Shelley Long Rocks 'Modern Family'

A few weeks ago, I praised Community for being one of the best comedies of the fall. I still love the show, but it's been a bit uneven the past few episodes. Don't get me wrong, I excitedly look forward to it every week as the banter between characters is right up my alley, but as good as Community has been, it hasn't gotten stronger and stronger the way Modern Family has. Case in point: last night's episode which featured a beyond-brilliant guest appearance by Shelley Long as the heretofore unseen mother of the Pritchett clan. Not only was the writing for her character sharp and hilarious, but Shelley Long reminded us why she was so beloved on Cheers: her comic skills are simply fantastic. The producers must find a way to return to the show. Immediately.

Luckily, if you haven't seen the show, ABC has the first four episodes on its awful site here as well as a Shelley Long clip and an amusing music video (it's all embeddable in theory, but the aforementioned awful website keeps stalling out when I click the "share" option for code — so you have to go there to watch it). And while you're there, check out Cougar Town, which my friend Sawgee writes on! (Shameless plug!!!)