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ABC's Modern Family sadly strikes a chord with many viewers | Megan Basham

Bob D'Amico/ABC

ABC's new Wednesday night sitcom Modern Family is pulling off a feat few shows do in their freshman seasons—it is scoring big with both viewers and critics. Centered on three related families in southern California, it has become the most-watched new comedy of the fall.

Speculating on the cause of the show's success, executive producer Steve Levitan noted, "I think that people were ready for a show that was not just hopefully smart and funny but also has heart and a warm tone." While Levitan's right that his product is frequently funny and slightly less frequently smart, how warm its tone is and how much heart it has is a matter for debate. In some ways Modern Family is so reflective of where many American families find themselves these days, much of the humor stems from the audience recognizing some of the mistrust and isolation present in their own marital and parental relationships.