Modern Family – Season 3, Episode 9: Punkin Chunkin

So we might not have gotten a Halloween episode from the Pritchetts and Dunphy’s this year, but we were treated to a great Thanksgiving episode this week. Phil and Claire are reunited with Kenneth (guest star Josh Gad), their former neighbor who looks up to Phil. He dropped out of college to start a company with a friend of his, that turned out to be very profitable. His secret to success? He always asks himself “what would Phil Dunphy do?” Luke asks his dad, if Kenneth became a “kajillionaire” by asking WWPD, why aren’t the Dunphy’s rich? Why isn’t Phil doing what Phil would do?  This causes Phil to realize that Claire is holding back his dreams.

At the park, Cam and Mitch are chatting with a couple when Cam starts a story about “chunkin punkins.” He tells the dragged-out story with drama and flair, and it doesn’t result in the reaction he wanted. Mitch tells Cam he should “stick to stories that actually happened” which sets off an argument over whether Cam actually slingshotted a pumpkin across an entire football field that landed in the sunroof of a car.

Manny has created a centerpiece for Thanksgiving, which Gloria says she loves. Jay, on the other hand, wants to tell Manny that it isn’t his best work. The two of them argue over what is better for him, to be built up, or to be given realistic advice.

As you can see, all three families have a story about some members “crushing the dreams” of the others. When the families get together for Thanksgiving, they separate themselves into the “dreamers and the Pritchetts.” To settle the debate, everyone goes to a football field to see if Cam can actually “chunk the punkin.” After the first try is unsuccessful, the Pritchetts feel bad that it didn’t work. They don’t want to be viewed as the dream crushers. The second time works better, and the third one soars all the way across the field.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Favorite quotes below the jump:

Luke: Anything’s better than watching Lily chew.

Phil: We are about to make hat history, or as I like to call it, “hatstory.”

Gloria: I want to film it! No wait, I want to be in it!