The BEST episodes of Modern Family season 9

Every episode of Modern Family season 9, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Modern Family season 9!

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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Daddy Issues
star
7.73
2153 votes

#1 - Daddy Issues

Season 9 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/4/2018

When Jorge, Gloria’s ex-boyfriend, stops by for a visit, his resemblance to Manny makes Jay question Manny’s paternity. Phil agonizes over the perfect gift for Claire for the anniversary. Cam and Mitch deal with Lily’s women’s troubles.

Directors: Chris Koch
Watch Now:Apple TV
Written in the Stars
star
7.60
2347 votes

#2 - Written in the Stars

Season 9 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/28/2018

Phil thinks that Gloria is upset at Jay for dropping the ball on Valentine’s Day, so he convinces Jay to spice things up with a little role playing that doesn’t go off as planned. Mitch and Cam may have unwittingly ruined Luke’s Valentine’s Day date and are forced to make things right.

Directors: Jaffar Mahmood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Lake Life
star
7.59
3694 votes

#3 - Lake Life

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2017

Jay forces the family to take their family vacation on a houseboat on a lake. Mitchell runs into an old flame and opens some old wounds. Cam has to stay out of the sun at all costs. Phil and Claire try out some adventureous excursions. The kids’ quest for a good time may not be as fun as they expected.

Directors: James Bagdonas
Writer: Elaine Ko
Watch Now:Apple TV
Winner Winner Turkey Dinner
star
7.56
2761 votes

#4 - Winner Winner Turkey Dinner

Season 9 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/15/2017

During Jay’s Thanksgiving toast, he honors the entire family on their recent successes, even though everyone knows that isn’t quite true. As everyone desperately tries to hide the facts about their perceived triumphs, Phil works hard to master a classic magic trick and prove he’s not the family failure.

Writer: Bill Wrubel
Watch Now:Apple TV
Wine Weekend
star
7.53
2177 votes

#5 - Wine Weekend

Season 9 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/21/2018

The family goes on a wine-tasting trip and stays in Haley’s new boss’ country house where the only rule is: Don’t touch the tiara. Gloria and Mitch are invited to a party at Oprah’s house but can’t bring anyone else.

Writer: Elaine Ko
Watch Now:Apple TV
It's the Great Pumpkin, Phil Dunphy
star
7.53
3008 votes

#6 - It's the Great Pumpkin, Phil Dunphy

Season 9 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/25/2017

Phil and Claire still want to celebrate Halloween in a big way, but no one shares their enthusiasm. Mitch and Cam are frustrated by how long Jay is taking to finish their kitchen remodel. Gloria’s hospitality is wearing thin when Cam oversteps his boundaries as a house guest.

Writer: Jon Pollack
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Escape
star
7.51
1990 votes

#7 - The Escape

Season 9 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/9/2018

Haley meets Arvin’s parents but when things don’t go as planned, fate leads to an unexpected reunion with all of her ex-boyfriends. Meanwhile, the family seizes on a nursing home visit with Jay’s mean sister, Becky, to settle old scores. But as Jay, Claire and Mitchell compete for her time, Phil, Cam and Gloria end up getting trapped in the home’s basement with no way out.

Directors: Steven Levitan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sex, Lies & Kickball
star
7.51
3091 votes

#8 - Sex, Lies & Kickball

Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/18/2017

Jay’s best friend, Shorty, is back from Costa Rica but spends more time with Gloria than Jay. Alex is ready to shed her good-girl image and is going to prove to Claire that her relationship with Ben is definitely a sexual one.

Directors: John Riggi
Watch Now:Apple TV
In Your Head
star
7.50
2450 votes

#9 - In Your Head

Season 9 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/17/2018

Luke goes missing after a night out in a sketchy neighborhood. Haley is desperate to land an interview with the creator of a popular lifestyle website and interrupts one of Alex's classes to get her help, which upsets Alex's professor.

Directors: Steven Levitan
Writer: Jack Burditt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Catch of the Day
star
7.49
3183 votes

#10 - Catch of the Day

Season 9 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/2017

Phil thinks he’s going to have a day of bad luck after he doesn’t complete his daily superstition. Mitch believes Cam is undermining him during their kitchen renovation. Meanwhile, Jay is determined to get Gloria to admit she was in a car accident.

Directors: Fred Savage
Watch Now:Apple TV
Tough Love
star
7.46
2629 votes

#11 - Tough Love

Season 9 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/6/2017

After leaving his real estate firm to strike out on his own, Phil decides a solo camping trip in the wild will be just what he needs to boost his confidence; Mitchell’s plan to teach Cam and Lily each a lesson backfires. Meanwhile, Gloria is upset over Manny dating his female professor.

