Modern Family may be one of the shows that went on too long, but even four years after the mockumentary series ended, there are some wondering if it will ever come back. And it nearly did. There was initially a spinoff in the works after the, which would've centered on Cam and Mitchell’s life in Missouri. Recently, Cameron Tucker actor Eric Stonestreet revealed the spinoff didn’t pan out. While it will no longer be happening, Stonestreet still has ideas as to how to keep the franchise going, and I'm here for them!
The Emmy winner appeared on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, where he talked all about the ill-fated spinoff. Even though he still seems hurt by what happened, noting that he thinks the show would still be on had it gone to series, he doesn’t know how it would work now from a business and creative standpoint. He did, however, tell Bensinger just how the franchise should keep going, and his concept is quite festive:
I wish we would do a Christmas special or something like that. And there's been talk of that. Like a couple writers have had that idea of, like, doing sort of like British, sort of versions of Christmas specials. Like a two-hour movie every once in a while. That'd be fun.
If the series were to return in the form of Christmas specials or other reunions revolving around holidays every once in a while, that would be very fun. Such productions would give audiences the chance to catch up with the characters here and there, as they take in holiday festivities. I also like Eric Stonestreet's concept of taking on the holiday special format that's historically been adopted by British programs like Doctor Who and Sherlock. So can we please make this happen?
Whether or not another show in the ABC franchise will come to fruition down the line is unknown, but the show is arguably one of the best sitcoms of all time. It would be surprising if it didn’t receive a spinoff, special or movie at some point. It does help that there are occasional Modern Family reunions amongst the cast, which would suggest that they're still close. All in all, feels somewhat weird not to keep this IP going based on how successful it was, and I'd like to see more.
That being said, as much as I would love Modern Family to make a comeback, some may not want it. People think that it’s one of many TV shows that lost their way by the end, which isn’t completely untrue, especially when Haley’s pregnancy and other storylines back up that argument. With that said, a movie or special could improve upon some of the elements that some viewers may been lukewarm on during the parent show's last few seasons.
That Cam and Mitch spinoff may be out of the question, but here's hoping Eric Stonestreet's desire for holiday specials comes true. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use some more of the Modern Family characters in my life. For now, though, fans will just have to settle streaming the series in its entirety using a Hulu subscription.