Tag Archives: Keri Russell

The Americans 3.03 “Open House” Review: Wants and Needs

12 Feb

A variety of philosophical debates that have very real consequences continue to take place on The Americans as Philip and Elizabeth both stand on opposing sides when it comes to their daughter. At the center of the argument is this idea about choice and whether Paige will be have this taken away from her if she is brought into this world. While we ended last week at an impasse of monumental proportions after Elizabeth attempted and failed to sway Philip by baring her soul, it seems that all you need is a very close call to open up the line of conversation. Well, that and a very intimate scene involving pliers.

The Americans 3.03Pulling teeth isn’t easy; it’s not just one yank and it is free much like the Paige problem, which they still don’t have a solution to. Now they are communicating again and what both the very close call and this incredible moment of intimacy have done is open up the channels again. Prior to this very intense scene (which I will come to in a bit) Philip is making sure his opinion is heard loud and clear. When Elizabeth tries to entice him with her naked skin he continues to read his magazine (an issue of Time from November 1982) and offer up thinly veiled passive aggressive comments giving her the green light to sleep with Hans suggesting “You recruit men. That’s part of it, right?” All this stems from a conversation about what to get Paige for her 15th birthday when Elizabeth mentions a necklace she thinks Paige will like. Philip asks how she knows this and his petulant attitude is as a result of everything that is going on. Still this look doesn’t suit you, Philip.

As with most things on this show there are layers to pretty much everything and the original plan was to get her a 10 speed bike. A bike represents freedom (and all I can picture is Angela Chase riding Brian Krakow’s bike) while a necklace is far more sentimental. Both are the kind of presents you can imagine any parent getting their teenage daughter but on The Americans nothing is quite what appears to be on the surface. They also don’t want to get her both as that would be too much and their ideology this makes sense; it also demonstrates how they must choose one and on this occasion Philip is pretty whatever about the whole thing. This is in contrast to the open house tour with a room full of toys with the realtor commenting “It’s impossible not to buy your kids everything they want, right?” This is not an issue in the Jennings home, except that one time they didn’t buy Henry a video game console and he broke into their neighbor’s house. Now Henry has a photo of Sandra Beeman in a bikini hidden away and it might be time Philip and Elizabeth checked in with their son instead of only paying attention to Paige.

One thread which runs throughout the episode and the series in general is this idea of wants and needs. Philip and Elizabeth are from a country with an ideology focused on needs whereas the one they now live in has an ethos which focuses on wants. Philip has assimilated to this with far more ease than Elizabeth and in the pilot we saw how comfortable he was with this lifestyle. Last season saw him get a fancy new car which was quickly tarnished by a mission gone wrong but as he has pointed out to Elizabeth she also likes the things that come with living in America. Just because it is easier doesn’t make it better in Elizabeth’s eyes and while she claims to Hans that she has no idea about fashion, she does have an effortless and chic style as Elizabeth Jennings. Maybe not so much with some of the disguises, but in the role she plays the most she is stylish. Also Hans don’t get the stonewash jeans.

the Americans 3.03 blonde wigChoice is also looped into this debate and it is Philip’s main argument why he doesn’t want to tell Paige about who they are. Gabriel continues to play the concerned and caring parent role to Philip and Elizabeth as he tells Philip everything he thinks he wants to hear; that Paige will have a choice as there is “always a choice.” Philip is having none of this and storms out after emphasizing how young Paige is and because she has grown up in this comfortable environment she isn’t “equipped to deal with this shit.” Earlier in the episode over a game of Scrabble – I love that they haven’t gone for the obvious chess or checkers route – what happened with Jared comes up and while I don’t think Philip fears an act of violence I do think he is worried Paige will reject them.

The channels of discussion remain open even with Philip’s hostility toward Elizabeth about the present; she hasn’t gone ahead and bought the necklace because she wanted to talk to him about it first. Gabriel mentions how Elizabeth looks at Philip differently now – similar to his observation to Elizabeth last week – and if this event had occurred when we first met them I don’t think Elizabeth would have been all that fussed about consulting Philip, she would have probably just done it.

So how to you solve a parenting quandary like this? Currently there is no solution; however they are in harmony once again. The risks this season are somehow even higher than last year and Elizabeth has had two near misses in these first three episodes. While the premiere involved serious physical danger, it is this protracted tailing situation which had me noting SO MUCH TENSION (all caps required) and even though at this point we know Elizabeth will get away the stakes have been raised. The push/pull is between how much they need the information about the CIA’s Afghan group and how close they will get before they get caught. This one ended up with a big score even if Gabriel is reticent about their methods; now they have a babysitter to target and if only Paige was already in the family business.

Elizabeth tells Hans that even though there is chemistry between them (it’s a spy thing) nothing is going to happen in part because “sex is dangerous” but also because there is “someone in my life, someone important and I don’t want to screw that up.” An incredibly significant moment as this is the first time Elizabeth has ever explicitly said something like this, even though in Philip’s anger earlier in the episode he expects her to sleep with him. This follows one of the most intimate scenes this show has done and with a lot of these emotionally vulnerable moments on The Americans (like my favorite scene from last season) it doesn’t involve actual sex. It starts with Philip waiting by the phone and gripping the cord as if that might help followed by an emotionally broken Elizabeth as she doesn’t even try to hide her teary and tired eyes. An all enveloping embrace which mirrors the one from the season 2 finale turns into a passionate smooch which is quickly killed by Elizabeth’s continuing tooth problems so what’s a guy to do but help out his wife in her time of need.

At any other time this moment would have led to sex, on this occasion what we get is an excruciating but incredibly tender scene involving pliers and tooth extraction. Even watching through fingers it is hard not to miss the parallels between this and a sex scene. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are both incredible throughout the episode and particularly here as Elizabeth gives herself entirely over to Philip trusting him that he can get this done. Like many I find scenes involving teeth hard to watch (ditto anything involving finger/toe nails) and as with last week’s bone breaking they don’t shy away from showing just how grim it is. It takes not one but two attempts to get the full tooth and throughout the close ups on their eyes and the way he smooths down her hair and she grabs hold of his shoulders reveals that despite their current conflict they are united. This is true love. And Stan’s whiskey gift is used in the process which is rather poetic considering it was the FBI that did this.

One quick nitpick – don’t the KGB have a dentist on retainer?

“Tell them what they want to hear over and over and over again. People love to hear how right they are.” This is Stan’s tactic when it comes fooling his target and it is something used on multiple occasions by Philip and Elizabeth. Sometimes you have to go the opposite way and when Oleg’s father wants him transferred back to Moscow most likely as retribution for his conversation with Nina last week, Arkady gives him a choice even though it could negatively impact his own career. Oleg of course decides to stay citing his father’s wish for him to grow up and he is doing so by defying his father’s demand. Sometimes you do get a choice in the KGB.

Shot of the Week

the Americans 3.03 evidence wallWhile this is not quite on the Carrie Mathison level of an evidence wall (needs more color coding) this shows three seasons worth of work in attempting to catch Philip and Elizabeth. Stan notes “They are hard to get” and if only he knew just how close they are. Agent Aderholt could be a problem on several levels; he has caught a KGB spy in the past, he is tenacious and he has taken a shine to Martha. Watch your back Clark.

Disguise of the Week

The Americans 3.03 disguise of the weekAny time Elizabeth has to wear glasses it is pure joy and it seems like with each disguise the frames get even bigger.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

The Americans 3.03 OOTWFulfilling both TV and my own leather jacket obsession and pairing it with jeans which are far, far way from stonewash.

