Fizbo
Encyclopedia
"Fizbo" is the ninth episode of the first season
of the American comedy series, Modern Family
. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company
(ABC) in the United States
on November 25, 2009. In the episode, When Phil (Ty Burrell
) and Claire (Julie Bowen
) try to throw a party for Luke (Nolan Gould
), things go wrong and leads to a trip to the emergency room; Cameron (Eric Stonestreet
) decides to dress up as his clown character Fizbo; Manny (Rico Rodriguez) has a hard time impressing a girl after taking advice from Jay (Ed O'Neill
).
The episode was written by Brad Walsh & Paul Corrigan and directed by Jason Winer
. It has received positive reviews from critics with many naming it the best episode up to that point. Despite this, "Fizbo" was viewed by 7.12 million households becoming the lowest rated episode of the series, low ratings some attribute to airing the night before Thanksgiving. Eric Stonestreet won the Emmy Award
for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" based on this episode.
actually once performed as a clown; Fizbo was a nickname that his dad gave him. Fizbo's clothing is Stonestreet's real clown clothes. The episode was later put in for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Eric Stonestreet
's performance of Cameron Tucker and later won.
, The Biggest Loser
, and Glee
according to Nielsen Media Research
.
The episode has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics with many naming it the best episode of the season. Although it was the least viewed episode of the season, it was the highest rated on IGN
with a rating of 9.3. IGN reviewer Robert Canning noted, "Modern Family continued its trend of outstanding episodes.". Nolan Gould
considered the episode his favorite of the series. BuddyTV
named the episode the 26th best episode of 2009 saying "A perfect ensemble piece had the family gather for a disastrous birthday party that featured a clown, a crossbow, a scorpion, a bouncy castle, a zip line and beads".
Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club
gave the episode an A saying "Best birthday ever. And best episode since the first couple. Welcome back, Modern Family!". Robert Canning in a review of the season remarked "the episode perhaps being that moment when the series went from being a strong freshman series to a breakaway critical success". James Poniewozik of Time
gave the episode a positive review calling it a "an impeccably executed pile-up of comic misfortune" and also said "Besides playing well of the defining traits of several characters, . . . it also proved again that the show has a great touch for physical comedy."
M.L. House of TV Fanatic named the episode the best episode of the season saying "This episode also brought all storylines and family members together in an ideal conclusion to the half hour". Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Rob Licuria of Los Angeles Times
stated Eric Stonestreet
has the best chance to win an Emmy Award for his performance in the episode.
Modern Family (season 1)
The first season of the television comedy series Modern Family aired between September 23, 2009 and May 19, 2010, on ABC in the United States. The season was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Lloyd-Levitan Productions with series creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan as executive...
of the American comedy series, Modern Family
Modern Family
Modern Family is an American television comedy series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, which debuted on ABC on September 23, 2009. Lloyd and Levitan serve as showrunner and executive producers, under their Levitan-Lloyd Productions label...
. It originally premiered on American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(ABC) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on November 25, 2009. In the episode, When Phil (Ty Burrell
Ty Burrell
- External links :*...
) and Claire (Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen is an American film and television actress. She played Carol Vessey on Ed and Denise Bauer on Boston Legal. She is best known for playing Claire Dunphy on the sitcom Modern Family, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011...
) try to throw a party for Luke (Nolan Gould
Nolan Gould
Nolan Gould is an American child actor best known for his starring role as Luke Dunphy on the ABC comedy Modern Family. He is the brother of Aidan Gould-Acting career:...
), things go wrong and leads to a trip to the emergency room; Cameron (Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet is an American actor, known for his starring role as Cameron Tucker on the ABC comedy Modern Family. Stonestreet has received critical acclaim for his performance in Modern Family and won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his...
) decides to dress up as his clown character Fizbo; Manny (Rico Rodriguez) has a hard time impressing a girl after taking advice from Jay (Ed O'Neill
Ed O'Neill
Edward Phillip "Ed" O'Neill, Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network sitcom Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes...
).
The episode was written by Brad Walsh & Paul Corrigan and directed by Jason Winer
Jason Winer
Jason Winer is an American director, producer, writer, actor and comedian. He is best known for being one of the directors on the award-winning series Modern Family on ABC.Winer was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland...
. It has received positive reviews from critics with many naming it the best episode up to that point. Despite this, "Fizbo" was viewed by 7.12 million households becoming the lowest rated episode of the series, low ratings some attribute to airing the night before Thanksgiving. Eric Stonestreet won the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" based on this episode.
Plot
Phil and Claire throw Luke the biggest and best birthday that he could want. However, Cameron arrives as Fizbo, the clown, who triggers a chain of events that leads to someone ending up in the hospital.Production
The episode was written by Brad Walsh & Paul Corrigan and directed by the series' main director, Jason Winer. The episode was inspired by the fact that Eric StonestreetEric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet is an American actor, known for his starring role as Cameron Tucker on the ABC comedy Modern Family. Stonestreet has received critical acclaim for his performance in Modern Family and won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his...
actually once performed as a clown; Fizbo was a nickname that his dad gave him. Fizbo's clothing is Stonestreet's real clown clothes. The episode was later put in for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet is an American actor, known for his starring role as Cameron Tucker on the ABC comedy Modern Family. Stonestreet has received critical acclaim for his performance in Modern Family and won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his...
's performance of Cameron Tucker and later won.
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Fizbo" was viewed by an estimated 7.12 million households with a 2.4 rating/7% share in the 18-49 demographic becoming the lowest rated show in the series history due to the fact it aired Thanksgiving Eve. The show came fourth in its timeslot losing to Criminal MindsCriminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
, The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser is an American reality game show that debuted on NBC October 19, 2004. The show features obese people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their initial weight....
, and Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
according to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
.
The episode has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics with many naming it the best episode of the season. Although it was the least viewed episode of the season, it was the highest rated on IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
with a rating of 9.3. IGN reviewer Robert Canning noted, "Modern Family continued its trend of outstanding episodes.". Nolan Gould
Nolan Gould
Nolan Gould is an American child actor best known for his starring role as Luke Dunphy on the ABC comedy Modern Family. He is the brother of Aidan Gould-Acting career:...
considered the episode his favorite of the series. BuddyTV
BuddyTV
BuddyTV is an entertainment-based website based in Seattle, Washington, which generates content about television programs and sporting events. The website publishes information about celebrity and related entertainment news through a series of articles, entertainment profiles, actor biographies and...
named the episode the 26th best episode of 2009 saying "A perfect ensemble piece had the family gather for a disastrous birthday party that featured a clown, a crossbow, a scorpion, a bouncy castle, a zip line and beads".
Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode an A saying "Best birthday ever. And best episode since the first couple. Welcome back, Modern Family!". Robert Canning in a review of the season remarked "the episode perhaps being that moment when the series went from being a strong freshman series to a breakaway critical success". James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
gave the episode a positive review calling it a "an impeccably executed pile-up of comic misfortune" and also said "Besides playing well of the defining traits of several characters, . . . it also proved again that the show has a great touch for physical comedy."
M.L. House of TV Fanatic named the episode the best episode of the season saying "This episode also brought all storylines and family members together in an ideal conclusion to the half hour". Chris "Boomer" Beachum and Rob Licuria of Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
stated Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet
Eric Stonestreet is an American actor, known for his starring role as Cameron Tucker on the ABC comedy Modern Family. Stonestreet has received critical acclaim for his performance in Modern Family and won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his...
has the best chance to win an Emmy Award for his performance in the episode.
External links
- "Fizbo" at ABC.com