The fall TV season is here and several new shows have hit the lineup to win the hearts of viewers. One of the shows to hit the airwaves this fall is a comedy created by veteran actor Christopher Lloyd: Modern Family.
Modern Family is styled as a "mockumentary," meaning it's supposed to look like viewers are voyeuristically following the lives of Jay Pritchett (played by Ed O’Neill,) his beautiful, much younger wife Gloria (played by Sofia Vergara,) Gloria's son, Manny, Jay's daughter Claire Dunphy (played by Julie Bowen) and his gay son Mitchell (played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who has an adopted Asian child.
The show debuted on ABC in September and has already proved to be a hit. The network has ordered several episodes of the series, meaning it will air well into 2010.
Modern Family is an important television show to have in lineup, not only because it's funny, but because it subtly sheds like on a number of important social issues. First of all, the show breaks the typical TV family mold: there’s interracial marriage and a homosexual couple in the forefront of the show. This gives viewers the all-important lesson that families come in all shapes and sizes.
Even more importantly, it gives a wonderful Latina actress, Sofia Vergara, a starring role in a mainstream TV show. Yes, there have been shows featuring Latino actors before, but few of these shows gave a strong Latina actress the chance to be in the forefront during prime time.
Modern Family serves an important purpose in mainstream television: it's helping America see the importance of diversity. Aspiring Latina actresses should all sit up and take notice: you are talented and can make it big, just like Sofia Vergara. She’s paving the way for a new generation of talented Latinas – it's about time!