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The Americans 3.02 “Baggage” Review: For Mother and the Motherland

5 Feb

Much like Elizabeth’s jaw injury and tooth pain, the Paige issue is not going away on The Americans and this second episode cements some of the overall themes set to dominate this season. Paige and how they address the second generation illegals program bubbles under the surface from the gruesome task Philip and Elizabeth complete at the start of “Baggage” to pretty much every other interaction between the pair. There is a white elephant in the room and her name is Paige.

Afghanistan is also going to play a big part this year as the Russians attempt to wade through the mess of this offensive strategy with the US using it as an opportunity to highlight a weakness in their enemy. “Propaganda is more important than anything” as Oleg is later told by new character Tatiana and both sides are trying to outdo the other in this department. Elizabeth’s relationship with her mother coupled with her own maternal feelings and duty to her country continue to influence her choices impacting her relationship with Philip.

The Americans 3.02 PhilipAt the end of last week’s premiere Philip took a tragic moment and used it as a way to keep a valuable asset in their pocket with Yousaf. Philip drew him by using “we” and offering assistance to help clear up this problem and in doing so he immediately earns his trust. To make sure he will stay on side Elizabeth also snaps a shot of Yousaf helping stuff Annelise’s body into a suitcase in what is probably the most disturbing scene this show has done so far. The level of horror we witness as they each break one of her bones and then zip up her makeshift coffin is extreme and it further backs up Philip’s reasons for not wanting his daughter anywhere near this career path; he doesn’t want her either putting people in suitcases or being the one to end up with this horrifying fate.

Philip and Elizabeth come at things from different perspectives and in part it is why they are ideal partners as they cover all the angles; however it also opens them up to this kind of conflict and while Philip is thinking about the practicalities, Elizabeth is looking at it from a more abstract ideological point of view. The locations of the repeated discussions – basement, bathroom, office – are private but also small spaces and because of the intense nature it feels like there is nowhere for them to go as neither of them are backing down. Elizabeth has the full support of the Centre and Philip is the outlier so at the moment he is fighting a losing battle. He has always been the one who seemed like he could turn, in the pilot he even suggested defecting so this puts him in a very precarious position. Things have changed in their relationship as Gabriel notes so love is complicating things further and while Elizabeth is still very much Motherland first these feelings have a habit of throwing up problems.

Gabriel is also a sneaky bastard with Elizabeth as he subtly suggests Paige trusts her more because she thinks Philip is having an affair while layering on the compliments about how proud her mother is of her work. Previously Claudia tried to exploit what weakness there is in Philip and Elizabeth’s relationship only to learn they are better agents when they are working together and I wonder if Gabriel is also trying this same power move by reinforcing Elizabeth’s faith in what she is doing. One problem when real emotions come into play as I discussed last week is objectivity is hard to maintain and because Philip is viewing the second generation illegals program through personal experience rather than as duty to his country he is a volatile presence.

The conversation that takes place in the bathroom lays all of this out and is the crux of both their arguments; Elizabeth thinks Paige will be sat behind a desk and even if this is the case Philip is concerned this will change because “it always changes.” There is a hardened outlook mixed in with optimism from Philip as when Elizabeth scoffs “What do you want, Philip? A guarantee life’s going to be easy?” he responds with a simple and firm “For my daughter? Yeah.” It is unlikely that he can make this happen as it impossible to protect from everything, but he also isn’t going to put her near the danger which has consumed his life.

Pragmatism or this bleaker world view from Elizabeth is further backed up by the flashback from her childhood where we learn her father died as a deserter, not a hero and her mother has no time to honor the memory of a man like that. It is why Elizabeth is so stoic when it comes to the cause and why she was so disgusted with Philip’s suggestion of defection in the pilot. Well they do say you marry your father and turn into your mother. It’s funny when Elizabeth talks about her mother’s serious disposition as she really isn’t a barrel of laughs and it goes a long way to show why she is like this. “Baggage” ends with Elizabeth telling Philip about her mother’s reaction to her KGB call up and how she didn’t hesitate with telling her daughter to go serve her country. Now Elizabeth wants to tell her daughter the same thing and at this point neither parent is backing down; they end the episode at the same impasse and it is unclear how they can move forward.

Once again I want to reiterate how little we know about Philip’s past in comparison to Elizabeth; we know he had sword fights with icicles when he was a kid and there was that half told story about getting beaten up for milk from the finale but other than that we know very little about Mischa’s childhood. At the moment the theme of mothers and daughters is strong and the way Philip looks at Paige when she is chatting about the paper is with fear in his eyes that he is losing her. Fathers do come into play as we see Stan reaching out to his son via the most depression “I almost got shot” voicemail. We also meet Oleg’s father who visits Nina in a Moscow prison and he lays out an important point about parents and children:

“Parents are always trying to understand our children better. To do what’s best for them. It’s our greatest misfortune.”

When Nina asks why it is a misfortune, his response shows how he feels about his son falling in love with a traitor “Because we’re so often disappointed.” Nina does want a message relayed to Oleg, that what they had was real and this confession will hopefully hit Igor in the compassion spot and somehow secure Nina her freedom as she sure isn’t enjoying having a new cellmate. Nina is hardened to the reality of her situation unlike Evie who thinks someone will come for her soon and just why is someone from Belgium being held in this prison? A streak of naivety runs throughout some behavior this week; first with Evie and then with new defector Zinaida who is really into American candy bars and wants to see the Washington DC sights not quite understanding the danger she is still in. Also from Henry who briefly pops up to say he wants to go to Coca-Cola College and both of his parents ignore him.

Even Philip has a streak of this when he suggests Elizabeth could see her mother to which she sternly replies “We can’t go back.” Is this because she doesn’t want her mother to see her like this? The all-American woman with the nice boots and glorious hair. It is interesting to note Elizabeth mentions her mother’s blue dress and not the detail of the conversation she was recalling as she uses the material to deflect from the actual memory.

Elizabeth is also acting impulsively after losing the list last week and she is taking a lot of risks at the moment. First she deflects her anger by implying she could have handled the Yousaf thing a lot better than Philip and he is not letting her give him any shit on this because unpredictable things happen. The desire to make up for the lost list could put both of them in the line of fire especially as the FBI suspect she is the illegal they have been after since season one. No matter how good their disguises are the FBI are going to be on the lookout for a couple again, so Elizabeth needs to proceed with caution as she doesn’t want Paige to find out the truth after she has been arrested.

Stunning Shot of the Week 

the Americans 3.02 officeThe way they are using the tiny office space to pull Elizabeth and Philip together and then show the distance between them is impressive; last week they were so divided a brownie peace offering couldn’t tempt Philip and it took Elizabeth telling Philip her mother is dying to bring them back together. This week Elizabeth came down to the floor where Philip was working to try and reach him on a personal level and instead her confession only cements how far apart they are with the Paige issue that isn’t going away as Philip returns to his chair and doesn’t say a word.

Disguise of the Week 

The Americans 3.02 aviator moustache dudeThe Americans doesn’t tend to lean towards humor but Philip’s “We should do this more often” coupled with his excellent Tom Selleck moustache and aviators disguise made me chuckle. The situation is so ridiculous; taking photos of a covert meeting in a bar but hey at least they get to have a beer on the job and spend some time together. Date night with the Jennings.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

the Americans 3.02 OOTWOkay so I already have several plaid shirt dresses in my closet and worn something very similar in 2015 so I’m not sure if this one is cheating. If only my boot collection was as impressive. I also love this shot as Paige is looking even more like her mother with her hair like that and Philip is less than thrilled to sees his daughter evolving into her mother.

