Matthew

Matthew is a deaf character who first appears in an episode of Switched at Birth Season 2. He is portrayed by Daniel Durant.

Season 2
In Duel of Two Women, Matthew is sent on the Carlton School Retreat after the students get into a fight with the pilot program students.

In Uprising, Matthew is seen planning a protest with some of the other deaf students in attempt to convince the school board to keep Carlton open. The students lock themselves in the school until the school board agrees with their terms on keeping Carlton open. Daphne notices Matthew and a few other students posting stuff she doesn’t agree with relating to the protest on social media and asks everyone to hand over their phones and other electronic devices. Matthew refuses causing Daphne to state that anyone who wasn’t willing to do so should leave. Matthew, irritated with Daphne’s rules, leaves the protest.

Season 3
In Drowning Girl, when Carlton is more mainstream, Matthew decides to try and get rid of all the hearing students by making it seem as if they are targeting the deaf students by puncturing the tires of the cars of the deaf students and eventually breaking a window. Emmett catches him doing it on film in Your Body is a Battleground but is only able to see his back, including his white sweatshirt with a grease stain on the shoulder. At the end of the episode, Matthew offers Natalie his sweatshirt and Emmett notices the stain. After talking with Travis about what to do in Fountain, Emmett reveals that it is Matthew, and not the hearing students, that is slashing the tires. As a result, Matthew gets suspended.

Matthew returns to Carlton in The Ambush and seems happy to make amends with Emmett. However, later in the episode Love Seduces Innocence, Pleasure Entraps, and Remorse Follows, he reveals himself to be Emmett's online girlfriend, Mandy. As it turns out, Matthew used pictures of his cousin, a girl who goes to college in Kansas City, to take revenge on Emmett for turning him in. To cement his revenge, Matthew films Emmett as he learns he has been catfished at their picnic area meeting spot, and then beats him up.

In Love Among the Ruins, he blackmails Emmett with a photo Emmett sent to Mandy in order to get him to lie to Principal Rose and tell that nothing happened. Melody, however, is not convinced and threatens Matthew to stay away from her son, which gets her suspended.

In Like a Snowball Down a Mountain, Bay and Emmett break into Matthew's locker to erase the pictures of Emmett on Matthew's laptop, only to discover a folder titled "Mandy" with tons of pictures of Emmett. Within the folder, Bay discovers a document called "letter," which reveals Matthew's hidden feelings for Emmett. As Bay sneaks back to Matthew's locker to return his laptop and phone, Matthew catches Bay, who confronts him about his liking Emmett. He hasn't come out about it yet, so he hurries away, angry. Toward the end of the episode, Bay talks Emmett into not turning Matthew in, and Emmett catches up with Matthew later, telling Matthew that he isn't going to turn him in and asking him why he didn't tell him about his feelings before. Matthew responds that it started as a joke that went out of hand and leaves before he finishes his sentence.

In Girl on the Cliff, Matthew reappears at the Carlton Prom. He is surprised to find out that many students are dancing outside. Emmett tells Matthew that he's glad he's here. Matthew then dances with Sharee.

In And Life Begins Right Away, he is seen in the crowd of students during the Carlton graduation.

Season 5
In the episode titled Long Live Love, Natalie approaches Melody to tell her the concerns she is having about Matthew. She explains that Matthew’s Dad caught him on a date with a boy and that he had kicked him out of the house. She tells Melody that Matthew told her he would go stay with one of his friends but later one of Natalie’s other friends informed her that they saw him dumpster diving. Melody tells Natalie that they will look into it.

The next day, Melody and Natalie find Matthew in front of a tent on a street. They are relieved to have found him and Melody offers to take him to get something to eat so they can discuss some options for his situation. Matthew explains that because he is now 19, he has very little options for housing.

Later at Melody’s house, Gabe and Melody discuss the situation and they agree to let Matthew stay with them until he is able to find a place for himself.

Appearance
Matthew has short brown, shaggy hair, green eyes, and a pointed square face. He usually carries a brown messenger bag around with him during his time at Carlton. He tends to wear jackets and sweatshirts.

Personality
Little bit hostile, mood changes a lot.

Family Members
Not said

Partners
To be added

Friends & Rivals
It is confirmed in Like a Snowball Down a Mountain that Matthew has long-harbored romantic feelings for Emmett. Emmett consults Travis during the tire slashing incident about if he should turn Matthew in. Matthew is often seen walking around Carlton and other various places with Natalie, indicating that they are likely friends or at least well known acquaintances. Natalie tells Bay in Like a Snowball Down a Mountain that, at a party, Matthew hinted at having feelings for Emmett, but when she asked him about it later, Matthew pretended that the situation never happened, indicating his reluctance to come out. When the students take over Carlton, Daphne inadvertently makes Matthew leave when he refuses to give up his laptop and phone in order to aid the protest. Bay tells Matthew in Like a Snowball Down a Mountain that she knows about his feelings for Emmett and that he should admit it and move on. Melody tells Matthew to stay away from Emmett in Love Among the Ruins. Later in Long Live Love, Melody and Gabe let Matthew stay with them until he can find a place to live.
 * Emmett Bledsoe
 * Travis Barnes
 * Natalie Pierce
 * Daphne Vasquez
 * Bay Kennish
 * Melody Bledsoe