Jealousy, Tension on 'Switched at Birth' Season 1, Episode 4 Raise Questions

COMMENTARY | This week on "Switched at Birth," tensions continued to surface as Bay (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne (Katie LeClerc) struggled with jealousy and territorialism.

Bay does not react well when she learns that Daphne had unknowingly begun dating her ex-boyfriend, Liam (Charles Michael Davis). Her reaction is so strong that she prompts Daphne to break up with him (despite her mutual feelings for him). Daphne sacrifices her relationship because she doesn't want to infringe upon her budding relationships with her new family.

Yet Bay does not return the favor. Daphne spots her with her own "big brother" figure, Ty (Blair Redford). Bay is clearly threatened when Daphne seems to be stepping on her turf, and the feeling is somewhat mutual.

On the one hand, Bay seems to be in the wrong here. She was the one who had broken up with Liam, so why deny Daphne the chance to find her own happiness? And isn't she setting a double-standard by dating Ty? Yet I could also sympathize with Bay's situation.

Is Bay really that possessive of Liam? Or is she feeling threatened in a larger sense?

It seems that Liam himself is not the issue for Bay. What bothers her is that she has always been the black sheep in her family and has had trouble fitting in at school. Yet a new girl like Daphne comes along and easily fits into her upper-crust society the way she never did.

Bay seems threatened by how easily everyone, including her family, has warmed to Daphne to the point where they replaced her in a family photo. To the moody teenage Bay, Daphne comes across as the irritatingly perfect dream girl who threatens to make Bay even more of an outcast in her own family.

Yet what Bay doesn't see is that Daphne's had to work for her success. Her positive attitude is the result of having to overcome prejudices from society. When Kathryn confided that the rumors and whispers about the family had hurt her feelings, Daphne advised her to make those people feel comfortable.

Daphne behaves kindly and sympathetically toward people in order to ease any misconceptions they have about her deafness.

As for Emmett (Sean Berdy), he came down a bit harshly on Daphne for trying to fit in with the Kennishes and with Liam's society. He accused her of kissing up and selling out. Much of this had to do with his own negative experiences with hearing people, but he also had a personal interest in this because he was clearly in love with Daphne.

The parents were struggling with jealousies of their own. After hearing rumors about John's (D.W. Moffett's) infidelity, Kathryn (Lea Thompson) accused him of flirting with Melody (Marlee Matlin). Did she really distrust her husband? Or was she more concerned with the opinions of her society? In any case, John made it up to his wife and promised her that she would "get lucky."

Meanwhile, Regina (Constance Marie) caught the attention of Bruce (Jason Brooks), who unfortunately turned out to be the ex of Kathyrn's pernicious friend Denise. Kathyrn ominously warned Regina that dating him would be bad news for both women.

Will Daphne and Liam get back together? Was Bay selfish in asking Daphne to break up with him? Or is Daphne stepping on Bay's turf? Is John and Kathryn's marriage solid or does she have reason to worry? Will Denise unleash her wrath when she sees Regina and Bruce together?

Catch "Switched at Birth" Mondays at 9pm on ABC Family.