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TV Rewind: Felicity, “Your Money or Your Wife” & “Miss Conception”

5 Feb

Felicity, Episodes 4.3 & 4.4
“Your Money or Your Wife” & “Miss Conception”
Original Air Dates: Oct. 24 & 31, 2001

Felicity 4.04 cowboyEmma: So the Ben and Felicity break up lasts all of five seconds as they get back together at the start of the first of our double bill. Ben thinks breaking up is crazy and of course he does because he has no idea what happened between Felicity and Noel on the roof. Felicity doesn’t tell him either and agrees about getting back together. I have to wonder how long it is going to be before Ben finds out because there is no way this one is going to remain a secret. For starters there are more people that know about it now and that automatically opens up the potential for secret spillage. Felicity tells Javier and it makes sense that the person she confides in is the person who is on the most outside of the group. Yes Ben is his employee but he doesn’t live with any of them and that is why he is ideal. Elena finds out in the second episode and she infers what has taken place thanks to both Noel and Felicity’s reactions to the maybe being pregnant thing and not telling Ben. But before we jump to that classic teen episode trope I want to talk about the relationship stuff from “Your Money or Your Wife.”

Ben is still pursuing his new dream of being a doctor and he is struggling with one of his tough classes. It doesn’t help that Henry from Ugly Betty is Ben’s lab partner and a total bro about everything. Ben manages to crack down and he really is applying himself (aside from making one or two stupidly loud comments about the teacher). He wants to do it by himself, but he also understands he might need help and when he is about to ask Elena he overhears her talking to Felicity about Ben is likely to be a six-weeker. Felicity to her credit disagrees with her friend and this doesn’t even feel like a ‘I have to say this because he is my boyfriend’ thing and I was really expecting Felicity to agree with Elena. I guess what they are doing here is not putting any obstacles or negativity in the way of Felicity and Ben so when the truth comes out it is all the more devastating. The new more applied Ben is working for me and one thing that Scott Speedman delivers in both these episodes (and particularly the second one) is amazing facial reactions. No one does a dopey smile quite like him. And I am also enjoying the style direction with Ben this season – more hoodies and plaid shirts please. Also I don’t think we saw Ben two strapping before he started pre-med and I like this little touch to show he probably has enough books in his bag to warrant using both straps. My Team Ben feelings are strong right now.

So Felicity is still fretting about what happened with Noel and how she can’t get what happened out of her head and well that is totally understandable. Plus she has financial issues on top of the relationship dramaz and I’m impressed she doesn’t spiral in a major way. The money situation and lack of tuition funds is something that could have had a quick fix like either calling her father and apologizing or taking Noel’s money as a loan, but she doesn’t want to do either of these things and while it would be the easy route I’m glad she said no to Noel’s offer. In part I think it is because they slept together, but also because it has become about doing it by herself. Money issues don’t always come up on TV shows or if they do it is part of a sensational storyline and you rarely see a character dealing with something that is probably relatively common for a college student. Money or lack of was always a thing when I was at university and while I never had to enter a pageant as a potential source for tuition I did live in my overdraft and have money worries on a regular basis.

Felicity isn’t the only one with money related woes and it is a theme that runs throughout both episodes, what did you make of this direction and do you care anymore about what is going on with Sean and Meghan?

Felicity 4.04 Meghan Julie: In some ways, the money stuff feels somewhat too-little/too-late, especially in Sean’s case. How does he manage to live? Has he actually sold any patents or products? It’s a little like Friends in that way. We all know how much it costs to live in a nice Manhattan apartment, so how are these kids managing it, especially when you see that Sean really comes from a background not far from how he’s living now.

And Felicity. This whole situation is kind of ridiculous. She’s begging for scholarships during the fall, when most of them are probably gone. There’s no government aid left. She could get a private loan, but she’d need someone to co-sign (I don’t know why she doesn’t call her mom about this. Or ask Javier. Or Noel for that matter, now that he’s got so much coin. Not sure if any of these folks are viable co-signing options. I’m not a banker).

Anyway, she winds up paying $35 to scour a book full of scholarship possibilities, and the only one available is the beauty pageant. This storyline is simply all kinds of ridiculous. A) That the timing would be so perfect and B) that Felicity would even entertain this as a real option. It’s basically an excuse to get Keri Russell in a fancy dress and big hair.

The way this pageant ties into her relationship with Ben is that it doesn’t. She doesn’t tell him about it until basically the last possible moment. He’s living his life over here in medical land and she’s signing up for pageants. I know you mentioned that they’re not setting up many obstacles for their relationship at this point, but the two of them are living separate lives. She’s hiding a huge secret from him. She’s telling Noel she’s possibly pregnant before she tells Ben. And he’s kind of too focused on his own stuff to notice that Felicity is floundering.

I have concerns for where all of this is going.

I know I kind of jumped into the second episode here a little bit, but these are really good companion stories. They feed right into each other and are linked by the pageant and by Sean and Meghan’s parent-woes.

What did you think of the pageant and why wasn’t Richard the MC?

Felicity 4.04 big hairEmma: Oh yeah the Sean financial stuff is so tacked on and because they’ve always been really vague about his family other than he doesn’t go home for Thanksgiving. Sean has to a certain extent been a bit of a device rather than a fully formed character. He’s the comic relief, the goofy friend and his relationship with Meghan has mostly been a back and forth of ugh. Now he has parents and a brother – Greg Grunberg’s real brother I think – and a family he is embarrassed by. Meghan is from money and it turns out that she revealed her true self a couple of years ago hence why we don’t see her ditch her usual clothes for something more prim.

And now after a quickie wedding and an awkward family dinner they’re threatening to cut her off which just feels like a way to create another thing to get between Sean and Meghan. I like that Meghan ultimately chooses love over money but I still find this constant back and forth to be rather tiring and I don’t think it serves either character. Also Ben and Noel are way too chill about Sean’s finances considering if Sean gets kicked out so do they. Okay Noel has all that money but Ben tends to be financially strapped a lot of the time.

You’re right about Felicity’s situation being kind of ridiculous so while they do seem like real issues it does have the TV spin with throwing the lead out of their comfort zone. I’m just glad she didn’t win (other than for evening wear – the dress looked good on her) as that would have been far too easy and even less likely because she really didn’t overly sell herself as a pageant queen.

I think because I have got used to seeing Keri Russell in different wig/costumes on a weekly basis thanks to The Americans this just made me think of that and how it’s a shame she never turned up on Alias as a spy pal of Sydney’s. The cowboy dancing getup was A+ early ’00s and why didn’t we get to see her talent? Her dancing around the apartment last season now makes sense after seeing her dancing around her room (awkwardly interrupted by Noel).

In the time Felicity was at the pageant she not only got a new bestie, but also a new nemesis. Girl works quick. While I don’t think we will ever see Sarah again I liked how quickly she bonded with Felicity showing that not everyone is a mean girl at these things (though I wonder how accurate that is). All of this pageant stuff definitely made me want to watch Drop Dead Gorgeous again.

