its time.
Modern Family made a strategic decision to show less PDA between Jay and Gloria
In Modern Family, Jay’s (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria’s (Sofia Vergara) relationship was one of the contrasts; his reserved personality clashed with Gloria’s fiery and passionate nature. While Claire and Phil were often shown engaging in affectionate moments or kisses, Jay and Gloria kept their physical expressions of love more minimal. Their kisses, when they did happen, were pretty quick, often a peck on the cheek or forehead, making their relationship more grounded.
Jay, despite his love for Gloria, wasn’t one for grand romantic gestures, and Gloria respected his boundaries. This lack of excessive PDA fits their relationship and viewers on TV alike. This decision to downplay PDA wasn’t just limited to Jay and Gloria. It extended to the relationship between Cam and Mitch as well.
In the early seasons, Modern Family approached their relationship with similar care. At the time, LGBTQ+ representation on television was still a sensitive subject, and the creators made a conscious choice not to draw in controversies to the couple’s physical affection. The Reddit users reflected the same emotion behind the calculative decision.
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By keeping PDA minimal across most relationships, the show avoided that pitfall, ensuring that the portrayal of Cam and Mitch’s love was just as valid and real.
Modern Family writers avoided backlash after fans’ demand
In Modern Family, Mitch, in particular, was depicted as uncomfortable with public displays of affection, a trait that stemmed from his strained relationship with his father, Jay. The episode The Kiss touched on Mitch’s discomfort with PDA and featured a subtle kiss between Cam and Mitch, which felt natural and true to their characters. This episode came after a Facebook petition had been created, calling for more kisses between Cam and Mitch, specifically after the couple had not shared a kiss in the first season.
Vulture reported that after the backlash, the show’s creators promised an episode exploring Mitchell’s anxiety about PDA. In response, Season 2’s The Kiss episode arrived, which the outlet described: “The kiss was frustratingly and admirably understated.” The show’s creators resisted fan pressure for a big, over-the-top PDA moment, refusing to sacrifice character development and storyline for a sensational kiss.
This was a calculated decision, ensuring the moment felt authentic and true to their relationship. Had the writers chosen to show regular PDA between the straight couples like Claire and Phil or Jay and Gloria, while withholding it from Mitch and Cam, it would have created an unequal and uncomfortable dynamic.
Ultimately, by keeping PDA in check across the board, Modern Family writers ensured that love stories, whether straight or same-sex, were portrayed as equally valuable and meaningful.
Modern Family is available to stream on Hulu.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
