Episode Report Card Kim: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Hot Objects
By Kim | Season 1 | Episode 3 | Aired on 10.12.1998
In the cafeteria, Ben piles food onto his plate as Felicity watches. She walks over and greets him, and then awkwardly asks him to come to the dorm party, but she makes it out like she's just spreading the word instead of inviting him personally. Ben says that Julie told him about it. Felicity's face falls, and Ben bids her goodbye. Felicity smiles as she watches him leave (and who wouldn't?) but then bites her lip and looks thoughtful.
In the mailroom, Julie is telling Felicity some story about her roommate, but Felicity isn't really listening. Finally, Felicity works up the nerve to ask Julie about inviting Ben to the party. Julie says lightly (too lightly) that she and Ben are just friends, and that she doesn't think there's anything to talk about. Felicity doesn't want there to be any resentment between them. Julie doesn't either, and tells Felicity not to worry about Julie and Ben. Felicity should make like George Costanza and just do the opposite of everything Julie says. It would save her a lot of future angst.
Cut to Julie telling Knoll about her Ben problems. Knoll can't believe that Julie likes Ben too, and asks whether everyone likes Ben. Yes, Knoll, everyone does. Learn it, live it, love it. Julie ignores him (good policy) and says that Ben really likes her, and that Felicity is so excited about hanging out with Ben at the party. But Ben wants to hang out with Julie at the party, which would kill Felicity. Knoll tells her that the simple solution is not to hang out with Ben at the party. Julie knows it, but she really wants to, so maybe she'll tell Felicity that Ben keeps asking her out. Knoll advises her not to, because it will seem like she's asking Felicity's permission to start dating Ben and that's not what's best. Julie agrees; she then declares that this talk didn't help at all, and asks Knoll not to tell Felicity that they spoke. Apparently, Felicity didn't want Knoll to know she likes Ben. Knoll says that he already knew. Aw, remember when you kind of felt sorry for Knoll in a lovable loser kind of way before he became an asshole? Oh, I promised to lighten up on the "remember when" crap, didn't I?
Some girl talks about her hot object in drama class. Prof. Aprile gives her instructions. The girl is describing a program from a play she did in ninth grade, and tells a story about how her unemotional brother gave her back the program with an inscription. She's all crying, and the whole class is totally into it, except Ben, who is bored and chuckling at it all. The girl finishes up and everyone applauds. Prof. Aprile calls on Ben next, of course, because there's a law of television that if only one major character is in a class, that person will be called on next. Ben walks up front and sits down. First, Ben is supposed to describe his item objectively. He pulls out a sandwich. What is he, Joey Tribbiani? The girls in the class giggle as Ben explains his sandwich. Prof. Aprile asks dejectedly why the object is important, and Ben says he loves sandwiches as he takes a bite. The class laughs and applauds.