What did you make of Felicity’s explanation about why she didn’t want to invite Ben? The whole high school comparison and how Ben was the most popular would seem like a legitimate concern if everything else wasn’t going on. At this point she thinks she might be pregnant (WHAT?!) and maybe Noel’s the dad (DOUBLE WHAT?!) and I also think she is just a bit embarrassed. Everything is rather fraught and this second episode was extra tense thanks to the maybe baby revelation. So while I’m on that subject what did you think about this pregnancy scare?

And yeah where was Richard? He is another who knows about Felicity and Noel (not that he knows specifics).

Felicity 4.04 new bffJulie: Maybe Felicity will ditch her art major for DANCE!

And, yeah, why didn’t we get to see her talent? Or her swimsuit moment? Did she go with stringy over the strapless one piece? Don’t tease us with a beauty pageant and then give us nothing, show. The only drama came from her and her new friend putting muscle cream in that evil girl’s bikini. The new friend didn’t even get back-stabby or jealous. I thought that’s where the show was going with Javier’s warning. I wanted more hair pulling and more drama!

Felicity’s concern about Ben as Mr. Popular seems misplaced. They’ve been together for so long by now and have gotten to know each other so intimately, I can’t believe Felicity really has these thoughts. I think it’s more about her being embarrassed, as well as the fact that the two of them do seem to be growing apart (Noel sexing aside). Things are not all well and good in Ben and Felicity’s relationship.

Ugh with the pregnancy scare. This may be a possible spoiler, but I don’t know. I thought it was going to be Meghan who gets knocked up. I don’t know if this actually happens on Felicity, or if I’m combining pregnant Amanda Foreman on Alias with every other teen show trope ever, but I seem to remember something about Sean slipping one past the goalie because they used one of his defective wedding condoms. I suppose there’s still time for that story, but it seems like a LOT of unwanted pregnancy for one show, what with Ruby and now Felicity.

I kind of wish the show did have the balls to let Felicity be pregnant (though, again, that’s a lot of unwanted pregnancy). It would’ve been the worst possible thing that could happen to Felicity at the worst possible time and would’ve really complicated things with the potential fathers, regardless of whose baby the kid was. I’m imagining an abortion storyline where Noel wants her to have one, but Ben wants her to keep the baby and Felicity wondering if she stays with Ben and goes along with it, what if the kid comes out with Noel’s nose?

But that’s just spitballing.

What was your take on the pregnancy scare? And how about what everyone else was up to — Noel’s new job, Elena’s…sweatshirt?

Felicity 4.04 Ben shocked faceEmma: So we’ve been talking about how this show has been good at dealing with sexual health storylines so it’s a tad disappointing that they cycle back to one of the most obvious and in a way this feels like a punishment for Felicity’s cheating. No she’s not actually pregnant – I inured the test was a false positive as I figured I would have heard about it if she has an abortion because it’s so rare for a show to go through with it now – but the whole thing made me super stomach churny as I kept thinking Noel was going to crack and tell Ben.

Back when Noel and Ben barely spoke they bonded over unwanted pregnancy stories when Noel first thought Ruby’s baby was his and she was going to have an abortion. This is when Ben shared a story I probably shouldn’t find as funny as I did (and still do) when he went snowboarding instead of going to the clinic. Oh, Ben. His face when he saw the piece of paper from the doctor followed by the relief when Felicity told him she got her period makes me think he definitely doesn’t want a kid at the moment, even if it is Felicity’s so I wonder if the scenario would have been the other way with Noel wanting her to go through with it instead after how he fucked up with Ruby. But now we will never know.

TV does love to do the getting pregnant that one time you sleep with that person (ahem Mad Men) or don’t use protection so it wouldn’t surprise me if we had another case of the babies before the end of the show.

Speaking of spoilers did you see Broad City this week? I am hoping that was just a gag and nothing bad is going to happen to Elena because I will get as mad as Ilana did. Also show please give Elena something to do beyond moping halfheartedly, helping Ben with his labs and popping in to give Felicity concerned face. And while I really didn’t like Molly it is weird they haven’t mentioned her at all. Is it just Elena and Felicity living in their very spacious apartment now?

As we guessed Noel has got a job at the university and it’s one he is woefully under qualified to do except he was an RA and knows how to read a university manual. This loops back into both Ben and Felicity as the first student he sees is Ben and he’s going to help him drop the classes he forgot to do before the deadline and then Ben decides to spill about the Felicity situation. Noel is already caught up on this and when they started playing basketball together all I could do was mutter “oh no” at the screen multiple times as I feared Noel would break. The only thing a Ben guessed was that Felicity had told Noel first and he couldn’t understand why. Oh, Benjamin.

Speaking of the things I said out loud while watching the second episode – when the doctor mentioned bringing her boyfriend along next time I maybe yelled PRESUMPTUOUS at the screen as that is far too much judgment at a moment like this. Bad doctor.

Noel has found Felicity a TA position which she is reluctant to take for obvious reasons and Noel mentions how it’s just down the hall from him, which for some reason made me think of their S1 set up. Is this going to bring them closer together?

Felicity 4.04 NoelJulie: The pregnancy scare definitely feels like a recycle after the Ruby pregnancy and the morning after pill thing. It even recycles the “Ben and Noel talk about knocked up girlfriends on the basketball court” canard. That sums up my feelings about Felicity so far this season. Everything feels like a retread (parent issues, Elena and Tracy breaking up again, Meghan and Sean having problems, etc.), which sucks because this is only the fourth season. The writers should be able to find new situations to mine, especially when most of their characters are facing imminent college graduation.

I did see the Broad City spoiler. NO COMMENT.

I do have to say, despite his weirdness over the inheritance money (JUST TAKE IT!!!), Noel has been acquitting himself well so far this season. He’s playing the Felicity/Ben thing just right, and when Ben finally finds out, I’m pretty sure it won’t be at Noel’s hand. Team Noel, even if he doesn’t end up with Felicity. He has redeemed himself. Tyra, just like Molly, has been forgotten.

That doctor was presumptuous, but so was Sean’s dad in asking Mr. Rotundi to invest in his company at the brunch table. Ugh. That made me cringe. It makes me cringe when Sean does it too, but even Sean knows not to badger the in-laws at breakfast.

The Felicity/Noel job stuff is hilarious and ridiculous. Noel is now a “guidance counselor” after Tom from Cougar Town hands him a job, with no instruction whatsoever. But Noel was an RA, so he’s prepared for anything.

I’m not sure why it’s so problematic for Felicity and Noel to be in the same vicinity. He lives with her boyfriend. He’s constantly showing up at her apartment (I guess it’s to help Elena with her computer, but whatever). They seem to be getting along well and I’m not sensing a lot of residual FEELINGS on either part. Maybe they just needed to bone once and get it out of their systems and now they can go back to being friends.

But here go hell come once Ben finds out about what happened.

Felicity 4.03 Felicity and ElenaEmma: I agree with you about Noel as they could have gone so wrong with him after this whole Felicity thing mirroring how he was at the end of last season. I think maybe they realized they took it too far last year with the whole Tyra stalking and pining after Felicity and this mature approach is much better. And yeah I don’t know why the proximity thing would be so bad as neither of them have been too lusty at this point.

One pairing that did come across as feeling fresh in a season of retreads is Elena and Ben as they’ve never had a crazy amount of stuff to do with each other despite their closeness to Felicity. I wonder if when it all comes out Elena will end up being there for Ben even though she is definitely better friends with Noel. And then maybe Elena can have something to do. Oh and now I’m really worried for Elena after that Broad City episode – a big week for Felicity references on comedy shows as Craig mentioned Keri Russell’s hair on Parks and Rec too.

