ollibear

ollibear

Well, this is IT! I can't believe it's tonight!

Here are my predictions!

BAY: I believe that she will find a way to convince Travis to leave for Tokyo without her. She will do this, as she did for Emmett, because it is right for him. I also believe that Bay will be experiencing some success in her own tattooing career and not want to leave home for that reason. (Tokyo could have been great for Bay, though, especially if she had opened her mind to anime.) By the end of the episode, I also believe that Bay will at least appear open to rekindling her love affair with Emmett.

DAPHNE: I believe that she will recognize that becoming a doctor is not for her. She will probably choose a career path related to medicine though, because she does seem to like science. My guess is that Daphne will combine that love of science with her love of sports to consider a career in sports medicine. I also believe Daphne will rekindle her love with Mingo.

EMMETT: I believe that he will find success with his photography. Perhaps "Live Ink" magazine will offer him a position on their staff. I also believe Emmett will decide that he still loves Bay and will make a move to reach out to her.

KATHRYN: Well, the episode description says that Kathryn uncovers a family secret that changes everything. I'm stumped, to be honest. I guess it might have something to do with the family considering a move long ago. Perhaps Kathryn wonders if the switch would ever have been uncovered, if they had moved far away. After all, everything hinges on Bay taking that blood type test in biology class at Buckner. What else could it be? Hmm...perhaps Kathryn & John almost didn't have a second baby?

JOHN: I don't think much will change for John. Kathryn's growth as a person has been good for their marriage. He is happy coaching baseball at UMKC. I believe he loves being a grandfather and may even become involved in Special Olympics. Now that Travis is soaring in Tokyo, I predict John will develop a stronger relationship with Toby, too, and perhaps, one day, his two future son-in-laws.

REGINA: I predict that she will dive headfirst into a committed relationship with Luca believing him to be the one for her and recognizing that, despite appearances, their relationship actually has a nice balance of trust, chemistry, and practicality.

TOBY: I believe that he will balance his love of making music with being a husband, dad, son, and brother. I find myself most curious about Toby's relationship with Daphne, in the end. I wonder if that will be touched upon at all.

In just 11 hours, we'll know how well I did predicting the futures of these characters I love so dearly.

ollibear

Well, all of my predictions are wrong, and that was the worst episode of "Switched at Birth" I have ever seen. It was the worst finale of any TV series I have ever seen.

It was overly sentimental and empty and meaningless.

At least, I kept hope alive until the very end.

I'm ready to shut down this board. If anyone feels differently, speak up.

nailpolishchick2

I got my answer tonight on whether or not I would regret watching this show. And my answer is YES. Huge mistake. Lizzy Weiss completely ignored history. I hate her. I will never believe her and Travis are this big love because history said otherwise, I dont believe it. After tonight, I am finished with this show. I will never EVER watch a show by Lizzy Weiss ever again. She wasted five years of my life and for what. Absolutely nothing.

~AnastasiaGrey~

Yeah I wasn't happy at all.. and it was just nothing. to me worse finale ever

and Amy Yeah I am ready to close it as well. its just disheartning.

ollibear

I wanted Bay & Emmett together, but I could have been happy with a well-written finale, if they remained apart.

I would have preferred Bay end things with Travis and remained on her own, rather than turn Travis into The One, but I could even accept that, if well-written.

However, I draw the line at Lizzy Weiss allowing Bay to orchestrate turning Emmett into Travis's househusband to dust all of his trophies, take pictures of him, and clean up after him on the road in Japan.

It wasn't a good enough future for Bay to be Travis's tag-along, but it was good enough for Emmett. Right....

Emmett doesn't even like Travis. He couldn't even make eye-contact with him at the art gallery. And he is going to follow him to Tokyo as his tag-along?

What a way to take a great character and completely decimate him! At the very least, Emmett should have been able to go off on his own someplace and start over again. The idea of Emmett sharing some sick brotherhood with Travis, where he gets to spend the rest of his life watching Travis & Bay be intimate with each other is TOO MUCH.

How would Bay like to watch Emmett be intimate with Daphne? She wouldn't. It's not fair that Lizzy Weiss penned a similar future for Emmett.

And of course, Daphne has Mingo as her true love now.

What an overly sentimental and maudlin ending to what was once a good show. I hated it.

sawako

I'm my even going to watch this, so over it

Barstool Prophet

Okay I am so confused.

