Girl On The Cliff

The Girl On The Cliff should be called “Girl who fell in the cliff” because no one was hanging on the edge of any cliff during the episode, they were already going down in it. From what I could see, the stories around Daphne and Bay were just to illustrate the 2 main characters handling difficult situations they found themselves already into.

So let’s review: Emmett’s prom invitation was sweet, and I surely didn’t think Emmett was so good in art crafts to make such a nice paper flower, but let’s be serious; the ear plugs were a lot better idea and much nicer way to invite Bay to the prom. It is a little shocking that they are still doing things in secret from each other. Emmett did a campaign to be elected Prom King & Queen without Bay’s knowledge or even approval and Bay decided to make a stand for her friend calling Marybeth, Natalie and Hillary about her plan but she didn’t include Emmett on it until he went to pick her up for the prom. It is not clear if Travis knew it before or Marybeth told him, but obviously Emmett was the last one to know about her plan, but the boy is so good to her or so in love with her that he just stood by her side and supported her on whatever her plan was.

Bay was already in the situation to fight for what is right and not people decide what other should be just to fit in. As she mentioned, she was always feeling like an outsider, which sounded to me, she was always on the cliff, falling, now it was time for her to get out of it, and not let people try to change her or make her feel bad for being herself. She was not making a stand just for her friend but for herself, as if she finally could accept who she was, love her for that and be strong enough to show the world how beautiful her real being is. She doesn’t need permission or approval from anyone to be who she is and she would show that to the world. As Regina said, best line of the episode for me, “the best leaders lead by example” and surely enough, that was what Bay did. As prom queen, she led her “servant” to a better “life”, a prom with no rules of discrimination, a true royal decision, always must think about what is best for the people.

As Daphne goes, she was preparing her bed for a big fall or her big cliff, and she was falling high. We all understand that pain and the lost of a loved one can make us lose it..especially a teen, but nothing in the world justify criminality. In the beginning of the series, Daphne was the good girl that was always loved by everyone and always smiling, I remember how Bay hated her for it. Well, now she is still loved by everyone and all still want her to be happy and they all are still on her side, no matter how bad she has fallen, but she is far from being the good girl. The personality on the characters had switched, Bay is the good one now while Daphne became a criminal. Vandalism, stealing, using drugs, fighting..that is a real long fall. However the good part on this episode was not that she was caught but that she admitted her fault. She lost her job for doing what is right for once, she told the truth, but that one bad thing really got her to the bottom where there were no more way to fall even more, so the only thing she could do is to climb back up, and so she did. She told Regina the truth as well and she made peace with herself about Angelo, about the switch, about her anger against Regina.

A couple of things I particularly liked was that, even though Daphne was in pain with her memories of Angelo, especially after seeing the guy who had an accident, she still decided not to take the pills to ease her pain. That part was scary, some people though she was going to commit suicide, some thought she was going to get addicted to drugs but thank goodness, neither happened. The Toby and Tank bromance was also a nice storyline. Both came into senses after their small fight and it seems that their friendship/roommate situation is heading to become a great one. People are different and we all need to respect each other no matter what different opinion we have. It has been always known, that this blog is focused on mainly Bay and Emmett romance, but that doesn’t mean we can’t respect the other fans that also like Bay and Tank or Bay and Ty, or any other one. This is my opinion, and I’m sure, not every reader will agree with me 100%, but we all agree that since I am one person and I am different from everyone else, as we all are different from every body else, my opinion is also different from many of the readers. That said, Toby’s opinion about someone or a job doesn’t necessary needs to be the same as Tank and that is what Tank also realize.

I want to make a pause here to comment on John, director DW Moffett, who by coincidence also plays John, made John appear even more real than ever. To my knowledge, John is a very realistic man, but when comes to his daughters, especially Daphne, he tries to or choose to not see the real problem she is in. Acting naturally from John point of view, Daphne would be OK if she just change her focus to the future instead of keeping it in the past, that made him disregards Kathryn opinion again, which makes me scare if he will go back to be the lame one Kathryn was tired of, but on the same time he was also a bit boldly to curse on a teen series. Maybe it is just me, but I was not expecting that language on that type of show, even being rated PG14. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be that surprise and even expecting it on a crime or action show or movie, just not on a teen show like that.  And as I’m talking about DW performance, let me make a statement for DW as a director, one of the best ever! I wish we can see more of his directorial episodes on season 4! The scene when the kids try to get in the prom was one of the best camera angles, face expression, timing, and please, oh, please, whatever he said to Sean Berdy on how to act on that scene, it just worked perfectly! Sean talking and the way he looked at Vanessa with so much sorrow and trying to make up for the last prom fiasco was getting into my heart and I could almost cry. Another great scene was the outside prom when Matthew arrived. Needless to say I love Sean acting, but Daniel Durant is right there too! No wonder he is doing good on his acting career, Daniel can deliver some of the best scenes I’ve seen on SAB! I particularly was never that amazed by Wes character, and to be honest, his scenes didn’t say much either on this episode, but I need to point out that the beauty of the shot of when Wes and Regina were fighting because she told him Daphne was involved in the vandalism of the East Riverside project was so intense. Let’s just say, great directing!!

Another “Hats Off” to costume designer Courtney Stern! This episode was the most fashioned episode I can remember. Bay’s dress was trending, and for a good reason! Bay’s dress was so pretty, I really felt bad for Emmett for not seeing it (well, at least until what we saw on screen, who knows how the private viewing went) On a tradition break of how important it is for the girl to be dressed up for the prom, and everyone expecting her to show up ready and pretty, Bay’s suit was also very fashionable, and so was all the other characters in suits. Natalie’s white tux was so charming, and let’s not forget a very modern LGTB background extra wearing a tux with a pink high heels. That was kind of funny, but great for the story and statement they wanted to give. Not so trending fashioned was Toby’s toga, but for sure, it may have taken a great deal of creativity for the great Courney to get that done. Another small detail I noticed, Bay’s high heels were so high that she was almost Emmett’s tall. In comparison to episode 12 where she had to be on the top of her toes to be able to hug Emmett, we could really see now she had a good height with the shoes’ help.

And since we are talking about production and some “technical” things, I really would like to comment that Natalie does sign fast. Stephanie Nogueras has given us an interview previously where she mentioned that she signs fast and it is hard for her to slow down when acting. Well, in this one we could see what she meant.

So, back to the story; Bay and Daphne are bouncing back from the bottom of their own cliff. Better than anyone, Bay stand for what is right affected more than just her persona and her own relationship with Emmett, but touched the lives of her friends and family, including Toby who ended up realizing how good a friend can be. Mr Z and his debate about the rules was quiet after enough said from all of the kids, especially Emmett trying to protect Bay from that awkward situation. Bay and Emmett ended up so in tune that only a look could tell they knew what each other was thinking..outside prom. That was priceless.

The messages I got were two, one is that people should be free to be as they want to be, dress, behave, love whatever or whoever they want. The other was that when you are down and there is no more way to fall, the only way you can go is up again. Bad things happen for a reason, whether is the person’s fault or not, just take it as an opportunity to change and look into the bright side. Look ahead what can be good and forget of what it was bad in the past.

Here it the promo for episode 21 (next monday)

Time to re-watch last Monday's episode. If you do not have ABCFamily app or dvr or hulu or iTunes, you can try this link: http://www.zzstream.li/2014/08/switched-at-birth-s3-e20-girl-on-the-cliff.html We do NOT endorse or support the website or its content and strongly advise you to get your ABCFamily app or register with a secure website endorsed by ABC Channel.