From what I have briefly read about the final season it was initially intended to be the final year, but really it makes sense for this to have been a four season show and as you mentioned they are recycling a lot of storylines already.

And if I had to guess Ben is going to find out in our next batch of episodes as I can’t see it being strung out for much longer and I will definitely be pulling my best Home Alone face when he does as I have a feeling it will be in a very public setting much like the email of topless Felicity.

One more thing that I forgot to mention – so yes most of Sean’s ideas are not good at all but the Before/After restaurant is something I could see working especially with Brooklyn not being the super hip location it is now. Get in there earlier Sean!

Julie: I think I completely missed that idea. Make it happen, Sean!

Also, I loved how awkward Scott Foley looked while chewing that pen cap.

Emma: Yes! He is so good at physical comedy. More of that please Shonda!

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

 

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

30 Jan

Coats, tights, sweaters and boots aplenty this week with the Sundance Film Festival style. Plus party dresses, magazine covers and a slightly different approach to walking in the snow.

Greta GerwigAt the Mistress America premiere Greta Gerwig does the cute patterned dress, tights and ankle boots thing with aplomb.

Greta Gerwig SundanceAnd because I couldn’t choose which outfit I liked best here is a Greta Gerwig’s slightly more casual look for the Sundance portrait session with more incredible boots and an animal print top. Gerwig co-wrote Mistress America with Noah Baumbach and as Frances Ha was my favorite film of 2013 I have high hopes for this one. Kicking things off nicely in charming style.

Kathryn HahnTicking all the boxes – coat, dress, boots, tights – is Kathryn Hahn and I love Sundance fashion because we get to see a less flashy form of movie promoting style. And I love Kathryn Hahn.

Jessica WilliamsJessica Williams works the layering and an excellent pair of brown boots (pattern socks plus) in her portrait for People, Places, Things.

Mark and Jay DuplassCute brothers alert with Mark and Jay Duplass at the premiere for The Overnight (which I am looking forward to for many reasons). I have seen photos of Mark Duplass from this Sundance wearing a Henley in three different colors and it is a signature piece I am all for. They aren’t just for the guys on the CW.

Cobie SmuldersThis Coach sweater caught my eye back when I wrote a Robyn sweater wish list (pausing to take a moment to wonder once again where Robyn has gone) and now a Robin of a different spelling and show is wearing it. Cobie Smulders looks casual cool at her portrait session for Unexpected.

Keri Russell heelsThis might not be the best kind of footwear for the weather, but snow or not I would find it a challenge to walk in any stilettos. Luckily, Keri Russell is much more coordinated in this department as she heads to the Today Show and this is a super stylish (if not a little chilly) outfit. Very into the coat draped over the shoulders look and the color of this outerwear. Also eyeing up the divine floral Victoria Beckham skirt.

Maisie Williams EW partyThis week Maisie Williams championed dresses with pockets (which are my favorite kind of dresses) and at the Entertainment Weekly pre-SAG bash she wore another very cute pocketed ensemble in Reem Juan.

IMG_1224Bust is on a roll with putting ladies we love on the cover (and this is one reason why I am a subscriber) and now Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer are in the spotlight. The editorial has a Thelma & Louise theme and if you were wondering then yes I am still laughing about this week’s episode.

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The Americans 3.01 “EST Men” Review: ‘Have to be Objective to do the Job’

29 Jan

It is hard to separate the personal from the professional on The Americans when Elizabeth and Philip’s family life is so intrinsically linked to their roles as KGB officers. Their marriage and children are a by-product of the work they do and season 2 ended with a bombshell; the KGB now wants to recruit their daughter Paige into the family business and not of the travel agency kind.

When we first met Philip and Elizabeth their ideological differences were quickly established as Philip revealed he would choose their family over country. Since then the pair have broken up and come back together with their union turning from more than just work into something far deeper. Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan, but it’s hard not to forge some kind of emotional bond over a period of time this substantial. So how do you stay objective when your child could end up becoming part this dark and murky world?

The Americans 3.01Honesty is also a huge topic in “EST Men” from the meeting Philip and Stan attend to Annelise’s decision to spill the truth to Yousaf with tragic consequences. The lies that are told and whether someone deserves to know the truth weaves its way through The Americans. Paige is of course a focus of this debate as Philip so vehemently stated at the end of “Echo” that it would break her if she knew the truth. He talks of her age and how she is so close to going off to college and living a life of her own. We actually see very little of Paige in this episode and yet the Paige question simmers under the surface throughout. The church activity shows Elizabeth’s bonding attempts as well as observing Paige’s slight flirtation; Elizabeth is a lot better at fake smiling her way through it but she’s had a lot of practice. This has been a regular mother/daughter activity and much to Philip’s dismay he thinks Elizabeth is using this opportunity to assess her.

In part I think he is probably right because while it is a hard life, Elizabeth sees the sacrifices they make as means to an end to protect the Motherland. I also think Elizabeth wants a close relationship with her daughter even if she isn’t sure how to engage in this kind of behavior. The flashback we see at the start of the episode – and I think it is important to note that Elizabeth is absent in the family photo the camera focuses in on – shows Elizabeth taking a different approach to Paige’s swimming fears going for the sink or swim approach. There’s no mollycoddling here and I wonder if Paige has fond memories of that time her mom taught her how to swim. Attempts to bond have always been rather fumbling such as the bra shopping question in the pilot and Elizabeth can come across as stiff and awkward when dealing with real relationships of this nature. She is so good at fake forging a connection but when it comes to letting her guard down and experiencing actual emotions it is difficult for her.

The Americans 3.01 churchThis brings me to her relationship with her own mother and considering how guarded Elizabeth is we actually know a whole lot more about her pre-Elizabeth life than we do about Philip’s. This focus makes sense considering what is going on with Paige right now and Elizabeth’s joy at receiving a tape from home is short lived when she finds out her mother is dying and this time she isn’t around to nurse her back to health. We know it was just Elizabeth and her mother from an early age and it is likely this is playing a role in how she is dealing with this current Paige situation; even if she isn’t doing it on a conscious level coming from a single parent home is probably impacting how she views her role as a mother. Philip thinks she has been spewing lies since they found out what the KGB had in store with the second generation program and she probably has been using this time to assess Paige, but I do think she does want to be close to her child.

In a way it mirrors the argument Stan has with Sandra after his attempts to woo her back by going to an EST meeting. Sandra can see straight through his weak praise for his experience. She points out how he has been yessing her for years to avoid conflict and this sounds like Elizabeth has been doing the same to Philip up to this point with Paige. When it comes to different ideologies at least Philip and Elizabeth are pretty much on the same page (except for when it comes to the actual Paige) and I can’t see a reconciliation between Stan and Sandra as they are so distant from each other. More Philip and Stan hangouts as a result of this would be most welcome.

The Americans 3.01 GabrielSeveral new characters are introduced with the most significant being Frank Langella’s Gabriel as their new handler and unlike Claudia or Kate someone who they know and are fond of. Their history is evident from the moment they step through the door and from the way he playfully shoves Philip in the face it is clear they are very much like family. This whole setup plays like catching up with a relative from the quips to asking about kids. I fear that Henry loses points with Gabriel as he is apparently now more interested in baseball than hockey. Henry isn’t who Gabriel wants to talk about and what goes from sharing a traditional meal and pleasantries turns contentious when Paige’s recruitment is raised. Matthew Rhys delivers his best Philip pissed off face (there are several variations of this) which boils over into full contempt when they return to their car. Elizabeth claims she is just saying what they need to hear, but she sells it far too easily to Gabriel as it is something she is deeply considering.