So John ripped Regina a new one the first season when he found out she knew about the switch but knew Bay wasn't his the whole time and kept it a secret? A comet going over the house? Emmett and Travis besties? Eric is going to go to prison so he can be with Regina? She is raising that kid? Does Regina even have a job? Regina kept the switch for 16 years but couldn't lie to her boy toy for a week?

Japan came up and I was like Ty? Then no Ty...

The Downs syndrome stuff was depressing. I just wished they had of left that out. Toby is married with a kid and he is excited to live in his parents guest house?

Daphne is becoming a doctor? I don't see it. Mingo gave up an awesome internship for her? Are there any people on the planet that won't ruin their lives for her? I just can't.

Really no closure for Bay and Regina. No recognition that Bay gave up everything for her. Why where Bay and Daphne laying so close together on the lawn? That's new.

Travis is playing Baseball in Japan? Is this going to be a spinoff

I was happy for Melody, she got the happiest ending

Are Bay and Travis together? I am confused.

othfan1980

I'm the opposite. What I liked about the ending was staying true to characters and almost to real life rather than trying to please the fans in terms of couples.

Bay and Emmett gave it 2 shots and both times it ending with a lot of pain and breaches of trust. Most couples, let alone a couple under 20 years old survive that because the trust goes. You can find a path to be friends but to have the level of trust, ease required with a long term partner. The thing I have learnt as I have gone through life is we have first loves that are often passionate, but the partner we settle down with is our best friend, our lover and someone we trust implicitly. And I would have struggled with an ending of Bay/Emmett together for that reason. Bay/Travis have a normal, healthy relationship...is it this great dramatic Romeo/Juleit story? No. But that's true to life. We date our romeos, get hurt and then we realise what is important. Trust, honesty, friendship, fun, supporting each other, making it work and common goals.And Bay and Emmett couldn't do that twice! And Bay and Travis have managed to have a healthy relationship with little drama, support each other, be there for each other and ultimately beat a number of obstacles Bay/Emmett never could. That is what made that choice the right one in my opinion. For Bay to have turned around in the finale and gone I can't live without Emmett would have felt like another doomed reaction based on feelings rather than thinking about what was right for her and them.

As for Emmett not liking Travis. They fell out over Bay. They were best friends and like brothers. To throw away the years of friendship over a girl Emmett himself dumped; it was right and typical for Bay (the person who came between them) to try to finally mend that as she finally knew what she wanted and had a place in the world with art, where she was happy. She could have ended things with Travis, emmett gone away...but I thought it very Bay to try to repair their relationship given the previous episode with his mum, Emmett's depression and the fact the boys are so closely linked through Emmett's mum. It's different if Travis wasn't some sort of foster son.

Finales, when ending shows, don't need major drama. Its about the character's story's coming together. And Bay's is one that rang true. Despite her rather stupid mistake taking the fall for Daphne, she found a place in the world where she could be an artist and have a career which made her happy. And tattoo artist feels quite realistic given her tagging past. and she found peace in her relationships and what she wanted from a guy. She didn't need drama, passion. She needed trust, honesty, respect and friendship with someone she could grow with. And unfortunately she never got that with Emmett. Sometimes you can't go back and love isn't enough. And love can take different forms.

ollibear

That would be confusing! That's not what happened, though.

When Bay revealed the results of her biology-class blood test at Buckner (and remember John joking with the family about Kathryn having a fascination with a mail carrier who has snaggly teeth), John was bothered by the fact that Bay has AB blood type and he and Kathryn both have A.

So John, without telling anyone, immediately took some of Bay's hair from a brush and got it DNA tested. John learned that Bay was not his child and assumed Kathryn had had an affair, but that was only a couple of weeks before Kathryn did a similar test at Bay's request, and the whole family discovered that Bay was not their biological child.

So John only kept the secret that Bay was not his child, for a week or two at most. When the family discovered the babies had been switched at birth, at least, John learned that Kathryn had not cheated to produce Bay.

That part bugs me greatly.

The writers didn't even have the wherewithal to remember that Angelo had given John a state-of-the-art telescope, when he received all of the money from his lawsuit against the hospital. That would have been a nice way to bring Angelo's memory into this final episode.

But worse than that, looking up at the stars was always Bay & Emmett's gig. In every season, you will find an episode of Bay & Emmett gazing up at the stars together. Sometimes they did that in multiple episodes per season. And now, in Season 5, the writers make a concerted effort to negate that memory for fans. Looking up at the stars suddenly becomes the family's jam, and not something Bay & Emmett do together.

Oh, and for good measure, the song that played during the first time Bay & Emmett made love together, under the stars, ALSO plays as the family looks up at the stars together, because, you know, Bay & Emmett cannot have anything special that's just their own, not even a song, in the end.

