Very interesting episode tonight. It was good, there was alot going on.

Emmett: So, we found out that Emmett was arrested for the billboard incident. Unfortunately, as 'innocent' as the gesture was, and even though it was Bay's work - it was still illegal activity. I feel bad that it had to happen, that he got caught, but it is what it is. I actually felt worse for the treatment he had to undergo while being arrested. Personally, after seeing the marks on his wrists, I think those police officers used some excessive force. I understand that they thought he was coming at them with a weapon in hand, that they didn't know he was deaf, but come on - it wasn't a gun. He wasn't swinging the tool at them and it was two against one. By the time they were able to cuff him, he was already at their mercy anyway, so no excuse for that kind of rough handling of him.

Melody: I actually wasn't as annoyed by Melody as much as I was last episode or as much as I thought I'd be after this episode. I think mentally I had been preparing myself for alot worse, lol, that's why. She was a concerned parent tonight - her son was arrested, so I can reasonably understand why she would be upset. I think the only time I really experienced an annoyed reaction to her was when she deliberately signed out 'stay away' as slow as she did when Bay attempted to explain everything to her. That really wasn't called for - Bay was not being disrespectful towards her, so her continuous attempts to stick it to Bay just need to stop already.

Daphne/Emmett: I did take notice that Daphne came to see Emmett but I wasn't sure whether we were suppose to think Emmett was still under punishment from having visitors. If he still was, then yeah, definitely some preferential treatment there coming from Melody towards Daphne and against Bay. However, that wouldn't be Daphne's fault.

I did like their heart to heart - this is an example of a meaningful moment where I think their friendship is valuable and important for them. Regardless of whoever else is in their lives, whoever else they let in and become close to, these two will always 'get' each other, need each other's friendship. Emmett needed to vent and I think relating his bad experience with the arrest to someone else who was already deaf like himself, someone who can truly relate in every sense of the word, and someone who he is already close to, all at the same time - was very theraputic for him. He needed that. He got so emotional explaining the incident, I kind of wanted to cry for him in that scene.

Bay/Emmett: I loved their ending scene tonight. That was awesome viewing the art like that against the blank wall with a projector and best of all - it's obvious that they're not in any rush to get into any trouble with the law soon, lol.

Bay was very concerned tonight and I think it's very admirable of her to want to accept the blame in Emmett's place. She means well, it's just too bad that Melody can't see past her blinders to be able to tell that Bay has a good heart and really cares about her son. They did make a mistake but it is not Bay's intention to lead Emmett down a wrong path, she is not a bad influence, she's actually trying her best to be a good one. She encourages Emmett and supports what he would like to do.

As for Emmett, I'm not going to rush to judgement and assume that he was necessarily avoiding Bay after he received the text from her. To me, it looked like he was attempting to do what his mother asked of him - working on his studies. He was taking some responsibility and getting some homework done. Not too big of a deal, he could have meant to get back to her later. Also, I'm not quite sure he actually lied about having his phone taken away. We don't know exactly how long that was for and he could have gotten it back already when he got that text from Bay; therefore, I'm not going to assume the worst there without knowing for sure.

She wanted to help but he didn't want her to. She respected his decision with that. It's possible he wanted some space, in addition to being grounded, but that's okay. I don't think that means Emmett is ignoring Bay, though, everyone needs some space once in awhile.

Daphne: Well, lol, I wasn't surprised to see that Daphne wasn't getting the playing time she expected on her new basketball team; however, I called that one after last episode and saw it coming the moment she decided to switch teams. But what did catch me by surprise was the real reason she wasn't getting the playing time. I felt so bad for her being used like that - it was so deceptive to lure her to the team like that under false pretenses.

I really admire the way she is going to handle this, though. She could quit right now and walk away, nobody would blame her, but even though she is technically not at fault for being duped, she is going to stick it out, practice more, and show her new coach that she has what it takes to get playing time for this team. I called into question her decision to quit her old team last weekend but she did earn points from me this week for taking control of this situation and trying to turn it around into a positive for herself. Way to go, not alot of people would handle it that way.

Daphne/John: I think that it was sweet that when she came to him, she made her decision to tough it out on the new team and asked for his help with his coaching. And he agreed to be there for her.

Daphne/Toby: Aw, they had some cute sibling moments tonight. I'm glad that Daphne is feeling more comfortable with coming to him for advice and the help with the basketball. She's getting to know him and can already pick up the signs on when he's not being completely honest with her, lol.

I do like that Toby didn't hold back - he was honest and upfront with her about what he heard regarding her recruitment to the new team.

Daphne/Angelo: I think this might have been the most emotionally impactful scene of the episode, in addition to Emmett's confession to Daphne regarding his arrest experience.

I think she did the right thing confronting him for the truth. It was sad how earlier on, she was looking through the photo album, seeking out the memories. And then later on, asking for the missing pictures with Angelo in them too. This was the man she believed to be her father for so long. I'm sure it was heart-wretching to have to hear the truth, he left because he knew she wasn't biologically his and because she went deaf, which only complicated things for himself if he stuck around. Her points were right on target though, a young child is oblivious to the laws governing blood and DNA links. To her, she just suddenly lost the man she knew as 'daddy' and then came to believe it was her fault.

