They’re back! After a 15-month long gap between seasons, “Switched at Birth” graced our screens with its final season premiere, "The Call." Was it worth the wait?
We were left hanging with the finale from 2015, with Bay and Daphne having spent 10 months in China when they were only supposed to be there for the summer. However, one scary phone call later, Bay ran to her sister to tell her they had to go back home. So, what was the emergency? Did Bay choose between the two men in her life? What’s happening with Daphne and Mingo? All of these and some other questions were answered in the first episode. Let’s dive right in.
When they got to China, Bay fell sick because of a virus. Luckily for her, Daphne was with her in every step of the way and once she got better and it was time for them to leave, they realized they didn’t really want to. To celebrate their decision, they even got matching tattoos. I love that their bond is such a highlight this episode. They’ve had their share of ups and downs in the last few years so if they only have ups now, I’m totally good with that.
Soon enough, Bay gets a job as a tattoo artist herself, and Daphne works at a clinic. The former is also anxiously waiting for the man she chose and called to China…Travis! Yes, folks, Bay and Travis are officially dating. The love triangle has seemingly come to an end, or has it?
The call that Bay gets that has all three of them rushing back home is about Emmett. Turns out, he overdosed on sleeping pills and was hospitalized. When the three get there, he insists it was a mistake, even though Melody knows it wasn’t. Travis is pissed they came back for no reason, considering it burst the bubble he was happily living in with Bay.
After a worried Melody informs them later that Emmett has gone missing, Bay and Daphne set off to find him. Bay calls Skye, hoping she’d know what’s wrong. Skye lets Bay know that Emmett broke up with her two months ago and had gotten depressed over time, wishing he could go back to his high school days. When the two finally find him, Emmett does what he should have done a long time ago: apologize to Bay for using her story, and their relationship, as a basis for his movie. He admitted that he should have never let her go.
I know Bay is totally into Travis now, but you can’t blame her when she confesses to Daphne that her heart leaped a little when Emmett said all of this. She did spend weeks just trying to get over him when he left her. That’s why I also don’t blame Travis for being worried about her feelings towards her ex.
Daphne, meanwhile, has realized she has a lot to catch up on. None of the classes she wants are available, Mingo has seemingly moved on, and she doesn’t have a dorm room. To help her out, Bay decides she’ll live with her in the room above Regina’s cafe, where she was supposed to be moving into with Travis. This news does not bode well with him. These two will have to figure out how to live outside their fantasy world and back into reality, especially with Mary Beth maybe coming back this season aside from the whole Emmett drama.
I loved Bay and Emmett but his behavior in the last season was shockingly sad to witness. It was Travis who stepped up. I'm conflicted then about who she should end up with, so let's see how they play it out. I'm just glad Emmett is on a journey of redemption with his own arc.
Other important developments:
-- The Kennish parents have quite the new dynamic now. Katherine is in charge of the athletic committee and has to decide where the funds go, so technically speaking, she is John’s boss.
-- Regina’s new man, Luca, is younger than her and even forms a quick bond with Daphne over their mutual love for a relatively unknown band. She’s skeptical about introducing her to everyone. I truly hope the writers do something major for her this season because Regina’s storylines are bogged down by tragic love affairs.
-- Daphne and Mingo are in trouble! In the closing moments of the episode, we see them set up a bigger plot for these two. Mingo is dressed up as Lil Wayne for a costume party. Daphne's friend Iris takes offense to this and his picture with Daphne gets a lot of flack for culture appropriation. The show doesn’t shy from heavy topics, and I’m sure will use different people to be different voices of reason for this social issue.
-- Another social issue we might be dealing with is mental health and our approach to it. In one of the strongest scenes from the premiere, Melody makes it a point to convey to her son that depression runs in the family but it’s not something to be afraid of or to let it weaken you. Admitting it as a problem and seeking out proper help is what makes you stronger.
-- Side note: I truly want to see a few characters from earlier seasons pop back as they close shop. Especially Ty Mendoza, Adriana Vasquez, Simone Sinclair, Renzo, and of course, we already know Gilles Marini will return as Angelo in the 100th episode.
What did you think of the premiere? Did you agree with Bay’s romantic decisions? Are you missing Toby? And what are your hopes for the final season?
