I guess I wanted the writers to find a way to make things right for Bay. Have her go back to school or have her do something. I mean I like this tattoo artist thing, I just honestly wanted the show to go back to character driven rather then plot driven. I don't like the handling of the social issues.

Things will NEVER be right for Bay. She gave that up when she took the fall for Daphne and became a convicted felon. EVERY application that she would fill out, when they asked have you ever been convicted of a felony, she would have to check YES. Guess where that application is going.

I agree that it won't ever be the future Bay originally envisioned for herself, but I do think she can still carve out a nice life. It will just be different than it would have been. She probably won't ever have a traditional, respectable job, but that's not such a bad thing, as long as her heart isn't set on one.

She should do okay being a tattoo artist. Convicted felons can be licensed.

I agree with Barstool Prophet. I really want the show to go back to being character driven rather than plot driven.

The plot has just about sucked all of the life out of this TV series.

Wow, it's taken me nearly a week to have the emotional energy to accept this episode enough to comment on it. I guess that's par for the course over the last couple of seasons, but it's a drag. Why do the episodes have to be so draining?

I loved the episode, because of Emmett. He is and always will be my connection to this story.

I still cannot believe that the writers buried his point of view. The moment the producers minimized Sean Berdy's role, they also minimized the authenticity of their story.

I wanted to see so much more of Emmett's story over the years.

In Season 1-C, I remember telling myself to hang on, that soon, things would go back to normal, but the show never recovered. Emmett should have been given a bigger story line in Season 1-C. I wanted to see him in the 4-episode arc with the Deaf motorcycle racer, and that storyline was scrapped. Emmett should have had a much bigger role in Season 2-A, when the students took over Carlton, and yet, he didn't. We barely saw Emmett in Season 2-B (the summer of Ty) or Season 3-A (the fall of Tank). I hated all of it.

Then, in Season 3-B, we had a promise of something more. The season opened with Bay confessing to Daphne that she had sex with Emmett. We actually saw Emmett for a couple of episodes. He even had the beginnings of a point of view. But then, Angelo dies, and we barely see Emmett for several episodes, and immediately following, EVERYTHING changes with the episode "It Isn't What You Think."

In that episode, Bay decides to go to dinner with Tank and his dad, over celebrating Emmett's acceptance to Gallaudet with him. She tells Tank about her potential to develop aneurysms, instead of telling Emmett. She continues to hide that news from Emmett all season, and pressures him to go to Gallaudet, when he really does not seem to want that. Then, at a moment when Emmett really needs Bay, she abandons him to take the fall for Daphne.

Having Emmett abandon Bay after he had just fought for two years to win her back makes absolutely NO sense at all. I know Bay wasn't being the best partner to Emmett, but I still do not see that as something Emmett would have done. Any other character? Sure. But one who had fought as hard as Emmett to win back Bay's trust? No way.

The writers have given Emmett fans nothing since Episode 23, and originally, his character was absolutely the fan favorite. If the writers wanted to show their superiority over the actor, well, they did it. They destroyed his character of Emmett, and the writers destroyed their story and the entire "Switched at Birth" series along with him.



Me, too. And I agree that their scenes are what make this episode special and unique.

The writers have completely done a hatchet job on Bay & Emmett's relationship, and on Emmett's character in particular, but even with all of that destruction, Bay & Emmett's magic still manages to shine through, at least, on a small scale.

It's difficult to see through all of the mud that the writers have slapped on their characters. I have to be vigilant not to look through that lens, the one where Emmett cheats, lies, and abandons Bay, and then, begs her to come back to him, after she is already happy with someone else, and the one where Bay doesn't have a loyal bone in her body, and even sleeps with Emmett's brother, after being warned that a similar decision by Diego Rivera was torture to Frida Kahlo's soul.

Over the years, Bay and Emmett have treated each other, and their love, with such disrespect that it is difficult to root for them anymore. A love like theirs is rare. To see it treated so callously, and with such disdain, is painful to watch.

