S04.E20: And Always Searching For Beauty

[Athena]

Bay is thrilled by the opportunity to showcase her newest work in her first art show. Daphne interviews for an internship abroad that would bring her closer to Quinn, causing friction with Mingo. Kathryn’s frustrations with John come to a head when he storms out of a deal negotiation.

 

Meanwhile, John and Kathryn confront Regina over Eric’s secret.

 

Title Art: And Always Searching for Beauty (2001), by Joan Snyder.

[John S]

MY GUESS  for the final scene

"Bay Kennish. You are under arrest".

[dmmetler]

Didn't Bay just have an art show a couple of weeks ago?

[morakot]

She was hanging some of her new portraits at Eric and Regina's coffee shop. It wasn't a formal art show.

[KaveDweller]

A 10 month time jump? I didn't see that coming. I thought it was a terrible idea for Daphne to go there on her own, so I'm really wondering how she ends up staying there. I usually hate time jumps though, it's usually done when the writers have run out of ideas.

 

I felt really bad for Bay when she found out her show was a fake. I knew something was off about the whole thing though, maybe because we didn't see her get approached about it.

[Bringonthedrama]

UGH that Bay, after having a horrible year, gets to be the one who comforts her crying bio-mother after her fugitive boyfriend goes on the run ... while the police have broken down the door/torn apart Bay's family home. That was one lame apology for missing Bay's show, too (yeah it turned out to be a lie but that's irrelevant here). I wanted the police to take Regina off to jail. Amusing though that John's ego got him handcuffed.

 

I thought it was ballsy of Travis to kiss Bay. 

 

I couldn't focus on Daphne and Mingo's argument about Quinn because those bright pink bra straps were so distracting after she changed into that dress. Then they're gone like magic in the next scene! Daphne clearly has special powers. My other takeaway is Mingo can do better than Daphne.

 

Kathryn going off on John was awesome. He's such an ass.

 

Bay looked fantastic in China. She wasn't sobbing in despair when she reached Daphne, so I don't think the call was about her parents, Regina, Toby, or their friends being near death - I'm going to guess either baby Carlton is really sick or died suddenly? It would be sad but not a life-altering tragedy for her personally.  

Edited October 27, 2015 by Bringonthedrama

[bybrandy]

I don't really know what the date is for this episode of SAB but in any case 10 months means Daphne decided to take some time off school, right?   So after pressuring her field hockey friend to go to UKC she's not going to be there to greet her.  Well, at least she'll have Travis.  

 

The cliffhanger could be about baby Carlton but I disagree with the premise that Bay wouldn't be crying if Carlton was dead or dying.  I know he's a baby, but a sick, dead, dying baby is a sad thing.   Seriously.  

[tennisgurl]

Dang, that birth happened super quick! Didn't they find out about the baby, like, a few episodes ago? 

 

Poor Bay. She was so excited about her art show, and she just got crushed. At least she seemed happy in China. 

 

I cracked up at Johns face when the cops came running in, guns blazing. He just looked like "Yeah, I totally saw this coming". 

[KaveDweller]

I don't really know what the date is for this episode of SAB but in any case 10 months means Daphne decided to take some time off school, right? 

 

Yeah, at least two semesters unless she's in some study abroad thing in China.

[Athena]

That was a bit anticlimactic for a finale, but at least Bay wasn't arrested again.

 

I do not mind Travis/Bay, but not sure how the writers will ruin this. However, that last scene between Emmett/Bay was really lovely.

 

I'm over Regina and all her storylines.

 

With the recent Back to the Future Day coverage, a lot of people were amazed by how great Leah Thompson looks. I've been watching her in this show and on Caroline in the City, and damn, that woman looks good. No wonder Kermit has a crush on her. :)

[LisaM]

I don't think that the bad news is about the baby - I can't conceive that the show would go there. Wasn't Grandma Bonnie terminally ill?

 

Even though I was so annoyed at Emmett all season long, I thought the scene with he and Bay was very well done. Also liked Melody knocking some sense into him.

 

I really like Mingo; he's grown on me a lot this season. I hope that he and Daphne stay together.

 

At least Regina's boyfriend wasn't pulling a long con on her. Felt badly for Will.

 

On the bright side, Bay seemed to be having a good time in China and picked up the language really well.

