Bay Kennish (Vanessa Marano) never felt right with her rich conservative parents. Her mother Kathryn (Lea Thompson) doesn't get her artistic side. Her father John (D.W. Moffett) is a former Royals pitcher and owns several car washes. Her brother Toby (Lucas Grabeel) is the trouble-making musician. She suggests a DNA test which shocks the family. They discover that Bay and another baby was switched at birth. The other girl, Daphne Vasquez (Katie Leclerc), is deaf. She lives in a rough neighborhood with her mother Regina Vasquez (Constance Marie) and grandmother. She goes to a deaf school with her best friend Emmett Bledsoe (Sean Berdy) whose mother is Melody (Marlee Matlin). Regina is about to move out of town when everybody agrees to have the Vasquez move into the Kennish guest house.
It's soapy teen family drama. By its nature, it tackles a lot of social issues especially pertaining to the deaf. The things that sold me right from the start are the actors and the usual deaf angle. It's rare to have a show based on deaf characters and that's very intriguing. It also doesn't hurt to have great actors. The younger side of the cast is filled with likable kids. The deaf community is well represented. Everybody is compelling. This is also a story about the parents trying to come to terms with their lost past and their newfound children. The three lead adults are all top level actors who give charismatic emotional performances. The show does get too soapy at times with a lot of social issues. It still manages to stay compelling for its full run.
It's soapy teen family drama. By its nature, it tackles a lot of social issues especially pertaining to the deaf. The things that sold me right from the start are the actors and the usual deaf angle. It's rare to have a show based on deaf characters and that's very intriguing. It also doesn't hurt to have great actors. The younger side of the cast is filled with likable kids. The deaf community is well represented. Everybody is compelling. This is also a story about the parents trying to come to terms with their lost past and their newfound children. The three lead adults are all top level actors who give charismatic emotional performances. The show does get too soapy at times with a lot of social issues. It still manages to stay compelling for its full run.