Modern Family: Season 4 (2012 - 2013)

SEASON:

Season 4
Modern Family

Critics Consensus

Modern Family still has charm to burn and boasts a uniformly excellent cast, but the series' subversive edge has dulled.

67%

TOMATOMETER

Critic Ratings: 12

91%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 292
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    Oof, that was Rotten.

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    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

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Episodes

1
Bringing Up Baby
Air date: Sep 26, 2012
2
Schooled
Air date: Oct 10, 2012
3
Snip
Air date: Oct 10, 2012
4
The Butler's Escape
Air date: Oct 17, 2012
5
Open House of Horrors
Air date: Oct 24, 2012
6
Yard Sale
Air date: Oct 31, 2012
7
Arrested
Air date: Nov 7, 2012
8
Mistery Date
Air date: Nov 14, 2012
9
When a Tree Falls
Air date: Nov 28, 2012
10
Diamond in the Rough
Air date: Dec 12, 2012
Show More Episodes

Modern Family: Season 4 Photos

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Tv Season Info

In series 4 of the mockumentary-style sitcom about the extended Pritchett clan, Jay (Ed O'Neill) marks another birthday with his customary wish to be left alone, one that won't be granted, however, when Phil (Ty Burrell) takes him fishing with his pals, but it's a day Jay will never forget—once Gloria (Sofía Vergara) figures out how to tell him she's pregnant. Meanwhile, Dylan (Reid Ewing) moves in with the Dunphys on a temporary basis; Haley (Sarah Hyland) gets off to a rocky start at college; Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) starts a new job as a music teacher where Luke (Nolan Gould) and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) go to school, so Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) takes a stab at being a stay-at-home dad; Gloria's mother and sister visit from Colombia with ideas for baby names; and Phil suggests an alternative Halloween when the Dunphys' neighbors find Claire's annual holiday extravaganza inappropriate. Guest stars in series 4 include Rob Riggle, Paget Brewster, Nathan Lane and Fred Willard as Phil's dad.

