Episode Report Card Kim: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Last Stand
By Kim | Season 1 | Episode 2 | Aired on 10.05.1998
Felicity is in the dorm bathroom, putting on makeup. Knoll comes up to the door and asks whether there is anyone else in there. Another voice says, "Yeah!" and a toilet flushes. What is this, All in the Family? Knoll stays outside and apologizes for what he did with her parents. Felicity says that he was just being honest. Knoll still thinks it was one of the dumbest things he's ever done. Oh, he should just wait -- he's going to do plenty of dumb things in upcoming seasons. Knoll asks whether her parents said anything about him. The owner of the other voice from earlier swings the door open and says, "It's all yours." Knoll walks in and asks whether Felicity's parents hated him. Felicity says that they didn't. Knoll adds, "But they didn't say that." Hey, way to make Felicity's problem all about you, Knoll! Felicity says that, to her parents, Knoll is "one more piece of straw in this whole miserable haystack." Felicity sighs and looks back in the mirror, then asks Knoll if she looks okay. Knoll, surprised at the questions, says that she does. Well, of course he's going to say that. He loves her. Have I mentioned yet how much this whole season would be improved with a healthy infusion of Javier?
Mr. Porter walks down the dorm hallway, and Knoll calls out to him. Mr. Porter turns around, and Knoll apologizes yet again. Mr. Porter ascertains that Knoll is the RA, and then asks whether Felicity is okay there. Knoll says that Felicity is "like a chick." Is that really what you want to say to someone's dad? Mr. Porter is all, "A chick?" Knoll explains that he meant a baby chicken, and that he was going to use a metaphor. Mr. Porter tells him not to use metaphors, and just to tell him if Felicity is okay. Knoll says that she is; he adds that he's looking out for her, and that if things get difficult, he'll do what he can to make them better. Mr. Porter asks whether the knife thing turned out okay, and Knoll assures him that it's under control. Mr. Porter thanks him, conveniently just in time for Felicity to walk down the hall. She asks where her mom is, and Mr. Porter says that she wasn't feeling well. They leave.
At the fancy restaurant, Felicity and her dad awkwardly sit at the table. Mr. Porter says that he doesn't want to have the same discussion every time they are together; he wants Felicity at Stanford, but he doesn't know why he's fighting her, because it's her life, not his. Exactly. He adds that it's hard for "someone like [him] to swallow." Mr. Porter makes one last attempt and asks Felicity whether she's sure she wants to stay in New York. Felicity says she thinks so. Mr. Porter says they should talk practically about how she's going to do that. If she went to Stanford, he was going to pay her tuition, and he's still prepared to do that. Felicity looks surprised. Mr. Porter says that he wants to be fair; he points out that if she had lived at home, they wouldn't have had the expense of room and board, so he thinks she should pay that herself. Felicity says he doesn't have to do that. Mr. Porter says that he wants his one daughter to go to college, and that it's important to him. Felicity thanks him and stares at him like she's trying to understand.