Episode Report Card Maggie: D | 3 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Sophomoric
By Maggie | Season 2 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.25.1999
So then Felicity is at the counter of the housing office explaining that she can't share a room with Meghan Rotundi (Rotundi?!?!?) because they lived together last year and it is "just real [sic] contentious" and it won't be good for them or their advisees. At this point, Julie has appeared and is standing in the doorway of the housing office. Felicity asks the housing office worker if she can be reassigned because she needs another place to live. He tells her that since she is an R.A. she can apply to switch with another R.A. but it is unlikely that she'll get her room changed. As he is handing her a form, Felicity's face falls but she thanks him anyway. The housing guy points to Julie and asks if he can help her. Julie says, "Um, no thanks, I was gonna ask the same question." Felicity turns and sees that it is Julie, and they stare at each other wordlessly for a few seconds, then Julie walks away. Felicity says in her voice-over, "One year ago, I was becoming friends with people; now I'm becoming enemies."Felicity is now seated on a bench in the hall, filling out her Petition for Change of Dorm Room form. Naturally, all the passersby are walking in slow motion. Felicity looks up in one direction and sees Ben coming down the hall. Ben sees her and pauses. Ben's gaze is averted when he spots Knoll coming down the hall in the opposite direction. Ben and Knoll exchange glances, then Knoll spots Felicity. She follows Ben's gaze and sees Knoll standing there in plaid shirt, nostrils a-flarin'. Knoll continues down the hall and Felicity gives him a wan smile, Knoll looks at her for a second, gives a final flare, then looks away in disgust. Felicity sits there looking hurt. Ben approaches her, giving a look over his shoulder at the retreating Knoll. He reaches Felicity and she stands up. Ben smiles at her and she stands there looking confused. Ben swoops in to kiss her as the music (among other things) swells. Finally, the slo-mo action ends and Ben says, "It's good to see you," to which Felicity replies, "You too." They kiss again a few times. ("Thank God!" -- Wing Chun)
After a number of commercials, we're right back where we started. Felicity is in the cab and the driver says, "So, where to?" This time, Felicity says, "Kennedy Airport, please. International Terminal." Felicity sits there looking pleased with herself and the driver starts up the car. Then, we're back at Dean & DeLuca and Javier says, "Wait a minute, you said you went with Ben." Felicity answers, "I know, but when the driver asked where to, that's what came out." She tells Javier that sitting in the car, "it felt right, it felt safe" which made her realize that she knew what going with Noel would be like, but she didn't know what going with Ben would be like.
So, she told the driver, "We're not going to the airport. 170 Wooster Street, please." They pull up in front of Ben's building where he is on the street, leaning against a car. Ben smiles at Felicity as she gets out of the taxi. Javier interjects, "How could you not go with Knoll? So cute with the pinky ring. You ever seen him smile, it's so electric." Okay Javier, obviously you sustained some kind of head injury during your trip to Spain, but whatever. Felicity tells him that she knows. And Javier says, "Ben, with his new haircut. You want like an incredible buffet of men." Felicity continues that it was a good chance to get to know what Ben was really like and she trails off, "it was..." Javier stares at her intently and says, "Sex?!?" Felicity says no and Javier says, "Good for you." ("I would like to interject that I find it none too realistic that two hormonally over-charged 18-year-olds drove across the country together, by themselves, and did not have sex. But I guess they're trying to be good role models or something, so whatever." -- Kim) At this point, I must say that early last year I thought that Felicity was wasting her time pining after Ben when a seemingly perfectly good guy clearly was interested in her. Then Knoll told her about his girlfriend on their first date, and it all went down hill from there for me. While Ben is not perfect, I was happy that Felicity decided to go on the road trip with him. She had a crush on him for years and when he finally became interested in her, it was at the beginning of the summer after their first year at university -- the perfect time to live out a fantasy. After all, when is a better time to do it than when you're eighteen years old? Practicality should really not be a consideration at that point in your life and if it turns out badly, well, you've got a lot of years to get over it. Anyway, Ben turns up at the table with a basket of something in his hand and asks Javier if he should put them out. Javier eyes him up and down while smirking. Ben asks Felicity if she is telling Javier the story of their trip and she admits that she is. Javier tells Ben that he wishes he had been on the trip. Ben says, "Yeah, yeah that would've been interesting if you were on the trip with us." Javier says, "Yeah, a different kind of trip," while Felicity giggles. Ben walks away ("but as he goes he puts his hand on her shoulder for a moment and she puts her hand on his and it kind of lingers there for a moment and then slides off as he walks away...which may not seem noteworthy, but I remembered it and liked it" -- Wing Chun) and Javier leans in to ask Felicity, "So what about Knoll, and Julie, who hates you now, right?" Felicity admits that neither of them returned her calls over the summer and that one of the times she called Knoll in Berlin, a woman answered. Javier says, "Well, good for him, you know. I'm sure he didn't spend all summer long pining over you. Forget you, you broke his heart!" Felicity exclaims, "Javier!" He tells her with much hand flourishing, "That's why you love me you know, brutal honesty, I'm sorry." I don't know about Felicity, but that's why I love you, Javier. Felicity goes on to tell Javier that Knoll walked right by her without saying anything. Well, Felicity babe, he said it all with his nostrils; what more do you need? Javier tries to reassure her that once she does talk to Knoll, everything will be okay. Neither of them looks too confident about that statement though.
Julie is seen walking up to her mailbox in the dorm. As she is taking out her mail, Sean appears at her side excitedly telling her that he has sold almost thirty freshmen packets since he last saw her. He puts it down to the fact that he dropped the price at her suggestion. Since she doesn't seem too enthused he asks her what is wrong. She sighs and says, "I'm living with two cheerleaders; they spent all morning doing herkies in their underwear." Both Sean and I don't know what that means, but he goes on to say that it sounds fantastic. I think it sounds like poor potty training, but whatever. ("Ha ha! I am ashamed to admit that I know a herky is a type of cheerleading jump." -- Kim) Julie whines, "I'm supposed to have a single and I'm living in a locker room." Sean tells her that she can stay at the loft for a while. She says that she can't and he asks why not. He reminds her that she said that what happened with Ben was a long time ago. She thanks him and tells him that she will tough it out. He asks if she is sure, and to drive home her point, she "spells" out y-e-s, cheerleader style. For someone who mocks cheering, she certainly has the moves down. As she leaves, Sean calls out to her, "Well, if there is anymore underwear activity, give me a call, all right?"