The BEST episodes of Modern Family season 2

Every episode of Modern Family season 2, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Modern Family season 2!

This mockumentary explores the many different types of a modern family through the stories of a gay couple, comprised of Mitchell and Cameron, and their daughter Lily, a straight couple, comprised of Phil and Claire, and their three kids, Haley, Alex, and Luke, and a multi-ethnic couple, which is comprised of Jay and Gloria, and her son Manny.

Last Updated: 3/14/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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Caught in the Act
star
8.03
6253 votes

#1 - Caught in the Act

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/19/2011

The kids get a surprise of their own when they take breakfast in bed to Phil and Claire on their anniversary. Jay and Gloria's Vegas vacation plans are ruined by a brutally honest email accidentally sent to Claire,. Mitchell and Cam try to get into a new restaurant owned by a mom at Lily's preschool.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Boys' Night
star
7.86
5398 votes

#2 - Boys' Night

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/2011

Phil and Claire are not pleased when Luke befriends a curmudgeonly old neighbor. To avoid an invite to the symphony with Gloria and Manny, Jay goes with Mitchell and Cameron on their "boys' night out" while Haley babysits Lily.

Directors: Chris Koch
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Manny Get Your Gun
star
7.85
6267 votes

#3 - Manny Get Your Gun

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2010

Manny is depressed about his birthday. Phil and Claire engage in a not-so-friendly car race on the way to the party, and Mitch and Cam get sidetracked when they stop at the mall to pick up a gift.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Good Cop, Bad Dog
star
7.84
5487 votes

#4 - Good Cop, Bad Dog

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/11/2011

Jay advises a dog trainer, while Phil and Claire switch parenting duties to the kids' chagrin. Mitchell has an extra Lady Gaga ticket when Cameron ends up sick.

Directors: Fred Savage
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Slow Down Your Neighbors
star
7.84
6173 votes

#5 - Slow Down Your Neighbors

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/5/2011

Claire becomes a vigilante to catch a car that speeds though their streets. Phil tries to land an important listing with a difficult client, Jay teaches Manny (and Gloria) how to ride a bike. Mitchell and Cameron meet a mysterious neighbor who is quite the charmer.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Regrets Only
star
7.83
5563 votes

#6 - Regrets Only

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/23/2011

After Phil and Claire have a huge fight, Gloria steps in to counsel Phil while Jay counsels Claire. Jay has some regret in buying Gloria a karaoke machine. Cameron is in full prep mode for a huge fund-raising event and asks Mitchell and Luke for help.

Directors: Dean Parisot
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mother's Day
star
7.83
5683 votes

#7 - Mother's Day

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/4/2011

Claire and Gloria's Mother's Day excursion with the kids turns into the mother of all disasters. Meanwhile, Phil and Jay share an awkward moment when they stay home to prepare dinner for everyone. Cameron worries about gender roles in his relationship with Mitchell.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Unplugged
star
7.82
6342 votes

#8 - Unplugged

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/2010

In an attempt to reconnect the family, Phil and Claire challenge them to see who can abstain from using their electronic devices the longest. Mitchell and Cameron attempt to get Lilly into the best pre-school. Gloria deals with the neighbor's barking dog.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Kiss
star
7.81
6397 votes

#9 - The Kiss

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/2010

Gloria decides to honor her late grandmother by cooking more traditional Colombian meals; Claire finds out Alex is interested in a boy; Mitchell's aversion to public displays of affection causes an argument.

Directors: Scott Ellis
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Our Children, Ourselves
star
7.81
6025 votes

#10 - Our Children, Ourselves

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/12/2011

Phil and Claire pressure Alex to ease back on her school work, but begin to worry about their own intellectual drives. Jay is upset when Gloria tries to befriend a new couple, and Mitchell runs into an old female flame.

Directors: Adam Shankman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Old Wagon
star
7.79
6596 votes

#11 - The Old Wagon

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2010

Phil finally agrees to sell the old station wagon but only after a family trip down memory lane; Cameron asks Jay for help when Mitchell decides to build a life-size princess castle for Lily.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Writer: Bill Wrubel
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
See You Next Fall
star
7.77
5436 votes

#12 - See You Next Fall

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/18/2011

With the whole family gathered at Jay's before going to Alex's middle school graduation, Jay is hiding a botox mishap, Cameron is upset about Mitchell's habit of laughing at his expense, and Phil tries sympathetic and critical of Claire's worries over the kids growing up too fast that they might miss Alex's big moment.

