clemmyb
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Posts posted by clemmyb
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As someone upthread mentioned, this episode definitely cooled down on burning through story quick. I appreciated the fact that after the premiere (which still didn't totally feel like a premiere, but whatever), this episode allowed the characters to sort of sit with their situations a little bit more. Maybe nothing super dramatic happened, but I enjoyed that. We need a break from the high melodrama.
I'm glad to see the show starting to explore Jude's relationship with Connor, but my heart breaks for both of them, because the cynic in me thinks that it isn't going to end well for either boy.
And while I feel like Jesus and Emma's story line in this episode could have been handled with a lighter touch (it got a little hamfisted, yeah?), I really liked seeing Emma be in charge, speak her mind, tell Jesus what she likes, etc. Of course there are more subtle ways to do that, but aren't they like 15/16? That part, to me, felt authentic. Plus, how often do we see a girl on TV/in movies take charge like that? Not often enough.
The jury's still out for me on the whole Callie/bio-dad thing. But I agree with @Scootman that the end-game is Callie and Brandon finding ~true love~ with each other. But maybe the show will surprise us?
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I think we were meant to understand that, following Vico (Viggo? Still not 100% sure what the kid's name is) and [unnamed coconspirator]'s attack on Brandon, that the principal was let go for not getting that Vic[gg]o was the REAL aggressor/problem child and not precious Brandon Foster. (I'm sorry, but I cannot with him. His entire character bugs - I think because the actor has three settings: 1. hangdog; 2. strident; or 3. blank.)
Well this is the best thing I've seen today.
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What Dani is has not to do with mental illness. She is a predator. She is manipulative. We (a broad "we") need to stop using mental illness as an explanation for all the ills in the world. I know many people who have mental illness and things are not black and white. There is already too much stigmatization and now a potential sexual abuser will be lumped together with people who, in most cases, do try to deal with their issues and rarely hurt other people?
No, predators, sexual abusers are not mentally ill. They are predators and sexual abusers. It is a choice - a bad choice. It is about their character, not mental health
I think we're going to have to agree to disagree here. Definitely didn't mean to offend, though.
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Emmett needs to just own the photo, and in fact the entire situation, and ditch the shame. Matthew is the one who was conniving. Emmett's worst crime here is naivete. So what he needs to do is turn it to his advantage. He can strut around flexing and posing and offering to autograph it for anyone who has a copy. And he can do a PSA type thing warning other kids about how to be safe online-- or better yet, he could teach a workshop on how to verify info and expose catfishers. Suddenly he's a hero, not a loser. Adolescents worship power, and sometimes overlook compassion (and they revile innocence). But if you can combine compassion with power? You're a legend in the hallways.
While I agree with you here for the most part, are we to believe that Emmett is 18 yet? Is Matthew? I don't know a ton about the laws regarding this, but if that was a naked photo, there are some serious legal repercussions if they are not yet 18. Many states have laws that can label a minor a sex offender even if the sexting in question was consensual. I wonder if that's where they're going to go with this story?
Maybe I'm over-thinking it, though.
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I found that scene so disturbing. First Dani--a grown woman--has sex with Brandon--essentially a child. Then she uses his father's instability to persuade him to keep silent about it. I left that scene even more convinced than before that Dani is a predator and should be treated as such. Blech.
Yes, this. She's mentally ill--and a predator, and I can't imagine that the show won't deal with that in a real way. I know that the drama has definitely been ramped up, but this is also a show that has not shied away from some very real, very hard stuff.
I loved the moment where Lena explained to Stef about Mariana's hair and related it back to her own youth. I think one of the things that this show does so well are those little moments between characters, and I'm always so happy to see characters talking about race/ethnicity and identity in real, accessible ways.
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Thanks for that really thoughtful response! You've made me think about that scene in a completely different way than before.
And I agree--the showrunners are committed to a certain amount of depth with the series.
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It was mentioned in the previous episode's thread, but yes, there's a reality to the fact that the house was perfect for five people and is now maybe feeling a little snug. This is incredibly clear (and incredibly real) when Jesus and Mariana struggle with the fact that they're going to have to share their rooms with Callie and Jude, for however long the two are with the family.
Part of what this show excels at is the very real moments between the characters, and the best moments are when the core members of the cast are interacting with each other. On rewatch, one of the more compelling parts of this episode was how clear a struggle co-parenting can be. I love how much the three parents struggle with how to deal with Brandon's actions, and how to deal with each other in doling out the consequences.
Also, something about Lexi really bothers me. I can't figure out what it is, but I never warmed up to her the first time through, and it doesn't seem to be going well this time, either. Every time she's on screen, I'm like, "You're the worst."
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I think Lena and Stef might be my favorite couple on TV right now, even with the ridiculous drama the show veered into in the last few episodes of season 1. There's some great warmth and humor between the two of them. I love it.
