Episode Report Card Kim: D | 3 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT The List
By Kim | Season 2 | Episode 2 | Aired on 10.02.1999
Felicity is standing on the street, waiting for Ben. He comes out of a door and asks her if she wants to walk, and she says no, so he realizes something is up. Ben gets the disagreeable meatball sub look on his face again. Felicity takes a deep breath and starts: "The truth is, I can't be with you like this. I know I said that I could, but I just can't compromise myself like that. I mean, I'm an emotional person. I feel things, and I need to be able to get upset and talk about how I'm feeling. That's who I am, and I can't change it, and I don't want to. And the thing is, you knew that. You knew it, and you still pursued me. Because you want something with me. You just aren't strong enough to have it, which in a way makes you a coward. And the saddest part is that one day, you're gonna wake up and you're gonna realize what you missed and it's gonna be too late." Ben just kind of stands there with his mouth open for a while, and just when I think he might catch some flies in there, he says, "I don't know what to say." Felicity kind of takes pity on him and says, "I know. It's okay." She kisses him on the cheek and walks away in slow motion as he stands there stunned. Wow, that was a great speech. I don't know that any nineteen-year-old has enough self-awareness and maturity to make such a speech. I know I sure didn't. But I've been in situations where I wish I had, and that was quite impressive.
Back in her room, Felicity gathers up the pictures. In a voice-over, she tells us that the time had come to let go of the past. She continues, "I'm ready to move on, to see what else is out there" as she takes off the necklace Ben gave her and puts it in a box. Burkey knocks on her door and asks her if she wants to shower with him. She turns him down, then apologizes for using him at the party. He says it's not the first time it's happened to him, and that she can use him anytime. I think he's supposed to be growing on me, but he's not.
Felicity walks down the street in slow motion again. Do they ever show her walking down the street in real time? She tells us that it's one thing to say you're going to let go, and it's another to actually do it, loosen your grip, and let yourself fall. She continues, "When I walked into the hair-cutting place, I was taking a leap, but I wasn't doing it for a guy, or because of some list. I was doing it for me." First, couldn't she have said "hair salon" instead of "hair-cutting place"? Second, that was two Kelly Taylor, "I choose me" speeches in one episode. Third, I can't believe Keri Russell cut her hair. The episode ends with a backlit Felicity getting about eight inches of hair taken off, and we see all her curls on the ground. Also, she was not wearing shoes for some reason. I'm sad that there were no "Scenes From the Next," but I think they're trying to preserve the suspense of what she looks like bald. Like I didn't already see it a month ago on Access Hollywood.