For 10 years I watched this Modern Family and they became part of my own, and me a party of theirs. When I received this book, I was so excited because I knew it would help me miss the episodes a little less! I love the backstories, details on the characters and interviews with the actors. It amazes me how much the young actors have grown over the 10 years! I admit, the book made me miss the series even more. The world definitely needs to see more Modern Families, like theirs, like mine, we are out there!
Thanks to Marc Freeman, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

An oral history of the tv show Modern Family, with total participation by cast and crew. I was a fan of the show from episode 1 of season 1 when it first aired and never missed an episode, so definitely was fun and interesting to read the behind the scenes take on it. While the overall take is positive, it is interesting to learn some of the less positive stuff too, like the fact that the two co-creators of the show quickly learned that they were totally incompatible and pretty early on stopped working together and just alternated episodes. Probably not a book a casual fan would have the patience for - even for a super-fan this book is really, really long. But I enjoyed reading it, and definitely made me hope the full show comes to streaming so I can watch it again, this time with my kids who were too young for it when it started. 3.75 stars.

If you are a fan of Modern Family, I highly recommend reading this book! I learned so much about the show, the actors, and the crew. It made me want to go back and watch from episode 1!

Leave it to a mockumentary styled show to have a documentary styled book. I liked it formatted that way, it was interesting having stories told directly from the cast and crew as opposed to a straight one sided, he said she said biography.
I watched the show from more or less it's beginning, so as a fan I enjoyed all the behind the scene stories and the entire history of it coming to be.

For anyone that enjoyed Modern Family, this book is a treat! Great insights on the behind-the-scenes dynamics (Lloyd & Levitan and wish we drilled in on why women writers rarely stuck), the actors (everyone's 1st impression of Vergara, O'Neil's coaching), story directions and so much more.

I appreciated how "be Marc" let the words from the Modern Fam cast and crew be the heart of the book. While his own observations were welcome, the book took on greater credibility when it was the show members sharing the real history.

While I got it on loan from NetGalley, I think this is a fantastic gift for fans of the hit show.

I started watching Modern Family around season three, I think — I caught an episode when I was visiting my father in LA. It was funny, and I started watching it whenever I could. Like all long-running shows, it experiences ups and downs, but it held strong for a surprisingly long time. With the show recently ended, I thought this Oral History would be an interesting read. I was not disappointed: exhaustive, engaging and illuminating, I enjoyed this.

Like many oral histories, there are times when it can feel maybe overly detailed. Modern Family starts with the story of how the creators’ came to work together, their struggles in the screenwriting business, and then the various bits of inspiration and happenstance that brought this show together. Freeman then moves on to assembling the family, with mini-bios of each of the main actors. By the end of the first third(ish) of the book, we’d only reached the end of season one. After that, the book certainly picked up its pace, and didn’t always follow a chronological structure.

We learn a lot about the cast and crew, their approach(es) to the show, as well as their love for the characters, their colleagues and the material. Many of the actors come across as so grateful and humbled by the success of the show, and their parts in it. They also seem to have created a pretty healthy, friendly and welcoming atmosphere — given how much time they spend together, I imagine it would have been impossible to sustain it for so long if they didn’t get on with each other. A wide range of topics are covered, many of which illuminate what was really going on behind the scenes. For example, the kids’ challenges of growing up on TV, navigating social media and fame; various interesting production challenges; certain health challenges (I was surprised to learn how sick Hyland was during the show’s run); the strange fact that female writers just never stuck around for long (a strange chapter that doesn’t really come up with an explanation); the joys and difficulties of location filming in Disney, Australia, Vegas; and the often-infuriating and taxing nature of using babies (in this chapter, Freeman’s notes are also very funny); and many more. There are plenty of amusing asides, observations and tidbits.

Freeman provides a pretty detailed account of the unusual working relationship that developed between Levitan and Lloyd — this ended up being one of the most interesting inclusions in the the book, and something that keeps cropping up throughout. Far less harmonious than one might expect, from a series that ran for 11 years, during the second season they learned that they couldn’t work with each other. From the writing staff and cast, including Levitan and Lloyd, we learn how they managed to make this work: by splitting each season’s episodes, as well as the writing room. Each of the creators didn’t watch the episodes written and shepherded by the other. This means, according to what is reported in the book, that only about 20% of the episodes have been seen by both Levitan and Lloyd. It was up to the rest of the writers to ensure continuity. On the face of things, this sounds like it would be a nightmare, but it seems to have worked extremely well (even if the family-metaphor seems a bit stretched by the end of this section). There was frequent tension, but for the non-showrunners it seems to have encouraged a pretty fertile creative atmosphere.

One thing that sets Freeman’s book apart from many other oral histories is that some of it was compiled as the show was being produced. Specifically, the final season. Freeman was there during the final season, and got access to the script development process, cast interactions and eventual goodbyes as the final season wrapped. This didn’t, as far as I could see, really influence the rest of the book so much, but it did add some extra good bits.

