Saturday, March 24, 2012

Switched at Birth: The Carlton Prom

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I had forgotten that this was the end of Switched at Birth for a few months, so I was a little surprised when I caught the intro to the episode the other night. Because of this, I was really intrigued with what sort of drama would start to be unveiled and then would be left for us to think about until the show returned again for the remaining ten episodes in the first season. Unfortunately for me (though perhaps you don't like to be left hanging), very little was really "left" at the end of the episode. Yes, Bay and Emmett may break up now. Yes, Daphne will likely be single again, too, as Wilke leaves for boarding school. Yes, Toby is bound to find out what Emmett and Simone did. But I don't know that any of these things will make a big difference. Emmett is still Daphne's best friend and the son of Regina's best friend, so he'll be around. Daphne has been single for the bulk of the series, so that's nothing new. Simone has been written to be the "evil" character on the series, so I don't think too many people will mind if she's written to be around less. I'm actually more upset that the writers didn't deal with some of the other "Prom themes" I saw coming. We know that Bay and Emmett have talked about sex before and she has protection... so why didn't we see her thinking about it before "the big night" ? We know that Travis doesn't have a lot of friends and that Daphne pretty much left him alone when they got to the Prom, so why not more on what he did or how he's crushing on Daphne? And, just because Kathryn is over flirting with the lawyer, is John over flirting with Sarah? Why weren't any of these addressed? So, I guess the show has got me on the edge of my seat anyway, regardless of whether or not I'm there because of what happened this episode.

Switched at Birth "Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time" (S01E22) [mid-season finale]: Patrick tells Regina to blow off work so she can spend time with him. [first he wants her to blow off her daughter, now he wants her to blow off work? time to ditch him!] She invites him over the night of the Carlton Prom, as they'll have the place to themselves. While she's looking forward to the time alone, Kathryn and John will be chaperones. [I found it weird that Bay didn't mind. There's no way I would have wanted my mom at Prom...] Kathryn, clearly an involved mother, gives Bay a broach and Daphne a purse for Prom. Her excitement gets cast aside, however, when the lawyer has found the name of a lactation consultant in Angelo's stuff, and he asks Kathryn to accompany him. John tells her not to bring a checkbook and to return in the same car she leaves in. [hahaha. I had to pause the show to stop laughing!] The woman doesn't remember Kathryn or Regina, talks about long hours, mentions that the hospital bracelets were done in pen, and that more switches probably happened. She's willing to testify, but her account soon turns sour when she talks about babies being imprinted with barcodes. [whoa. didn't see that comin'.] On the way back, they get a flat tire and are stuck until Kathryn calls Toby for a ride, apparently hours later. [they have cell service... why not call sooner when you know you have an engagement? And why isn't John wondering where Kathryn is?] 

[let's back up and talk about the other characters' pre-Prom stories...] Emmett invites Bay to Prom by getting down on one knee and opening a ringbox that contains earplugs (deaf Proms are REALLY loud, apparently). [I instantly knew what he was asking, but it was still very strange.] Daphne wants to ask Wilke to Prom creatively, and Bay lets her know that her poorly done banner ain't great. Daphne puts up WANTED posters around Buckner, then handcuffs Wilke and says she's taking him to Prom. [a bit out there... but different!] He claims that his dad won't let him out of the house because he's behind on a paper. Daphne is upset, but Bay convinces her that it'll be fun so she should just go anyway. Daphne then invites Travis to come along with the group. [while I don't see them getting together, I worry that Travis might read more into this than is there.] Daphne brings lemon bars to Wilke's and meets his father, who tells her that Wilke is heading off to boarding school shortly. She leaves, distraught, to go home and start getting ready. Rather than talk to their daughters about sex, Regina and Kathryn gossip about giving Toby access to condoms and telling him that "they aren't encouraging sex, but he needs to be responsible for what he does." [I would expect something like this from Kathryn, but I assumed Regina would be up-front with talking to both girls!] Oh, and Regina is thrown by Angelo, who went to Italy to clear up things but is now detained and needs help getting a lawyer. [I'm sick of this guy! but it seems that Regina is, too.]

[Back to Prom Night...] Regina does Bay's hair and Bay asks her about Angelo. She's worried that Angelo might not know that he's wanted, so Bay and Emmett decide to stop by Immigration on the way to the Prom (on his newly-road-worthy motorcycle). [even if Kathryn wasn't there, why didn't John take pictures? And why didn't Regina stay to see off Daphne??] Bay asks why he never called, and he says he was worried that the Kennishes were bad-mouthing him. Angelo tells her that the only thing he needs is money to call his lawyer in Italy, so she offers him $40. [AWKWARD!] Meanwhile, Travis arrives and Daphne gets ready to leave when Wilke rolls up in a limo. [didn't see THAT coming!] Daphne tells Wilke that they'll be driving Travis [that's what he gets for "surprising" her!] Daphne waits until they've had a little fun at Prom before asking Wilke about boarding school - and he comes clean about it. Daphne tells him not to short-change himself and suggests that they go elsewhere with a small group to have fun, but he isn't interested. Meanwhile, John (a Prom chaperone) confiscates a flask from Travis and shares it with Melody. [whaaaat? who would want to drink after a random teenager?] As Wilke's never
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one to say "no" to partying, Daphne wonders what's wrong... and Wilke tells her about Simone & Emmett. [AT PROM? Don't these kids know that you hold these things until the next day??] Daphne storms onto the dance floor and demands to talk to Emmett, who lies to her face. Daphne and Wilke decide to put the problem aside for now, but Emmett decides it's time to come clean to Bay, who walks away and asks that Emmett not follow. [somehow, John, Kathryn, Toby, Melody, Wilke AND Daphne miss this? I don't believe it.]

And a final thing? John tells Regina that Angelo could stay in the US if he marries a US citizen... [I thought about it for a split-second and then decided that Regina wouldn't do it... right?]
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

i thought the guy was called Travis, not Trevor

Amy K. Bredemeyer said...

you're right! brain lapse. it's been fixed. :)

Jhon said...

what is the song when bay and emmett got the prom,

"you ready to party get on the floor baby we can dance the night away moving your body give me some more baby we can dance the night away"