Jesse Tyler Ferguson shared on Instagram the real inspiration behind the mockumentary style of Modern Family. Here he gives some really cool insights about its inception. During a recent episode of his podcast Dinner’s on Me, alongside guest Wendie Malick, Ferguson discussed the show’s unique approach and its evolution since its debut in 2009. He noted that during its run, the series won 22 Primetime Emmys—an extraordinary accomplishment. In addition, he pointed out that it was very popular from earlier mockumentaries.
Before Modern Family hit the airwaves, the British version of The Office had already set the tone for mockumentary-style storytelling when it launched in 2001. Additionally, the American adaptation of The Office had been using this style for four years by the time Modern Family premiered. Ferguson noted that Modern Family effectively employed this trope. One thing the show never explained at first was why a camera crew would be filming in these characters’ homes.
Ferguson reminisced about the show’s early seasons, stating, “In the very early seasons, we would really try and hold onto the reality that we were with a film crew.” Unfortunately, this commitment to realism began to dissipate as the series went on. By the fifth and sixth seasons, audiences saw situations like characters opening their doors with grocery bags in hand, only to find a camera crew waiting inside without anyone questioning their presence.
“If you watch early episodes, it’s like, ‘Oh, it actually is feasible that this is a reality show.’ And then season five, six is just, like, we’re opening our doors coming home from getting groceries and there’s a camera crew in our house, and no one questions that.” – Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Ferguson shared one other fun fact about the show’s cookery. Originally, a character had been removed from the script before the show solidified into its final form. He remarked, “They ended up cutting that character and then renaming it Modern Family. The construct of it still being a mockumentary was there, but we never explained why.”
The roots of mockumentary-style storytelling run deeper…far deeper than just The Office. In 1979, Albert Brooks’s Real Life invented the form. It provided a hilarious first look at what an entertaining documentary about an ordinary, modern American family might feel like. Woody Allen’s Take the Money and Run (1969) parodied crime documentaries, while Christopher Guest expanded on the mockumentary format in several films like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. PBS’s An American Family was tremendously important in 1973. It’s frequently considered one of the first iterations of reality TV.
Ferguson’s insights reveal how Modern Family cleverly built upon these earlier influences while establishing its own unique identity within the television landscape. Even while transplanting familiar formats, the series was able to find an almost entirely unique niche that captivated audiences.
Actress Wendie Malick participated in the thoughtful conversation, where she revealed what it was like on set. She provided details about her recent virtual appearance opposite Julie Bowen on Modern Family. She remarked, “I don’t even remember thinking about that,” hinting at how seamlessly the mockumentary style integrated into their performances.
In 2024, Ferguson made headlines when he attended the Emmy Awards. He was clearly moved by how far Modern Family as a whole has come since it first debuted. The largely underappreciated breadth of art The Cosby Show had on the trajectory of television history. It brought a new artistic vision to television narrative through groundbreaking mockumentary styles.
