Episode Report Card Maggie: D | 3 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Sophomoric
By Maggie | Season 2 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.25.1999
Okay, Ben and Felicity are making out, in slow-motion, in the stockroom at Dean & DeLuca, while Felicity's voice-over tells Sally that she can't believe that they're making out and making plans because she used to just hope that she would run into him. Javier looks in through the window in the door and makes a disgusted face when he sees them, rolls his eyes, then walks away.Felicity tells Sally that Elena saw it coming, while we see Elena standing on the street, swinging her fantabulous braids, in slow-motion. Felicity goes on to tell Sally that when Knoll came back from Berlin, he found a great two-bedroom apartment above Epstein Bar and he called Elena to ask if she knew anyone who wanted to share an apartment, and she said that she wanted to share it with him. Meanwhile, Felicity and Elena are meeting and embracing on the street, then they're carrying a table between them as the cross at an intersection. Felicity tells Sally that Elena thoughtfully called her before taking the apartment to ask if it was okay with her. Felicity's only feelings of jealousy are about Elena having her own apartment.
They arrive at the apartment and carry in the table while giggling. Of course, the apartment is huge and bright and airy and has great kitchen cabinets, which in reality would be completely out of reach for financially strapped students in New York. Felicity helps her put the table in place and then says that she has to go. Elena won't let her get away without offering her a drink from her "real fridge, no more of that two foot square crap," from which she takes a Dr. Pepper for Felicity, and a Sprite for herself. Product placement much? Elena points out all the rooms and says, "I can give a tour without even moving." Um, yeah, it is so much smaller than Monica and Rachel's garret. Not. They toast Elena's "great new place," while Felicity turns a few circles. Elena tells her that she knows that Felicity's just being there makes her (Felicity) uncomfortable. Felicity denies it and Elena says, "whatever" complete with a whatever face. Felicity asks her if Knoll has mentioned her and Elena says no, and that that worries her. After a ten-second awkward silence, Elena asks what the "dish is on Ben." Felicity tells her that things are good, and they go back and forth saying the word good with varying inflections and multiple syllables. Elena tries to determine whether Felicity and Ben slept together, and when Felicity tells her things are good, with only one syllable, Elena asks when things are going to get gooo-ooo-d. As they both yuk it up over that, Knoll comes through the door, carrying a couple bags of groceries. Elena makes up an excuse to leave, saying that she's going back to the store to buy a chair, leaving Knoll and Felicity alone.
Felicity says to Knoll's back as he unpacks the groceries, "That's a great...uh, I like your place." Knoll says he's glad. Felicity rambles on about how hard it is to be an R.A. and that she's likely already given out a bunch of bad advice. Knoll's back tells her that she'll "get the hang of it," and that if he "can do it, anybody can." Felicity tells him that he was very good at it. If you call getting involved with a young woman who is confused and far away from home, even though you have a girlfriend in another state, "good," then Knoll did an excellent job. Felicity tells him that she called him in Berlin but that a woman answered the phone. Knoll says, "Oh yeah? That must have been Beth." Felicity asks if she was in the program. Knoll says "no" and Felicity says "oh." He then says, "Berlin turned out to be wonderful. It was the best three months of my life. I mean, I was a little annoyed at first, wondering what you were doing with Ben. Whether you were staying in motels or just camping out. You know, wondering what positions you guys were in, whether he was on top, or you were on top." Felicity says, "Knoll." Knoll the dickhead then says, "I'm just being honest. I was wondering all the same things about you and Ben that you were just wondering about me and Beth." Well, don't be too sure. Felicity doesn't have a dick that does all of her thinking for her, which may be exactly why she didn't go to Berlin with you. Instead of saying just that, she says that it is horrible the way they are talking to each other. Knoll counters, "Do you think so? I don't know, I think it's kind of liberating saying exactly what you feel. I mean, somehow, it makes me feel better telling you I slept with Beth and that she was great. So what is this, revenge? I don't think so. I think it just feels good to settle the score. Make sure you know there's some parity." Gee, it's too bad that Knoll isn't an R.A. again this year; I hate to see all that maturity and wisdom go to waste. Felicity tells him that it isn't a competition, and he tells her that "whatever it is, it's over." And he walks over to her with his arms folded and super-assholic body language, and says, "I can honestly say, without any sense of uncertainty, that I never want to see you again. I know we will -- we go to the same college. I just don't want to." He takes a beat while Felicity is left reeling, and then says, "But I'm glad you like the apartment." With that, he walks into his room and closes the door. As much as I think Knoll is a knob, Scott Foley did a terrific job conveying Knoll's anger and bitterness. He really had some hatred in his eyes. Either that, or he had in some really irritating contact lenses during that scene.