Switched At Birth -- Strained Relationships
Parental relationships, romantic relationships and friendships were the highlight of the episode and a lot of them were strained.
Kathryn spent some time getting to know Emmett and mentioned Bay's relationship with Ty and how sad Bay was when he left. Emmett was distant with Bay after that, perhaps feeling that Bay only got together with him on the rebound.
Regina had an art gallery curator as her client and she showed him Bay's work. Unfortunately, he wasn't interested in it. To make matters worse, he was interested in Regina's art work and wanted to give her a showing. This strained Regina and Bay's budding relationship.
When Kathryn asked Toby how the switch affected him and he replied it's allowed him to fly under the radar, Kathryn became concerned they'd been neglecting Toby. John's answers is to make Toby ditch a music gig and go with him to a Slug-A-Thon. John sees how good Toby is at baseball and wants to know why he gave it up. Toby says it wasn't his dream and John pushed him too much; he also didn't want to be compared to John. Kathryn tries to get John to understand that music is Toby's passion and that's why he gave up baseball.
Daphne's friendship with Simone also hits the skids. Bay's warning about Simone liking to mold people into the image she sees them as seems to be happening with Daphne, as Simone tries to get Daphne to change the way she dresses. This just is the tip of the iceberg. Daphne learns Simone found her watch but hasn't told anyone and that Monica's been banned from practicing at the school because she's suspected of stealing the watch. Daphne wants Simone to go to the coach and tell him the truth and Simone refuses.
Daphne finally goes to Bay to find out what she was trying to tell her about Simone when Daphne first started becoming friends with her. Bay tells Daphne how she got Bay to help her with a mean girl trick on an unpopular girl. Simone made the girl over and got her to admit on tape a boy she had a crush on, then Simone played it all over school and after that Bay was no longer friends with her. Bay warns Daphne that Simone isn't someone you want to be friends with, but she's also someone you don't want as your enemy. Unfortunately, Daphne seems destined to become Simone's enemy.
Daphne goes to the coach to tell him that Simone found her watch, and learns Simone went to the coach and made it sound like it was all Daphne's idea to sell the watch and buy basketball coaching lessons. Daphne finally reveals she knows the only reason coach put her on the team is because she's deaf and he admits it's true. He also suggests they start fresh and puts her up against Simone in a contest to see who should be playing what position. Simone wants Daphne to drop out of the competition but she refuses. Daphne wins Simone's spot and earns herself Simone as an enemy.
When Kathryn lambasts Regina for showing Bay's artwork to the curator, Regina says as an artist you have to put yourself out there and face rejection. This seems to make Kathryn have second thoughts about publishing her book. She also gets catty with Regina about the type of dryer sheets she's using in the dryer, claiming it'll ruin the dryer.
With all these tensions bubbling in the air, it makes Emmett taking a family portrait a bit strained. Bay finally confronts Emmett on why he's been so distant with her. He ends up revealing he's in love with her and she tells him she loves him, too. Regina and Audriana make up and Regina asks her mother to move back in.
Regina doesn't mention to anyone that she has several missed calls from Angelo on her phone.
It was a very solid episode. The big question is just how mean girl is Simone going to get with Daphne, because I agree with Bay, Simone is someone you don't want to cross, and Daphne has.