Angelo: While I'm glad he was honest with Daphne, and he looked to be emotionally conflicted, I'm still feeling doubts about his sudden reappearnce. The news to the Kennish's that he disappeared with no trace for two years is definitely suspicious. My first assumption upon hearing that ...

What kind of trouble did he get into and how much money does he need to get out of it?!

Also, I was a little bit miffed by his choice of words to Regina when recounting to her his encounter with Daphne. It kind of sounded like he was lying to me. He told Regina that the meeting didn't go well and that he tried to tell Daphne it wasn't her fault. I'm sorry but he basically admitted to Daphne that she was the reason he left, so what was he going on about?! He wasn't exactly telling her that it wasn't her fault. I was tempted to read into his explanation to Regina to simply mean that he wanted Daphne to believe it wasn't her fault, wanted her to know that it was his fault for walking out on her for those reasons but the revelation at the end of the episode had me second guessing that. If he can't be trusted with being honest and upfront on where he has been for 2 years, maybe he was just trying to make himself look good in front of Regina, by placing blame on Daphne for the meeting not going too well, and passing it off like he really 'tried.' Hopefully, I'm just reading into that one possible interpretation wrong, though.

The Kennish's: Well, quite a startling revelation for Kathryn and John regarding their representing attorney. That was definitely a conflict of interest, I think they made the right decision in letting her go, even if the lawyer was doing right by them and keeping her personal life separate from her professional one. That just calls too much doubt into question.

The book ... lol, I kind of thought Regina would rebuke the idea of it. We'll have to see where that one goes.

Regina: Hm. I see alot of change coming for her and not necessarily good change. I'm skeptical about her deciding to go into business with Angelo right now, I know her boss pissed her off, lol - but she might regret this if she's not 100% sure of Angelo right now. I hope that John and Kathryn will inform her soon on what they uncovered from the files. From the looks of things from the preview for next week, Angelo isn't too happy with her anyway. My guess is he's going to find out that Regina knew about the switch very early on and he's not going to be too pleased about that. Also, I'm thinking her friendship with Melody could be strained in the near future, over everything regarding Bay.

Bay: I do feel bad for her, she's getting the brunt of Melody's disapproval while she's trying to attempt to do the right thing with no acknowledgement of that. Also, I got the sense that she felt slighted when she met up with Angelo in the beginning, only to be asked what to do about Daphne. That isn't Daphne's fault but I think she wants her bio parents to show more interest in her. It's natural, though. But I'm beginning to think that Bay is soon going to become subject to all the dysfunction that was a part of Regina and Angelo's past. I'm torn, Angelo did seem to really be trying with Bay, but he looked that way with Daphne too. I hate feeling this way, but I still am questioning his true intentions in this entire equation.

Bay/Daphne: I liked their scene - I look forward to more like this one, where they can try to confide in one another without being so defensive. It was interesting to hear why it's so important to Bay to know what Daphne thinks or feels about Angelo, since he is her bio dad. It was also kind of sad that we got some more insight into how Bay thinks that Daphne is the one who hit the 'jackpot' with a bio dad. John will always be her 'dad' but deep inside on some level, I think she feels sad that he's not both to her.

Can't wait until next week.

I feel as though the writing here was alot better than it was now I dont know if its just nogestic feeling or what.

As I read back over my post on January 3, I realize that, these days, at least for me, the thing missing from Switched at Birth is hope.

In Seasons 1 and 2, difficult situations plagued the characters, to be sure, but I always felt hopeful for their future. The writers managed to find a way to keep hope alive for all of the characters. I was rooting for them!

Season 3 was a real downward spiral of depression and despair. Even with Bay & Emmett reunited in Season 3B, it was still awful. Bay & Emmett were not loving each other. They failed their relationship in Season 3B. Daphne was an absolute train wreck, and the parents were so wrapped up in their own problems that they ignored their children. I was beginning to feel hopeful for Bay & Emmett as their high school graduation approached, and then, all of that was dashed when Bay took the fall for Daphne after the graduation ceremony.

I did not find hope for the characters in Season 3, and I missed that. Once upon a time, Switched at Birth inspired me to root for the characters. I felt a connection to each one of them and wanted their lives to be filled with beauty, to have meaning.

Somewhere along the way, I lost that in Season 3, and it did not return in Season 4. Instead, it got worse. I feel even more of a disconnect with the characters.

When Self Portrait With A Bandaged Ear first aired, I loved each one of these characters and all of their imperfections. I cannot say that now.

I do not even see the characters anymore. I only see one contrived plot twist after another. It's sad.

Do you think the writers see our frustrations because I dont think they do

No. I don't think the writers see our frustrations, either. I believe they choose to be oblivious.

It's not that I do not want the writers to please themselves, when they write. I do want that. It's their story!

I wish that the writers would feature characters fans love more heavily, though.

And I wish that the writers would stop making so many of the characters unlikable. Characters' mistakes and bad behavior are a lot more tolerable, when we can see that character's point of view. Without that, I disconnect.