Switched at Birth Season 5 (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

Previous threads:
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4

The abbreviated 10-episode fifth and final season finally premieres January 31 at after a 463 day gap between episodes.

A promo:

 

[DaveF]

My wife wants to watch it. I don't know. S3 and S4 were... disappointing.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

My wife wants to watch it. I don't know. S3 and S4 were... disappointing.

It took me a long time to get through Season 4. But I'm hoping that the combination of the short 10-episode season and the knowledge that this is the end will allow them to get back to what made the show special in its early seasons and go out on a high note without any soap opera filler.

 

[DaveF]

I hope so.

 

[mattCR]

Seasons 3 & 4 had a huge bar to live up to, considering how strong I thought S1/S2 were. Season 4 had some real problems, but in the best moments, it still worked quite well. I'm hopeful for Season 5.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

After a 15-month hiatus, "Switched at Birth" began its final 10-episode run tonight.

Significant time jumps are always a tricky line to walk. On one hand, you can't have leave the characters completely unchanged when you pick up in the future. On the other hand, you can't have what transpired be too complicated or it will be impossible to catch the audience up quickly. I really liked that Bay and Daphne (and later Travis) had this amazing experience abroad in China. I thought it was a smart development that things were rougher for Emmett back in Los Angeles. Kathryn's new job seemed pretty left field, especially since her job title usually requires years of experience that she doesn't have. At least one thing's a constant: Regina will never, ever choose wisely when it comes to relationships. Compared to the alcoholic who abandoned her and Daphne and the fugitive from justice, robbing the cradle is actually a step in the right direction.

I'm really glad they're tackling mental illness this season. College is the age when most people's mental health issues flare up, and more than 25 percent of college students will receive mental health services during college. I had rumblings in high school, but my freshman year of college was when my problems with anxiety and depression really began. It's odd how many dramas with college-age characters don't tackle mental illness.

Maybe it's the extended time off the air, but I had no recollection whatsoever of Bay dating Travis. I vaguely recalled her letting him down gently when he professed his love to her. His tirade on the baseball field when she told him that Daphne would be moving in with her instead speaks to his rocky home life and the series of people that have let him down in his life, but he's not wrong. Bay's still in love with Emmett on some level, and him cracking open that door again probably triggered her on some subconscious level to start building an escape hatch with Travis. But starting a relationship with Emmett in his current state is the last thing that Bay should do. You never want to put yourself in a position where someone else is dependent on you for their happiness. Emmett needs to get to a good place without dating Bay before they even think about giving it another shot.

I'm not sure how I feel about the costume party scene. Obviously college campus race relations is another hot button issue they're going to be tackling during this final run. I cringed as soon as I saw Mingo dressed as Lil Wayne, but knowing him and his background I completely believed that he would be oblivious to how inappropriate it was. I don't know whether I buy that Daphne would be equally oblivious. Yes, she grew up in a Hispanic neighborhood instead of a black neighborhood. But she still had a multicultural enough background that I'd have thought she'd be more conscious of blackface, minstrel tropes and cultural appropriation. I'm also curious how many black writers the show has. I hope it's not a David E. Kelley/Aaron Sorkin situation where people who haven't lived these issues are assuming the voice of those who have.