Previously on SWITCHED AT BIRTH: Bay was caught between Travis and Emmett, Toby and Lily debated moving to England with their newborn son, and Daphne invited Bay to accompany her on a trip to China.
We open season 5 with an emergency as Daphne drags an ill Bay through the woods, frantically searching for a doctor. Her deafness and the language barrier make it hard for her to understand how the doctor is treating Bay, but an English-speaking woman stops by a few hours later with a bit of bad news: Bay is suffering from Japanese encephalitis and one in four patents don’t recover.
Here’s what else you can expect from the season 5 premiere of SWITCHED AT BIRTH:
Extending the Vacation. Obviously Bay wasn’t going to die during the season premiere and Daphne is thrilled when she recovers, even though it takes several weeks. This whole experience and the trip to China has really brought the two girls closer together and Bay suggests that they extend their vacation.
Romantic Entanglements. Bay makes a choice between the two men in her lives in the first few minutes of the premiere. We don’t spoil her pick, but he shows up for a visit in China and then stays for the long-term.
Ten Months Later, Stateside. As the girls enjoy China, we return to Kansas City 10 months after the girls first departed, where Kathryn is a department head at UMKC and John is the school’s coach. Meanwhile, Regina is taking business classes at UMKC and dating her much younger co-student, Luca, but they’re keeping the relationship under the radar.
The Call. We see the scene again from the season 4 finale, where Bay is frantically telling Daphne they need to return home. When we next see them they have reunited with Regina back in Kansas City and we learn that someone has gone through a health scare, although they’re not taking the situation too seriously.
Adjusting to Normal Life. Now that the girls are back, they’re re-adjusting to their old lives. Bay wants to get another job at a tattoo parlour and move out, while Daphne wants to head back to school. She’s excited to be at school with her mother, but awkwardness ensues when she seems to have more in common with Luca than her mother does, even when she doesn’t know the truth about their relationship. And she’s feeling a bit discouraged when she can’t land a spot in the dorms and learns that the pre-med program is full.
Racial Tensions. SWITCHED AT BIRTH has never shied away from controversial or social issues and season 5 seems to be no exception. When Mingo dresses up as an African American singer for a costume party, it ignites a big racial debate that is sure to spill over into the next episodes.
Don’t miss the season premiere of SWITCHED AT BIRTH on January 31 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform.