I was surprised to see at the start of this episode that this show was tackling another very intense, hot-button subject, though I did think that Ava had actually killed a baby rather than just taken her before deciding eventually to bring her back. This was a poignant and layered story, one which was directed by Marlee Matlin, the recent star of “CODA” and a longtime advocate for proper storytelling involving Deaf actors and characters. The notion of not wanting to put Ava on the stand to speak for herself was obviously the wrong choice, and only a lawyer who understood what it was like to be deaf could have realized that and allowed her to communicate her perspective. I think this episode did a good job of including many reductive ways in which people interact with those with different abilities and needs, presuming that they are doing the right thing when in fact they are looking down upon others who don’t have the same capabilities. That Shawn Ashmore’s new father was a musician and wanted his child to be able to hear music added an additional layer to all of it, but Ava fought hard to show him that he shouldn’t presume what would be best for his child in an attempt to make her more normal. While I think the first episode could be too polarizing since it dealt with school shootings, which may be too painful for many to discuss, I think this episode, which is also sure to hit some in a profound and difficult way, can spark plenty of inspiration and conversation.
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