The sitcom world changed for the better after Modern Family joined the party. Seeing the hilarious family drama among the Dunphys, Delgado-Pritchetts, and Tucker-Pritchetts was a hilarious 11-season experience.
In the pilot episode, all the kids were quite young, and viewers were getting introduced to each family. Haley just started dating a high school senior, Mitch and Cam just adopted Lily, Jay and Gloria were still fighting off the haters over their age gap — it was comedy gold.
Sadly, after 250 episodes, Modern Family came to an end and showed us what the future held for ABC's favorite families. A lot has changed since that pilot episode, so let's take a look to see what changed and what stayed the same.
Changed: Cam & Mitchell Moved To The Midwest
In the pilot episode, Cam and Mitchell were travelling home from Vietnam with their first child. They adopted a baby girl named Lily and showed her off to their family as a little surprise.
By the final season, the couple decided to make the move out to the Midwest after Cam was offered his dream job of coaching college football. It's hard to imagine these two not being within driving distance of the Dunphys or the Delgado-Pritchetts, but it's a hopeful beginning for the young family.
Stayed The Same: Dylan & Haley Are Still Together
The pilot episode is when Haley started hanging out with Dylan. With him being older than her, both Claire and Phil had their reservations, but there's not much they could do. This also seemed to be the first time Haley had a boy over because Claire wasn't sure what the protocol was with regards to their privacy.
Haley and Dylan had their ups and downs and a time where they dated other people, but they always came back to each other. After Haley broke up with Arvin, she made her move on Dylan and the two found themselves expecting twins. By the series finale, they're new parents and moving into their first home together.
Changed: Babies, Babies, And More Babies
Kids are typically added to a TV show for comedy reasons. Just think back to how cute and rambunctious Lily, Manny, and Luke were when they were tiny in the pilot episode. As the kids aged, the show had Gloria and Jay give birth to Joe, but he wasn't the only newborn around. Mitchell and Cam went on to adopt Rexford, and Haley and Dylan had twins, Poppy and George.
Stayed The Same: Alex Has Always Been The Smart One
Out of all the kids, Alex has to be the most consistent one in the bunch. Haley and Luke both grew up and matured down the road, but Alex has always been the mature, smart one.
She has a good head on her shoulders and has always known she wants to be a scientist. Alex was the black sheep in the pilot episode and she remained the black sheep in the season finale as no one could ever come close to matching her intelligence.
Changed: Jay Is Now The Stay-At-Home Dad
When viewers first met Jay and Gloria, they were recently married and still learning the ropes. Manny was a little boy and Jay and Gloria's age gap seemed more apparent. This was a time where Jay was still the head honcho at Pritchett's Closets & Blinds, and worked hard to support his new family. Eventually, Jay got to an age where he retired and passed the job to Claire. With so much downtime and a new baby, Jay became the stay-at-home dad he never thought he would be so that Gloria could explore her own business passions. In essence, the two swapped roles from the pilot to the series finale.
Stayed The Same: The Couples Haven't Changed
What made Modern Family so fantastic are the leaders of the households: Jay and Gloria, Claire and Phil, and Mitch and Cam. Like millions of other parents, they're trying their best to be loving parents and successful providers.
From the pilot episode to the series finale, those three couples haven't changed. Sure, everyone is a little older now and more understanding or softer, but they're the same. Mitchell and Cam will always be silly and have some sort of communication issue between them; Phil and Claire will always be the good cop/bad cop duo; and Jay and Gloria perfectly balance each other with their yelling. Everyone stayed together and grew together.
Changed: All Of The Older Kids Have Left The Nest
As much as the parents of each household wished for more peace and quiet. Claire and Phil always tried to have a child-free week in the summer, and Jay wanted to ship Manny off to Colombia for some alone time with Gloria. By the series finale, the Dunphy children left home for broader horizons, and Manny was off traveling the world to spend some time with his dad. The families' houses sadly became quiet by the end of the series.
Stayed The Same: Manny's Always Been A Lover
In the pilot episode, Manny is seen playing soccer, and hates it as much as Jay hates watching it. He'd rather pick flowers in the field and hand-deliver them to the beautiful girl watching his game. His poetic and romantic ways were hilarious to see in such a young boy, and that didn't change as years went on. Now that Manny is a young man, he's still infatuated with poetry and literature, along with women. Next to Alex, Manny is the next most consistent character.
Changed: Lily Has Come Into Her Own
In the pilot episode, Lily is a sweet baby who was just adopted by Mitch and Cam. She was a surprise to the rest of the family (due to Mitch's fear of being judged by his dad) but quickly became a loved and adored member of the gang. By season 11, Lily is a teenager who's expressing herself. She may be dry and sarcastic, but she sure is Mitch and Cam's daughter.
Stayed The Same: Luke & Phil Have Always Been A Dynamic Duo
In the first episode, the tight-knit bond between Phil and Luke is evident. After Luke accidentally shoots Alex with a BB gun, Phil attempts to shoot Luke so he knows how it feels. This kind of relationship follows the pair as Luke grows. They're best friends who like to do everything together. By the 11th season, the duo is still best friends, which is why it was hard for Phil when Luke decided to go to college out of state in Oregon. But like any good parent, he knew it was right for his son's future.