The Best Phil Dunphy Moments On Modern Family

When you think of Modern Family, you think of Phil Dunphy. Of course, you also think of the show's creative family structures and its exploration of intersecting values, lifestyles, and personal histories, depicted with humor and affection. But be honest: At some point shortly before or after you reflect upon the show's depth, you think about Phil. 

Now, Phil isn't the first name that comes to mind in terms of character development — but look closer, and you'll find an understated depth to Phil's contentment with exactly who he is. This is not to say that Phil doesn't move forward over the course of the show: He works hard to cultivate connections with his children and make his wife feel cared for, even if he doesn't always pick the most practical or successful ways of doing so. Fundamentally, however, when it comes to Phil, what you see is what you get. He encapsulates the quiet profundity of doing your best and believing doggedly in what's possible (and a little bit of what's impossible, or at least ill-advised). His repeated failures and gaffes aren't just comic relief, but evidence of his optimism, which ultimately holds his family together. We're here to celebrate that steadfast kindness with this list of Phil Dunphy's best moments.

Phil refers to himself as a "cool dad" (that's his "thang"), but the thermometer swings to hot hubby when he appears as Clive Bixby, his sensual alter ego. Bixby is a successful businessman who designs high-end electro-acoustic transducers. Phil himself consistently demonstrates an interest in technology and inventiveness, and shares Bixby's tendency to stray into unintentional innuendos while trying to be cool. In Phil's mind, however, Bixby's coolness is rarely compromised, no matter what kind of awkward situation he ends up in.

Phil created Bixby to go on Valentine's dates with Claire as Julianna, a bored housewife with a dark side. Their attempts at role play are often foiled, however. The first time Bixby introduces himself, Claire loses her coat (under which she has removed all of her clothes in an attempt at spicing up the seduction) on an escalator. The next time, a mix-up causes Phil to narrowly avoid arrest after greeting an old woman in her hotel room naked among scattered rose petals — a gesture meant for Claire. Despite all this, or perhaps because of it, Bixby and Julianna's adventures still make for a sweet expression of love — and a tribute to the raw magnetism of speaker salesmen.

While Phil's relationship with his father-in-law may be strained, the two do share a few begrudgingly heartfelt moments on their path to an amicable relationship. One of the best is from "Snip," when Jay has to chase after Phil when he runs away from his vasectomy, having seen someone else's operation take a less-than-stellar turn.

Phil appears to be worried about not being a "real man." Jay thinks Phil is referring to the emasculation of getting the vasectomy itself. Really, though, Phil is talking about his fear of the pain of the vasectomy, worrying that his anxiety means he's a wimp. In a not-exactly-tender but still sort of touching moment, Jay reassures him. This is all set off by a great visual gag: Phil sits down on a bench bearing one of his advertisements, but the way his torso covers up some of the letters makes it seem like the ad says "not a real man."

This toast is a moment of quiet, bittersweet understanding and vulnerability between Phil and his father-in-law. It's also an awesome example of Phil's character development. True to his values, his maturation is most evident in his relationships with others rather than in personal revelations and triumphs. His connections with his family are what he holds most dear and puts the most effort into.

Throughout this episode, Phil has attempted to prove his ability to take care of everything in a crisis in an effort to present himself as a "real man." While his overcompensation, as usual, makes things worse rather than better, Gloria points out that his particular strength is in making people feel comfortable around him and allowing them the space to open up. Later in the episode, Jay does just that, admitting to Phil that one of his Navy friends has passed away and he's upset about missing a toast in his old comrade's honor due to the storm. Phil pours Jay a shot in silence and turns to leave, but Jay calls him back for a second drink, reaffirming Phil's character as a presence you'd like to have around in a crisis — not to fix things, but to comfort you when things can't be fixed.

Ever the innovator in the face of an obstacle, Phil hovers around the house on a roving screen in "American Skyper" because he can't be there for Alex's graduation. It's pretty fitting, because he's always had an affinity for technology ... even if tends to be a love-hate relationship. He may not know all the texting lingo ("wtf" doesn't mean "why the face," unfortunately, but it's very on-brand for someone who seeks to uplift everyone he can and doesn't see the point in getting down) but he sure is eager to try the latest thing regardless.

Behold Phil's wish list, after Claire tells him he's impossible to shop for: Robot dog, night vision goggles, bug vacuum, GPS watch, and speakers that look like rocks. Not a single non-electronic item on the list. With his acrobatic background and technological affinities, in another life, he might have been Batman. His comment on a new Apple product says it best: "The iPad comes out on my actual birthday. It's like Steve Jobs and God got together to say, 'We love you, Phil.'"

Phil often reminds us that, for all his flaws, he's a great example of an emotionally involved father. It's something that's very important to him: "I always felt bad for people with emotionally distant fathers," Phil muses in "Travels with Scout," "Turns out I'm one of them. It's a miracle I didn't end up a stripper."

It's a funny thing to imagine, but consider: He probably would have been pretty good at it, given his penchant for acrobatics and his performative personality. Not to mention his comfort with stereotypically feminine behaviors and activities.

But Phil is, in the end, a far cry from a stripper — though maybe Clive Bixby could pull it off as a weekend gig, Magic Mike style. Neither Phil nor his kids are perfect, but he's a simple, loving, goofy guy and a quintessential dad. He doesn't let anything define his role as a father except the wholehearted, if sometimes misguided efforts he makes day in and day out.

Yet again, we see Phil inventing a learning tool that goes above and beyond what anyone might expect. He takes it upon himself to come up with not only the ABCs of real estate, all the way through Z. Well, sort of — he claims that he always forgets what X stands for, but maybe he never came up with it to begin with. Or maybe he's full of surprises and knows some obscure Scrabble "X" words.

Whether he's an expert scholar or not, a compilation of Phil Dunphy's resources on life and real estate would be a modern-day library of Alexandria. That might be over-selling it, but then, he's in the business of sales. And he owes all of his success to his commitment to Always Be Closing ... Don't Ever Forget, Great Home Ideas Just Keep Lurking, you get the idea. And therein lies another contender for the official slogan of Phil Dunphy: Ideas just keep lurking. Most of them aren't good, but they keep coming, and that's a pretty great approach to life.