photo: abc family
He Did What He Wanted
Original Air Date: Jul 1, 2013
Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com
With the past few episodes, the wheels have been set in motion for things to come. If you look at the sum of the part, you can see the building blocks for where the season is potentially going. New relationships forged. New jobs. Existing relations either crumbling or being reestablished.
But this hour was different. First off, it had more John than we’ve probably had in all of the previous episodes combined. In fact, it was probably one of the more adult-centric episodes we’ve had in a while. Hmmm… could that be foreshadowing something? Something like, oh I don’t know, …that ending!?!?
Daphne/Jace: Daphne and Jace continue to flirt at work and discuss kissing again. He makes plans with her for July 5th, citing prior plans on the 4th. When another intern, Parker, who works for Senator Chris Coto, mentions that Jace is having a barbeque, Daphne is understandably upset about not being invited. She goes anyways, based on Parker’s invite, bringing Emmett along as arm candy. Daphne is hurt when she sees Jace flirting with other girls and even more so when he admits that flirting with other girls was the entire reason for the barbeque. He confesses that he runs a political gossip blog, Kansas Squealer, that reveals political secrets and he believes that Senator Coto (who is pushing for abstinence only education) is sleeping with one or more of the interns. Daphne breaks their date, but later learns he was right when Parker admits she’s being transferred because she’s been sleeping with Coto. She begs Jace not to damage Parker’s reputation, promising to find him something better to blog about.
Emmett: Not only do we see Emmett for what feels like the first time in a while, he even gets a story that has nothing to do with Bay. He has lunch with his dad and Daphne, and is obviously still bitter about how their relationship went the last time around. His dad has yet another girlfriend and this one has a cochlear implant. Cameron admits he’s considering getting one and Emmett blows his lid. He vents to Travis about it, but to his surprise Travis admits he’s thought about it as well, as he feels it might open more doors for him in the future. Travis tells Emmett his attitude about being deaf not being good enough is “old school.” Cameron comes to visit Emmett at work, and leaves the cochlear decision up to his son. Emmett tells his dad he doesn’t want him to get one. Somehow I don’t think the conversation is truly over.
Angelo: Angelo signs himself and Regina up for the same country club that John and Kathryn belong to. He befriends a fellow member and talks to her about restaurants they both plan to open. Regina is suspicious of his money situation though, noting that he paid for rehab, private investigators to search for the baby, the expensive club, not to mention a $700 toilet (with warmers!) he just ordered. He denies any problems, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already blown through much of his millions. He still makes plans to partner with the country club lady… what could he really be up to?
Bay/Ty: Bay is still trying to understand where Ty’s head is at, but she’s also growing closer to Mary Beth, her coworker. Mary Beth is having a hard time with her brother’s death, so Bay decides to set her up with their boss, Mac. The four of them go mini-golfing, but the matchmaking is a bust, as Mac is clearly not into Mary Beth. Mary Beth is embarrassed, but Ty manages to get her spirits up with a pep talk. However, the excursion goes from bad to worse, when Mary Beth realizes she has lost her brother’s dog tags. They don’t turn up, but Bay later does… at Ty’s doorstep. She admits she still has feelings for him, and he does for her as well, but is worried about his own emotional health at the moment. His resistance is futile, as the two end up in a kiss.
Kathryn/John/Regina: Kathryn and John meet with the aforementioned Senator Coto for lunch, but as soon as John’s and his wife’s backs are turned; he makes a rather revolting pass at Kathryn. Kathryn is disgusted, but opts not to tell John, as she doesn’t want to anger him. But John is already is a foul mood, because he learns that Ty is back in town and Regina didn’t bother to tell them. So when Kathryn does come clean, to get out of a getaway weekend with the Senator, John is furious. He’s furious with Kathryn for not telling him right away and he confronts the Senator who basically mocks his indignation.
His day only gets worse when he and Regina have the mother of all blow-ups. He spies her grabbing some of Bay’s art supplies and insists that Bay move back home that night. She takes him to task for always having a problem with her, and he angrily retorts that she kept his daughter from him for thirteen years, which is really not a bad reason on his part. She retorts that he would’ve tried to get custody of both girls, and he doesn’t deny it. She storms off, but later goes to confront him in the kitchen and instead… finds him unconscious on the floor. She calls 9-1-1, and when she can’t find a pulse, begins CPR (credibly counting the compressions as she goes).
Episode Title Art: He Did What He Wanted by Yves Tanguy
Will John survive? If he doesn’t, does his senate seat default to Kathryn, like Sonny Bono’s did to his widow? Did Bay and Ty’s kiss lead to more? Are you still hoping for a Bay/Emmett reunion, even though they haven’t crossed paths much lately? Did you miss Nikki this hour?
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TheTwoCents 
Emmett’s story tonight had everything to do with Bay. His anger is not about his relationship with his dad OR the cochlear. Emmett’s anger is because he blames Olivia, and in turn, his dad, for costing him his relationship with Bay. Ultimately, Emmett knows he is responsible, but it is easier to blame someone else right now.
I agree that it might be a part of his anger, but I think his anger with his dad is far more rooted in his parents’ divorce, his feelings of abandonment, and now his dad’s desire to get the cochlear… I think he feels that his dad would get the cochlear, not only for his girlfriend (clearly a pattern), but because it would make him “better.” Melody has always been very protective of his deaf cultural world, so Emmett probably feels as though this is his dad saying “deaf isn’t good enough”, which Emmett takes as “you’re not good enough the way you are.”