Modern Family Producer Did Not Want To End The Show With Finality
It really shouldn't be a surprise to learn that there's plenty of continuing chatter of a possible "Modern Family" spinoff or reboot for fans to enjoy in the future. Of course, this is all speculation, as nothing has been officially announced. It seems pretty clear that when it comes to being invited to join the Dunphy/Pritchett family again, the possibility comes more from hopes and dreams than it does from reality. On April 8, 2020, fans spent their last moments with the ABC hit sitcom when the two-part finale aired. The episodes were filled with the usual delightful comedy mixed with a whole boatload of emotions. But the one thing that fans didn't experience was complete and total closure.
Leaving the overall story open-ended was an intended tactic used by producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd. "The best endings are actually beginnings that don't try to put a period on a series," Lloyd told The Hollywood Reporter. "To finish everybody with a great final line or we somehow tell the audience what is going to happen to them for the rest of their lives is a mistake." Despite the door being left open for a return, Levitan explained that this was still a significant chapter coming to a close for both the characters and the viewers at home. "We talked about a lot of different possibilities but we all really like finales in which the characters in some way have to say goodbye because that's what the audience is experiencing," he said.
A reboot is always a possibility
There are plenty of fans that would agree that Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan's scripted conclusion of "Modern Family" aligned perfectly with the real-life transitions that families experience all the time. Eras come to an end and new ones begin, with the door always open to take a step back and experience where it all started (streaming reruns). Of course, this train of thought leads many to wonder what that next step is going to be, and in this case, that could be a spinoff or reboot series. As for these producers, Levitan told AP for that to happen, the creative stars would need to align. "If ever a very compelling reason comes along, to reboot it," he said, "and by that I mean creatively compelling, I would, of course, have open ears ... or have an open mind."
In addition to fans, one person who surely has an open mind for more "Modern Family" is Rico Rodriguez, who played Manny on the show. "Well, I mean, I guess I'd say I'd love a spin-off of Manny; I mean that would be great," Rodriguez told Alexis Joy at a charity event. "I wouldn't complain about that!" Neither would "Modern Family" fans, but once again, that's all up to the show's producers. For now, the series' not-so-final finale is good enough for them. "The family got to say goodbye to the family. It's not like they're never going to talk to each other, see one another again, but they know that it will never be the same," said Lloyd. "And that's life."