Bringing Up Baby (Modern Family)

Plot

Jay's 65th birthday kicks off with Manny cracking jokes about how old he is, but Jay makes it clear he wants a low-key celebration focused on his calm, settled life. Phil teams up with Jay's buddies Shorty and Miles to drag him out on a fishing trip anyway. Out on the water, Shorty and Miles back up what Jay has already been thinking: he's put in the work and now deserves a peaceful, responsibility-free retirement. Meanwhile, Gloria is nervous that Jay will be angry about her pregnancy, especially after overhearing him talk about wanting no more obligations.

She confides in Manny, who then gets worried when Luke suggests Jay will prefer his "real son" over him, fearing his age-related jokes might make Jay replace him with the new baby. Gloria also tells Claire in private about being pregnant. Knowing Jay tends to react badly, she warns him that sensitive news is coming and he needs to respond nicely. Elsewhere, Cam and Mitch try to give away the over-the-top baby gifts their friends gave them.

Lily asks for a kitten instead of the brother she expected. At the shelter, Cam gets frustrated by the adoption rules, so they leave without a pet and decide to go to London instead. Haley has Dylan ask Claire if he can crash at the Dunphys for a couple weeks. Claire says no at first, so Dylan tries to guilt her by describing his tough living situation.

When Phil and Jay get back home, they hear that Mitch and Cam are looking for a cat. Jay assumes this is the big news Claire warned him about and responds with way too much enthusiasm, confusing everyone. A mix-up leads Manny to accidentally blurt out that there's a new baby on the way, forcing Gloria to tell the whole family. She angrily says she'll raise the child alone if needed, but Jay reveals he's thrilled and excited to have another kid.

Months later, the family is back at Jay's house. Manny reads a poem he wrote for his future sibling, and Cam and Mitch give them a London souvenir, also mentioning they finally got a cat. Dylan, who had been staying with the Dunphys, gets kicked out by Claire.

Reception

The episode was watched by 14.44 million viewers in its original American broadcast. It received positive reviews, with multiple reviewers waiting for more in following episodes. Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club gave an A− grade, stating it was a fantastic way to remind viewers that Modern Family is not lazy. Leigh Raines of TV Fanatic gave a 4.5/5, noting that watching the episode made her realize how much she had missed the Dunphy/Pritchett clan. Michael Adams of 411mania rated the episode 9/10, saying he thought the season started perfectly, especially as a "Jay Birthday episode" that has historically given great moments. Dalene Rovenstine from Paste Magazine gave the episode a 7/10.