'Modern Family' Season 6 Episode 22 Recap: Patriot Games

This week’s episode of the hit comedy series “Modern Family” is all about fighting for what we want and living the American dream. Mitch and Cam rethink their sense of civic duty while Alex fights for her spot as the high school valedictorian. Meanwhile, Gloria gets ready for her U.S. Citizenship test.

Mitch and Cam get invited to join a protest against a local burger restaurant that they both love. They have no idea what the protest is about. However, they get peer pressured into going just because one of the gays in the community remarked that they aren’t political enough. They make it to the restaurant too early for the protest and end up enjoying a good meal. When the other protesters arrive, they learn that it’s all about companies who don’t support health care for same-sex unions. The other gays criticise them for eating at the restaurant but they stand their ground and say that they can’t keep track of every single company that’s producing every single product in the market. They storm out and say that all they are concerned about is providing a good life for their daughter Lily.

Meanwhile, Claire and Phil Dunphy get called for a meeting at Principal Brown’s office at the local high school. They learn that Alex and her rival Sanjay have ended the semester with the same GPA. This means that they will be sharing the spot as class valedictorian when graduation comes the following week. The kids disagree and both insist that they need to break the tie to find out who is better between them once and for all.

Principal Brown tells them that all the grades have been closed except for gym. Both kids missed the mile-long run for the semester due to a debate event. They all agree to decide the top spot through a race. Both Alex and Sanjay prepare for the run by training hard.

The day before the run, Sanjay comes to say thanks to Alex for pushing him to become better due to their competition throughout the years. Then, he drops a confession that shocks Alex. He tells her that he actually likes her in a romantic way. Alex tells her parents and they immediately say that he’s messing with her mind. They say that he is using psychological warfare on her.

On the day of the race, Alex is furious at Sanjay for attempting to mess with her mind. He insists that he really likes her and proves it by refusing to run. Alex stops and finally believes him. The two end up kissing and end high school as co-valedictorians.

Over at the Delgado-Pritchett household, Gloria is about to take the U.S. citizenship test. She’s excited and Jay is helping her get ready. Meanwhile, her ex-husband Javier comes over to spend some time with their son Manny. He starts to criticise her for abandoning their homeland and tells her that she should be ashamed for turning her back on Colombia.

Gloria starts to wonder if Javier is right and feels guilty. Then things get worse when Manny tells her that Jay complains about the longer lines at immigration because she needs to fall in line along with other foreigners when they travel. Gloria is furious that Jay only wants her to become a citizen so that things can be more convenient at airports.

She confronts Jay and he admits that what she’s saying is true. However, he also tells her that the bigger reason why he wants her to become a citizen is because he finally wants her to cut ties with her ex-husband. She still carries his Colombian name and their nationality will always tie them together.

Manny supports Jay and tells Gloria that she should take the test for herself. He reminds Gloria that this is what they always wanted even before they met Jay and Gloria should always remember her own dream. Gloria relents and finally takes the test. Everything is a breeze and Gloria finally passes the test and starts to live out the American Dream. Manny also morbidly reveals that things will be so much easier for them if Gloria is a citizen should the inevitable happen and Jay meets his untimely demise.

More hilarious adventures of the three separate but related families are in store when the series returns next week. “Modern Family” airs every Wednesday at 9 pm on ABC.

For questions/comments regarding the article, please contact the writer at: c.caparras@ibtimes.com.au