 <p>Use the same genre array that backs the genre tables as the data source for the modal table. In the modal table didSelectRowWIthIndexPath, get the genre string from that array. Now you have lots of choices for how to get the genre item back to your detail table view controller. You could post a notification, you could use a KeyValue Observer, you could pass a reference to the detail VC to the modal and then the modal can set an exposed attribute on the detail VC, etc. Then the detail vc would add that genre value to whatever array is back it's data, and then you call reloadData on the detail VC table. Your modal VC would have to do something like [navigationController popViewController:animated] to dismiss itself.</p>