As much as their chemistry popped and sizzled on screen in this episode, I have a difficult time suspending disbelief and believing that their feelings for each other are sincere. That's sad, to see both characters as that superficial and shallow now. But that's what the writers have done to them.



Me, too. I agree.



Yeah, I noticed that in the first episode this season.

Years ago, I remember Lucas Grabeel said that ABC Family (Freeform) had offered all of them four year contracts. I guess, when it came time to renegotiate for Season 5, Sean Berdy was not offered a spot as a series regular.

On Instagram, about a year ago, Ryan Lane's mother was attacking me in the comments on Jack Jason's page. Someone with the screen name "Insider Info" joined our heated discussion and said that one of the producers wanted to fire Sean Berdy since the spring of 2012, but ABC Family (Freeform) would not let that happen.

I guess it finally did.



I have the same feeling as you, but I don't credit the writers with that, at least, not yet. Maybe I need to go back and re-watch, to see if it is the writers that make me want Emmett to stick around and to be with Bay. That wasn't my initial interpretation, but I could be too closed to what the writers have to offer right now. I will take a second look.

So far, I have given all of the credit for that feeling to Sean Berdy and Vanessa Marano. Their acting and the directing in this episode is exceptionally good. Those scenes in the tattoo parlor were beautiful.

I did like the line, "I'll never forget that." Vanessa Marano's delivery of that line was perfect, as was the delivery of Sean Berdy's lines in that scene. Truly, they could have not said any words at all and just stared at each other, and I would have been mesmerized.

Bay and Emmett, now, as always, are magic.

I hope it is not an inkling of what is to come this season, too. Sean Berdy has had a light workload since the spring of 2012. Rumor has it that he is only in four episodes this season, and we have already seen two of them. I don't think Emmett will be in the next two episodes. I believe he will be in the 100th episode, and then, his last appearance probably will be in the last episode of the series.

I hope Emmett is in more episodes, but I don't think he is going to have much of a story. That's sad. If so, it's also distasteful that the writers will only be paying lip service to a story that is as important as mental health. Emmett's depression is serious, and it deserves to be covered, since the writers chose to introduce it.

Why even bother to introduce that subject, to only gloss over and ignore it? I really hope that is not the case.



When it comes to Sean Berdy and his character Emmett, all of the signs have been bad since Lizzy Weiss unfollowed him on Twitter in the Spring of 2012.

That's the same month that Ashley Fiolek's (the Deaf motorcross star's) role was suddenly cut from a four episode arc to just one episode. Also, that is when ABC Family (Freeform) cut the number of episodes from 10 to eight that season.

Ten episodes had already been announced in the press. Ashley had already mentioned her four episode arc in interviews, and then, everything changed. I don't know what happened, but it must have been bad. Lizzy Weiss and Sean Berdy seem to have had bad blood between them ever since.



I dislike how they took Daphne from this street smart, cool young woman and turned her into a naive, gullible, clueless innocent (well, as innocent as seven-time felon can be). An innocent is not who Daphne appeared to be in Season 1.

I am excited about next week's story, because I love the character of Sharee. If the writers were smart, they would have Sharee interact with Emmett and his family this season. She knows about the effects of mental illness from all that she has gone through with her mother. Sharee could advise Daphne (if Daphne is still friends with Emmett) and even offer understanding to Melody, if Daphne will introduce Sharee. I remember when Sharee was afraid that her mother might hurt herself. Melody might be going through that, too.

But then again, maybe not, since Melody had time to counsel Travis, and then, to track down John and advocate for Travis, all in this one episode, while she did not see her son with depression, at all.

Melody even managed to put in a plug with John, for Travis to become Bay's husband one day. Melody never did anything like that for her own son, Emmett. Perhaps Travis is Melody's favorite.

Anyway, Sharee is a strong character. Like Emmett, she has charisma. I like her. She is authentic, and I want to see more of her. I also like Iris and Chris. All of them are more likable and relatable than Daphne, or even Bay, lately.



I don't think Daphne cares two hoots about repaying Bay.