That is perhaps the most unbelievable part of the whole series. Lizzy Weiss is a MASTER at telling the audience important information, without showing us anything.

We've never seen any evidence of that kind of relationship between Emmett and Travis. The idea of Emmett moving to Tokyo, Japan, to follow Travis around on his professional baseball team is ludicrous. It was not even a good enough future for Bay to choose, and she is supposedly in love with Travis and she definitely shares a sexual relationship with him.

So, even though, Bay will not go to Tokyo to polish Travis's trophies and learn meditation and the ancient art of basket weaving, Emmett will????

And it wasn't even Emmett's idea, but Bay's? So Bay orchestrates Emmett's life for him, even when they are not a couple, first sending him to USC, and now, sending him to Japan.

Bay may be an important character on this show and important in Emmett's life, but no one holds that kind of power over another's life. Bay isn't so special as to keep calling the shots for Emmett, even after they break up. The writers made a stupid decision, and it only serves as evidence as to how much the writers wanted to decimate Emmett's strength and autonomy as a character.

Okay, you are right. Maybe THIS is the most unbelievable part of the whole series. Eric is a former gang member. He knows what prison is like. He knows what will happen to him in prison for three years. But he is going to accept that, in order to be with Regina when he gets out? And he is going to trust her raising his son? One that he has risked everything to protect?

I would not trust Regina raising my child. Eric knows about Daphne's crime spree. Does he really think Regina will be able to raise Will all by herself in East Riverside? And won't he miss some of the most important three years of his son's life? That's so unbelievable.

And what a slap in the face to Bay that Regina wants to raise another child, but she takes no interest in Bay. Regina wasn't even willing to help Angelo raise his daughter Abby, who is Bay's biological sister. But Regina is all over raising another man's son.

I felt bad for Luca. He didn't deserve that. But he did dodge a bullet by escaping his relationship with Regina. It may hurt him now, but he'll be luckier in the long run.

Was Ty supposed to be in Japan? I thought he was in Germany.

I agree. The Down syndrome stuff could be lovely to explore, if Toby was in a relationship with someone who is his soulmate. But instead, he is stuck in this relationship with Lily, who doesn't really love him. They only married because of the baby. He is once again living in his parents' home. And now, he is giving up his music, too.

I guess it doesn't really matter, though, because this show never explored anything with much depth.

Okay, you're right! THIS must be the most unbelievable turn for the whole series.

Daphne is no more going to become a doctor than Toby is. Lizzy Weiss is living in her fantasy world. I am glad Weiss has this world of fiction, because someone like Daphne could not exist in the real world.

It really sucks.

Weiss says Bay and Daphne are the true soulmates of the series. All I see is a leech and a host.

In an interview yesterday, Lizzy Weiss said she would love to do a spin off with Travis and Emmett in Japan. Like I would believe that. I am quite sure Lizzy Weiss does not want to work with Sean Berdy again. She would need to recast his role.

I sure would not watch another Weiss production. Her storytelling is meaningless.

Really? I thought it strange how she keeps taking in 19 year old young men. That's how old Travis was when she took him into her home, too.

Why does Melody want to rescue young men her son's age, when her own son obviously needs more of her attention? I don't get it.

Yes, Bay & Travis are together. In interviews published last night, Lizzy Weiss said that Travis is The One for Bay, and together, they have what it takes to build a relationship that will last for the rest of their lives. Bay & Travis are long-distance runners now.

Lizzy Weiss and Vanessa Marano both said in interviews that Travis will never hurt Bay. He will be loyal and trustworthy for their whole lives.

I find that unrealistic, too. Any human being as neglected as Travis was in his formative years, not even sharing a language with his family, and especially considering Travis also suffered sexual abuse, is not going to be emotionally healthy enough to be some perfect mature suitor for Bay for the remainder of their lives.

I knew the second the episode ended that you would love it. That was one of the first thoughts I had as the final credits rolled.

Oh, I didn't want Bay to feel she cannot live without Emmett. That would have been horrible.

I just wanted Bay to trust herself enough to be able to go for the deeper, more fulfilling connections in life.

No, they weren't. They had a few moments of being pals, but they were never best friends or like brothers.

What years of friendship? Travis and Emmett dislike each other throughout most of their junior year of high school, and it is only during their senior year that they become semi-friends. But they are never all that close.

I suppose that it is typical for Bay, but it's one of the few qualities I dislike about her. I was hoping that Bay would mature out of this need to orchestrate Emmett's life for him.