Food plays an important part later on as when they are in a post-fight funk Elizabeth reaches out with the brownie apology that doesn’t win Philip over and then she opens up by telling him about her mother. This doesn’t automatically solve their bigger parenting differences and yet the hand hold shows all is not broken; they are still united on certain fronts.

Feelings have a way of messing things up; Stan is still pining for Nina who has been found guilty of espionage and treason. Oleg is also at a loss without Nina and he’s getting a little too cocky about his negative feelings about the war in Afghanistan and Arkady warns him not to speak so freely around those they don’t know well. Arkady also asks if Oleg has tried to use his father’s connections to help Nina to which Oleg replies that he begged, but his father isn’t into using his position for personal reasons. All hope at this point seems lost for Nina and I wonder what Oleg hopes to achieve by spying on Stan; to get some intel that might save her?

Annelise finds out the hard way that professing love when you have been playing someone might not have the best conclusion as Yousaf reacts with violent and deadly force when she reveals she has been passing on his bedroom chatter. Philip refers to this situation as ‘awful’ and while he has been intimate with her on countless occasions (including in this episode which prompted Annelise to mention her feelings of love towards Yousaf) she is ultimately a means to an end. Philip drafted in Annelise so Elizabeth wouldn’t have to do it and no matter how Philip feels about the women he uses for information he will always choose Elizabeth first. Martha also makes an appearance this week learning how to shoot with Stan and working her way through the Kama Sutra with Clark. It is a reminder of everything Philip is juggling and that as with Annelise there is potential for it to go wrong at any time. In fact they are both balancing so much that it is going to get increasingly hard for them to keep on top of everything, let alone being parents to their children.

And then comes the big news that is going to have an impact on the Cold War as the Russians are floundering in Afghanistan and their leader Leonid Brezhnev has just died. This is shown to us not through Arkady or Philip and Elizabeth finding out, but with Paige flicking through the channels and not sticking around to watch anything more about this news story. At this point it means absolutely nothing to her. Paige and Henry are surprisingly good at sharing the TV and I think this is something their parents will be very pleased to see.

Stunning Shot of the Week

The Americans 3.01 ElizabethThere are a couple of new things I want to add to these reviews and as this is one of the most visually exquisite shows on TV I want to highlight specific moments like the one above. Framing Elizabeth in the doorway emphasizes the distance that has been growing between the pair before they circle back together as a result of the news she shares about her mother. An amazing shot from director Dan Sackheim.

Disguise of the Week

The Americans 3.01 blonde scooby doo wigThe blonde Velma wig returns! And even though Elizabeth ended up with a very close call I did enjoy her attempts to distance herself from the person she looked like in the bar by turning her coat inside out and removing her glasses.* Some quick thinking allowed Elizabeth to end up the better off even with a super bruised face, shoulder and busted tooth. Agent Gad can’t quite say the same.

*A trick similar to when my friend couldn’t get into a bar after we got ID’d (She didn’t have ID and I did), which involved switching coats adding glasses and tying hair back. Yes it worked.

Outfit I Would Wear in 2015

The Americans 3.01 OOTWI have an ongoing 70s style obsession and as this is the early 80s the previous decade is still playing a big part with the style we see on screen. I sadly couldn’t get a better shot of this ‘family’ dinner attire, but Elizabeth’s calf length skirt and blue wool tee (of which I currently have a very similar looking grey one) paired with boots (her favorite shoes) is simple and super stylish. While this isn’t a fantastic view of the outfit, it is another beautifully framed shot. I am also glad to see Elizabeth’s turtleneck game has started strong this season.

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The Americans Inspired Underwear Range from Costume Designer Jenny Gering

28 Jan

A clothing collection inspired by a show and curated by the costume designer is not an unusual venture as we have seen Mad Men’s Janie Bryant team up with Banana Republic and The Limited has a range from Scandal costume designer Lyn Paulo, which Olivia Pope has also been wearing this season. Even Zooey Deschanel had the Tommy Hilfiger dresses she helped design appear on New Girl. The most recent show/brand offering is something of a more intimate nature as The Americans costume designer Jenny Gering has taken the sexy element of the show she works on and delivered pieces for lingerie retailer Cosabella.

IMG_1157The line which is available from now until February 23 and with prices ranging from $40 to $207.50 is inspired by what Elizabeth Jennings has worn in past episodes (and they might even feature on the show this season). Gering spoke to InStyle about the collection and how “Cosabella is such a good fit for the character because it’s so sort of streamlined and elegant but at the same time it’s sexy, but without being overtly girly.” The time period was also considered but as with the other aspects about the costume design on The Americans it doesn’t scream ’80s cliches.

Here is a look at a few of the items which are available:

Americans Bra‘Amalfi’ soft bra ($84.50 and the matching hotpants are $52.50)

Americans slip‘Trenta’ slip ($179.50)

Americans underwear

 

‘Blanquita’ cami and boxers set ($207.50)

There is a delicate balance on The Americans when it comes to how sex is used as both a way for Philip and Elizabeth to navigate their very real feelings for each other and as one of their many tools to get the job done (so to speak). It is a sexy show, but it also deals with very emotional and real consequences of intimacy particularly when it is being used to manipulate. This clothing line is part of the recent trend of costume designers branching out and making their work available to a larger market and here at TV Ate My Wardrobe we of course encourage more ventures like this.

It has also got me thinking about a topic that I haven’t really explored too much and that is how undergarments can serve just as important role as everything else a character wears on both period shows like The Americans, Masters of Sex and Mad Men and contemporary ones like Broad City and You’re the Worst when it comes to looking at costume design.

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Out of the Box: Look of the Week

23 Jan

The onslaught of award shows has slowed down and with TCA coming to a close this is a slightly quieter week. Fear not as there are still some awards to be given out before the SAGs/Oscars – the SAG Awards are this Sunday – and various promotional events too. Plus the return of a character look of the week.

Keri Russell and Matthew RhysStarting with one final TCA panel and I am thrilled The Americans is back for season 3 next week (January 28). I am also happy to see Keri Russell ditching her signature black/white choices and embracing some color and pattern in an olive-green Balenciaga leather skirt with a Saint Laurent leopard print shirt. This pairing particularly with the bow element sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it looks fantastic and Russell continues her style reign. Polka dot points for Matthew Rhys thanks to his tie which brightens up the grey.

Joanne FroggattThe British Consulate in LA hosted an afternoon tea to celebrate Wolf Hall this week – what better way to celebrate something concerning British royalty than with a very British sounding event – and Downton Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt is doing the flirty summer dress thing in Issa. I hope the ground isn’t too soft as I’m picturing those gold Giuseppe Zanotti sandals sinking into the grass.

Emma WillisAt the National Television Awards presenter Emma Willis embraced her fondness for yellow Roksanda Ilincic in another incredible outfit. Pairing a crop top with a skirt this floaty adds an edginess to this look and ensures Willis stands out in the style stakes.

Maisie Williams NTAMaisie Williams embraces the menswear trend at the National Television Awards in a fantastic Diesel Gold suit and this is a fun play on the lady tux. The jacket chain and white top with black neckband are the kind of things it helps to be 17 to wear and Maisie Williams continues to have fun with her outfit choices at events like this. Bonus red lipstick points are awarded of course.

