Hilarity Always Ensues when Phil and Cameron Are in the Mix on "Modern Family"

We've all come to love Phil Dunphy's effeminate lack of manliness and Cameron Tucker's insane push to develop his adopted love-child into a Broadway star. So it comes as no surprise that last week's episode of "Modern Family"dove head first into two of the best aspects of this its hilarity.

Phil has always been around to prove that he is barely more than a handsome breadwinner to the Dunphy family. He's weak, nerdy and a pushover all the while thinking that he's way cooler sitting with his new iPad than he actually is.

So when his wife and daughter are out sick (Claire and Haley) he does what he can to take care of them as best as he can. But there is a chirping smoke detector that has got his attention before he can tend to them in bed. He's also a little peeved that things haven't been going well at work and that Claire has a sexy workout partner that has nary mentioned him to her buff and much younger spotter.

It doesn't help that Phil is relegated to taking over Claire's baking duties. And no, he isn't baking an apple pie for a bake sale. He's making lady-fingers. Which he subsequently burns his hand on. Phil doesn't have a whole lot going right for him these days, especially when Haley's boyfriend Dylan (who continues to be played hilariously by Reid Ewing) lets it slip that he's been dreaming of Mrs. Dunphy (and later on Haley too).

In the meantime, Cameron has decided that he wants to push Lily into child stardom. Cameron's flamboyance has never been better as you can imagine he would be when any performing arts are involved. Lily's been targeted for a commercial by an agent already, but much to Mitchell's chagrin, she been casted as a terrible stereotype as a talking baby for a Japanese furniture store (it doesn't matter that Lily is Vietnamese). Cam finally comes to his senses, but not before he rips the director a new one for being racist and storms out with the wrong baby.

I love Phil and Cameron more than most TV characters I've seen over the years. "Modern Family" thrives when Phil is off trying to solve mysteries and Cameron is dressed in paisley or theater makeup. Here's hoping the rest of season follows suit.