Jay and Mitchell Pritchett had a complicated relationship throughout Modern Family. Unlike Jay and Claire's close-knit father-daughter relationship, it took father and son decades before they were close enough to confide in each other. Due to their lifestyle differences, this duo didn't have too much in common. Their actions often led them to judge each other.
However, their bond is something that grew significantly since the first season. The once strained relationship became strong and they truly loved each other by season 11 — even if it was a rocky road to get there.
Jay & Mitchell's Best Moments
A Hotel Stay For One
In "Alone Time," Mitchell admitted to Jay that he needed some alone time after spending too much energy at work, with Cam, and on Lily. All he wanted was to go away for the weekend to a hotel in the desert where he did nothing but read his book and eat good food.
Jay supported Mitchell but was also inspired by him. Jay followed suit and went to the same hotel as his son because his evening away sounded so charming. Jay and Mitchell have the personality types where they need "me time" to recharge. Mitchell was bothered that his dad was at the same hotel but the two eventually got over it and enjoyed their time talking about the same book they were reading.
A Starry Conversation
In "Starry Night," Mitchell was actually excited to spend a night gazing at the stars with his dad. He told the cameras that any time there was a meteor shower, he and his dad would grab a telescope and watch the night sky. On this occasion, however, Jay brought Manny, which upset Mitchell.
Mitchell felt like Jay forgot about him and was more interested in spending time with his stepson. But by the end of the episode, Jay noted that he only brought Manny because he was having a hard time fitting in at school and thought Mitchell was the perfect role model to talk to him about it. The day ended up being a good one for Mitchell and Jay and this conversation was one of their best.
A Night On The Town
As much as Jay loved his son, he wasn't always comfortable with the fact that Mitchell was gay. With that being the case, Mitchell was worried when he was out to dinner with a group of his friends and saw his dad at the bar.
To Mitchell's surprise, Jay joined the rowdy bunch for a drink and ended up having the time of his life. The cocktails helped Jay come out of his curmudgeon shell. For the first time, Mitchell felt like he could be his true self around both his father and his friends.
Lily's Epic Sleepover
There were aspects of Mitchell and Cam's relationship that didn't always make sense, but their love for Lily was always clear. When it came to their daughter, the couple wanted her to have friends and fit in with the crowd in a way that they weren't able to.
In one episode, Mitchell allowed Lily to have some of her friends over for a slumber party. After a couple of hours, he realized he needed help and wanted to tire out the girls so that they would go to bed early. Jay happily lent a helping hand and had the girls do an aerobics workout, play outside, and eventually got everyone to bed at a reasonable hour. Seeing Jay and Mitchell work together for the common good was sweet for fans.
Jay Wanted Mitchell To Take Care Of The Estate When He Passed
In "Ringmaster Keifth," Jay and Gloria had to rework their will now that they had baby Joe in the family. In the earlier seasons, Jay never trusted Mitchell with legal matters and didn't consider him a "real lawyer" because of his focus on environmental law.
But by season 8, Jay trusted his son enough to handle the will. Jay also made Mitchell the executor of the estate, meaning he was the representative on Jay and Gloria's behalf if anything happened to them. It was a small moment but it proved how far along this father-son duo had come.
Jay & Mitchell's Worst Moments
The Hole In One Incident
Jay wasn't a great father when Mitchell and Claire were young, but he shone when his kids were adults. He finally had more time to spend with them and had enough life experience to assist in any way he could.
Mitchell noted in season 1 that the two did have one happy memory when he was a kid. They were golfing and, according to Mitchell, Jay had a hole in one. The moment really bonded the two because it's such a rare experience. Decades later Mitchell revealed the unthinkable: he lied about the hole in one — it never happened. Jay was devastated by his son's deception. Likewise, Mitchell felt like he ruined one of their only good moments together.
Jay Wasn't Supportive Of Mitch & Cam's Wedding
When Mitchell and Cam were planning their wedding, Jay wasn't as helpful as he was when Claire got married. Jay even suggested that the couple was having too big of a wedding and they were making things harder for themselves.
Mitchell took Jay's distance as a sign that he wasn't comfortable with him and Cam getting married. Jay admitted that a big "gay wedding" wasn't what he wanted to be known for at the golf club. His words hurt and Mitchell disinvited him. It didn't make sense that Jay was so against the wedding when he supported Cam and Mitchell's relationship.
Jay Didn't Think Adopting Lily Was A Good Idea
Jay and Mitch's relationship changed drastically from the Modern Family pilot to the finale. In the pilot, Mitchell had big news for the family. Jay assumed he was stating that he and Cam broke up and that it was for the best. He also suggested that bringing a baby into their family wouldn't have been a smart decision.
On the contrary, Mitchell and Cam were still very much together and had just adopted a baby girl, Lily. Jay spoke too soon and put his foot in his mouth, but his words proved how he truly felt about Mitchell and his new family.
Three Words: I Love You
In season 2, the whole family was disturbed when Mitchell dodged a public kiss from Cam, and Cam fell because of it. Mitchell admitted he wasn't great with public affection because his dad never showed him any. Because Jay was emotionally closed off, Mitchell also had a problem telling people he loved them.
Gloria begged father and son to tell each other they loved each other and to share a kiss since Mitchell said his father hadn't kissed him since he was a child. The two came out stronger in the end, but this was a tough realization for them.
Mitchell Took A Job With Jay's Rival
Part of Mitchell's character arc was taking different jobs to see which he was most passionate about. There came a time where he started freelancing for different companies that needed legal representation, and one of those clients happened to be Jay's biggest rival: Closets, Closets, Closets, Closets.
Mitchell knew how upset his dad would be, but he needed the work. As predicted, Jay was bothered by the news and felt like his son stabbed him in the back. More than that, Jay thought Mitchell was going to get hurt. And sadly, in the end, Mitchell did get hurt because he was only hired to get back at Jay. The entire scenario could have been avoided to save both of them pain.