Episode Report Card Maggie: B+ | 15 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT Laser Labels and TV Dinners
By Maggie | Season 3 | Episode 12 | Aired on 2001.04.18
The long-awaited Spring Premiere begins with scenes from earlier in the season, which document Molly and James's turbulent relationship and his drug problem. Then we see the gang making merry at a holiday party held in the girls' dorm apartment until the gun-toting James crashes the party and fires a shot into the crowd.
In the minutes after the shot, which are filmed in hand-held-jerky-vision, Sean and Tracy run back into the apartment through the open door. Knoll yells, "What happened? What happened?" Sean, who is out of breath, pants, "We lost him, we chased him down Broadway. Is anyone hurt?" Sean runs down the hall and asks Felicity, as he passes her, whether anyone was hurt. Felicity runs into another room and asks Molly, who is sitting on the floor, whether she is okay. Molly moans that it's all her fault. Felicity says it isn't -- but in my opinion it is, at least in part. Felicity asks Molly where Ben is, and Molly says he's in the other room. Felicity runs in to find Ben hovering over a young woman who is stretched out on the floor; he is stanching the blood flowing out of her abdomen. He commands Felicity to call an ambulance. She calls 911 and reports that there's been a shooting. Elena walks in holding her arm and tells her to ask for another ambulance, because she was shot, too.
Ben is still with his patient. He asks her name, and she tells him it's Avery. He tells her to keep breathing and looking at him. Ben and patient seem remarkably calm. They're likely both in shock.
Avery is strapped onto a stretcher is wheeled out of the apartment with Ben following, as Felicity looks on with her mouth hanging open. Ben climbs into the ambulance and holds Avery's bloodied hand. She removes her oxygen mask and croaks, "Please take me to a good hospital." The paramedic says they'll take good care of her. Ben asks him how she's doing, and the paramedic indicates that she's doing well. Ben repeats that to Avery, who tries to smile. She laments, "I just bought this dress." Ben says that she looks nice and tries to engage her in a conversation about her holiday plans. He tells the paramedic, "Hey, her hand's gettin' cold, man. What does that mean?" The paramedic instructs him to keep talking to Avery, and then adjusts her IV bag. Ben keeps yammering about fishing and Florida and Avery appears to be listening intently. We hear the sound of Avery flatlining; Ben asks what's going on. The paramedic says, "She's in defib. Move your hands!" While the paramedic is shouting, "Clear!" we're treated an extreme close-up of Avery's face, which appears impassive with every bolt of electricity which zaps through her. What is it with WB shows and close-ups of clinically dead people with their eyes open? At least this time I didn't start sobbing like when Joyce died on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That hit a little too close to home for me, having seen one of my parents die at home yet still have open eyes. Anyway, this is where the scene ends. Cut to the credits.