Cast

Ed O'Neill
as Jay Pritchett
Sofía Vergara
as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
Rico Rodriguez
as Manny Delgado
Julie Bowen
as Claire Dunphy
Ty Burrell
as Phil Dunphy
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
as Mitchell Pritchett
Eric Stonestreet
as Cameron
Sarah Hyland
as Haley Dunphy
Nolan Gould
as Luke Dunphy
Ariel Winter
as Alex Dunphy
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
as Lily
Reid Ewing
as Dylan
Fred Willard
as Frank Dunphy
Rob Riggle
as Gil Thorpe
Wendi McLendon-Covey
as Pam
Margaret Easley
as Kindergarten Teacher
Piper Mackenzie Harris
as Maureen Schick
Lucia Vecchio
as Girl
Nicholas Furu
as Doug
Spenser McNeil
as Reuben
Liz Jenkins
as Customer
Jason Mantzoukas
as Kenny
Nathan Lane
as Pepper Saltzman
Kevin Daniels
as Longinus
Katherine Disque
as Police Officer
Shelley Long
as Dede Pritchett
Irene Roseen
as Mrs. Brooks
Larry Sullivan
as Teddy
Matthew Broderick
as Dave
Paul Scheer
as Manager
David Faustino
as Drew
Elizabeth Banks
as Sal
Richard Riehle
as Norman
Benjamin Bratt
as Javier
Billy Dee Williams
as Billy Dee Williams
Elizabeth Peña
as Pilar
Tracey Leigh
as Mother
Lainie Kazan
as Eleanor
Brad Morris
as Harlan
Autumn Withers
as Mrs. Ebbert
Alex Fernandez
as Worker
Maxwell Caulfield
as Professor Cooke
Justine Bateman
as Angela
Chazz Palminteri
as Shorty
Michaela Watkins
as Susan
Erin Noble
as Dr. Barksdale
Joe Metcalf
as Michael
Charles Carpenter
as Umpire
Stephanie Beatriz
as Sonia
Lex Medlin
as Jeff
Millicent Martin
as Charlotte
Malachi Smith
as Delroy
Billy Evans
as Teenager No. 1
Scott Beehner
as Doctor
Krystal Gauvin
as Jenny
Nosheen Phoenix
as Daliya
Ernie Hudson
as Miles
Shak Ghacha
as Teenager No. 2
Larry Herron
as Good Cop
Paris Smith
as Becca
Tim Banning
as Employee
Annie Mumolo
as Esther
Luke Grakal
as Milo
Rob Kerkovich
as Young Guy
Sophia O'Neill
as Girl No. 1
Michael Masini
as Tony
Joe Adler
as Aiden
Anastasia Basil
as Sydney
Lauren Swann
as Sydney
Edward Tournier
as Jeoux
Beverly Leech
as Dr. Anne Coben
Paget Brewster
as Trish
Zac Goodspeed
as Blake
Ann Magnuson
as Shelley Summers
David Jahn
as Well-Dressed Man
Jay Harik
as Police Officer
Zack Roosa
as Max
Caroline Aaron
as Judge Bartley
Jocelyn Ayanna
as Receptionist
John Kapelos
as Stavros
Maribeth Monroe
as Maggie
Luka Jones
as Dustin
Emily Happe
as Candice
Rebecca Mazouz
as Girl No. 2
Anders Holm
as Zack Barbie
Matthew Alan
as Colin
David Bloom
as Einstein
Drew Powell
as Terry (aka Bad Cop)
Brielle Barbusca
as Joyce
Jamie Anderson
as Mom
Dina Waters
as Alaina
Mason McNulty
as Connor
Steve Lewis
as Bent Over Ma
Len Cordova
as Dad
Cynthia Frost
as Older Woman
Norma Maldonado
as Marta
Candace Edwards
as Lupe
James McCauley
as Dean Miller
Michael C. Alexander
as Security Guard
Bill Coelius
as Attendant
Janelle Marra
as Valerie
Samantha Bennett
as Waitress
Cherinda Kincherlow
as Employee
Anita Gillette
as Annie
Hansford Rowe
as Bugs
Craig Stepp
as Dean Stoller
Janie Haddad
as Little Girl's Mom
Rachael Marie
as Gabby
Amy Anderson
as Beth
Tom McGowan
as Mr. Roth
Carlton Curington
as Orderly
Lyle Kanouse
as Hugo
Craig Zimmerman
as Crispin
Emma Bateman
as Skylar
Bob Wiltfong
as Jerry
Karen McClain
as Nurse
Kevin Cotteleer
as Dr. Jensen
Mary Jo Catlett
as Edith
Hope Jaymes
as Jorie
Marieve Herington
as Young Mom
Laurel Coddington
as Student No. 1
Emily Liu
as Nurse
Molly Lamont
as Clara
Olivia Rose Keegan
as Simone
Amy Motta
as Chrissy
Chris Prinzo
as Huggy Bunny
Kevin Kirkpatrick
as Robby
Noah Weisberg
as Brett
Brian Palermo
as Allen
Peggy Miley
as Hattie
Richard Jenik
as Jorie's Dad
Theo Wilson
as Security Guard
Peter Douglas
as Fireman
Guerin Barry
as Waiter
Ruth Williamson
as Marilyn
Jackson Odell
as Durkas
Destinie Dominguez
as Student No. 2
Josh Clark
as Father Krzyzieski
Finneas O'Connel
as Finn
Dominic Barnes
as Matthew
Clint Tauscher
as Sebastian
Ian Patrick Williams
as Minister
Logan Riley Hassel
as Manny's Crush
Tina D'Marco
as Anita Menchaca
Rodrigo Rojas
as Stefan
Kevin High
as Bill
Josiah Dominguez
as Student No. 3
Gianna LePera
as Karen Sullivan
Jarrod Bailey
as Cute Boy
John Cygan
as Admissions Dean
Chloe Okura
as Student No. 4
Carole Ita White
as Woman
Jacob Timothy Manown
as Contestant
William Dennis Hunt
as Elderly Gentleman
Duncan Burrell
as Carl
Elaine Ko
as Receptionist
Colin Hanlon
as Steven
Trevor Anthony
as Delivery Guy
Vic D. Vine
as Drug Dealer
Tom Costello
as Moderator
Justin James Hughes
as Gus
Chris Shen
as Student No. 5
David Pevsner
as Dr. Nussbaum
Judy Kain
as Doris
Kevin Cahoon
as John-John
Louise Claps
as Irene
Lucia Sullivan
as Wife
Hamilton Mitchell
as Bartender No. 2
Julian Xavier
as Student No. 6
Josh Jones
as Clerk
Joel Spence
as Husband
Carol Mansell
as Myra
Khali MacIntyre
as Zoey
Rodney To
as Sam
Jeff Pomerantz
as Marv
Shirra Alcine
as Trick-or-Treater No. 1
Lilia Buckingham
as Trick-or-Treater No. 2
Cole Sand
as Trick-or-Treater No. 3
Emmalee Abrams
as Little Girl
Trent Carlton
as Einstein's Friend No. 1
Riley Rydin
as Einstein's Friend No. 2
Davis Desmond
as Young Boy
Show More Cast

Critic Reviews for Modern Family Season 4

All Critics (12) | Top Critics (4)

Nailing the balance between goofy and sentimental, cramming in the jokes, showing a willingness to let the characters grow, and introducing non-tedious new plot points.

Nov 6, 2018 | Full Review…
Zach Dionne
Top Critic

TV's most appreciated great comedy.

Sep 26, 2012 | Full Review…
Robert Bianco
Top Critic

As standard-issue as we might peg Modern Family to be, it's not going to let us characterize it as lazy.

