ABC Family's Switched at Birth - Episode 3.09 The Past (Forgotten-Swallowed)
Daphne tries to help out Angelo at the clinic's fundraiser, all while juggling the attention of Jorge and Campbell; Bay must deal with Mary Beth's feelings about Tank; Toby tutors Sharee to keep her eligible for the field hockey team; and John and Kathryn invite one of his old baseball colleagues over.
Bay and Tank have been a great pairing this season - whether it was as a couple or as two friends just talking. They are opposites but just work so well together. By keeping Mary Beth around this season, the truth about how Ty ended things with Bay was bond to come out eventually. But something big had to happen in order for Mary Beth to just blurt that out to Bay. She made a promise to Ty not to tell her. But seeing her with Tank, this guy who embraced this lifestyle of a fraternity, and how she had to always comment on how good of a guy he is, just got to Mary Beth. In her mind, Ty is this great guy. The person who knows how to do the right thing without being forced to do it. Tank is not that. He had to be pushed to act on stopping that luau party. And yet, Mary Beth also tells Bay the truth because she really values that friendship. She kept this secret from her to protect her but she also tells her the truth to protect her. Sure, the reveal sends Bay spinning. But it also gets her to question what she wants in life. Unfortunately, her actions force Tank to walk away because he feels like the third guy in her life for her to go talk about stuff with. It's a devastating turn of events because Tank really is a nice and caring guy when he's with Bay but maybe he's not the best match for her right now.The past was also on full display for Daphne as Regina and Angelo joined her at the clinic's fundraiser. Unexpectedly, Angelo appears with baby Abby and uses the night as a way for his partner to decide which menu is better. Daphne does have the right to be angry with Angelo. He does rarely ever look behind his current circumstances. When he does, it's for the betterment of other characters - like when he gave Abby back to the gay fathers or when he says he has three daughters in this hour. Daphne feeling jealous of Abby because she gets Angelo's attentions is a very valid development. This is the first time the show has really covered that aspect. Daphne needed this night to help advance her pre-med ambitions as well as help make a choice better Campbell and Jorge. Instead she spends most of her time dealing with Angelo's stuff - trying to make his life better. She takes it out on him and he has to show how much that he appreciates her. The resolution that she can always meet with the surgeon guy another time didn't feel that natural - more like the episode was close to the end and couldn't have any other conclusion. But the dynamic between the two of them has always interested me so I'm happy to see the show presenting that again in a much different way.
Some more thoughts:
- "The Past (Forgotten-Swallowed)" was written by Joy Gregory and directed by Fred Gerber.
- I'm surprised the Bay story didn't end with her on her computer trying to find that email Ty sent her but she deleted.
- Toby is a really great motivator. I was worried that his Skype call with Nikki would cause him and Sharee to kiss but I'm super glad that didn't happen.
- Christy is just not a nice person.
- It was nice to see John and Kathryn on the same page again. Their plot was really humorous and brought a nice levity to the hour in comparison to the other stories. Especially when they were talking about which music could kill that kind of mood.