Plus, the idea of Emmett going to Tokyo is so STUPID. Why would he go there to be a photojournalist? It makes no sense. The majority of Japanese people do not even speak English. Emmett is Deaf. Travis may have an interpreter through his baseball team. What is Emmett going to do?

Lizzy Weiss just needed a way to get rid of Emmett's character in the end, so she stuck him in Japan with Travis.

When Bay comes to Tokyo for her Thanksgiving visit, I am sure that watching Bay and Travis have an intimate, sexual relationship will be just what the doctor ordered for Emmett's depression.

Oh, and I suppose Emmett's depression is all cured now, because you know, bygones.

Love is always enough, and you can always go back, if you choose to go back.

As for Bay growing with Travis, a real-life Travis who had been neglected by his parents and never even shared a language with them, one who had been sexually molested as a child and never faced it, is not going to be ready to grow in a mature relationship with anyone. He is going to need counseling and help to overcome his anger and trust issues.

Lizzy Weiss's finale fantasy world does not ring true to me at all.

Barstool Prophet

Ah I missed that part. I meant more John kept it a secret, but if it was a short amount of time then it isn't the same thing. The Toby thing bothers me. Toby never had a real moment with either girl to say anything about being his sister. I never saw any chemistry between him and his wife. No more music for Toby? But he loved it. No mention of Angelo's kid?

I hope you are not right about the spinoff. I was kidding . Where was either Grandmother?
You know she is going to end up caring for Eric's kid .

I don't think everyone paired up was necessary.

This finale was supposed to give me closure No flashbacks. Except Emmett and Bay whom she didn't want to be with?

John S

Give the thread another day or 2 before closing it down for good.

The reason why Bay and Daphne laid head to head on the grass was because that had been the promo shot since the series began.

Although negative, I believe that my predictions would have been a better ending than what we saw last night.

ollibear

Your predictions were too negative for me, but I agree that they would have made for a more honest ending than what we saw.

I just do not understand Emmett moving to Japan to follow Travis on an adventure. And I loathe the thought of Bay visiting them for Thanksgiving, as she promised, and Emmett watching the two of them in an intimate relationship.

How is that going to work for his depression?

Speaking of which, what about his depression? He tried to commit suicide a month ago, partly because Bay sent him off to USC alone, where no one spoke his language, and he felt alienated. Now, Emmett is going to be in Tokyo, where no one speaks his language again, and few people even understand written English.

Is everyone rushing off to Tokyo to begin a career in photojournalism these days? With no training? What have I missed?

charming_essa

I'm sorry that the finale was not what people hoped for.

I just didn't care about John having taken the paternity test and not telling Katherine. It came out of nowhere. I think they just needed them to have something going on in this episode and that was all they could come up with. It had no affect on anything really.

It is so clear to me that Daphne is John's favorite child. He might as well have just come right out and said it. I did like the scenes between Daphne and Kathryn and how knowing Daphne has changed Kathryn's way of seeing people with disabilities.

I was fine with the resolution to Daphne's story. I expected her to continue to pursue her dream of being a doctor. She and Mingo are a cute couple. I was okay with whichever way that went.

The short scene at the end between Bay and Regina was nice, but did nothing to make up for the fact that the story has been neglected for nearly the entire series. I feel like Regina never really put forth any effort to get close to Bay.

I've always liked Regina and Eric together and I was pretty sure she wasn't going to run away with him, but I found it very unbelievable that after running for all these years, he's now willing to turn himself in and go to prison. Also I'm pretty sure you can't just hand off your kid to whoever you want to raise them while you're in jail. There is a process in place for those situations and since (I assume) Regina is not licensed for foster care and she and Eric are not married, she wouldn't just be granted custody.

The Travis/Bay/Emmett resolution was terrible. Emmett and Travis are just barely on speaking terms. Why would Emmett want to go to Tokoyo with him and travel around with a baseball team?? That makes no sense. I also really hate that they started this depression storyline for Emmett and then dropped it. Totally not buying that Bay and Travis are *the one* for each other. Nope, Emmett or no Emmett, I don't buy it. Also a huge disappointment to fans of Bay of Emmett who have been waiting for a reunion, or at least some hint of one. This is the part where you say "screw canon" and embrace fanfiction.

I didn't care about Melody and Gabe or Toby and Lily so no real opinion on those storylines.

I came to this board really late, but I have very much enjoyed posting with all of you the last few months.

girl under the floor

I'm reading this thread and since I've already missed lots of episodes, I might not watch for a very long while

It sucks guys