Edited October 27, 2015 by LisaM

[morakot]

Bay also managed to get a Chinese work permit and a tattoo license too -- which seems a little unlikely... And they were able to get two tickets and financial support in China from their parents who have no money? (Even Regina had to put the rest of her savings into the Cracked Cup.

 

I thought Emmett was kind to her eventually -- they will always have a bond. Not really feeling it for Travis though -- Bay was right; the feelings were certainly fostered by circumstances and emotions.

[izabella]

Dang, that birth happened super quick! Didn't they find out about the baby, like, a few episodes ago? 

 

I thought they were moving to London.  Did they decide against it, or were they doing it after the baby is born? 

 

10 month time jump is weird.  Why not 12? 

[Everleigh]

Of course Bay’s art show was a farce. That girl just can’t catch a break. I thought the critic lady was going to end up liking her stuff in spite of the owner’s nasty comments and offer Bay some form of hope for her future in art, but nope, nothing came from her apparent interest in Bay's work.

 

I like Travis a lot and I thought his confession about his feelings for Bay and the subsequent kiss was actually pretty sweet, but Bay’s right about him treating her like a child who can’t do anything on her own. He needs to back up a bit. Although I guess since Bay apparently spent 10 months away in China, it’s a non-issue.

 

Loved how everyone just kept reminding Bay of what a shit year she’s had. People don’t usually run down all the horrible things that have happened to you while trying to cheer you up, so that was an interesting tactic for Emmett to take.

 

Appreciated the Bemmett closure. Hopefully they never revisit that relationship again and let it die for good now because I really can't stand Emmett, although if I was Bay I wouldn’t even want to remain friends with him after the way he treated her, but whatever.

 

Didn’t feel an ounce of pity for Regina when Eric left. Dude’s a criminal and she’d only been with him for a year and his being there was putting everyone else in the family in jeopardy.

 

And I honestly feel like as a mother, Regina should have showed up to Bay’s gallery opening regardless of her personal problems. It was supposed to be a huge night for Bay and good parents put their own stuff on hold in order to be there for their kids, and considering Regina has had to miss most of Bay's big moments growing up and knows Bay is insecure about Regina's feelings for her, she really should have been there. 

 

What was the point of the police bursting into the Kennish household? Other than John hilariously getting himself cuffed for being obnoxious. I was kind of hoping Regina would find herself in some legal trouble for harboring a fugitive but apparently the cops just broke down the door, looked around and left? How anti-climatic.

 

A 10 month time jump is kind of an interesting choice. Why skip ahead so much? And I find it kind of hard to believe that the parents would be okay with both girls being away for almost a year, especially John and Kathryn seeing as Toby is apparently also living abroad.

 

Bay’s quite skilled at picking up new languages. I envy her. I took Spanish all through junior high and high school and barely know how to count past 10.

 

Baby Carlton was really cute. This show's really obsessed with that school though. 

[Ziz]

I really thought the Eric storyline was going to end with him conning Regina. I thought that he and the mother had ganged up to con Regina into thinking he needed the money to save his kid, etc. and then they were going to run away together. I figured I was right when he suddenly changed from staying in touch with Regina from Atlanta to her not being able to know where he was, etc. But I guess the police coming means that didn't happen. 

 

I think the problem from China is going to be the baby and that's how they're going to get out of having Toby and Lily move and also avoid having a baby in the show since babies ruin TV shows. Maybe they thought a miscarriage was too cliche. 

[TVForever]

Just curious. I suspect that if we had been introduced to Will's mother, a woman on the run from her drug-abusing, drug-dealing ex, we wouldn't have every other character calling her a criminal. She would be "heroic" and "brave", and everyone would be coming together to protect her. Why is it so different because the genders are reversed?

[ShadowFacts]

 

Just curious. I suspect that if we had been introduced to Will's mother, a woman on the run from her drug-abusing, drug-dealing ex, we wouldn't have every other character calling her a criminal. She would be "heroic" and "brave", and everyone would be coming together to protect her. Why is it so different because the genders are reversed?

 

Good point, but they did make him have a past and a record, too, with gang ties that he still could apparently try and get money from.  So he's not squeaky clean, but I see what you mean.  I lost some sympathy for his situation when he told Regina he couldn't co-parent with Hope because he hates her.  That's not the same as fearing for the child's safety. 

