[1] In the episode, it is the first day back to school for the kids and, at the Dunphy house, Phil oversteps when he misreads how Claire is coping with an empty nest.

"Run for Your Wife" received positive reviews from the critics and became the highest rated scripted program of the night.

Luke (Nolan Gould) was supposed to keep a summer journal, but he only wrote one entry: June 21, found a stick.

In reality, Claire just wants to sit in the house alone and read her book but Phil challenges her to a running race, believing he is faster than she is.

Gloria finds the poncho in the trunk of the car and gets mad, making Jay drive back to school to return it to Manny.

Leaving the doctor's office, Mitchell doubts his abilities as a father and while arguing with Cameron about it, they accidentally lock Lily in the car.

[2] Cameron and Mitchell's reaction to Lily being locked in the car was improvised by the actors who play them, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

IGN reviewer Robert Canning gave the episode an 8.9 calling it "Great" and also stated "Even though the series can get hilariously loopy, this subtleness keeps it all grounded and real… and very, very funny.

[5] Jason Hughes of TV Squad said "Once again, the three families on this show needn't interact at all for the series to work".