Australia

The first American 'Down Under' episode on any cartoon or tv show that was not cringeworthy, and I watched and actually liked. I thought the characters were funny whilst being respectful of Aussie culture and wildlife. I disagree with the goofs listed; the flags in the background are the Australian Aboriginal flag and the state of New South Wales (Australian flag with state emblem), not the American flag. The people in the SVU are waving because the man (actually a New Zealander) with Cam and Mitch is meant to be famous in Sydney, and Aussies would wave at people sticking their heads out of a limo anyway. I enjoyed the episode. Well done Modern Family team. It was nice in 2020 to be able to see the Sydney tourist spots again.

Money clearly talks in this weak episode of Modern Family. How disappointing to see that one of the best comedies on television has turned into a billboard for product placement (Qantas! Optus! AussieBum!), while bolstered by a weak storyline. Even the reason given for why these beloved characters are all Down Under defies logic and breaks with the usual MF reputation of good writing and witty dialogue.

Phil takes the family to Australia, in attempt to connect with his late mother, whereas the others have plans to explore the country in their own ways.

The fifth season had two travel episodes, called "Las Vegas" and "Australia". Although the former received better feedback and higher ratings, the latter managed to have an entertaining script with fun comments during its intervals.

"Australia" introduces more family troubles and atrocities. Jay and Claire want to work instead of enjoying their trip; Mitchell and Cameron find out that their friend is a famous talk show host; Luke and Manny attempt to seek topless women at Bondi Beach; Haley try to teach Lily a lesson about buying a souvenir; whereas Gloria barely keeps Phil alive after his attempts of being a real "Aussie".

Phil's attempts to belong in the Australian society, Mitchell and Cameron's moments of fame, Alex' attempts to sound professional in a traveling review, and "Crocodile Dunphy" are merely a few notable moments in the episode.

Is it the best episode in terms of story? No. Is it worth re-watching tens of times? Certainly.

I disagree totally with the earlier reviewer. I'm Australian, and one thing most of us do well is laugh at ourselves and our idiosyncrasies. Yes, this episode was overflowing with Aussie clichés and some of the accents were a bit over the top, but the silliness just added to the fun for me. I particularly loved Phil's lame attempts to blend in with the locals and his collection of interesting facts about the country that he would use at every opportunity. In comparison to some U.S. shows' attempts at "downunder" episodes, I thought this turned out pretty well. Does anyone else remember Dennis Weaver as McCloud riding his horse over the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Now that was embarrassing!