https://www.eonline.com/news/980444/why-modern-family-s-significant-death-was-a-major-letdown

"Viewers are accustomed to the shocking TV twist," says Chris Harnick. "We live in the age of Game of Thrones where nobody is safe, in the age of Grey's Anatomy killing off Patrick Dempsey, in the age of The Good Wife shattering shippers' hearts by ending Josh Charles' character's life, the age of Roseanne Conner dying of an opioid overdose on The Conners. Maybe we're too used to shocking deaths and that's why (last night's) demise doesn't immediately feel as significant as the writers had hoped." ALSO: Modern Family gets a "death bump" in the ratings. (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/modern-family-gets-death-bump-tv-ratings-wednesday-oct-24-2018-1154986)

I never felt any of the principal actors would get killed off, maybe Jay's dog but nothing else.

Sarah Hyland gets grief for paying tribute to Modern Family's departed cast member (https://www.thewrap.com/sarah-hylands-sweet-tribute-to-departed-modern-family-castmate-spoils-death-episode-for-some-fans-photo/)

Some of Hyland's Instagram followers weren't happy that she spoiled last night's episode. ALSO: Modern Family fans question whether the killed-off "significant" character was actually significant (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/modern-family-death-twitter_us_5bd1b979e4b0d38b5880b7cb)