MODERN FAMILY: DO NOT PUSH RECAP

This episode of Modern Family touched on family relationships and how they grow and change. Claire learned that by forcing a college on Alex, she might push her away. Cam and Mitch learned that when dealing with sensitive issues with Lily they have to be careful how to approach them or they might push her over the edge (the melodramatic one). And Phil, Haley, and Luke literally learned to read a sign and follow directions (there has to be comedy in here somewhere). Do Not Push was the perfect title for this episode. Let’s get to it!

The Dunphys went on a family trip to tour colleges for Alex. Claire wants her to be close to home at Cal Tech so she made a big deal about how perfect the campus is. She knows that once Alex graduates from college she won’t see her often. Alex doesn’t love the idea of going to school so close to home and she told Claire she only went on the tour so Claire couldn’t say she didn’t give it a fair shot. When Alex told her mother she wasn’t going to Cal Tech, Claire didn’t take it very well.

Cam, Mitchell and Lily were taking a new family portrait (Lily isn’t in the current picture above the mantle and is not happy about it). Every time they took the picture Lily made a weird face and forced smile. They tried to show her the picture so she could recognize her mistake, but all she noticed was that Cam could use a little face powder. Hilarious! They told her that she wasn’t doing her normal beautiful smile, and she took it like they were saying she wasn’t beautiful. She threw a mini-fit that made daddy Cam proud.

It’s Gloria and Jay’s anniversary and Jay was nervous about his gift for her. He made her a cute bunny in his pottery class (because bunny used to be his nickname for her when they first started dating). Manny let it slip that she bought him an expensive watch and he wasn’t sure if the bunny was good enough. Manny gave him a pep talk encouraging him to give it to her, but he wasn’t convinced.

Jay took Manny’s advice and gave Gloria the bunny and she didn’t know what it was. Jay panicked and said something was inside. She smashed the bunny on the table trying to see what was inside (sheesh it wasn’t a piñata). Jay looked so hurt. He told her that the jeweler forgot to put a bracelet inside. Manny tried to interrupt him, but Jay was embarrassed and left to go to the jewelry store and he teared up as he was leaving. Aw poor Jay!

On the tour, Alex met a guy that was planning on attending Cal Tech and he was flirting with her. She tried to play it cool, but she ended up leaning against the emergency alarm and set off the siren. Whoopsie!

Phil, Haley, and Luke decided to do an experiment on campus (for an extra $50). They went in the waiting room and there is a big red button on the wall that said “Do Not Push.” Of Course Luke went straight for it and Phil stopped him. Phil was convinced that the button was the experiment and the scientists were watching them through a mirror on the wall to see how long it them to push the button. The three of them tried to resist and finally they pushed it together and the air conditioning came on. The employee came out and said they would have to call a repair man because since they pushed the button, the air conditioning wouldn’t turn off. Then he said, “Didn’t you see the sign?” Woops! That was not the experiment.

Claire found Alex on campus after she talked with her new guy, and she was singing a different tune. Suddenly Alex wasn’t so quick to cross Cal Tech off of her list. Claire was proud and thought it was because she didn’t want to be away from her, but we all know it was because of a new crush (who already sent her friend request on Facebook).

When Jay came home with Gloria’s bracelet, she had fixed the bunny and told him that she loved it. She even decided to make him a bookmark of the movie tickets from their first date. She said they should always make gifts for each other and she was going to return the watch. Jay said he would take the bracelet back too. They thought about it for awhile and they both really wanted to keep the purchased gifts and Manny (who was making dinner and holding baby Joe) told them to keep the gifts and they did. Seriously, what would they do without Manny?

Modern Family airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on ABC.