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It feels weird being the only person posting here, but since I watched the pilot again yesterday, I figured I'd get my thoughts down before they leave my brain. So these are the things I was thinking as I revisited the first episode:
When I first tried to watch the show, it was the night it premiered (I'm a big Switched at Birth fan), and I was so put off by Callie's angry-girl attitude that I didn't make it the entire way through the episode. I'm also incredibly guilty of being a distracted TV-watcher, so I'm sure my laptop was open and I was reading stuff at the same time. But this is a show that I feel like begs to be watched without distraction. There are genuinely great blink-and-you-miss it little moments between the characters, and giving the show my full attention really changed everything for me.
That being said, it's still a pilot episode, and there are things that felt heavy during this one. I still think Callie comes off too too in this one, but it's easier to understand where she's coming from now. And yet. There are moments that clunked for me. When her new teacher asks the class, "What would you do if you suddenly woke up and found yourself living in a nightmare?" felt a little too on the nose for me.
I like to play a game called "What color are Mariana's fake nails this week?" and it never disappoints. That girl loves her some nail polish.
Also, there was a nice moment here that gets reflected in the season finale,
when Steph makes it to see Brandon audition and watches him play the piano with sheer love and pride on her face
. It was nice to pick up on it.
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I like it enough to keep watching, for sure. I'm happy to see a largely female-driven comedy on the air, and I love the concept of the friendship.
But whoa, did it take me a long time to place Lindsay Sloane.
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When I saw the promos with Mark in them I was filled with an excited dread. I love him, but I don't want Sarah to blow it again!
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Wish TV would get over the idea that everyone finds their one true love in High School! I love Emmett. But I really want him and Bay to both move on. Remember when Emmett and Daphne were friends? Emmett is still an important part of the show, even if he's not with Bay.
I actually kind of agree with you. As much as I love Emmett and Bay together (but hate the hashtag #BemmettForever or whatever), I also found myself rankled at Emmett's "I don't think I'll ever find what I had with you with anyone else" bit. Romantic? Sure. Melodramatic? Absolutely. True? I doubt it. It's normal not to forget your first love, but there's something about this obsession with TRUE LOVE in high school that's starting to really bum me out.
But I will take issue with your other observation: Emmett should be an important part of the show whether or not he's with Bay, but it's like the show runners can't figure out what to do with him if he's not with Bay or helping Bay. It's too bad, because I think Sean Birdy is pretty amazing and want to see him do other stuff, but I feel like lately he's been largely wasted here.
And yeah, Bay not wanting to sleep with Tank last week but totally getting on-board for some outdoors sex with Emmett this week sort of proves the point: Bay and Tank should have stayed platonic!
This part of Sarah's review made me laugh out loud:
I've kind of lost track, but I think Regina and Angelo are still together together and not just fake married. Which seems pretty dismal on Regina's end. She's ignoring some red flags: 1) Her husband tells her to have less integrity. 2) Her husband is Angelo.
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It's never too late to talk Switched at Birth with me!
I still maintain that Bay and Tank would be more interesting as friends, but it's too late for that, obviously.
And yes, everything you said about Angelo is true. I continue to feel like he doesn't fit into the larger plot.
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I finished watching the movie today by myself via digital download but have plans to drag my boyfriend to the theater to see it tomorrow. I actually clapped when I finished watching it, and my puppy (who was not as excited about the movie as I was) looked at me disapprovingly.
Apart from that, I agree with nearly every single thing that @Dougal said. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts on it the more I think about it, but I'm really, really looking forward to seeing it on the big screen tomorrow. With an audience of other humans and not a sleepy puppy.
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I can't help hating Angelo no matter what he does. There's something dopey about him, and I don't know if it's Gilles Marini or just the way the character is written. But I hate him? At any rate, it was still nice to see Daphne get a story line where she grapples with her complicated feelings about him. The moment where she explains to the doctor that he's "[her] mom's husband" is so delightfully awkward. And there's genuine stuff being mined here, which I always appreciate. I still just wish he'd go away, though. Maybe when the restaurant inevitably fails?
For me, the part of this episode that stuck out to me, though, was Bay. I've never been completely on board her relationship with Tank, mostly because I wanted to see it play out as a platonic friendship, but I understand that part of her interest in him stems from the fact that she believes a guy like Tank would never cheat on her like Emmett and Ty did. But then she finds out that Ty didn't cheat on her, and it's completely altered her perception of herself and the people she dates. Which is all good and interesting. I still hope they don't bring Ty back to the show, because he is the literal worst, but it's still interesting to see her process everything.
What didn't work for me was how butthurt Tank got about the fact that she went to Emmett before him to deal with her issues about Ty. Whatever, dude. You've been in her life for five seconds.
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Okay, so the thing that bugged me about the whole faked rapes stuff: I'm skeptical that people would actually do that. There were already a ton of real rapes; was Claire the only fake one? What point did that even serve other than making the comedy newsletter or whatever look bad? And, basically, the last thing we need in the world is more people assuming rape victims are lying; having it happen on this show is just one more push in that direction. Basically, I just don't think the (presumably unintentional and presumably small) nudge of cultural opinion in the wrong direction was worth the storyline that they got out of it. At least Nish and co weren't the overall villains and there was a real rapist, I guess.
