Episode Report Card Kim: A+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Felicity Was Here
By Kim | Season 1 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.24.1999
Commentary Trivia: Okay, here's the deal with the haircut in the second season. It wasn't Keri Russell's idea. The writers came up with the idea over the summer when they were figuring out storylines, because it seemed like something a college student would do after a breakup, and also because Keri had sent them a Polaroid of herself in a short wig to freak them out.
Felicity sits on her bed, in profile, and continues her tape to Sally. She notes that this year went by faster than ever, and it seems like time is speeding up. The camera focuses on the necklace that Ben gave to Felicity, as she picks it up and puts it on. FVO says that she's been getting up earlier every day, because she's so excited, and she knows she only has a few days left of her freshman year. Felicity goes into the closet to get her bags and start packing. FVO says that she found a list written on the wall of her closet that contained the names of everyone who had lived in the room before her. The camera pans down the list and I've always wondered where they got those names from. Are they people who work behind-the-scenes on the show? FVO says that the list went back to 1968, and she lists off a few of the names, marveling that she's never heard of them, and it made her wonder where they are today, and how much they remember of their freshman year. She wondered if they are all still alive, which is kind of morbid, but it's Felicity, so I guess you have to expect that.
Commentary Trivia: To answer my own question, the names are friends of J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves. For example, one of the names is a woman who is now an associate producer on Alias.
Felicity and Julie sit on the floor of Julie's room. Julie's belonging are strewn about, so she must be in the process of packing. Felicity eats cereal out of a Styrofoam bowl as Julie pouts that breaking up sucks. Felicity agrees and then kind of looks off to the side, obviously feeling a little guilty. Julie asks Felicity if she's coming to Epstein Bar on Saturday, and Felicity says that she definitely is. Julie thanks her. Felicity pauses and then says that she's thinking that she shouldn't go with Ben on the cross-country drive. Julie asks why, and tells Felicity not to skip it because of the break-up. Julie adds that she was actually going to ask Felicity for a favor. Julie thinks that Ben has "another prospect" and asks Felicity to look for signs that Ben has someone else. Felicity hesitantly agrees.
Luckily, the captioning identifies all of the songs in this episode, so I can tell you that "Sullivan Street" by Counting Crows plays. Julie is in the loft, gathering some clean laundry. Ben walks over and says he found something of hers, handing her an article of clothing. Julie thanks him perfunctorily. Ben says that he couldn't find her computer disk, and that he looked everywhere. Julie says she knows it's there somewhere, and that she'd stay and look, but that she has a class. Ben tells her she can come back whenever she wants. Julie hands Ben her keys. He hesitates and then tells her to keep them, since she knows she's coming back later. Bad move, Ben. That's going to come back to haunt you. Julie puts the keys in her bag and asks Ben if he's going to live in the loft again next year. Ben says he is. Ah, awkward post-breakup small talk. It sucks. Ben notes that he might not see Julie before she goes. Awkward pause. Ben says that he'll call her and Julie says okay, then walks to the door. She pauses, and then tells Ben not to call her. Ben looks confused. Julie says, "I don't mean that in a bitchy way. I just...I don't feel like looking forward to a phone call as awkward as this." That was, like, the one moment in the episode where I liked Julie, because that seemed very real. Ben agrees. Julie tells him to have a good summer, and Ben says the same. Julie walks out, and Ben stares at the closed door.