'Modern Family' Showrunners Say Season 10 Will Be Its Last

By Denise See, Christian Post Contributor Tuesday, January 16, 2018

"Modern Family" has already been renewed for a 10th season, but it looks like the show is going to stop there.

While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, showrunners Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd revealed that they are looking at season 10 as the final installment in the series. Aside from the decision stemming from a creative standpoint, the cast members' contracts also only last until season 10, so negotiating bigger deals for future seasons would prove to be difficult and quite expensive for ABC and 20th Century Fox Television.

"Our plan is to end it at 10," Levitan said. If we can leave with most of our audience wanting more, I think that's the right way to do it. Never say never, but I just can't imagine that we'd go past that."

The show is currently in its ninth season, but Levitan and Lloyd have no plans on tackling political issues in an aggressive manner. Should they address politics in any way, Levitan says that they always try a "really subtle" route.

"Our mission here has always been to make people laugh and to make them feel something," he said. "But if our mission had been to change hearts and minds, then I think we would do it exactly the same way — get an audience to fall in love with these characters."

And, while the show does not have a future beyond season 10 at this point in time, there is always the possibility of a spin-off series focusing on one or more characters. Levitan and Lloyd explained that they have not had "substantive conversations" about the potential spin-off, though the idea will likely be discussed towards the end of "Modern Family."

For now, fans can look forward to the upcoming episode of season 9, titled "In Your Head." The synopsis states that Phil (Ty Burrell), Gloria (Sofia Vergara), and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) will look for Luke (Nolan Gould) together when he suddenly goes missing in a sketchy neighborhood.

Elsewhere, Haley (Sarah Hyland) will get an earful from Alex's (Ariel Winter) professor, Arvin Fennerman (Chris Geere), after she barges into his class.

"Modern Family" season 9 airs Wednesdays, at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.