Directors: Steven Levitan
Writer: Danny Zuker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The One That Got Away
star
7.77
5322 votes

#13 - The One That Got Away

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/25/2011

Jay wants to go fishing on his birthday, but the family insists he have a big party, leading Claire and Mitchell to get trapped in their childhood yard, Phil encounters his college nemesis at the mall and Cameron to have trouble at the bakery.

Directors: James Bagdonas
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Halloween
star
7.76
6234 votes

#14 - Halloween

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/27/2010

Claire gives each family member a role to play in spookifying the Dunphy house for Halloween, but Cameron hates Halloween due to a traumatic childhood experience. Mitchell had a terrible day at work, and Gloria acts weird after Jay and Manny tease her about her accent.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Someone to Watch Over Lily
star
7.76
5463 votes

#15 - Someone to Watch Over Lily

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/20/2011

Mitchell and Cameron assess their family members in trying to decide who would best take care of Lily should anything happen to them.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Writer: Bill Wrubel
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bixby's Back
star
7.74
5592 votes

#16 - Bixby's Back

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/9/2011

Claire and Phil decide to reprise their role-playing adventure from last year's Valentine's Day. Jay's surprise plans for Gloria keeps getting interrupted. A secret admirer comes between Cameron and Mitchell.

Directors: Chris Koch
Writer: Danny Zuker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Strangers on a Treadmill
star
7.73
6510 votes

#17 - Strangers on a Treadmill

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/2010

Claire tries to convince Phil that his realtors' banquet speech is unfunny. Mitchell tries to convince Cameron to change his wardrobe. Jay and Gloria go to a quinceañera hosted by one of his employees. Haley gives Alex advice on how to be cool.

Directors: Scott Ellis
Writer: Danny Zuker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Earthquake
star
7.72
6222 votes

#18 - Earthquake

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/2010

When an earthquake hits, Claire gets stuck in the bathroom with the plumber, Manny experiences an existential crisis while out with Jay, and Mitchell and Cameron use it as an excuse to get out of attending a party.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Chirp
star
7.72
6406 votes

#19 - Chirp

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/3/2010

Claire and Haley are stuck at home sick. Gloria and Manny's surprise visit at work causes a headaches for Jay. Cameron is swept up by all the lights and cameras when he goes behind Mitchell's back and takes Lily for a commercial.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Princess Party
star
7.71
5509 votes

#20 - Princess Party

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/16/2011

Claire and Cameron are dismayed by the guest list for Lily's princess-themed birthday party. Then DeDe attends with Claire's old high school boyfriend in tow. Jay and Gloria turn to their own unique methods of dealing with this gathering of misfits.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Writer: Elaine Ko
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Musical Man
star
7.70
5396 votes

#21 - The Musical Man

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/13/2011

Cameron is overzealous in his planning of the spring musical performance at Luke and Manny's school. Jay's brother visits while Phil convinces the family to be in his new ad.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:Apple TV
Two Monkeys and a Panda
star
7.65
5251 votes

#22 - Two Monkeys and a Panda

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/2/2011

Claire is run ragged trying to fix Haley and Alex's relationship. Gloria is horrified by Jay's plans to purchase themselves side-by-side crypts. Cameron decides he wants to write a book that celebrates the fact that Lily is adopted, but soon learns something new.

Writer: Carol Leifer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dance Dance Revelation
star
7.63
6032 votes

#23 - Dance Dance Revelation

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2010

At Luke and Manny's first school dance, Jay and Phil take them to the mall which turns disastrous, Claire's is jealous when Gloria joins the school dance committee. Cameron and Mitchell learn about Lily biting other kids at the playground.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mother Tucker
star
7.62
5816 votes

#24 - Mother Tucker

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/24/2010

Mitchell tries to tell Cameron how he feels uncomfortable with his mom, Barb Tucker. Haley breaks up with Dylan to Phil's dismay and Claire's delight. Jay has a little stomach ache that gets exacerbated when he and Manny look it up on the Internet.

Directors: Michael Spiller
Watch Now:Apple TV