Bay will have everyone in love with her in the end. She will have her pick of suitors and probably turn them all away. I see that as Lizzy Weiss's fantasy, so I imagine that's what will happen to Bay. I hope I am wrong, though.

If it was my fantasy, Bay would choose to be with Emmett, in the end.




It is weird that the writers would have both of the girls' schools taken over due to social unrest. How often does that happen in real life? Not that often. But the girls have had it happen two times in two years, at both their high school and their college.


I agree the Travis story is boring as can be.




I want Bay with a guy, but not Travis. I could have been interested in seeing Bay with Emmett, Garrett, or even Tank, after their incident together. I wasn't interested in Bay & Tank as a couple before that incident, but now, I am curious to see how they would handle the struggle and the stigma of becoming a couple, after everything that happened between them.

I don't think a tattoo parlor is the right end for Bay's love of art story. I'm not impressed. (Although, I do appreciate that in the pilot episode for the series, Bay sneaks away to a tattoo parlor to get a tattoo, and now, the series has come full circle.)

I'm going to give the series one more week before I decide how I feel about the story on campus racism. I love the three black characters that will share the point of view, so I am hopeful that the episode will be good. I do think it's lame that the series is doing their second school takeover in as many years. At least, I like the three characters at the forefront of the story though!



Bay did screw herself over when she took the fall for Daphne, and I would LOVE for the writers to play up that fact this season rather than gloss over it.

I don't have much hope though.



Character driven, yes! Amen.

Personally, I thought the tattoo artist angle perfect. It fits n perfectly with axe girl and her street art, as a similar, paying job which allows herself to express herself through art. Plus, it is something she can do with her "criminal record".

As for Emmett/ Bay; for me their story continues to show 2 people who love each other but are not good/ are toxic for one another. They tell the story of 2 people who should walk away despite the love, as love isn't always enough.

They keep doing the same cycle and keep hurting one another.

Maybe Travis isn't the one. Personally I always say Ty as my favourite suitor for Bay. But Bay doesn't need to end up with someone at the end of this. Why couldn't she end up single and travelling the world, which is what someone like Bay, in the real world would do. She is an artist, young, no ties, no university course...she is free to travel the world. Maybe Daphne could go with her. I'm not sure we are invested in Daphne's love interest either. although, it is strange as I always thought they'd go the route of killing off Emmett in the series finale. ie. ending the cycle of Bay/Emmett but allowing acknowledgement of their love. But if the series ends with them all happy then that does not fit. I even thought that might be the reason Bay/Daphne came back and how Travis/Bay would get together. But right now I'm not seeing a story where I root for Bay/Emmett to get together or for any of the romances.

I agree 100%. I still think back to the pilot episode when Bay drags Liam to the "Vintage Tattoo Art Parlor" in downtown Kansas City for a body piercing.

BAY: I'm totally doing it.

LIAM: I think you gotta be 18.

BAY: Lucky for me I'm 21.

LIAM: Bay, if you come home with a hunk of metal sticking out of your face, your mom is going to disown you.

BAY: So let her.

LIAM: Why are you so hard on people?

BAY: What?

LIAM: You've been lashing out at me for weeks and I know you're mad at your parents. So what's going on?


BAY: Nothing's going on.

LIAM: What do you mean "Nothing's going on"? People keep asking, "What's up with your girlfriend?" I'm like, "I have no idea. "

BAY: Like I care what some stupid prep school kids think.

LIAM: And what are you, Bay? Some gangster girl who's had it rough?

BAY: I think we need a break.

LIAM: You know what? Fine, no problem.

Perhaps Bay wasn't lashing out at her parents. Perhaps that's the world for which Bay was born, the one for which she was meant.

But I still remember Bay's words to Emmett, too, when he was thinking about dropping out of Carlton, after his arrest for vandalism:

BAY: This is amazing!

EMMETT: It's your art.

BAY: Yeah, but you miniaturized...you made it smaller. And you made it sticky. This is awesome.

EMMETT: I spent all day fixing them to look right.

BAY: What about school?

EMMETT: I didn't go.

