Episode Report Card Kim: A | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT The Graduate
By Kim | Season 4 | Episode 17 | Aired on 04.23.2002
Felicity is packing when her father walks in. She turns and sees his face and asks what's wrong. Mr. Porter says, "Arizona." Felicity considers and discards many options for rebuttal and explanation and finally goes with the time-honored tactic of pretending like you don't understand: "What?" Mr. Porter says that Felicity clearly doesn't care what he thinks (nor should she!) but "this latest choice -- this move is a colossal mistake." Ben appears behind Mr. Porter, looking really upset. Once Mr. Porter is gone, Felicity asks Ben what he said, and why he told her father that they were moving to Arizona. Ben apologizes, and says he didn't know what to say, and then apologizes again. Felicity frustratedly says that she can't just move, because she has friends, and a life, and a job in New York. Ben can't believe that Felicity just decided this. Felicity yells, "I have been following you for four years! I mean, it's your turn now!" Felicity needs to think on her own. Remember a few episodes back when she kept repeating Owen's story about Monet? She likes to repeat things that others have said to her instead of coming up with her own ideas. That said, she's kind of right. Ben says it's fine if she stays in New York. Felicity asks if he doesn't think that's fair. Ben yells that he doesn't, because what he's dealing with is a little more important. Felicity doesn't think she can go to Arizona. Ben thinks he has to. So it all comes down to this. I really wish that, at some point in this episode, they had explored the possibility of either a long-distance relationship or Felicity agreeing to go to Arizona for three or four years (however long it takes Ben to finish medical school) and then they can go somewhere else, somewhere Felicity wants. I mean, in a lot of relationships, you decide where to move based on which partner has the better opportunity, or you take turns. Sure, some would argue that Ben has already had his turn, since Felicity followed him to New York, but Ben never asked her to do that. And Felicity decided to stay there even when it looked like she would never be with Ben. That's something Mr. Ass-face Porter seems to have overlooked.
Felicity stands and stares at herself in the mirror while wearing her cap and gown. She adjusts her cap, and her father appears behind her, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She turns and quickly takes off her cap, embarrassed to have been caught primping, I guess. Mr. Ass-face Porter asks if he can come in, and Felicity says sure, but she thought they were going to meet at the ceremony. Mr. Porter apologizes for what happened the day before. Felicity thanks him and then says that she thought her robe would be black. Huh? That was a weird thing to say. Mr. Porter says that it seems like she just graduated high school. Felicity says that it seems like so long ago to her. Mr. Porter reminds her of how he used to bring her to his office when she was a kid. Felicity says that she would wear Angelika's white coat. Mr. Porter adds that she would follow him into every patient's room. Felicity concludes, "And you showed me how to listen to people's hearts." Poke, poke, Ass-face. Let Felicity listen to her heart. Mr. Porter says that he keeps trying to protect her, and Felicity says that he doesn't have to do that anymore. Mr. Porter says that he knows, and he's not so good at letting go. Felicity hugs him and tells him that she loves him. He says that he loves her too. Aw. Except not. I still hate Mr. Ass-face Porter.