John S

Thank You for explaining what you meant by the word "abuse".

ollibear

Why do people think it was so important to Bay to hold onto Tank's friendship, even after she dumped him?

Was it just because of her guilt about cheating?

Perhaps it was difficult for Bay to reconcile that image of herself as a cheater. In Bay's mind, could maintaining a friendship with Tank have ameliorated that image?

Does Bay truly like Tank so much that she cannot let go of his friendship? Is Tank's friendship something she absolutely needs in her life? Would Bay have stayed in touch with Tank, even once she had moved to LA with Emmett?

I wish Toby had never asked Tank to move in with him. If he hadn't, perhaps Tank would have faded away after Bay dumped him.

I wonder if Tank is going to come back into Bay's life next season. And if he does, I wonder how he will enter her life again. Through Toby? Through legal proceedings at the college?

ollibear

I don't see any way for the writers to repair this friendship. In my mind, neither Bay nor Tank should want a friendship any longer.

I wonder if Bay will ask herself why she hung onto the friendship with Tank, after she had cheated on Tank with Emmett.

Or I wonder if Tank will actually ask her that question.

I wonder if Tank ever asks himself why he agreed to be friends with Bay again, after she dumped him.

The only hope I have for Bay and Tank's next meeting is that Bay is not further traumatized. She has been through too much already.

I'm not worried about Tank, because I trust Bay enough to know that she will not be cruel to him, even though it would be well within her right TO BE cruel to him.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Emmett. I imagine Bay will let all of her wrath out on Emmett, the next time she sees him. But who knows, maybe Bay will surprise me. I actually don't think it would be a bad thing for her to express her anger at Emmett. Either way, it would be fine.

ollibear

The news media continues to call what happened between Bay & Tank a rape, as if it is a done-deal, but it's not a done-deal.

I have always sensed that ABC Family and the writers of Switched at Birth do not feel what happened between Bay & Tank was a rape.

Today, a scripted Season 4A recap was released by the network.

Vanessa Marano provides the narration for viewers, and the script makes it pretty clear that the network does not consider what happened between Bay & Tank a rape.

So why does the news media keep calling it a rape in news articles and reviews?

Here's the recap:

Katie Leclerc is ‘proud’ of ‘Switched at Birth’s’ ‘messy’ stories |

I see people posting visitor messages about the "rape" on the official Facebook page ALL OF THE TIME. So many fans seem confused by what happened on the show, and yet, they do not believe that they are confused. Many fans seem to have decided that it is black and white, even though the show has left it as gray.

I am confused by what happened on the show, too, but I do know enough to recognize that I am confused.

For instance, someone today posted these messages:

People obviously believe that they know what happened, and they are waiting for justice to be served. With Tank being expelled, I hope Switched at Birth continues to reinforce the message that this is NOT a clear-cut situation. For those people believing that Tank's expulsion is proof of his guilt, it's not.

The only thing Tank's expulsion proves is that colleges want to hold onto their Title IX funding, and they will drop a student quicker than a hot potato, if they believe for one moment that student might jeapordize their funding.

But Tank was not given due process. Tank was not found guilty in a court of law. Tank was not arrested by the authorities. I dare say from what I have seen so far that Bay does not even believe that Tank should be arrested by the authorities.

Does anyone believe we will see Bay get to a place where she DOES feel Tank should be arrested by the authorities?

Or do most people think that Bay will always feel partially responsible for what happened between her and Tank, and therefore, Bay will not ever feel as though Tank should be arrested by the authorities?

nailpolishchick2

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens tonight with Bay and Tank. Despite what happened, I always did like Tank but I hated what Bay did to him with that interviewer.

ollibear

It made me feel sad for both of them. They both lost so much more than they should have lost, because the college got involved. The university's involvement did nothing "for" Bay, instead its involvement hurt both Bay and Tank. They'd already hurt each other enough. Neither of them needed the college compounding it.

Great new laws. Not.

nailpolishchick2

They both lost out and they're both wishing they did things differently. I do know, if there was no Emmett, I'd want to really see Bay and Tank explored.

teaholic

So true that the investigation made the situation so much worse for both Bay and Tank. I think they did both learn something from having the situation taken this seriously - maybe Tank learned to see how much damage his (and Bay's) choices had done to Bay, and maybe Bay learned to think of herself as somebody worth protecting... but ultimately the investigation did more harm than good.

I'm glad Episode 16 showed Tank as ultimately a good guy. I was scared he would be shown as being angry and vindictive towards Bay... but he was sad, resigned, disillusioned, but not angry at her. I liked that he apologized to her for his part in the mess and didn't blame her for his situation.

It's also interesting how he was asking Bay whether she knew what it felt like to know that for the rest of his life, he would be branded with the name "sex offender". Bay didn't say this, but I felt like she could have replied, "Yes, because for the rest of my life, I will be known as a felon." Of course, this had nothing to do with Tank, and it was her choice to take this path, but I feel like she is only now realizing what it is like to live with that stigma.

Wes&FredFan

The difference regarding the affiliations with their names is that Bay's name is attached to a different kind of crime. Tank's name is forever linked to a sex crime when he and Bay both made a mistake by getting drunk.

teaholic

I agree, Tank's is worse. I personally did not agree with the college's decision to expel him or with the implication that what he did was rape. They were both drunk, they both exhibited poor judgment, and while generally, the woman stands to be hurt more in a situation like that, it still doesn't mean he assaulted her.

I wasn't implying their situations are the same, but I do think Bay can relate to Tank's predicament more than he realizes. She didn't say this - mostly, I think, because she is trying not to dwell on how serious the consequences of taking the fall for Daphne may be. I think she is trying to look to the future with optimism.

Wes&FredFan

I really hope that's not the last we see of Tank. I still like his friendship with Bay.

nailpolishchick2

Truth be told, I really liked Tank, he was such a sweetheart, he had his faults but he certainly did not deserve to get expelled over what happened. I always said, Tank had a teddy bear quality about him and if there was no Emmett, I'd really love to see Bay and Tank explored seriously other than what we had. Personally, I hope this wasn't the last we saw of Tank.

ollibear

Unfortunately, I am worried that it might be the last we see of Tank. I never cared for the character, but he's grown on me, as I have watched him deal with society's injustice.

I'm interested in his story now.

I never liked Tank, but I do agree that he had a teddy bear quality about him.

I'm afraid this situation with Bay has robbed him of that innocence. I don't think Tank will ever be that carefree, happy-go-lucky person again. It's sad, but perhaps it was necessary. Tank was so naive. He really did need to grow up.

I just wish the lesson hadn't been such a harsh one for him.

Tina

I actually enjoyed the scenes between these two. You can see that the actors hit it off pretty well!

~AnastasiaGrey~

I agree