 

Was anybody else hoping that gallery owner would fall down the stairs or something?  What a complete and absolute jerk.  No excuse for the way he treated Bay with such rudeness and disdain.  What an ass. 

[LisaM]

I'm old enough that when Toby said the baby's name is Carlton, I immediately flashed to "Carlton, your doorman" from Valerie Harper's Rhoda sitcom.

[Bringonthedrama]

 

 

And I honestly feel like as a mother, Regina should have showed up to Bay’s gallery opening regardless of her personal problems. It was supposed to be a huge night for Bay and good parents put their own stuff on hold in order to be there for their kids, and considering Regina has had to miss most of Bay's big moments growing up and knows Bay is insecure about Regina's feelings for her, she really should have been there. 

 

THIS. The episode provided further proof that Regina is utterly selfish and a shit mother/family member. Even before she moved Eric and his kid onto the Kennish property, she got Daphne involved by taking her to Atlanta, and thus made her non-biological daughter an accessory because then Daphne knew everything. Truly disappointing that Regina didn't get handcuffed and taken to jail.

[Primetimer]

Switched At Birth ends the season with more open ends than closure.

Read the story

[joanne3482]

Maybe Bay's running because Regina's trial for assisting a fugitive (by giving him $50,000 wired into his account) is over and she's guilty. Although if she had been on trial one could presume the girls would have been there.

 

I don't know why but I love that Bay was a tattoo artist. That feels like a very Bay thing to do. I was kind of hoping Daphne had already gone home and Bay just decided to stay. Also odd that Daphne was dispensing medications. I presume/hope she's working under someone. But how helpful can she really be in China where she doesn't speak the language. 

[ShadowFacts]

I don't agree with the recapper's take on Quinn rescinding the internship offer because he's scared of Mingo.  I felt it was more like punishment of Daphne for making it clear she was not into him.  A tad sexual  harass-y.  I would have liked to have seen Daphne call him on it, but I guess it's better that the story moves in the direction of she and Bay going to China together.  Even though it did look a little like a college freshman (?) was practicing medicine without a license. 

[40Love]

I'm old enough that when Toby said the baby's name is Carlton, I immediately flashed to "Carlton, your doorman" from Valerie Harper's Rhoda sitcom.

 

Heh! I immediately thought of the Fresh Prince! 

 

I don't know why but I love that Bay was a tattoo artist. That feels like a very Bay thing to do. I was kind of hoping Daphne had already gone home and Bay just decided to stay.

 

Before the 10 month time jump was revealed I was screaming at the TV - "No Bay! Don't under any circumstance go to China with Daphne. She will "Brokedown Palace" your ass and you will spend the rest of your life in a Chinese jail for something Daphne did! Stay home"  I was so relieved to see her somewhat thriving at the tattoo shop. Heh!

 

I thought Emmett was kind to her eventually -- they will always have a bond. Not really feeling it for Travis though -- Bay was right; the feelings were certainly fostered by circumstances and emotions.

 

I'm always going to cheer for EBay! Hopefully they'll be together in the end when they both of them grow-up and mature. Not on board with the Travis thing either... mainly because of MaryBeth. Beyond letting an Ex go so they can be happy, I don't think I would be okay with them being with someone I was close to. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to see your ex in a romantic relationship with your sibling or best friend. I agree with Emmett. Surely there is someone else out there you can choose other than your friend's/brother's/sister's ex. 

 

The episode provided further proof that Regina is utterly selfish and a shit mother/family member.

 

I have no words for Regina... none! I want to feel sympathy for her. But, she's just awful. I expected the parents to run-off with all Regina's money. Would have served her right. She's got really bad taste in men. 

 

What was the point of the police bursting into the Kennish household?

 

Wow, the way the police came in with the guns drawn was all kinds of scary. I know they were told he had a weapon. But, damn that would scared the little boy to death. But, on the other hand he's living a pretty traumatizing life right now any way. Being kidnapped back and forth between his dysfunctional parents... Poor kid is probably going to really need therapy when he grows up.

[CleoCaesar]

If the episode had ended on the whole family taking the selfie at the hospital, I totally would have bought it as a series finale. But no, we had to get that totally lame cliffhanger. I am willing to bet it's something we don't really care about, like someone got sick or something but it will all be ok. I don't think the show has the guts to kill Toby's baby.

