5 Things We Learned During Switched at Birth 5×01

Switched at Birth has returned after being off-air for literally all of 2016, and you’d better believe it came back with a bang. Here are five things we learned during Switched at Birth 5×01, “The Call.”

1. That season 4 cliffhanger was about Emmett.

In addition to being an A+ Backstreet Boys song, “The Call” is a succinct way to summarize the Switched at Birth season 4 finale cliffhanger, when Bay and Daphne were mysteriously summoned home after 10 months in China. Switched at Birth 5×01 reveals all: Apparently Emmett overdosed on a bunch of different kinds of drugs, although he’s insisting it happened accidentally while he was studying for midterms. When Bay calls Skye, she finds out that things aren’t how Emmett’s making them seem. Skye and Emmett broke up two months earlier, Emmett’s film was rejected from the festival circuit, and the last time Skye spoke to him, he could barely get out of bed. According to Melody, depression runs in the family, and she’s determined to help Emmett manage it with therapy and meds.

“It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength to recognize it and do something about it.”

2. Bay’s caught in the middle… again.

A lot has happened since Travis revealed his feelings for Bay in Switched at Birth 4×20. Specifically, during the time jump separating the season 4 finale from Switched at Birth 5×01, Travis and Bay shacked up together in China and made plans do the same back in Kansas City! Bay’s thrilled about moving in with him – at least until Emmett throws a wrench in the works. In an emotional heart to heart, Emmett tells her, “I have so much I regret. I never should have let you go.” Although Bay’s happy with Travis, she admits to Daphne that Emmett’s words made her heart leap a little…

3. Reality bites.

Daphne returns with a plan to sign up for pre-med classes at UMKC, get college credit for working at a clinic in China, secure on-campus housing, and rekindle things with Mingo. Unfortunately, the classes she wants to take are all full, her time at the clinic doesn’t meet the credit requirements, there’s no room in the dorms, and Mingo’s unavailable. Oh, and Regina’s now a student at UMKC, too. As actress Katie Leclerc phrased it in her recent interview with Pop City Life, “When Daphne comes back to what’s supposed to feel like home, everybody’s moved on and she’s got all these obstacles in the way.” At least Daphne has Bay, who invites her sister to live above The Cracked Mug with her. There’s just one problem: Travis.

4. Regina’s a cougar.

After Eric fell off the grid and out of Regina’s life at the end of season 4, Regina replaced him with a younger model – a UMKC student who’s about the same age as her daughter(s). What’s more, it seems their relationship is chiefly based on clumsy excuses for Luca to stay at her place after study group (“My phone’s doing that thing again”). However, after Daphne and Luca meet and hit it off, Regina decides everything’s getting too weird for her and calls the whole thing off. Judging by the spark between Luca and Daphne, though, I doubt that’s the last we’ll see of him.

5. Daphne goes viral.

Switched at Birth 5×01 ends with Daphne attending a costume party at her UMKC friends’ dorm. She makes a super-cute Katy Perry, but not everyone’s as enamored with Mingo’s costume. He’s dressed as Lil Wayne, and when Daphne posts a selfie of the two of them online, a cultural appropriation firestorm ignites. Sounds like next week’s episode is going to be interesting…