Ep 11. And One to Grow On

As the name suggests, Modern Family is a comedy-drama television series about a modern-day American family living in Los Angeles. The show depicts the lives of three families that are all interconnected in some way, either through marriage or blood. Each episode follows the daily lives of the family members as they navigate their way through various personal and societal challenges.

In season 5 episode 11 titled "And One to Grow On," the families come together to celebrate Alex's 17th birthday. However, things do not go as planned as Alex is not too happy about turning 17 and feels that she is not living up to her full potential. Meanwhile, Jay, Gloria, and Manny set out to teach Joe how to ride a bike, but things do not go as planned.

The opening scene of the episode sees the family gathered at a local restaurant to celebrate Alex's birthday. Claire, Alex's mother, is excited to celebrate her daughter's milestone until she realizes that Alex is not too thrilled about turning 17. Alex feels that she has not accomplished anything in her life and is not living up to her full potential. She is especially upset that she did not get perfect scores on her SATs and is convinced that this will ruin her chances of getting into college.

Meanwhile, at Jay and Gloria's house, Manny and Joe are playing video games when Jay decides that it is time for Joe to learn how to ride a bike. Gloria, on the other hand, is not too keen on the idea, as she believes that Joe is too young and that she is not ready to let him go. However, Jay is determined to teach Joe how to ride a bike and enlists Manny's help to make it happen.

As the episode progresses, the family members grapple with their respective challenges. Alex goes to great lengths to prove to herself that she is not a failure and that she is capable of achieving great things. She decides to take a part-time job at a local restaurant and is determined to excel at it. However, things do not go as planned, and Alex finds herself struggling to keep up with the demands of her job.

At Jay and Gloria's house, Manny and Joe try their best to teach Joe how to ride a bike. However, things do not go as planned, as Joe is too young to ride a bike on his own. Gloria becomes worried that Jay is pushing Joe too hard and decides to intervene. However, Jay is not willing to give up and enlists Manny's help to get Joe riding on his own.

The episode ends with the family members coming together to celebrate Alex's birthday once again. This time, Alex is in a better mood and is happy to be surrounded by her family. Jay, Gloria, and Manny also celebrate as Joe finally learns how to ride a bike with training wheels.

In conclusion, season 5 episode 11 of Modern Family titled "And One to Grow On" is a heartwarming episode that highlights the challenges that come with growing up and trying to find one's place in the world. The episode also touches on the theme of family and how important it is to have the support of loved ones when facing challenges.