Speaking of whom, I actually winced when I heard his name. It's very unfortunate.

Don't tattoo artists typically need lots of training before they get to doing huge tats? Bay picked it up awfully quick.

I actually like Mingo so I hope he sticks around.

[joanne3482]

Don't tattoo artists typically need lots of training before they get to doing huge tats? Bay picked it up awfully quick.

 

According to Wikipedia, and I'll presume this is based on western tattoo shops who may have different standards than a Chinese shop, it's an apprenticeship of about 2 years. The first 6 months to a year they aren't even working on people. By 10 months probably not working on that size piece. But, we could suppose that perhaps she hadn't done the whole thing and was just finishing work begun by a more experienced artist as part of her apprenticeship. Or Bay has finally found that thing she's good at and picked up quickly.     

[Perfect Xero]

This show does an entire storyline about rape/sexual assault/consent, including scenes where they make sure to show "loving" couples getting affirmative consent as a response to the idea that asking for consent is "lame" and "unsexy" and "no one does it".

 

Then in this episode they have Bay telling Travis that she's not interested in him like that, and he just grabs her and kisses her and basically tells her that he knows she feels it too, which seemingly changes Bay's mind about him and has her talking about what a good kiss it was.

 

Pretty sure that's sexual assault, show.

 

It's sending the message that you can just ignore when someone is telling you no, and force yourself on them because they don't know what they really want or are just "playing hard to get", and they'll like it so it's okay.

[CleoCaesar]

Now kissing someone who's into it is sexual assault? Really?

[Perfect Xero]

Now kissing someone who's into it is sexual assault? Really?

 

When someone is telling you that they're not interested and you just grab them and kiss them? Yes. It's textbook sexual assault.

[CleoCaesar]

Pretty soon men will have to ask women to sign consent forms before they give women a kiss. It was just a kiss. Bay was into it and kissed him back. He didn't maul her or force her to kiss him.

Calling Bay/Travis's kiss sexual assault cheapens the definition of actual sexual assault.

[stopeslite]

 

Bay telling Travis that she's not interested in him like that,

She didn't though, did she? She said she hadn't thought of it before, and that she didn't want to do that to Marybeth, and she didn't want to do that to Emmett. It seemed she was explicitly making sure NOT to say she wasn't interested in him like that. And the kiss itself only lasted so long because she actively kissed him back. But yes, that was not a good model of "yes means yes" clear consent. 

(If you don't like thinking of it as assault, think of what her view of it would have been if she hadn't liked him at all. Grabbing her face and forcing a kiss on her nonconsensually? Yes, that is assault.)

(but I admit it was hard to think of such nuances when Travis was so SMOKING HOT OH MY GOSH. Ryan Lane is always cute, but he was really bringing it this episode. That was some seriously intense acting there.)

 

 

People don’t usually run down all the horrible things that have happened to you while trying to cheer you up, so that was an interesting tactic for Emmett to take.

 

I thought he was doing it as a way to show her that he had been paying attention, that he knew what a terrible time she'd had and he knew that he had been a big part of that badness, and he did refer to Tank as a rape, showing her he accepted her version of it. 

 

I liked that Bay was a tattoo artist, even if it did seem too fast. That's a way for her to really make an impact on individuals and change their lives, which is what she seems to want to do with her art. I also liked that they left it hanging that they were there for 10 months and didn't explain why - that's an interesting cliffhanger.

 

I also thought of Alfonso Ribeiro when they said the baby's name. :D

Edited October 27, 2015 by stopeslite

[Perfect Xero]

Pretty soon men will have to ask women to sign consent forms before they give women a kiss. It was just a kiss. Bay was into it and kissed him back. He didn't maul her or force her to kiss him.

Calling Bay/Travis's kiss sexual assault cheapens the definition of actual sexual assault.

 

Maybe just don't kiss people as a way to make them decide how they feel about you?

[possibilities]

I thought Travis was being a totally obnoxious dick the entire episode. They moved him from the supportive friend to the serial infantilizer, self-pitying about his attraction, and rude as hell to assert that he knows what Bay wants and challenges her to say otherwise. I was totally in his corner until tonight, when he rented the place behind her back after she had specifically told him to back off and stop meddling. And then the "I can't stop" crap was a seriously creepy speech, followed by grabbing her and kissing her after she said "we can't" repeatedly.

