Given the title, it’s no surprise that the most important relationships in Modern Family are those within the family themselves - relationships between parents and children or brothers and sisters (or, by this point, great-grandparents and babies, as this family grows!). However, the romantic relationships are just as big.
Whether it is the love interests of the kids now that they are all grown up, or the long term marriages of the parents, the couples of Modern Family are a huge part of the show’s charm… and these are the ten favorites, ranked from worst to best.
Alex & Ben
For a while there, Alex didn’t seem to have a whole lot of interest in boys - but she’s actually had an impressive number of relationships in the series, and one of her biggest was with Ben. It gets a spot on this list because it was a serious relationship for Alex, and it was nice to see her get in touch with another side of herself… but at the same time, Ben was annoying, clingy, and definitely didn’t bring out the best in her.
Manny & Sherry
Admittedly, this was a pretty terrible relationship by the end, but at the start, it was adorable. Manny isn’t exactly a ladies’ man, and seeing him meet someone who was sweet and kind and with the same kind of enthusiasm and interests was amazing. Of course, these two were never going to rank very high on the list because she ended up leaving him and then dating Luke, but still.
Luke & Janice
Luke is another character who doesn’t have a huge amount of romantic history on the show. It’s clearly the women of the Dunphy household who have the luck on that count. However, we do have a soft spot for Luke and Janice.
Things may have been initially awkward, seeing as Janice is closer to his mother’s age than his, but it was actually nice to see this dynamic play out with an older woman, when there are plenty of younger-woman-older-man couples on the show. Janice was also a great balance for Luke, and really helped him mature.
Haley & Rainer
Speaking of age dynamics, Haley had a fairly serious relationship with Rainer Shine, a weatherman who was much older than her. Initially, it seemed as though he might just want a young attractive woman, but these two were actually quite well suited, and their vanity worked well together. However, they didn’t rank higher as they just didn’t really help each other grow - and clearly didn’t stay together.
Phil & Claire
In a lot of ways, Phil and Claire seem like a wonderful couple - they have been together for a long time, they clearly love each other, they have three kids… so why aren’t they further up the list? Because, frankly, they are a little too sitcom to really be an amazing couple. Claire seems to do 90% of the work, while Phil gets to play ‘fun dad’ all the time. He does step up and support her, and there is clearly love there, but this just doesn’t feel like an equal partnership… even if it has clearly lasted.
Haley & Arvin
For a while, it seemed like Arvin might actually be the man that Haley ended up with - and there were some compelling reasons for this to be a good thing! Arvin was totally different to Haley; unlike previous boyfriends, he wasn’t all about the fun (or about appearances), and he really brought out her intelligent side, and saw her as more than just a pretty face. This was a fantastic relationship for her, but of course, it wasn’t quite the one.
Alex & Bill
Alex and Bill had a meet-cute right out of a rom com; he was a fireman who carried her out of the dorm… and it was love at first sight. Or, on Alex’s part, lust at first sight. In many ways, this was an amazing relationship - Bill clearly adored Alex, was kind, dependable, and sickeningly handsome, and he got on well with her family.
He really saw the best in Alex, and balanced her out well… unfortunately, though, Alex wasn’t exactly the best for him. She constantly made it clear that she thought he wasn’t quite smart enough, and we can’t really blame Bill for breaking up with her.
Haley & Dylan
Now we’re into the really big guns - and a relationship that no one thought would actually make it. Surprising as it may be, though, Haley and Dylan are actually a fantastic couple, and he might just be what she needs. The two have been on-again-off-again for years, and now are married with twins - and it seems that these two are joining forces to rise to the occasion. Haley has really grown up, and realized that Dylan is exactly what she needs… and his devotion to her is something that anyone would want.
Cam & Mitchell
Cam and Mitchell are an adorable couple, and even though they are not perfect, their differences actually enhance their relationship (and they have more than enough similarities to balance those out). Even though these two may occasionally be seen keeping little secrets from one another, overall they are a great pair - they have a combined social circle, but their own friends and interests too. They support each other, even when it’s difficult (like with Mitch’s career moves and Cam’s desire to move back to farm life). They are willing to try new things together, and they usually end up feeling the same way about those new things when they do. At the end of the day, Cam and Mitch are a team, through and through, and share their life, their parenting, and their dreams.
Jay & Gloria
This may be surprising, but the couple that appears to be the most stereotypical is actually probably the best on the show. Any first time viewer is going to see an older guy with a younger, stunning Columbian woman and think that she’s just after his money (and he’s after her… well, that’s obvious!), but in reality, these two are an incredible pair. Jay is an incredible stepfather, and he and Manny have a real bond - even when Manny’s biological dad reappears. Beyond that, Jay and Gloria have a real bond, they have fun, they are still wildly attracted to each other, they try and fit in with each other’s families, they talk when there are issues, and they support each other, even when they may not agree with something. Sure, they have their moments, but really, who wouldn’t want to be this in love?
