There is so much stress starting out on Switched at Birth Season 3, and it breaks my heart.

There were definitely a few bright spots on  Switched at Birth Season 3 Episode 1, but it's pretty apparent the people we've come to love will spend a bit more time on the bottom before finding their way back toward some sort of happiness.

Senior year at Carlton isn't going to be anything like what Daphne and Bay expected. They may have won the battle to keep the school open, but the students that have made their way to their hallowed halls are seemingly the leftovers that other schools wouldn't accept. 

It's not only a raw deal for the deaf kids who were hoping to maintain at least some of their academic freedom, but those that are making their way there feel like they're not only with misfits, but a bunch of fellow losers, if the new girl was right in her assessment when she made her feelings known to Daphne. Sadly, when Natalie discussed their experiences with mainstreaming in Switched at Birth Season 2 Episode 9, she was right. They didn't get good students to mix with the deaf, but the outcasts.

My guess is that the relationship between the confrontational girl and Daphne is being set up a bit like that of Bay and Natalie in Switched at Birth Season 2 -- once they find some common ground and drop their guard a little bit, they'll end up as friends. Perhaps while playing field hockey.

Bay is still hurting from her break with Ty; something she hasn't shared with anyone. Regina guessed it, but Bay didn't tell her the truth about it. The one thing that Bay was looking forward to was art class, and when Carlton had to skimp on an art teacher, Melody introduced her to the college course elective where Bay met a new friend named Miles, or Tank -- take your pick. 

I liked the continuity of Bay running into Mary Beth at college and learning she was still dating Travis. Mary Beth almost told Bay the true reason Ty broke up with her, but instead Bay got drunk and almost made a mistake by hooking up with a dude named Cliff (in true drunk fashion, she called him Ledge -- I still have a list of dudes with false names like that, sorry guys!), and we learned Tank has a heart of gold when he saved her from herself. Awwww.

Daphne was not only struggling with the new hard-asses at Carlton, but when she started her community service, she discovered a lot of the kids with whom she would be working had been kicked out of their homes by their parents and got the idea John would do the same to her. 

Watch Switched at Birth Season 3 Episode 1 Online

What she did was definitely a bad thing, and it will take time to repair the damage she did to the new bond she created with her birth father, but it's kind of sad to think she didn't know him well enough to know he wouldn't toss her into the streets for what she had done. All she had to do was look at the many mistakes Toby and Bay made along the way to know she's going to be just fine. 

Kathryn is really struggling with, well, everything. She went to a psychiatrist and started to open up, but instead of listening as a psychologist might have, he just prescribed her medication. She met a new friend, starting taking tap lessons and lying to John. There will come a moment when he sees her pills and it all comes crumbling down. Maybe she and Daphne can hit the streets together.

I had such high hopes for John after Switched at Birth Season 2 Episode 15, when he had his close call with death. I thought for certain he would treat people differently after realizing what life could have been like, but it didn't take him long at all to fall right back into his old ways. If anything, the people around him seem to be suffering more after what they went through because of their expectations of life after his heart attack.

It seems Angelo has run out of money. Unless I'm mistaken, a $5 million award, after taxes, isn't going to leave you that much. Let's say on a good day it's about $3 million (although I think that's too generous, this IS TV). He's building a swanky house on purchased property, he sent Regina to rehab, he spent a lot of money trying to find his baby and if the chick who called about the restaurant is right, he's already spent almost $2 million on that money trap. Oh. My. God.

It's no wonder he freaked when Regina finally took him up on the offer to starting sharing in their windfall of cash. It's gone! He did back down and say an investment in her was a wonderful thing, but where is he going to get the cash? What bad things is he going to get himself into to try to make a quick buck? 

The chick who took over for his business partner is obviously a money grubber, as she said she would just buy him out, but then said he could just write two checks for what sounded like $350k each for new stoves. I don't know where she's shopping, but he needs to get a handle on it quick.

The last thing of note is Toby is at home without Nikki. I didn't quite catch where she was, but they're intent on making their marriage work, although it seems strange that he's not in college if she's off ... where? 

Melody told John just to let the dust settle with regard to the new stuff going down at Carlton. They're all going to need to take that advice when they discover everything else happening in their lives. 

Let's talk about the two moms. Who's going to have a harder time?

It was nice to have the gang back. What did you guys think of the season premiere? Chat about it in the comments!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.