 

I think if you are in a romantic relationship with someone, where kissing is established as part of the dynamic, it's way different than if you just have an attraction to someone who has not given you the OK, and who moreover is at that very moment angry and objecting to how you treat her and you grab her in that moment and kiss her as though that's a respectful reaction to the conversation underway. He fundamentally showed that he thinks his feelings are the true important legitimate ones and her concerns are a pesky and insignificant annoyance. It might not be felonious rape, but it's totally dickish and I wouldn't get involved with anyone who treated me that way, because I think it shows a fundamental disrespect. I think it's outside the bounds of friendship or etiquette. And yes, for sure, if you go around kissing anyone who has said no on any level, that's at minimum harassment. Even if you think she is "just overthinking it" or is attracted to you -- it's crossing a line to violate someone's boundaries even if you think they are setting them for reasons you do not approve of. Apparently the show thinks Bay would not mind being violated, but if you want to be a decent human being, you don't go around grabbing people who are resisting. How hard is it to wait for a time when she's not in shock, angry, and upset, and has had time to think about it more, and then have a calm conversation about the situation?

[ShadowFacts]

I think Travis got ahead of himself.  Bay was ticked with him, was expressing to him why she was and he pretty much ignores that and goes ahead and plants one on her.  I know that's a familiar scenario on tv, the anger/passion of it all, but in real life that kind of impulsivity can get problematic fast.  Or at the least, awkward.  He came on way too strong.

[Bringonthedrama]

. And then the "I can't stop" crap was a seriously creepy speech, followed by grabbing her and kissing her after she said "we can't" repeatedly.

 

I think if you are in a romantic relationship with someone, where kissing is established as part of the dynamic, it's way different than if you just have an attraction to someone who has not given you the OK, and who moreover is at that very moment angry and objecting to how you treat her and you grab her in that moment and kiss her as though that's a respectful reaction to the conversation underway. He fundamentally showed that he thinks his feelings are the true important legitimate ones and her concerns are a pesky and insignificant annoyance. It might not be felonious rape, but it's totally dickish and I wouldn't get involved with anyone who treated me that way, because I think it shows a fundamental disrespect. I think it's outside the bounds of friendship or etiquette.

 

THIS is what bugged me; you state it eloquently. His words after, and the way he walked away, came off like "Well, come find me when you realize/accept that we belong together."  And so what if Mary Beth is the one who broke up with him - she's still Bay's friend (in theory) and Bay gets to be concerned about Marybeth's and Emmett's feelings. I also hated that instead of immediately apologizing to Bay for lying to/misleading her, he says "he wasn't supposed to tell you." This is not a healthy/trust worthy person for Bay to date. I rolled my eyes at Daphne saying Bay "should" date him because he's a "great guy." Yes, Daphne, Bay should listen to you since you have such a solid record of good judgement in life and with men. Blech.

[JaggedLilPill]

I don't hate Travis, but that being said, I don't think he's the right partner for Bay. He kind of reminds me of Ty in a way with his patronizing behavior. Now, Travis may not recognize it as such, and I'm sure his intentions were good, but for me that sends up red flags in a relationship. Not that Emmett is perfect and not that Bay by any means is perfect, but Bay values honesty. Travis seems to value "protecting" Bay over being honest and it's what ends up leaving him in hot water. He makes decisions without informing her and then acts on them because he feels he's doing what's best for Bay. Again, just as I never saw Ty's decision to lie about cheating on Bay as romantic (it was and will forever be a dick move and incredibly patronizing) I don't see Travis's decisions/actions as such either. 

 

I liked Bay's analogy about feeling like a child who just found out that her parents paid kids to come to her birthday party, because that's pretty much what it was. Now, I'm sure the Bay-Travis thing is going to come up again next season, so I hope they write Travis to realize that if he is going to be with Bay, he needs to stop treating her like a glass vase that could break at any moment. Otherwise, she's going to end up resenting the hell out of him. 

Edited October 28, 2015 by JaggedLilPill

[Anisky]

Just curious. I suspect that if we had been introduced to Will's mother, a woman on the run from her drug-abusing, drug-dealing ex, we wouldn't have every other character calling her a criminal. She would be "heroic" and "brave", and everyone would be coming together to protect her. Why is it so different because the genders are reversed?

