Modern Family

A sitcom that avoids laugh-track inanity with remarkable skill, Modern Family is a true case of television slight of hand, because, on the surface, it looks like, well, a standard family comedy. However, the show, created by veteran TV scribes Christopher Lloyd (not the actor) and Steven Levitan, is anything but standard, boasting a culturally diverse conceit, an amazing ensemble cast, a playful mockumentary set-up, and some of the wittiest writing ever to grace the small screen. While the program trades in some of the same awkward humor as The Office, it's often presented in a more accessible and endearing way, particularly since it focuses on the ups and downs of the three different-yet-related households rather than the workplace. That's not to say that the show lacks bite, though—it's just couched in the day-to-day moments of parenthood and domestic life. While the entire Modern Family ensemble is superb, special commendation goes to Ty Burrell, who plays husband/father/real-estate agent Phil Dunphy with hilarious obliviousness. (Choice Phil quote: "A realtor's just a ninja in a blazer. The average burglar breaks in and leaves clues everywhere. But not me—I'm completely clueless.") Not as overtly quirky as the lamented and similarly revered Arrested Development, Modern Family has both mass appeal and serious smarts, inarguably making it one of the best shows on television.