Episode Report Card Strega: C | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Status Quo Vadis
By Strega | Season 4 | Episode 13 | Aired on 03.26.2002
Ben shows up at Felicity's. He says that she wasn't answering the phone, and says, "I thought you were coming to my place." Felicity explains that she has to work on the building model she's fussing over, and notes that Adam was too busy worrying about his romance to explain what she should do. She asks how the game was. Ben says that he and Jack didn't go, and adds, as if it wasn't related, that he told his father about Lauren. Felicity asks what Jack said, and Ben replies, "Nothing. He just kinda listened, like a dad." They both approve of Jack's response, and Ben asks if Felicity will come to his place later. Felicity says, "I feel like I better work on this." Ben pauses and asks if everything's okay, and she insists that she just wants to get the model done. Ben says, "Are you sure? Because you seem kind of upset." She really doesn't, though. Anyway, she says she's fine, and Ben leaves. If he wants to hang out, can't he sit and talk to Felicity while she works? Why does she have to come to his place?
The next day, Noel and Sean arrive at a conference room at the office. Noel sits down next to yet another bland...I mean "blonde," and introduces himself. The girl introduces herself as Jessica, and adds, "My desk is two down from yours." Shouldn't he have already met her, then? I'm not great with the office socializing, but even I've met the people who work right around me. Zoe impatiently starts the meeting by asking for Noel's report on the CGG account. Noel has to stand up to talk, which is pretty ridiculous considering that they're all sitting around a conference table. It's not as if there are people in the back of the room who won't be able to see him unless he stands up, you know? But again, my company might not have the most formal business practices, so I may not be a good judge of these things Noel announces that he and Sean have been working on a mail-order catalog for CGG. "Excuse me?" Zoe says, somehow managing to sound perkily rude. She says that they didn't ask for a catalog, and Noel agrees that they didn't and starts to explain: "We thought it might be a good idea for CGG --" Zoe interrupts, "To waste money?" Noel, stymied, asks if Zoe would like to see their ideas. She says that she doesn't need to, and Sean, ever-diplomatic, says "Yeah, you do, 'cause you haven't heard..." Zoe smiles insincerely as she says, "I've heard enough, thanks." Sean and Noel stare at Zoe as she moves to the next item on the agenda.
Cut to Sean and Noel, walking along the street in completely different clothes. Sean begs Noel to talk to Zoe because "there seems to be a lot of tension between the two of [them]." Sean says that he gets enough abuse at home, and complains that Meghan hates everything he does. Noel points out that Meghan hates everything, which is fair. He doesn't point out that it would be a lot easier to tell if Meghan was too critical if Sean had better ideas. They get in line for a coffee cart as Sean keeps babbling about his shoe covers. As they reach the front of the line, the girl selling coffee chirps, "You could call 'em 'shoe jackets'!" She looks so much like Andie McPhee that I was frightened. Maybe it's just the beret. The girl insists that the "shoe jackets" are a good idea, and says she'd buy them. Despite the fact that they are only suitable for men's shoes. I'm not sure she's clear on the concept. She gives Noel a cup of coffee, despite the fact that he never ordered anything. Wow, she's a psychic coffee vender. That's actually brilliant, because that would spare customers the agony of accidentally getting a grande half-caf when they actually ordered a mocha with a shot of absinthe, or whatever. Sean, delighted to have found someone who appreciates him, invites the girl to the party. "I could show you the prototype for shoe jackets," he adds. Oh, how many times have I heard that line? "Come to this party, and I'll show you my shoes." She falls for it, and they finally exchange names and shake hands while Noel stares disbelievingly at Sean. The girl's name is apparently Clancy. I have trouble believing that. Sean and Noel finally walk on, and suddenly Sean has a cup of coffee, too! When did he get that? Did he palm it while shaking hands with Clancy? As they cross the street, Noel reminds Sean that he's married. Sean insists, "That was for you." Noel doesn't buy it. I think the fact that Sean didn't even introduce Noel pretty well clinches that fact.