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‘Switched at Birth’ cast reveals their favorite episodes of the series
Knowing that the fifth season of “Switched at Birth” will be its last is giving us some serious feels about one of our favorite Freeform shows. We’ve gotten some amazing years out of Bay (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne’s (Katie Leclerc) journey, and we’re not ready for it to be over!
In the name of nostalgia, we decided to ask the cast which episodes over the course of the series were their favorites — and naturally, their answers were perfect.
“My favorite episode is probably when we did a ‘what if’ episode,” Vanessa Marano says. “That one was cool because it was fun to play the different characters in a different world.”
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“I have several, but I think my favorite is the all-sign language episode, where we didn’t have any spoken dialogue,” says Marlee Matlin. “To be part of that historical, groundbreaking episode — I mean for television history, it really is a big thing. The fact that we were able to do that — and the network was able to allow us to do that? I have to thank Freeform for letting it happen, because no other show in television history has ever done anything like it.”
Matlin’s not embellishing when she says this episode was a TV milestone. “Switched at Birth” has always taken a deep and insightful look at the lives of people with disabilities and those closest to them, and it’s done a spectacular job of making these characters full-formed, well-rounded people who’s lives are full of promise, hardships and joy. The entirely ASL episode only proved that point further.
Some of the cast played coy about which episodes they enjoyed most, like Lucas Grabeel. “I can’t say because it’s one coming up. It’s going to be really great.”
RELATED: ‘Switched at Birth’: Vanessa Marano previews Bay’s Season 5 romantic woes
Others focused in on episodes specific to their character. Ryan Lane, who plays Travis, chose the episode that first truly brought him into the show’s circle: “Probably my favorite episode is when Daphne was there for Travis and she showed up at his house,” Lane says. “If she hadn’t been there for him, Travis wouldn’t be here now. She was able to bring him into everyone else’s life, and now he’s here.”
No matter which episodes you love most, we’re sure Season 5 is going to deliver quite a few new ones for the list.
“Switched at Birth” returns Tuesday (Jan. 31) at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform.