I'm wondering if it isn't one of the main characters. Could be someone important to one or more of the main characters. Maybe Claire and Mitchell's mother?
shareEither her or Phils father are my guess.
I don't think Pepper or Dylan would have the same impact and we haven't seen Andy in a while.
I have a feeling it might be Jay if Modern Family is concluding. Nothing about the creators wanting to continue after season ten. If that's the case then it'll be a beloved main character.
Assuming the show goes on, then I can see it being Frank Dunphy. Phil's father passing away would have a pretty serious toll on Phil himself since his character is mostly about humor.
If you're looking at impact and storylines, DeDe makes the most sense. Because her death will have an impact on all three families. Jay losing his ex wife and the mother of his kids. Claire and Mitchell losing their mom. And that's a storyline that could last a few episodes.
However, I will be disappointed if it is her because she isn't a significant character, and it wouldn't be sad for the viewers since she isn't likeable or in many episodes.
The other obvious choice is Phil's dad, which wouldn't seem like it would impact all the characters but they could work it in. Maybe Mitchell and Claire want to get closer to Jay seeing Phil lose his dad. Maybe Phil becomes even more attached to Jay as his father figure. Maybe the kids want to spend more time with Phil. Again though I don't consider him that significant.
Another possible one? The dog. Everyone gets sad seeing a pet die. And then they aren't losing a real character.
I don't think they go Dylan, because while he's in the most episodes of any guest star and counte as a significant character to me, that would be really pushing it for a sitcom. Killing a young guy in his mid 20's. And no other guest star matters that much.
So my money is on DeDe. It fits the most storyline wise, and they'll probably say she's significant because she's the mom.
DeDe! That's her name! (Though I really could have looked it up, lol)
I just don't want it to be one of the main characters. I know if the story is well written it is possible that it could be done well. But it still seems like it could feel like a cheap stunt.
The way they keep plugging this, I'm thinking it's going to turn out to be someone they just introduce this season or maybe the dog?
sharedeedee you were right. this episode was a downer man.. wow
shareExcept for the part where Phil was reading the text at the end, and said she was briefly swallowed by a whale... I truly cracked up at that
shareI really thought it was going to be Jay or Phil's father (see my post above) until I read elsewhere that it was going to be in the Halloween episode. No way they'd take Jay out this early.
I didn't care much about DeDe (DeeDee?). She was only in a few episodes throughout Modern Family's run.
Why Modern Family's "significant character" death was a disappointment
https://www.eonline.com/news/980444/why-modern-family-s-significant-death-was-a-major-letdown
"Viewers are accustomed to the shocking TV twist," says Chris Harnick. "We live in the age of Game of Thrones where nobody is safe, in the age of Grey's Anatomy killing off Patrick Dempsey, in the age of The Good Wife shattering shippers' hearts by ending Josh Charles' character's life, the age of Roseanne Conner dying of an opioid overdose on The Conners. Maybe we're too used to shocking deaths and that's why (last night's) demise doesn't immediately feel as significant as the writers had hoped."
I don't know why so many sitcoms feel the need to cover the subject of death. Are they forgetting that the com part of sitcom is comedy? There wasn't much comedy in that episode.
That being said, they handle it better than many sitcoms do. It wasn't a terrible episode. They should leave it at that, though. But they won't as they said the characters will experience ripple effects of it in future episodes.
Also, them calling her a significant character is quite a reach. Her screen time through 10 seasons has to be less than an hour.
I forget when the networks started doing it, maybe in the late eighties, but they started doing a "very special episode of..." on a lot of shows.
Viewers were supposed to tune in to see a major character have a heart attack, get in an accident, die,etc.
I remember when they killed off James Evans on "Good Times" back in the seventies. That was a major downer. But the actor left the show and they killed him off.
Col. Henry Blake's plane got shot down on MASH when he was on his way home. Another downer.
I watch sitcoms to laugh, not to think about death!
The best way that the subject of death was handled was on "The Dick van Dyke Show" in an episode called "The Plots Thicken." It was one of my favorite episodes. Rob's parents offer Rob and Laura cemetery plots next to theirs. Turns out Laura's parents had already made the same offer. There are hurt feelings all around.
Sally Rogers: "You mean they're fighting over who gets you?"
Rob remembers that he also has another plot since he's a veteran and a plot that his union gave him.
Sally: "Four plots? Isn't that a bit gaudy?"
Of course "Chuckles Bites the Dust" on Mary Tyler Moore was a classic. Chuckles was spoken about but rarely seen. And i think he was played by at least three different actors. The audience had no emotional connection to him.
If sitcoms have to play the death card, they should remember that they ARE comedies.
I agree. I watch sitcoms to laugh.
Another good one is how Seinfeld handled death.
Susan dies..."Let's get some coffee."
If only it could have been Alex, the mean little shit nobody could love.
share