Episode Report Card Maggie: D | 3 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Ancient History
By Maggie | Season 2 | Episode 3 | Aired on 10.09.1999
We start off with the collection of scenes shown "Previously, on Felicity," which include Knoll's "I never want to see you again" speech to Felicity, Felicity's "you're not strong enough" speech to Ben, and Felicity's inner monologue about getting her hair cut.
This week's episode begins in the laundry room with Meghan squinting at Felicity and saying, "Wow." Felicity asks if she means "'wow' good, or 'wow' bad." Meghan speaks for everyone at my house (which included Wing Chun and deborah) and says, "Definitely, 'wow' bad." I mention that I think Felicity looks like a young boy and deborah says that she looks like a young boy with gender issues, what with all the blush she is wearing. Then it occurs to me that Felicity really looks like Ryan Philippe. If the hair and the gender confusion fits....Anyway, Felicity says that she doesn't think it's that bad and Burkey appears out of nowhere and says that he thinks she looks "hot." Meghan informs Felicity that Burkey's opinion "doesn't count."
Here come the new and improved credits, which show Keri Russell's new hair.
Felicity is in her dorm room, in the half-light, dictating another tape to Sally and she says she did something drastic: "I dropped Pre-Med." As an afterthought, she mentions cutting off her hair. She also tells Sally that everyone -- even strangers -- have been reacting to her hair, and we see various strangers telling her that hair is "great" or "amazing." Okay, we get it, the writers want us to view this ill-advised hair cut as a good thing. But, it isn't.
Next, Felicity is at her desk when there's a knock at the door. It is a blonde advisee named Ruby, who is "having the hugest[sic] crisis," in one breath and telling Felicity that her hair is "amazing" in the next. Ruby also asks her if she just broke up with someone. Felicity admits that yeah, she kinda has. Ruby tells her that her hair makes her "a totally new you." The point of Ruby's visit is to tell Felicity that she is going to drop out because she can't get into the art history course she wants, which is Norwegian Landscapes. Ruby's grandmother used to have wallpaper with "the most beautiful Norwegian scenery on it," which Ruby extrapolated based on the fact that it had windmills on it. Felicity gently points out that windmills are Dutch. It looks like Ruby is going to have a meltdown upon hearing this news, so Felicity quickly backtracks. She suggests that they "look at the catalogue together" to find something else for Ruby. Felicity gets engrossed in all of the art courses and it is suddenly all about her and no longer about Ruby. So, Ruby serves her a reality check, and Felicity points out the course called Costumes of Czarist Russia. Wing, deborah, Ruby, and I all think that sounds good. Ruby says, "You really saved me" to Felicity, and she asks her if she can have her course catalogue, like its existence was unknown to her before talking to Felicity. This scene is to let the viewers know that Ruby is kind of ditzy. Remember that; it'll explain some stuff later in the show. Felicity looks pleased with herself and Ruby leaves.