 

Well, because of stereotypes and assumptions and social roles and all that, of course. Which is useless as an answer because we all knew that, and the question is really, why do we have those assumptions and social roles, and how are they playing out in this situation, and is that good/bad/neutral?

 

Obviously in a perfect world, where the genders really are equal and there's no wage gap and so on, there shouldn't be any difference in how we perceive the situations. But the assumptions and norms that would make us more accepting of “Will's Mother” in this situation work against women in a lot of ways.

 

The most relevant way is that women are blamed for failing to protect their children to a much greater extent than fathers. So, there are laws on the books that criminalize failing to protect one's children. There have been a lot of cases where mother, father and child/ren live together, the father abuses the children and the mother, but when it goes to court, the mother gets a much longer jail sentence than the father. His crime is abusing his children (and his wife/mother of his children). Her crime is failing to stop him from abusing their children (even though she is battered and terrified herself). And yet juries come down much harder on the mother, because of the societal expectation that a mother should protect her children.

 

So, while it should be equally on both parent's shoulders not to hurt their kids and to protect them from harm, Will's mother is generally, by society, expected to go above and beyond to protect him in a way Will's father isn't. We would be more sympathetic to her breaking the law to do so, but on the other side of the coin, we would probably condemn her more for not finding a way to take Will out of the situation than we would condemn his father for the same. 

 

Then there's just the fact that on average, men are larger and stronger than women, and men commit violent crimes with much more frequency than women. I think if we met Will's mother on the run from his father, we would be much more worried that if her ex-con drug dealer ex found her, he would hurt her and maybe even kill her. Whereas, with the mother, the main worry was that she would take Will, call the police, demand hush money. We expect different stakes. Yes, it's possible that Will's mother might have just come in and tried to seriously hurt or kill Eric, but we don't expect it as much and honestly, statistically speaking, it's a lot less likely.

 

In a perfect world, yeah, we would see the characters the same way if they'd been gender-swapped. But unfortunately, right now, the stakes are different, the expectations are different, and the options are different, in ways that negatively affect both women and men in different ways. 

 

 

Then in this episode they have Bay telling Travis that she's not interested in him like that, and he just grabs her and kisses her and basically tells her that he knows she feels it too, which seemingly changes Bay's mind about him and has her talking about what a good kiss it was.

 

Pretty sure that's sexual assault, show.

 

It's sending the message that you can just ignore when someone is telling you no, and force yourself on them because they don't know what they really want or are just "playing hard to get", and they'll like it so it's okay.

 

Huh. I didn't interpret it that way when I first watched, which is interesting because I normally notice those things right away. I think part of it is that Travis's emotions were also running very high. I mean, he told her loved her and she responded with, "That's ridiculous"-- definitely not what anyone wants to hear. I mean, he'd really screwed up and she was already really angry with him, but still, from his perspective, that's got to hurt. And she really was giving lots of excuses-- she *didn't* tell him she didn't like him, she just went with "Even if I did..." 

 

I think most of why it didn't set off my alarm bells first time through is:

 

1. I never got the feeling that Travis would try to keep kissing Bay if she pushed him away. It would have been over in a split second if she'd pushed him away as he started. 

2. It also felt quite clear that Travis was not intending that kiss to lead to anything more physical. 

3. His emotions were also running high. He's not exactly calm when he does it. He's vulnerable, desperate, and upset. 

 

Now, I do definitely agree that the *show* shouldn't have done this, that it sent the wrong message. I wish that Bay *had* pushed him away, or afterwards called him on how inappropriate it was to kiss her right then. 

 

 

Bay also managed to get a Chinese work permit and a tattoo license too -- which seems a little unlikely... And they were able to get two tickets and financial support in China from their parents who have no money? (Even Regina had to put the rest of her savings into the Cracked Cup.

 

THIS THIS THIS. When Mingo first said that Daphne already had the ticket, I was like, "And where did she get the money for that?!" When Daphne convinced Bay to come with her, "And where will she get the money for that?!?" I am a biiiiig travel person, and while there are ways to make travel fairly cheap, plane tickets are expensive, and you need some source of money.