Sleepy HollowAs I mentioned in the intro this is the return of a character look of the week with Ichabod Crane on Sleepy Hollow going for a slightly dressier approach as it is date night, which turns into painting horrorshow. At least he didn’t get too much blood on his high stand collar; hopefully it will come out in the wash. Plus he also got to air his grievance about modern dress “How can one be both business and casual?” Abbie’s sticking to her standard all dark attire and I’m forever thrilled she gets to wear boots like these ones rather than running in heels.

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TV Rewind: Felicity, “The Declaration” & “My Best Friend’s Wedding”

21 Jan

Felicity, Episodes 4.1 & 4.2
“The Declaration” & “My Best Friend’s Wedding”
Original Air Dates: Oct. 10 & 17, 2001

Felicity 4.01 Dear SallyEmma: We return for one final time for the start of the fall semester and Felicity is untethered. Actually when the episode starts she’s in the midst of “Dear Sallying” it while talking about what an excellent summer she has experienced. A summer without Ben and with no responsibilities besides making sure she’s put enough sunscreen on. The kind of summer you should be having at this age and the lack of drama is compounded by everything that follows.

Ben returns from EMT training looking hotter than ever and with this new buzzier cut comes a new found ambition, not to become an EMT. Nope, Ben wants to be a doctor and this only complicates things further with Felicity as her overbearing douche of a dad keeps sending her clippings about high achieving students and endless phone calls where he berates her for her lack of decisions. Felicity’s dad is the worst (this point is emphasised in my notes through my use of all caps).

It’s great that Ben has this new found direction, but I can’t help but wonder if this is just a phase. A job helping people makes so much sense but we’ve been told for the past three seasons that his academic skills are lacking. Maybe I’m being a bit too hard on him and this is really his calling. Is Dr Covington going to be a thing we will hear at some point?

Ben tells Felicity this news while they are in the lovely post “I haven’t seen you for months” sex slumber and just as she’s told him that his directionless feelings make her feel better for her own lack of future ideas. Awkward. It’s made even more awkward by Noel knocking on the door with a call from her dad. How to kill the sex buzz in a quick fashion.

The big culmination of Felicity feeling so lost comes at the end of the episode and I suspect we’ve both got a lot to say about what happens on the roof. The big Felicity/Noel action doesn’t happen while Ben is away, nope it takes place after Felicity and Ben have had a huge fight – over a printer, printers are the worst – and he runs off to play basketball (of course) and she takes sanctuary in a place where she’s been having fun. Felicity runs into a despondent Noel (he’s having a hard time finding a job) and the THINGS HAPPEN. What did you make of this development?

Felicity 4.02 BenJulie: Felicity’s dad is so bad he should hook up with Avery.

I still remain sort of on Team Noel. Actually I’m on Team Felicity-Get-Yourself-Together-Girl. She needs to take a moment and breathe, but that doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.

The cute buzz cut was the only thing Ben really had going for him this week. The “I want to be a doctor revelation” reeks of being another Ben misstep. He can’t commit. His grades are abysmal. He’s constantly talking about being on academic probation. It’s a slap in the face to people like Elena and Tracy if this guy just wanders in at the eleventh hour and decides to be a doctor. Unless he wants to pull a Nick Riviera and attend the Hollywood Upstairs Medical School.

It’s also kind of a slap in the face to Felicity, whether Ben realizes that or not. Medicine is a loaded topic for her, as her conversations with her father prove in this episode. Ben deciding out of nowhere that he’s going to follow the path her dad laid out for her so long ago while she bumbles around trying to figure out her life feels a little shitty to me. Even though I’m sure Ben didn’t mean it that way.

To top it all off, Ben is now a complete basket case about getting his life together, and while I don’t blame him for being mad at Felicity for showing up late to work, and thus making him late for his first pre-med class, I don’t blame her for not taking his new “life decision” seriously. Ben has never cared about being on time for class before. Why should Felicity think he’d start caring now that he’s a pre-med student?

He blows up at her about the printer, because, indirectly, it’s her fault that he can’t get the notes for the class he missed, and she runs into the welcoming arms of Noel.

I think it’s a little (maybe) farfetched that they’d go All The Way in that moment. No one was drunk. Yes, there was a lot of lingering tension from the summer, but Felicity has been through the cheating ringer with Ben before — on both sides. Plus she’s very calculating in her life and doesn’t take risks. But maybe that’s the point, right? She needs to let loose, and she’s letting loose with Noel.

I remember the roof scene being hotter when I watched it the first time around, but this time it felt sad, desperate. Felicity is not in a good place right now, and boning Noel is not going to help things.

How did you feel about Felicity’s venture onto Team Noel.

Felicity 4.01 Felicity and Noel on the roofEmma: I too am on Team Felicity-Get-Yourself-Together-Girl and seeing her fumble this much is hard to watch. I also think it’s important to see her go through this because no one wants their lead character to have it together all the time and this feels like a very real reaction to senior year fears.

Giving Ben a goal makes sense for a couple of reasons – first it flips Felicity and Ben’s state of mind and it might get a bit tiresome if both of them are having the same existential crisis and it also drives the wedge between them that opens Felicity up to a Noel liaison, which the show has been edging towards for half a season now. But it does make him come across as insensitive even if that’s not his intention. This accurately describes a lot of Ben’s decision making process. A lack of thought.

The fight about Felicity being late is painful to watch because she’s clearly been crying or is on the verge of tears even before they start talking and he doesn’t even notice. This is mostly due to being wrapped up in his own problems and as I already mentioned printers are the worst and they turn us into the biggest jerks when they go wrong (at least that’s my experience). Later on Ben realises that something is up, but Felicity has already slept with Noel at this point. Too late for caring Ben. I am still Team Ben not that you would be able to tell from this paragraph.

The going all the way thing was such a surprise and I just figured that episode two would open on awkward post kiss fumbling, not holy shit where are my clothes fumbling. I like that this show never makes it easy to figure out whether characters are going to have sex or not (like when I just assumed Julie and Ben had slept together). This was unexpected and yeah it just made me sad too. There’s clearly an attraction between them and a connection on several levels but urgh is this going to get complicated.

Noel does get points for a) not pressurizing Felicity to define their relationship, b) not telling Ben and c) stepping back where he needs to. I mean he lives with Ben making it extra complicated and he must he expecting at least a punch to the face if/when Ben finds out.

The second episode saw the return of Dr Pavone, who at this point is here to be Felicity’s real life Sally and tell her what’s what. And she’s smoking again! And is now using a cigarette holder which doesn’t get mentioned at all. What did you make of the return of Dr Pavone? And did Felicity do the right thing by not telling Ben about Noel?

Felicity 4.02 turtleneck 1Julie: Yeah, as far as Ben’s goal goes, even for the show’s purposes, I wish they had gone in another direction besides “doctor.” It feels too unrealistic. I mean, if he had come home fully integrated into the cult of becoming an EMT, it would’ve had nearly the same impact. Ben knows what he wants to do, and Felicity doesn’t. It still would’ve flipped the script (even though, I guess, the doctor thing gives the whole situation a little more heft because of Felicity’s dad; but I think even Felicity’s dad would’ve been OK with whatever Felicity chose to do as long as she had a plan for how to do it. I think he’s more concerned with the fact that she’s going to graduate without any real plan. The doctor thing is secondary.)