BAY: Haven't you missed a lot of school since you moved here with your dad?

EMMETT: I'm thinking about quitting.

BAY: What?

EMMETT: I want to become a photographer. Why do I need English, math, and biology?

BAY: I don't know. Maybe because that's how you graduate so you can go to college and you can work somewhere other than a minimart while you wait for your photography career to take off.

EMMETT: As long as I get my GED, it's the same as graduating. Is that a problem for you?

BAY: No, it's just... I'm surprised.

EMMETT: Good, you were starting to sound like my mom.

BAY: Me and Melody... that's a laugh.

Bay seemed to value college back then, but who knows? Maybe that was just brainwashing from John and Kathryn, and Bay has outgrown that idea by now.

Even as a convicted felon, Bay could still go to college if she wanted to do so, of course. But upon Bay's return from China, college does not seem to be at the top of her list. Not even art school seems to be at the top of Bay's list anymore.

She is lucky that she can live in her parents' homes (and businesses), so she can be an apprentice, and not worry about making money right now.

I hope Bay is learning from Noelle. I thought it was cute how Emmett suggested that Noelle better watch out, because Bay might just put Noelle out of business one day. Emmett has always believed in Bay's talent as an artist.



I can see and understand that perspective on their story, but it isn't my perspective. I don't see Bay and Emmett as toxic together.

Bay is who she is and much of that is because of her youth. Bay is a person who has "been toxic" with every single man she has dated. She lies to each of them. She goes behind their backs.

For the first time ever, Bay grew a tiny bit in this episode, and she told Emmett that they cannot be friends. Hallelujah! It's about time.

Emmett is also who he is, and he has been toxic with every single woman that he has dated. He seems to have shown evidence of growth over the years, too, though. I was impressed by his honesty with Bay, when she asked him if he wanted to photograph her giving someone a tattoo, as a way to get back together with her.



My perspective is that we all hurt the ones we love. We don't escape this life or any relationship, really, without being hurt.



For me, Ty and Bay don't fit together, but a lot of fans do love them.

It's true Bay doesn't need to end up with someone. That's where I would put my money right now, if I was placing a bet on the finale. Lizzy Weiss likes her female leads to be the kind of women who do not need a man.

Personally, I hope Lizzy Weiss allows Bay to be strong enough to continue letting herself be vulnerable to Emmett. I am rooting for Bay & Emmett.

Although all of the relationships on Switched at Birth have moments of toxicity, I actually see Bay & Emmett's love as one of the least toxic of all.

1. Despite that moment on the beach when Bay seemed obsessed with possessing Emmett over loving him unconditionally, most of the time, both Bay & Emmett give each other space and room to grow as individuals. Most of the time, neither is obsessed with the relationship over the happiness of the other person.

2. Both Bay & Emmett have maintained separate interests and other meaningful relationships, while they have been together and while they have been apart.

3. Both Bay & Emmett encourage each other to grow and expand as individuals. Neither is afraid for the other one to change.

4. Both Bay & Emmett problem solve together. They are good at compromise and taking turns at leading.

5. Neither Bay nor Emmett fall into the trap of trying to fix things for each other. Their emotional state is not dependent on one another.

6. Both Bay & Emmett are able to let each other go.

7. In conversations, most of the time, both Bay & Emmett try to understand and help each other, rather than blame, attack, or manipulate one another.

Unfortunately the above is all the past and intermingled with that is cheating, lies and abandonment. Even their own "first time" was an act of "cheating". And in the real world, that is a lot to get over, especially from Bay's side. This guy cheated on her and the second break up was him abandoning her after an act of "rape" and then he got with Sky (a threat) shortly afterwards. If this was real life, Bay would struggle to get over that and not bring things up in arguments which is why their relationship would, in the real world, be doomed. Yes, the show can try to create some reunion, but it would be constrived and for me not something I'm rooting for because of the above. Emmett dumped Bay harshly and can't come back years later just because his magical life didn't work out and expect to pick up where he left off when Bay finally moved on. And for her to go back there would make her a total mug.