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's counselor says that parent/child conflicts are complicated, and that they probably won't solve anything there, but that he wants them to have "a safe place to hear each other out." He asks Mr. Porter to start out by asking some questions. Mr. Porter points out that they never insisted or gave ultimatums, but that Felicity has always wanted to go to Stanford and be pre-med. Hey, that's not a question. Now, Felicity is in New York, and she might not even be pre-med anymore. Still not a question. Mr. Porter finally asks Felicity to put herself in their position, and see why they can't understand what she's doing. Felicity says that there was a guy in high school for whom she had feelings, and he came to college in New York. Mrs. Porter incredulously says, "You came here for a boy?" Felicity weakly admits, "Well, initially." Mr. Porter says, "You're going to scrap Stanford University because of a crush?" The counselor jumps in and says that he doesn't think that the "young man" is the reason Felicity chose to stay. Felicity says, "I came here because of Ben, but I'm staying because of me." Mr. Porter asks whether they were being too controlling, and Felicity says no. Mrs. Porter asks what it was. Felicity explains that she and her mother used to go out for dinner together every Tuesday night, and that Felicity loved it. But the other night, she was eating a hamburger in the dining hall and realized it was Tuesday. Felicity hesitates, saying that this sounds stupid, but her mother encourages her to go on. Felicity says, "Suddenly, it was the best hamburger." I thought that line was kind of cheesy, but then I thought of a line that would have been cheesier: "That hamburger tasted like freedom." Hee! Felicity explains that it was because she was on her own. Mrs. Porter (who, it must be said, has a terrible Farrah Fawcett thing going on) looks upset. Mr. Porter says that it's wonderful that Felicity is feeling "that rush of independence," but adds that she doesn't need to go all the way to New York "to have a burger on [her] own terms." Felicity says she doesn't know why, but she thinks being there is important. Mrs. Porter agrees, and then adds, with tears in her voice, that it's so important that she doesn't know why Felicity should come home for Thanksgiving. Felicity asks what she means. Mrs. Porter says that if Felicity wants to stay in New York, she should stay in New York, and adds that she didn't know Tuesdays were such a problem for Felicity. Felicity tries to explain that Mrs. Porter is taking this the wrong way. Mrs. Porter says she never meant to embarrass Felicity, nor to be overbearing. The counselor jumps in to try to clarify, but Mrs. Porter says she understands perfectly, and that she's going back to the hotel. Mr. Porter tries to get her to stay. Felicity just looks confused. Mrs. Porter leaves. Felicity, her dad, and the counselor sit there silently for a moment. Mr. Porter says, "She's just...excuse me." He gets up and leaves, too. Felicity looks horrified and upset.