 

When I saw "10 months later" and Bay was working at a tattoo parlor in China, my immediate thought was, "What the hell kind of visa does she have?!" China is strict about Americans' visas.  I don't see how she could be working legally, unless she's a student now and studying there and working at the tattoo parlor, like, part-time? Except then how could she already be working on actual people? 

[Anisky]

Oh, also: If the police storming in and John being a little late for the baby's birth are actually the conclusion to the Eric-Will storyline... then that was a lot of build-up for nothing. That much build-up requires a much bigger climax, which is why, unfortunately, I don't think we've seen the end of this storyline and I think the phone call has something to do with it. Hopefully it's just about Regina's legal trouble and we won't actually have to rehash much with Eric, since I was not a fan of that plot line.

[Perfect Xero]

Now, I do definitely agree that the *show* shouldn't have done this, that it sent the wrong message. I wish that Bay *had* pushed him away, or afterwards called him on how inappropriate it was to kiss her right then.

 

This is more my issue, it's a well worn trope on TV and film, and normally I'd just roll my eyes at it, but this show recently did a whole storyline about rape and consent but still don't seem to see anything questionable about presenting the, "Oh, she's just confused about her crazy emotions, I know how she feels better than she does, so I'll grab her and kiss her and really give her something to think about," trope. The show already did a scene a lot like that between Bay and Emmett back when she was dating Noah, but that was before the whole Bay/Tank story happened which changes the lens at bit.

[Anisky]

This is more my issue, it's a well worn trope on TV and film, and normally I'd just roll my eyes at it, but this show recently did a whole storyline about rape and consent but still don't seem to see anything questionable about presenting the, "Oh, she's just confused about her crazy emotions, I know how she feels better than she does, so I'll grab her and kiss her and really give her something to think about," trope. The show already did a scene a lot like that between Bay and Emmett back when she was dating Noah, but that was before the whole Bay/Tank story happened which changes the lens at bit.

 

Honestly the show's gotten it's wires pretty crossed with this storyline.

 

Here's a quote from Lizzy Weiss in an interview:

When [bay] says, ‘But did I say yes?’ [Tank] thinks ‘But you didn’t say no.’ In his mind he’s genuinely perplexed by it. For him it’s also ‘Oh, this is a new definition. I didn’t know. When did this happen? No one told me.'

 

 

But lack of affirmative consent isn't even the primary issue in the story they wrote! Bay was so drunk she couldn't remember anything the next day! Because she was so drunk, in most states she'd be considered incapable of consenting anyway, which is not the same issue as affirmative consent. Tank's problem starts waaaaaay before not knowing to get a "Yes" rather than not to get a "No", his problem was that he didn't know not to have sex with a woman drunk out of her mind. But apparently the show writers don't even see that.

 

So, not exactly surprised that they didn't understand how that storyline colors what's happening now, because they appear not to even understand their own storyline to begin with.

 

But, yeah given that he's a teenager who was very emotional and did something impulsive spur of the moment that wasn't violent and wasn't trying to do more than kiss and Bay didn't physically resist, it felt a bit harsh to say Travis had committed sexual assault. I do agree though that the show is just really not doing this well, at all.

[LisaM]

 

Oh, also: If the police storming in and John being a little late for the baby's birth are actually the conclusion to the Eric-Will storyline... then that was a lot of build-up for nothing. That much build-up requires a much bigger climax, which is why, unfortunately, I don't think we've seen the end of this storyline and I think the phone call has something to do with it. Hopefully it's just about Regina's legal trouble and we won't actually have to rehash much with Eric, since I was not a fan of that plot line.

 

This is an interesting thought -- that the call is about Regina being arrested/charged in Will's kidnapping instead of a medical emergency of some sort.

[Seelouis]

More magical Daphne.  I swear Mingo was talking to her from behind while he was zipping up her dress.  And she even said a few words in Mandarin when treating the little boy -- so she can now speak a language where the meaning changes based on tones??? 

 

I almost threw something at the screen in that scene with Regina and Bay at the end.  I so wanted Bay to blast her when Regina said "my grown-up girl."  She should have said "I'm not your girl.  You have never acted like a mother to me."  Seriously, I'm supposed to feel sorry for the ridiculous situation Regina got herself into when Bay had such a horrific year with no support from Regina? Bay is a thousand times more mature than her "mother."   

[dmmetler]

My prediction is that we'll never see baby Carlton and Lily again-that Toby will end up divorced or coming home for a family emergency, but that those two characters are done.

