'Modern Family' Episode 2 Recap: Phil, Haley And Luke Undergo A Psych Experiment

Sarah Hyland, From ABCs 'Modern Family,' Poses Backstage. — Sarah Hyland, from ABCs "Modern Family," poses backstage at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California August 25, 2014. Reuters

Alex Dunphy is heading off to college soon and in episode 2 of "Modern Family," her entire family joins her for a campus tour at Caltech. While Claire is busy finding a way to convince Alex to choose the school because of its proximity to their home, Phil, Haley and Luke wandered off to check out a psych experiment that a lab is offering on campus.

Phil and the other two kids who tagged along decided to branch off from Claire and Alex to undergo a psychological test which promises to pay $50. They all proceeded to the lab and were told to wait in a holding room. Luke immediately spotted a red button with a big "Do Not Push" sign and declared that he will push it. Phil stopped him and said that he should learn to follow the rules.

Haley was checking herself out in the wall mirror and pointed out that the mirror was fuzzy. Phil then had a eureka moment and said that he's figured it out. He said that they were probably not waiting for anything and that the experiment was taking place right now. He said that it was probably a one-way mirror and the scientists were observing them from the other side.

He kept insisting that Luke shouldn't push the button and that it's a test of character. He pointed out that it's a simple test and Luke can't pass it then how can he get into a good college face other challenges later in his life. The issue about Luke skipping class kept getting brought up. He skipped the class because he wanted to finish a shot for a film which he's currently completing as a passion project. Luke figured out that Phil feels like Luke is so much like him so he's trying to steer Luke in a better direction.

They then jointly decided that they should push the button to show that they don't have to follow all the rules all the time and made an example of Steve Jobs and other highly successful men who didn't always go by the rules. Haley then stepped up and stopped them from pushing it and said that she went out of the box all her life and look where she ended up, a college dropout living in her parents' basement. She explained that being a rebel is not all that it's hyped up to be.

In the end, the family decided to stick together in defiance towards the scientists who were testing them. They stood together before the mirror and then Haley asked how the scientists would know they were sending out a message if nothing was happening. They then concluded that it was the button after all. They needed to push the button together to send out their message that they had stuck together and were not divided by the test.

All three of them put their hands together and pushed the button at the same time. The air-conditioning came on and the scientist entered the room again and asked who was the idiot who pressed the button. They said it was them and the guy told them that the air-conditioning unit is busted and now they will need to call in a maintenance guy to shut it off again.

Haley then checked the mirror to see that it was only hanging off the wall. It dawned on to them that they were being over creative in their minds about the experiment. The guy handed them each a clipboard with a test and they realised that it really was just a holding area after all.

Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria have trouble agreeing on what kind of anniversary gift they should give each other. Is it going to be sentimental of extravagant? Mitch and Cam also encounter some problems as Lily seems to be smiling stiffly in the new family photo that they are trying to take together.