Directors: John Riggi
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dear Beloved Family
star
7.46
2511 votes

#12 - Dear Beloved Family

Season 9 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/10/2018

Gloria has to rush Phil to the hospital for an emergency surgery after he experiences some intense stomach pains and rallies the entire family to be by his side.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Writer: Bill Wrubel
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Long Goodbye
star
7.45
3344 votes

#13 - The Long Goodbye

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/2017

Phil and Claire realize that Alex may be more self-sufficient in college than they thought. Manny works to avoid a tearful goodbye after Gloria and Jay move him into his dorm. Hayley gets an unexpected opportunity. Meanwhile, Mitch may have accidentally accelerated a planned renovation.

Directors: Jim Hensz
Watch Now:Apple TV
Brushes with Celebrity
star
7.44
2734 votes

#14 - Brushes with Celebrity

Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/29/2017

The family recount all their biggest celebrity encounters; Phil shows a house to his musical hero; Jay’s day at jury duty takes an unexpected turn; Manny’s encounter with his favorite playwright doesn’t go as expected.

Directors: Jeffrey Walker
Watch Now:Apple TV
Royal Visit
star
7.43
2182 votes

#15 - Royal Visit

Season 9 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/28/2018

Haley’s brilliant astrophysicist boyfriend and Alex’s simple but heroic fireman hunk meet the family. Jay and Gloria meet Joe’s pal’s perfect parents. On a couples retreat, an isolation tank traumatizes Mitch and Cam meets his baseball idol.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Watch Now:Apple TV
Clash of Swords
star
7.41
1921 votes

#16 - Clash of Swords

Season 9 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/16/2018

Mitchell sneaks out to “Hero-Con” with fanboy Phil, dressed as their favorite characters from the show “Clash of Swords.” It’s great until Phil commits the ultimate fan faux pas. In a clash of another kind, Gloria’s dinosaur party for Joe is ruined when her nemesis, Dr. Donna Duncan, upstages her with a far bigger and better party right next door.

Directors: Jim Hensz
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mother!
star
7.40
2019 votes

#17 - Mother!

Season 9 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/2/2018

When Dede drops in unexpectedly, Mitchell and Cam come to a realization about her effect on their lives. Phil, Luke, Alex and Haley all have different bad news to break to Claire and compete about when to do it.

Directors: Eric Dean Seaton
Watch Now:Apple TV
Spanks for the Memories
star
7.40
2278 votes

#18 - Spanks for the Memories

Season 9 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/7/2018

When Jay overhears Gloria on the phone talking about spanking, he assumes she is frustrated in the bedroom. Now that Mitchell has an amazing new job, he and Cam throw a party to rub it in Cam’s friends’ faces so they can no longer give him “the look of pity.”

Directors: James Bagdonas
Watch Now:Apple TV
He Said, She Shed
star
7.39
2530 votes

#19 - He Said, She Shed

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/3/2018

Claire’s request to build a “She Shed” in their backyard is denied by the homeowners association. Pameron lets Cam in on a family secret that forces him to visit Mitch’s therapist to work through this new information. Meanwhile, Jay teaches Joe how to play golf but he and Gloria both push him into becoming too competitive.

Directors: James Alan Hensz
Watch Now:Apple TV
No Small Feet
star
7.36
2516 votes

#20 - No Small Feet

Season 9 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/13/2017

When Claire lands a big opportunity for Pritchett’s Closets, Jay expects validation for his contribution. Pam’s ex-boyfriend shows up and Mitchell sees this as an opportunity to get Pam out of the house. Luke and Alex find a business opportunity.

Directors: James Bagdonas
Watch Now:Apple TV
Ten Years Later
star
7.35
2834 votes

#21 - Ten Years Later

Season 9 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/1/2017

Claire is determined to make up for her less-than-joyful mood at Jay and Gloria’s wedding by throwing their tenth-anniversary party. Phil discovers that he failed to become a magician decades earlier due to a betrayal.

Directors: Fred Savage
Writer: Danny Zuker
Watch Now:Apple TV
CHiPs and Salsa
star
7.34
2101 votes

#22 - CHiPs and Salsa

Season 9 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/11/2018

When Haley hears that her loopy boss is looking for a product with the magical properties of peppers, she tries to gain favor by convincing Gloria to sell her salsa to NERP. Mitchell gets Cam the police ride-along he’s always dreamed of. Also, Phil and Claire compete against one another while Luke has a meeting with a dean of university.

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Watch Now:Apple TV