Friday, February 24, 2012

Switched at Birth: Betrayal

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This was really an episode about going behind someone's back. Emmett shared something personal with Bay and Bay doesn't hold onto the secret for very long before she goes blurting it to Melody. Granted, Bay was concerned about Emmett, but she definitely could have acted in another manner. With Regina, I'm not sure who is more at-fault... her not even asking if Patrick needing a bio or Patrick just writing one to include whatever he wanted - which, of course included the juiciest details he could manage. But, nothing compares to Kathryn's unbelievable behavior! I'm not sure what she was doing "catching up" with the nurse in the first place, but after HER LAWYER tells her NOT to give the woman anything, taking the time to explain what it could mean for the case, SHE DOES IT ANYWAY. But, that's not all. In order for the money not to be traceable, Kathryn needs cash. While we're first under the impression that she unloaded a few odds and ends, we later learn that she up and SOLD HER VEHICLE without telling anyone at all. She then purchases a less fancy, smaller car (albeit more gas-efficient) and drives it home. I'm not sure how she was planning to tell John all of this (because, you know, she'd have to explain why she was driving a different car!), but the way she went about it certainly didn't help anything! I just can't get over it! What was she thinking??!?

Switched at Birth "The Art of Painting" (S01E18): Emmett has been practicing using his hearing aid and doing his speech therapy exercises in a mirror, but it's frustrating. [I bet!] Olivia suggests that he take a shot of bourbon to relax, which concerns Bay. [she's just a bit too innocent sometimes, tho...] Before you know it, he's taking more than one shot when he works on his speech therapy. [oh good, he, Regina, and Daphne can all have drinking problems...] He's really not focused on much else, either... He skips school to stay up all night and make some of Bay's artwork into stickers, considers quitting the yearbook staff at Carlton, and is even considering dropping out entirely to get his GED. [wow... this kid is going downhill FAST!] To understand more about being deaf, Bay goes home to try talking while listening to really loud music. Then, not sure what to do with her new info from Emmett, she asks her mom about when it's okay to "butt in." Kathryn shares that she only butts in when someone will get hurt if she doesn't... so Bay goes to Melody's and tells her that Emmett is considering quitting school. [I can't believe she did that... not only because she and melody don't have a great track record, but why not go to someone like Daphne, who would be able to get through to Emmett much better? Plus, she already knows that he isn't taking school seriously, so it wouldn't be hard to bring it up! geez... she told his mom... I can't get over that!] 

Patrick's art gallery opens with a few of Regina's pieces included. Melody and Bay attend, and Emmett later arrives with his father (Cameron) and Olivia. [I really don't like Regina's outfit.] Bay puts a sticker on a pole at the gallery, so some of her work ends up being "shown" anyway. [I think she's getting a little pushy, tho... more people are going to connect the dots and realize how much graffiti she has done...] Regina overhears some folks talking about her link to the "switched at birth" case and gets upset... turns out, Patrick put it in her program bio without telling her. [what an idiot!] When Melody and Bay go to greet Emmett, Melody smells alcohol on his breath and asks him about it. He said that it was "around," and Melody
(ABC FAMILY / RON TOM)
immediately confronts Cameron. [well, YEAH!] They're soon going at it (along with Olivia), so Bay runs to get Regina, who desperately tries to avoid a scene by moving the conversation outside. Alas, it doesn't work, and Bay does her best to keep up with what's being signed. Melody mentions Emmett's possible dropping out, and Emmett immediately looks at Bay, then takes off. She goes after him, only to hear him say "just don't." [well, yeah... can't say that we were expecting him to react positively to her sharing his secret with his mom!] After the opening, Bay asks Regina about a specific mask on display that wasn't for sale... it used bay leaves in wings. Regina explains that she made it right after she found out where Bay was, and that Bay was her name. [awww! cute moment!] The next day, Patrick brings Regina a $500 check - one of her items sold, and he took the "standard for gallery" commission of 50%. [wow! that seems like a lot! anyone want to weigh in?] Although she questions why he blurted out her business in the program, she does agree to go out for barbecue with him again. [this woman will just forgive anyone for anything!]

Daphne and Simone struggle to play together, especially after Daphne is named "female athlete of the month." [how? she only just started playing!] Wilke is her counterpart for the award, and tells her that they'll receive steak dinners, Royals tickets, and a ton of XS Rush drinks. [wow... Student of the Month in elementary school earned us a bumper sticker, a keychain, a mini balloon-on-a-stick, and a free ice cream at lunch!] Wilke also tells her, however, that they need to give a campus tour to some boosters and sponsors, so they go over the main talking points. [conveniently, the tour is at the same time as the gallery opening, explaining Daphne's absence there.] The tour goes well until Daphne mentions that Carlton's basketball team could use some financial help. [in a small sidestory, Daphne went to Melody's to help with a garage sale and Melody said that Carlton's cutting non-performing programs because of budget issues.] Wilke manages to smooth things over, but her coach later asks Daphne why she was promoting another school - she needs to embrace Buckner. The end result of this? Daphne goes to Melody and John and tells them that she's returning to Carlton's team. [while I have mixed feelings about her returning, I was upset that they welcomed her back with such open arms... she needs to learn that you can't just quit and come back and expect nothing to have changed!]

Lastly, Kathryn's storyline. Well, she again meets with the nurse who may be guilty for the switch, learning that the "word is out" that the woman is "a troublemaker." She's been trying to find a new job, but she's getting blacklisted all over the place. She's even considering dropping out of the lawsuit in order for someone to accept her as an employee again. [eeek! what a tough situation!] Kathryn asks her lawyer what to do, but the Kennishes can't give her money because it would look like they're paying her to testify. [yep.] Kathryn decides to go behind John's back and sell her giant SUV to get a midsize, non-luxury sedan. [and I'm just as shocked as John is that she'd do this without a word to the rest of the family!] She gives the difference to the nurse (in cash so it's untraceable), who is reluctant to take it but eventually does. Of course, John is shocked at that part of the story, too. [ME TOO.]
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