Reading the book took a little longer than originally anticipated. In addition to the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to the initial development of the show, I also sometimes had to stop reading to re-watch episodes that were mentioned or being covered — especially some of those earlier ones. Reading Modern Family reminded me of many of my favourite moments in the series. I think I’ll go back and re-watch for first couple of seasons again in the not-too-distant future.

Even though my interest in the show itself was not consistent throughout its run (it starts to miss more often than hit in some later seasons or stretches), Freeman’s book does an excellent job of keeping the story moving and providing plenty of tidbits and interesting observations throughout. Sure, the first third is a bit slow, but it establishes the cast and crew’s backgrounds and temperaments and helps inform everything that comes after. If you are a fan of oral histories, and interested in behind-the-scenes Hollywood content, then I think you will find Modern Family interesting. If you are a fan of the show, too, then this is a must read.

Recommended.

I really enjoyed this look into one of my favorite TV shows. The variety of viewpoints brought in from all aspects of production brought a lot of knowledge and facts in. I'd highly recommend it to someone who enjoyed Modern Family.

I have been a Modern Family fan for as long as I can remember. I love the show--it is incredibly relatable. I, like many, was disappointed that it was coming to an end after 11 seasons. I love how they ended it though--one of the ways I know this is because I still want to watch the reruns that are available.

This book took me further into the show, and made me realize truly what. a marvel it was to last so long. There were interviews with all cast members and staff, stories from behind the scenes that were so interesting to read. I can't imagine the show if some of the roles had gone to other actors and actresses mentioned. The dynamic between the creators and the writers makes it even more amazing that the show lasted as long as it did, and performed as well as it did for so long.

I admit, some of the magic of the show was lost for me after reading this, knowing more about what was happening behind the scenes. Despite that, I love how committed everyone was to creating a successful show and how everyone worked together for the greater good. I definitely recommend this insiders look at Modern Family.

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Like many others out there I am a huge Modern Family fan - it broke my heart when I heard the news the show was ending. For a long time now the show was a constant and reliable friend and now it's all over....
Or is it?
Thanks to Marc Freeman, our friends are back in this well written and uniquely presented in a kind of interview fashion with cast, crew, and everybody else involved in creating this terrific show gifting us with little known stories about the behind the scenes goings-on that had never been told .before.
I am very glad that I read this book because it inspired me to go back and binge the show from the beginning!
.

Modern Family is one of the best tv shows of all time, and now this book provides the behind the scenes look at the making of the show; with detailed interviews with the creators, staff, writers and crew. I learned so much regarding the process of developing, casting and making a TV show and just how special and unique this show was.

I had no idea of the issues regarding the creators and writers strife, which is a testament to their work on the show and the final product. The cast seems to really be close and connected; and the stories were so interesting.

If you are a fan of the show or of TV in general, it is a good read.

Modern family was one of my favourite shows to hit the television in a really long time so when the show was ending I was a little upset. However when I found out that they wrote this book I was very excited to check it out. I love all of the behind the scenes information that these kinds of books present to the fans, and this book did just that and then some. What I also loved was knowing that the fact that this highly popular show almost never took place. This book is one that all fans of the TV show should check out. It is really interesting to get so much behind the scenes and never before heard information from not only the actors but also the creators. And just like in the tv show I laughed right along with them as they explained jokes and mishap. I didn't want to put this book down as soon as I picked it up just the same way that I didn't want the series to end which I found to be almost poetic in a way. I also loved the way that this book was written. It wasn't written in the same format that regular novels are it was almost written like a play where they would talk about certain things but then the creators would speak and give more behind the scene information on why certain things happened they way they did. I found that this made the book easier to read and much more enjoyable. This book is one that all fans will want to read not just once but again and again and I can't wait to add this book to my collection.

This is a great read for anyone that was a fan of this groundbreaking show. I watched it faithfully for a few years and then stopped due to not having the time to watch as much tv. I came back to it in the last season and enjoyed it just as much as I did in the first. The writing has always been excellent and the author of this book provides fans with a lot of unknown facts about what went on behind the scenes. And unlike some other books about beloved series, this one is loaded with quotes and insight from the stars of the show!

I truly loved how candid and funny this book was - it truly made me feel like I was on set along with the actors, laughing along with them. I also loved the interview/documentary style the author utilized to get everyone's viewpoints on different events. It reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones & the Six in that way, and that was a format I found myself particularly fond of.

Over a decade ago, I began watching Modern Family. It became a quick favorite and I watched it every week. When the last episode aired a few weeks ago, I was definitely sad. How could I keep up with all my favorite characters? Then I saw this book... and it was available via NetGalley, so I requested it, got lucky, and here I am today... excited to own a copy and be able to read it whenever I want.

Titled "Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television's Groundbreaking Sitcoms," this book written by Marc Freeman is a very in-depth look at how the show came together and became such a hit. We learn all the fun facts about where the stories came from, how the actors were selected, what shenanigans occurred on set, and how everyone felt at the end. It was quite comical and sad, and I definitely recommend the book to fans.