Sep 26, 2012 | Rating: A- | Full Review…
Donna Bowman
Top Critic

As Modern Family has gotten older, its characters, and their dynamics, have settled into grooves, some more discordant than others.

Sep 26, 2012 | Full Review…
Willa Paskin
Top Critic

While all of this sounds a touch dramatic, that's because it is, but Modern Family finds the hilarity in even the saddest of times, and isn't that what we all try to do?

Nov 6, 2018 | Full Review…
Britt Hayes

Much as I liked the pairings and some of the dialogue, this is just another contrived episode of Modern Family we can cite when we talk later about how a different show should have won the 2013 Emmy for Best Comedy.

Sep 26, 2012 | Full Review…
Rachel Stein

Modern Family continues to be watchable, and it definitely made me laugh this year, but it's just a little sad to see it as a former shadow of what it was in its first and second seasons.

Nov 6, 2018 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Kevin Carr

The show is like a Zack Morris cell phone disguised as an iPhone.

Nov 6, 2018 | Full Review…
Anna Peele

Between Manny's overly adult mannerisms and Haley and Claire's constant bickering, I loved catching up with everyone.

Sep 26, 2012 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…
Leigh Raines

Proving to be a rollicking senior year for the riotously funny mockumentary series.

Nov 6, 2018 | Full Review…
Maxwell Zupke

The moments that were good made it seem as if a better season is possible. Fingers crossed.

Sep 26, 2012 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…
Dalene Rovenstine

I just began to find the show unpleasant; none of the characters seemed to like each other anymore, and there was a sense that the creative team didn't like the characters, either.

Nov 6, 2018 | Full Review…
Alan Sepinwall
View All Critic Reviews (12)

Audience Reviews for Modern Family: Season 4

  • Jul 26, 2017
    4 years in a row and still being the Best Comedy Series of the Century! Best performances: Phil, Claire, Mitchell and Cam
    Lou O
  • Feb 27, 2017
    Any TV show is inevitably going to run out of steam. It happens to the best of them. Fortunately, "Modern Family" is nowhere near reaching that point in Season Four! While the "adult" characters are always as funny as ever, this is the season where the writers really do some good things with the "kids". More specifically, all the kids now have their own unique and changing personalities befitting their age. This is especially true for Alex (Ariel Winter) and Luke (Nolan Gould), who easily have more character growth this season than any point before that. Even Haley (Sarah Hyland) and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) get a bit more screen time than the usual. The only knock I have on this season? A couple of episode (but only 1-2) felt a bit "forced" for the first time since I began watching the show. Of course, the only reason that stands out is because the rest of the episodes are so pitch-perfect as usual. So, while this show (like any other) will inevitably reach a quality tipping point, it doesn't start here. On the whole, I enjoyed this five-star effort just as much as the three five-star efforts before it.
    Zach K
  • Oct 27, 2015
    Not as sharp or warm-hearted as the previous seasons. Some of the characters' selfish behaviour really got on my nerves.
    Sandra V
  • Sep 29, 2015
    Modern family benefits from a clever cast, that can always make with that the jokes come to the fore with their witness, even if the situation isn't so funny as the actors can transpire
    Francisco L
  • Jun 28, 2015
    As standard-issue as we might peg Modern Family to be, it's not going to let us characterize it as lazy.
    Tino P
  • Nov 01, 2014
    While this season is not up to the standard of the previous seasons, it is still a very strong show. The show is more willing to travel and explore different places, and the writers are willing to mix up pairings beyond the immediate family units. There is the ongoing tale of Gloria's baby, Haley going off to college, and Cam and Mitch's weakened resolve to get a new baby. There are some experimental episodes as well, like "Heart Broken," where each act is fully focused on one of the families. Standouts are fewer here, but there are some gems. "Schooled" shows off Phil's hilarity, and "New Year's Eve" shows off the kids. "My Hero sees the whole crew together, and "Games People Play" shows off the whole cast. While still great, it's not quite up the extreme hilarity of the previous three seasons.
    James S
  • May 26, 2014
    Comica y por momentos bonita, sin ser ya lo mismo.
    Edison H
  • Apr 12, 2014
    The fourth season of ABC's Modern Family continues to show the strength in its writing, the excellent performances from its cast, and the great direction in each episode. Not only is the show very funny, it's also very warm-hearted, and continues to be one of the funniest comedies on television.
    Grant H
  • Jan 07, 2014
    Yes, the show is more settled and it still breaks new ground in the dynamics of the family. Taking risks while cementing relationships is a tough and needed dynamic to keep a family (and a show) vital and alive.
    Anthony D
  • Dec 08, 2013
    It kept me watching, but Season 4 was Modern Family's low point, and was an undeserving winner of the Emmy Awards next to the powerhouses of Louie and Veep.
    Sebastian O
See all Audience reviews

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