I expect we haven't seen the last of Will/Eric/Hope. Unfortunately.

I want Bay to stay in her tattoo parlor, happy, successful, and using her art skills. The kid deserves that. In fact, I'd be happy if the series would end there, sans cliffhanger. I'll even ignore that Daphne somehow became an audiologist and capable of speaking Mandarin in 10 months.

[Rigoletto22]

I watched this show from episode 1 and it used to be great. I really can't stand it anymore but I hate to give up on some of the characters that I've grown fond of. The writing is just so shitty and unbelievable. I can suspend disbelief in sitcoms and a bit in dramas but they go so far out into fantasy land over and over again. 

 

Does Regina own the Cracked Mug now? Did her bf own it- did he buy it outright so there is no closing required to transfer the property to her? 

 

I have been saying that they were going to kill the baby off since she announced her pregnancy. Downs babies do often have delicate health and sometimes very weak hearts so I think the baby doesn't make it. 

 

The part about Mrs Kennish putting on the purple dress and going to meet the lawyer was such BS! And her saying "It was nice to have a man look at me" I mean really? A cheating wife would never say that to her husband! In any case it was so far fetched. Their money problems are far fetched too. I mean "broke" or just not as filthy rich as they were? 

 

I love Bay and they keep giving her crosses to bear. I cannot stand Daphne anymore and she keeps getting all the breaks. It's just a stupid show at this point and I may just have to stop watching...except I won't because I love Bay!

Edited October 28, 2015 by Rigoletto22

[40Love]

Yes, Daphne, Bay should listen to you since you have such a solid record of good judgement in life and with men. Blech.

 

Well, wasn't there a time that Travis was majorly hung-up on Daphne? She brushed him off pretty easily. Now she's telling Bay to go for it. (sigh) Travis really needs to expand his love-seeking radius. There is a whole world of women out there other than the ones he sees everyday. Heh!

[morakot]

And Bay, unlike some Kennish girls, does recognize boundaries: you don't actively pursue your sibling's ex or your best friend's ex.

[ShadowFacts]

 

The part about Mrs Kennish putting on the purple dress and going to meet the lawyer was such BS! And her saying "It was nice to have a man look at me" I mean really? A cheating wife would never say that to her husband! In any case it was so far fetched. Their money problems are far fetched too. I mean "broke" or just not as filthy rich as they were?

 

That was cringeworthy.  Everything about that scene and afterward what she said to John and John said to her and then she flounced off -- so beyond belief. Also I guess the pole dance/ballet thing was a nonstarter.  Maybe Regina could host some promotional classes in her coffee shop, get it off the ground and partner up with that stripper.  Regina is always up for new ventures.   

[Bobcatkitten]

The 10 month jump is just horrible. What it says to me is the Kennishes have three kids and not one of them is in college. And they apparently could give a crap less about being aunts to Carlton. We don't know if they stayed in KC or went to London but I know for sure the kid isn't in China. So so much for all the nice things you said Bay.

[tvlove]

As much as I hated watching Katherine be a completely different character than the one we have come to know in that scene with the lawyer in the bar (and the terribly written and acted fight with John about it), I think the emergency that brings Bay and Daphne home will be about that. I think Katherine will have an affair and she and John will spend a season talking about divorce.

[Aliconehead]

 

I think the emergency that brings Bay and Daphne home will be about that. I think Katherine will have an affair and she and John will spend a season talking about divorce.

I hope not.  They have done that already.  They need to find a new storyline

[heythere]

The 10 month jump is just horrible. What it says to me is the Kennishes have three kids and not one of them is in college. And they apparently could give a crap less about being aunts to Carlton. We don't know if they stayed in KC or went to London but I know for sure the kid isn't in China. So so much for all the nice things you said Bay.

Yikes. They are what 19? I'd much rather them be out in the world exploring and learning about themselves than at home with their nephew.  To say that about Bay because she chose to not be wherever Carlton is? Sorry but that's absurd.

 

I like Travis, I would have no problem with him being with Bay. I do wish he hadn't set up that fake art show though....I get why he thought it was a good idea and his intentions behind it but what a really terrible idea.

 

I haven't been a fan of Mingo but my opinion of him changed in this episode. He deserves better than Daphne.