Switched at Birth - Season 2 Episode 16 - Recap - The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living
Switched at Birth - Season 2 Episode 16 - Recap - The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living
Everything is back in the real now on this week's episode of ABC Family's Switched at Birth. After last week's flash sideways into an alternate timeline (one where Regina reports the switch when she finds out and loses custody of Daphne to the Kennish family), we're back up to the present.
John is in high spirits after the minor heart attack, but it's likely denial; he's decreed that it must remain a secret from his political allies. He's refusing to change his diet, his exercise routine, or any of his daily habits. Daphne scolds him and leaves angrily when he refuses to bend. He and Kathryn get into an argument over it when the tension finally gets to be too much. She pours her heart out about how she's afraid to lose him, and the two embrace. The next morning, John releases a press statement about his "cardiac incident", and accepts the heart-healthy tofu breakfast Daphne had previously tried to feed him.
Regina is doing well at her new old job (the one she got fired from before rehab). She finds a client in Angelo (who is opening a restaurant that needs interior decorating), but gets a bit jealous when her boss is flirting with him. The boss lady, unaware of Regina and Angelo's past, asks Regina to snoop around about Angelo's love life. Regina goes home and tells Angelo she needs to move out, then tells the boss lady that it turns out Angelo is married.
Toby is doing well in his new position as manager of the Kennish Car Wash, but he's butting heads with his former competitor for the job, Travis. At work, Toby also runs into an old classmate. This guy has gone off to college, and Toby learns a bit of what he'll be missing. Toby also finds out that Travis wanted the manager job, which upsets him a bit. He calls the university that accepted him and gets put on the waiting list, but when he goes to tell his dad, John is a bit overzealous in expressing his gratitude, Toby promises to be committed to the car wash manager job.
Bay and Ty are about to finally have sex for the first time when she gets the phone call about John's heart attack, but later they set up a date to go to an army barbecue and then "hang out" in Ty's room after. Bay goes to Daphne for advice, and Daphne is just so excited for her. They chat some about Bay's lack of sexual experience and her body insecurity, but Daphne reassures her that it doesn't matter; Ty will be happy just to be with her. At the barbecue, Bay meets some of Ty's army pals (one of whom is missing an arm), including a gorgeous lady soldier. When it comes to light that Ty and the lady soldier have a past together, Bay storms off angry. She gets Regina to pick her up, and the two have a good little heart-to-heart about love. Ty still comes to see her after the barbecue freak out. He's set up his room with candles, but assures her they haven't got to do anything she's not ready for. Things get partially nude, then the candles get blown out.
Daphne, in order to look after the self-negligent and stubborn heart attack victim that is Senator John Kennish, turns down hot coffee Brit and gossip blogger Jace for a date. Jace takes it as a slight, since Daphne can't tell him about John's heart attack, but they set up a make-up date at the Kennish home. Jace and John butt heads over politics, because John is old and out-of-touch and Jace is smart. Daphne tells Jace the truth about John's heart attack after Jace is confused about why Daphne is defending John's bad opinions so much. Daphne is concerned that she doesn't know how she could help if John had another heart attack, so Jace teaches her CPR. The lesson is about to get a little sexy when John walks in confused about what's going on, both with the almost smooch and the CPR lesson. Jace leaves, promising to reschedule, and Daphne catches up with him later to apologize.
This episode returns to the frenetic, relentless pace of the earlier bits of the season, weaving in and out of plots like an action movie motorcycle in rush hour gridlock. Seeing John back to his old, dumb, mean self is disappointing, but they finally move his character a bit, so that's nice. I'm curious to see the repercussions of Bay cunsummating her relationship with Ty, as Emmett didn't appear this week at all. One little, teensy thing about the episode bothered me, though: We learn about Daphne's first time having sex, but instead of using it as an opportunity to add another layer of relationship drama, it was just with an unnamed, unseen character who we've never met on the show before. Oh well. Anyway, check back the same time next week for another recap, and check below for a preview of this episode!