Shelley Long is one of the best tv comediennes of her generation yet MODERN FAMILY never bothered to use her beyond seven episodes even though Dee Dee was referenced in virtually every other episode. It never made sense that Dee Dee would have moved so far away or had such limited contact with her family. It a shame the writers and creators had so little respect for her talents. She could have added a lot to the show had they made her a semi-regular. Even in her widely spaced guest appearances, she brought a lot to the series and Dee Dee was one of my two or three favorite characters on the show.

I agree, and I've never liked Shelly Long with the exception of a few of her roles, but I loved Dee Dee. She was a great foil for Jay and Gloria.