My only constructive feedback would be that the organization of the content could've been stronger. It hopped around a bit, and it often repeated itself to the point I stopped to ensure I hadn't accidentally picked up the wrong spot when I began to read again. I think it might've been stronger if there were sections in the book such that chapters were divided by actor and category. I would've enjoyed picking up a chapter about each actor and their story on the show, perhaps a few random chapters about the writers and the audience feedback. Instead, I thought often... this is getting too long and not as easy to read as I'd like.

That said, it's still very good and I would definitely tell others to buy it and treasure it. I learned so much about who else might've played a character, which actors suffered through awful personal issues, and how people reacted to the show in ways I wouldn't have expected. The writers are truly a great crowd, and I appreciate the honesty in this book. I'm sure they left out a few confidential things, but there were some surprises where I thought... "wow, so and so can be a jerk, but they can also be so kind!"

I will revisit this book, and it made me consider watching the show from the beginning again. I also recalled stories and guest stars I'd forgotten, so for those reasons alone, this is a book to get in your reading queue. Thanks for the opportunity!

Excellent look at Modern Family from the inside

I admit I am not a huge fan of Modern Family but I have watched every episode. I also like books that go behind the scenes of shows I watch. So I thought that this book would be a good fit for me. I just hoped that it would be neither be an adulation nor a character assassination. And it was neither of these. It is a great book that I could not put down. One of the strengths of the books is the variety and number of people who were interviewed in it, including the co-creators, the cast, writers, producers, some guest stars, and some higher-ups at ABC. I also liked that the book showed a couple of original and revised scripts for certain scenes and showed how characters were developed. All-in-all, I loved the book.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

I remember the first time I saw Modern Family. It was 2012 and I was on an overnight flight to Germany. Nearly everyone in my general vicinity was asleep... and I couldn’t stop laughing, or better said cracking up. I rarely laugh out loud and I couldn’t stop snickering even after it had ended.

If this story even sounds a tiny bit relatable then you will probably enjoy Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television’s Ground Breaking Sitcoms. Although quite lengthy, its told in short snippets from nearly everyone’s POV, so it’s a rather quick read and brings back memories of favorite episodes with an added insider peek at what it was like to create it.

Fellow Modern Family fans who need just a little more will enjoy this read! Thanks NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Marc Freeman for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

This was SUCH a fun read! If you are a fan of Modern Family and are the kind of person like me that could spend hours reading about your favorite shows and actors on Wikipedia, you will absolutely love this book. It includes interviews from every major person involved in the show, and while some of the details maybe were too minor to include, it overall was so interesting to learn about all of the behind the scenes things that went on and about the relationships between the cast and crew. I wish there was a book like this for all of my favorite shows!

Even though it's been years since I've watched a Modern Family episode, I enjoyed this book so much it has motivated me to binge watch the entire series. It reminded me how much I loved those early seasons and made me question why I stopped watching in the first place.

This book is similar in style to the Live From New York book about Saturday Night Live. For the most part the bulk of the material in this book is directly from the mouths of the cast members and crew. I personally love this format and even though the book clocks in at 500+ pages it doesn't feel like such a long and heavy read as a typical nonfiction book. The book covers how the show got it's start, the casting process, and goes into detail about specific episodes among other things. My guess is this will be the most definitive book about the show ever written and should satisfy both die hard and casual fans of Modern Family.

If you are expecting to get a lot of gossip and dirt about the show, you might be disappointed as for the most part the cast and crew truly did like each other and got along pretty well. The only drama was between the two co-creators and once they decided to each take on half of the episodes that greatly reduced the number of interactions and therefore arguments between them. Frequent guest star Shelly Long is discussed a bit by the people who worked with her but it was done in a respectful way. I don't think the lack of mudslinging and juicy gossip make this a less interesting read. To be quite honest it is refreshing to know that this group of coworkers really did consider themselves a family and continue to hang out with each other away from the show. It says a lot about who they are as people.

If you are fan of the show and/or like learning about the ins and outs of how a tv show is made, you will most likely enjoy reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of Modern Family by Marc Freeman. All opinions are my own!

This was a great inside look at a television show that has meant so much to me since it debuted back in 2009. This was extra special to read since the show is ending today. Modern Family is a wholesome, hilarious take at families today and I can't recommend it more.

Modern Family by Marc Freeman is an excellent book that is everything and anything that has to do with the amazing show, Modern Family.

I have been a fan of this show since it debuted over a decade ago. I remember when the pilot debuted. I watched it and thought, man this is going to be an awesome show. It was funny, witty, fresh, awkward, heartwarming, and best of all, it made me want to come back for more. One would think that after so many years a show would lose its luster, but Modern Family just improves with age. I can watch reruns and still laugh out loud as if I am watching the plot for the first time. This show is truly special.

This book goes over so much: the creation, the inspiration for the characters, the casting, the development of the relationships. It also incorporates dialogue and discussions with the cast and crew on their thoughts, feelings, and memories of a once in a lifetime TV event. This book is with full approval and cooperation of the full cast, so the oral history, memories, and feelings are real and from the actual members themselves.

This is an excellent compilation of the “life and times” of Modern Family and is a treasure and must have for any fan.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.