While at the crux of ABC sitcom Modern Family is the happenings between the core Pritchett family and their respective families, there are lots of friendships, too. Some of the friendships are between family members, others involve outside individuals who have become like family, or are simply close friends (or maybe even frenemies).
Now in its 11th and final season, which are the best friendships we’ve seen on the show, and which are the worst? Check out this list that highlights the most notable ones.
Cameron and Gloria: Best
Cameron is married to Gloria’s stepson Mitchell and while the two most often see one another during family gatherings, they are also friends who hang out together. They do things that typical friends would do like go shopping or plot crafty and fun plans together.
They communicate on a certain level with a shared love for fashion, cooking and baking, and complaining about their spouses and the rest of the Pritchett clan. These are the two people you’d most want to go out for drinks with because you know it’s guaranteed to be a fun night.
Mitch and Claire: Worst
Mitch and Claire are siblings but also friends. But they bicker all the time and often compete with one another. Claire has always been a daddy’s girl and the favorite, older child. Meanwhile, Mitchell always feels as though his father isn’t proud of him and had a tough time coming out to him.
Claire was also jealous of Mitchell’s close relationship with their mother while she always but heads with the family matriarch. And while Mitch and Claire are always there for one another, and have shared some fun times, their friendship isn’t exactly one you’d want to emulate.
Phil and Andy: Best
Andy started out as a nanny for Joe, Gloria and Jay’s newborn son. But he soon developed a close relationship with Phil. He became his protégé in real estate, and even won over the heart of Phil’s daughter Haley, a relationship that Phil totally approved of.
They joked and had fun together, and Andy would have made a great son-in-law had he stuck around. Andy was like a younger version of Phil, which is why they got along so well.
Cameron/Mitch and Pepper/Ronaldo: Worst
Cameron and Mitch and their friendship with Pepper and his husband Ronaldo was always a strained relationship where the couples almost seem to loathe seeing one another. They compete all the time, and Mitchell is still, deep down, a bit jealous and uncomfortable that Pepper and Cameron used to date.
Mitch and Cam roll their eyes at having to attend another dinner party and live up to expectations, and never enjoy having the couple over or worry too much about appearances. Why these four are friends is a puzzle, it seems there is some love there as Pepper and Ronaldo did end up planning the couple’s wedding, and really came through for them.
Cameron/Mitch and Sal: Best
Sal is the flighty and wild female friend who would show up out of nowhere and gossip with her buds as they sipped on wine. She didn’t really have her own life together, but it seemed that no matter how much time passed, the three could pick up right where they left off whenever they got together.
Sal wasn’t the greatest influence and seemed sometimes to be trouble, acting jealous of Lily and the fact that the couple spent less time with her once they became parents. But she is fun to be around and their friendship is clearly long lasting.
Phil and Gil: Worst
Phil and Gil are more frenemies than friends. Rivals in the realtor business, they often compete for clients. However, it also seems as though each one needs the other as they motivate one another to do their best and keep one another on their toes.
Of course there’s always ribbing when they cross paths, along with clenched teeth and competition. But for some, this is what makes for a great and exciting friendship. That said, it isn’t much of a friendship at all if it’s based on always one-upping one another.
Alex and Sanjay: Best
Alex and Sanjay were great friends in high school that made the wrong move when they started dating. Sanjay always had feelings for Alex, but really, they were much better together as friends.
Both overachievers, they challenged one another to do their best and thought on the same level. With a similar level of intellect, they could have smart conversations, study together, and work to achieve their goals. They were two peas in a pod that were unfortunately broken apart once they graduated high school and went on to different colleges, and Sanjay cheated on her.
Jay and Phil: Worst
While Phil longs to have a great friendship with his father-in-law Jay, Jay always seems annoyed by Phil. Sure, Jay has hinted many times that he’s actually warmed up to Phil and approves of him being his daughter’s choice for a husband. Still, they are two very different people.
Had they met under any other circumstances Jay would never hang out with someone like Phil. This makes any semblance of a friendship between them seem forced more than genuine.
Jay and Vincent “Shorty”: Best
As Jay’s long-time best friend, he and “Shorty” would get together at the golf club to play a few holes, indulge in great food, and go for drinks and cigars. They are the perfect example of old school friends who, despite having families and careers, they still make time to see one another. And this continued even after Shorty moved to Costa Rica with his wife and visits became less frequent, only whenever he was back in town.
Shorty is the one person Jay can truly relate to since they’ve shared similar life experiences and are the same age. They are so close, in fact, that Mitchell’s middle name is Vincent, named after Shorty.
Sonia and Gloria: Worst
Talk about sibling rivalry: sisters and (sort of) friends, Sonia has held a grudge against Gloria since they met Jay. Sonia believes that she was the one who Jay originally had eyes on, not Gloria. And she is bitter that Gloria is able to enjoy this lavish lifestyle in America while she is still trying to make something of herself in Columbia.
Sonia has visited a few times, and every time, Jay dreads the company and she and Gloria get into a huge fight. But still, deep down they love one another, even if they have a funny way of showing it.