You're not alone in being bothered by this. If my memory serves, there was a fair amount of criticism lobbed at the show about the portrayal of the Lilith House (and the feminists in general) on the show and the way the entire rape story line was handled. I agree that the last thing we need is any fuel to feed the rape culture, rape apologists, and rape-splainers, and I wish that they hadn't faked one (or more) rapes on the show as a way of being what amounts to a red herring.
And I still think Nish and the other girls were villains, just not to the same degree as others on the show. I feel like they were vilified, at least.
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You're totally right about everything regarding John and Kathryn, and you said it much more eloquently than I ever could. I had forgotten about the fact that Kathryn had wanted to run for congress--which feels like a failing on my part. I'm team Kathryn all the way, too. I want her to figure out her life stuff and John can come if he fits into HER plan.
I'm still not sold on Bay and Tank, but I'm not sure I want her and Emmett back together, either. I just want more Emmett, full-stop.
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What I liked about this episode was that the worries I had over the John and Kathryn marriage blow-up were put firmly back into perspective in this one. As hard as it is to see a marriage on the rocks like this, I also think it's being really well done. Their marriage isn't ending because he kissed Jennice--not even close. Maybe it was the catalyst to help Kathryn figure out what's been wrong for her for a long time, but that's all. I love that this show is exploring the idea that Kathryn wants to grow and change--and in fact has to-and John wants everything to stay the same.
The other thing that worked especially well for me in this episode was the return of Melody, and her story with Travis. It was fun to see Mary Beth interacting with the family, and absolutely fascinating to watch her try to keep up when Melody and Travis fight about Gallaudet, and Mary Beth's insight into why Travis is so hesitant to interview for the school was a nice touch. I teared up when Melody told him he'd always have a home to come back to. How could you not?
What was less effective? Daphne as a magnet for drama. While I loved the Dr. at the clinic calling her out for her seemingly endless love-triangle antics, I'm not sure how successful the surprise scissors-stabbing by Sharee's mom was. In the moment, it was tense, and I felt for Daphne, but it also felt out of place in an episode that was otherwise so grounded in the small moments of relationships. Am I wrong?
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They definitely are, and I hope the show addresses that more fully. I've always appreciated how much care and consideration the show gives its characters, and I'd like to see that here, too.
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I can't be the only person who watches and loves this show, right? Right?
At any rate, this was not the season's best episode by far. Something about it felt a little off the entire time, and I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what it is. I know that part of it is not wanting Bay and Tank to have a romantic relationship (how hard is it for a male and female to have a platonic friendship on TV?) and not being totally sold on how quickly she turned around on how she felt about him.
A larger part might be how incredibly awkward the Jenessa/John kiss reveal was at the murder mystery party. I mean, of course it was going to come out, and it's not even the fact that this is a plot point that bothers me. It's something about how the entire thing was staged. I don't know. It didn't work for me.
And Daphne's two love interests are totally boring and do nothing to serve her as a character. Blech.
Also, no Emmett? What a waste of an episode.
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I still despise the season three credits. Time has done nothing to soften my irrational, crazy-eyed hate.
The season three credits are THE WORST, and what kills me is that they're what Rob Thomas wanted all along--he wanted something that he thought was more "tonally resonant" with the show or whatever. AWFUL.
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What strikes me upon this rewatch is how carefully Veronica is listening to "Lucky Tim" talk about Landry murdering the dean when he slips up. Every time I watch that scene, I'm amazed at how well done it is. That's an intense scene in the classroom, and they both play it really well. I love watching the realization pass over Veronica's face and the panic flood Tim's. Masterful.
Ugh, Logan and Parker. Ugh, Parker.
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Also liked that we got to see part of why Veronica doesn't really try to have normal friends: because what other people do when they hang out is awful.
Does Lamb really not do anything other than sit outside their house? I legitimately don't understand why not. Not enough evidence?
I related so much to Veronica's horror at realizing there were other girls at the sleepover, because that was totally me in high school. It's a great moment.
And yeah, I'm not sure that Lamb ever intended to do anything other than give a silent warning: "I'm watching you." He's not exactly the most competent sheriff, and this is a plot point that unfortunately doesn't ever get fully explored.
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You beautifully recapped all the things about this show and this episode that make it great, so I don't have much to add.
But I will say that I remember people FREAKING OUT when Lamb's last words were "I smell bread." It was a bad way to go, for sure.
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S03.E13: Like a Snowball Down a Mountain
in Switched At Birth [V]
I have to say, I'm not going to miss Campbell or Tank (I'm assuming that's the end of Tank, at least for a while? I'm not sure).
Campbell's departure seemed bizarrely sudden, but I also realize that they had no idea what to do with that character. And wouldn't it be great if Daphne could stay single for like a second?