Episode Report Card Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Slump (2)
By Kim | Season 2 | Episode 12 | Aired on 02.05.2000
Felicity and her mom are getting some sort of spa treatment that involves steam and towels and low light. Her mom wants her to go to her dad's dinner. Felicity says that her mom is only in town for a few days. Mrs. Porter says her dad wants her there. Felicity says that all three of them should go. Her mom says, "I'm angry with him and he's angry with me," like that's an appropriate thing to say to your child. Felicity says it's just a "stupid 'in honor of' dinner." Her mom says that her dad "loves those things," and that if Felicity doesn't go, she'll "never hear the end of it." I really, really hate it when parents subject their children to their sniping at one another. Even when the children are adults. Felicity pauses and then says, "I'm sorry, Mom." Her mom turns and looks at her and says, "For what?" Felicity says, "For everything."
Back in the counseling office, Toni says, "You apologized to them? Oh, boy. What did they say?" Felicity says they told her not to be silly. Toni says, "Point to parents," and then asks Felicity if she is "pissed off." Felicity says she's "a little tense." Toni asks if she's angry. Felicity says that some people don't get angry. Toni agrees that people who are "repressed and out of touch" don't get angry. Felicity looks offended and says, "What are you saying?" Toni says it would be nice to see who she really is under there (and waves her hand in front of her face to indicate under where), and then refers to "the whole polite thing that [Felicity does]." Felicity says in an insulted tone, "Sorry, it's who I am." Toni says, "One, you're not sorry. Second, you told me you don't know who you are or why you came here." Felicity says that isn't true, and that she said why she came there. Toni thinks Felicity is too smart to follow a guy there, and she's too screwed-up to not be angry, and asks again whether Felicity is angry. Felicity angrily says, "No!" (See what I did there?) Toni launches into a diatribe about how Felicity is her mother's and father's "little centerpiece," and that she goes home for Christmas and they make her think everything is "nice or normal," then her father gets on a plane and comes to work at the hospital affiliated with the college she's attending. Felicity objects that her father asked for her opinion. Toni says he asked for it after the fact, then he "spills the beans" about her parents' breakup to his daughter, and doesn't bother to tell his wife he told her which is a huge burden for Felicity to bear. Now her mother finds out and is furious, her father is fuming, and Felicity is caught in the middle. Toni, having worked up a full head of steam at this point says, "This is a sporting event. This is Martyr Ball. They've got the sticks and you're the puck and you're telling me you're not angry?" Whoa, I hate Felicity's parents at this point. I'm sure angry. Felicity just looks incredulous. Toni asks her how it feels to be "the good little girl." Felicity says she doesn't know if she likes this. Toni asks again how it feels, because "it is annoying as hell to watch. You're a kewpie doll, denying what you're really going through." Felicity loses it, and a vein throbs scarily in her forehead as she yells, "Fine, I'm angry!" and continues that she doesn't understand why her mom is leaving, and her dad's moving here and she doesn't want him to. Meanwhile, Toni acts like the choir to Felicity's preacher, murmuring "Mmm-hmm!" and "You go, girl!" (Well, practically.) Felicity yells that she's mad at the position her parents have put her in, and then says she's a little mad, and a little pissed off. Toni says, "Good."