ollibear

Tank could have been a fun friend on the side for all of the regular characters, but that's not the role that the writers gave to him. Nothing pleasurable or enjoyable came out of the role that the writers gave to Tank. Nothing educational came out of it either. The potential was there, but the execution fell short of that.

Yesterday, Lizzy Weiss tweeted something about her favorite fan video for Switched at Birth. It's one of my favorite fan videos, too. It's been posted here several times, but I'll post it again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVJ7Six-10s

Switched at Birth was a different show back then, before Tank. Season 3 changed everything, the tone, the mood, the theme. Everything. I miss the hopefulness of Seasons 1 and 2. Seasons 3 and 4 needed more of that. Maybe Season 5 will have it again.

~AnastasiaGrey~

My issues is Lizzy always turn them into romantic even though it shouldn't be

ollibear

I agree. And I have seen so many fans in social media express that same dismay.

It would be so nice for a writer to explore platonic relationships, too. They do exist.

I'd like to see a writer explore a relationship where the two people just do not feel any sexual attraction for each other. It does happen.

~AnastasiaGrey~

that may be too difficult for them lol

Alexa

No I love Emmett, he's my favorite character so I hate to hear that he isn't in the show much. How disappointing. I am already seeing it this season.

I loved B/E at first but I slowly lost interest. I dont care if they are together or not, Id rather have Emmett focus so Im disappointed that doesnt happen.

ollibear

Me, too.

Sean Berdy knows how to make magic happen on screen. For writers and producers to have that kind of magic, and not use it, is incomprehensible.

~AnastasiaGrey~

Yeah that is so True

ollibear

I had so much hope after this episode aired, and every bit of it was dashed.

Even when Lizzy Weiss gave Bay & Emmett one or two good moments, she and Vanessa Marano said things in interviews and tweets that threw their disdain for the couple in my face.

If anyone from high-up at Freeform ever reads this post, inform your writers and cast members that being contemptuous and mocking a much loved character or relationship on the show is instant death to your fan base.

If anyone at Freeform is wondering what happened to this show's ratings, I believe the answer can be found in looking at the showrunner's attitude towards her audience.

Even when Lizzy Weiss gave us the beautiful moment in this episode, she had to tweet something as it aired that made many fans feel as though she was taking that "cake" and smashing it right into our collective faces. Not cool.

And this problem was not only revealed through social media and interviews.

The contempt for Switched at Birth fans is obvious in the scripts, too.

If a showrunner begins to believe that most of her fans are beneath consideration and deserving of scorn, then her writing will disconnect from its intended audience, as this story did.