The questions you ask at the bottom of your email are tough ones. And no, I can’t believe no one mentioned the cigarette holder. It seems like Dr. Pavone was urging Felicity to tell Ben and/or realize that she’s got it bad for Noel. None of this seems like great therapist advice. Maybe she wants Felicity to blow up her whole life just because she’s been sitting there in limbo for so long. Felicity does need to make some decisions. And the Noel secret is kind of killing her.

That said, what good can come from her telling Ben? It would make things bad for both Noel and her, not to mention Ben. I think things are already over between her and Ben at this point, so why rub salt in the wound?

What do you think? Are will Felicity go after Noel now, or will she finally take some time for herself?

Felicity 4.01 Felicity and NoelEmma: As you’ve mentioned already Elena and Tracy both put in so much work and it is hard to picture Ben doing the same, plus with all the extra credits. Maybe the break up will give him a renewed focus or he will end up spending more time out on the basketball court. Is this going to be another case of Felicity and Ben working opposite shifts at Dean & DeLuca again?

It is quite hard to figure out exactly where Dr Pavone is coming from and in a way she is just a stand in as Felicity’s get a grip friend as everyone else who she is close to is also friends with both Ben and Noel. Plus Elena is busy planning a wedding and after she compliments Felicity on her attitude towards love it makes it impossible for Felicity to tell her what’s going on and that it was actually Noel who gave her that love bite. And seriously Noel, I know it was the heat of the moment but this is far from subtle and also you’re in your 20s, hickeys should be done by now Good job Felicity has every turtleneck ever – see below – but in this heat they are far from practical. Even that sleeveless one is causing problems in the heat. Ben is oblivious to Felicity’s sudden summer knitwear obsession and to him Felicity’s breakup is all down to feeling confused. There’s that word again and it is normally Ben citing confusion to mask the truth.

Felicity 4.02 turtleneck 3 Felicity 4.02 turtleneck 2Ben doesn’t even entertain the notion that Felicity and Noel have done anything together even when Noel acts slightly skittish when Ben asks him about Felicity’s erratic behavior. I also don’t see what will be achieved by Felicity telling Ben at this point other than to relieve her guilt or finally get her to address Noel as the drawer. To use Dr Pavone’s metaphor I don’t think Noel is what is necessarily in Felicity’s drawer and while yes there are feelings here I also don’t think it would be wise to bounce from Ben to Noel while she is feeling this way. I’m hoping she takes time to figure things out and I desperately want her to spend some time with Elena as she is also reeling from her own breakup.

Ah yes the big wedding and when Donald Faison didn’t show up in the premiere I figured the breakup would happen off camera. This was not the case as the wedding was the center point of the second episode and in not surprising news they didn’t go through with it in the end. They got close and it was only when they were at the venue did they have the big chat that ended it. Once again sex came into play and after Meghan planted the seeds of doubt it led to feelings of doubt from both sides. To me this feels like the right choice and not just because Scrubs had stole Faison full time. I really like Elena and Tracy as a couple but the sex stuff has cast its shadow over the relationship since the start.

And what of the other pairing? I am still bored of the Meghan/Sean break up/make up side show and I’m not sure how much them getting married is going to change how they are with each other. What did you make of this big step and how Meghan has a tendency to push someone as far as she can?

Felicity 4.02 tracy and elenaJulie: Yes! Elena and Felicity need another girls’ night out — preferably with Meghan and Earl.

Oh, but Meghan’s an old married lady now, so.

I really did not like how they handled either of these storylines. On the one hand, I get Elena saying yes to Tracy and going through with all the wedding planning. I do not buy her and Tracy ending things at the altar. They had their time apart. They had time to think and miss each other. Elena went through a lot of soul searching while Tracy was gone. I think they would’ve gone through with it, if they were actual 22-year-olds in college. That’s not to say it would’ve been the best idea ever, or that they’d never end up resenting each other and regretting the wedding, I just think it would’ve been more realistic if they’d gone through with it.

They could’ve made it work, too. Maybe Tracy could’ve popped up once in a while for guest spots. He’s not terribly integral to the rest of the story.

Even less realistic is Meghan and Sean jumping into marriage after Tracy and Elena call off the wedding. First of all, bad timing much? What jerk BRIDESMAID goes up to the would-be bride after she calls off the wedding and asks to borrow her wedding? Ugh. It’s not about you, Meghan. Of course, though, Elena is fine with it, though if this were real life, she might say she’s fine with it and then spend the next year talking about that bitch who stole her wedding.

Secondly, there’s more to getting married than just standing up on an altar and having your best roommate tell you you’re married. You need a license. There’s a waiting period (except in, like, Vegas). So, she and Sean are not technically married. We’ll see if the show deals with this in future episodes.

Both of these events really cheesed me off. Obviously. The engagement thing was pointless because it went nowhere and now Meghan and Sean are jumping into marriage like this will solve all their problems.

But at least Molly wasn’t there.

What did you think of the weddings?

Felicity 4.02 weddingEmma: I would be super pissed off if I was Elena and my bridesmaid decided to make it all about her and use the chance to get married instead. This is a big nope in my book even without the glaring plot holes you mention regarding the marriage license. Also aren’t all the guests going to be a little miffed about this change in bride and groom. The Meghan/Sean relationship continues to spiral into WTF territory and I continue not to care, which is disappointing as it started so well.

The wedding did give plenty of pensive stares between Felicity and her two dudes and really she needs a break from both of them so this was pretty bad timing for her as well.

Like you, I also think that Elena and Tracy would never have got this far or they would have gone through with it. I think I would have been happier with an off screen break up and Elena returning after the summer single. However this would have denied us super snarky wedding planner Javier and this version of him might be my new favorite as it gives him a no BS edge.

One character who bugged far more than usual was Richard and his behavior regarding the whole Noel/Felicity hook up was insane. Yes I get that he is meant to be a jokey antagonist with his sensitivity chip missing but this was bizarre even for him to find it all so amusing. Especially as he even points out that Ben will most likely kick Noel’s ass if he finds out. Were you annoyed at Richard or is it just me?

And Molly! Have they even mentioned her? Or are they pretending she was never even there (I am fine with this)?

Felicity 4.02 sad BenJulie: Good point about the wedding guests. I’m sure Tracy’s entire family is totally up for celebrating the wedding of two people they’ve never met. Also, how pissed would Meghan’s parents have been, not to mention Sean’s family. This whole thing was just dumb.

I think we’ve decided that everyone on this show is acting stupid right now, except for Javier, and maybe Noel (who seems to be handling things well, or maybe he just looks good because he’s not currently stalking Tyra Banks). Everyone else is a mess. Even Dr. Pavone is giving suspect advice.

I hope they can right the ship in the next few episodes. I’m pretty sure JJ Abrams was long gone at this point, what with Alias starting, and I wonder if he’ll pop up to write an episode or two. This show could use his character-building smarts at this point.

Maybe they’re all high on smart powder. That has to be it.

Do you have anything to add?

Felicity 4.01 phone callEmma: The only thing I have to add is that I was very surprised to see that JJ Abrams wrote the first episode because I thought he’d jump ship by now (as he did with other shows). But maybe this is his only really big contribution to the season. I’ll be keeping my eye out at the credits along the bottom of the screen.

Julie: Oh, and yeah! This aired in October of 2001 and no mention of 9/11 at this point. Maybe these episodes were already in the can. Maybe they live in an alternate New York universe where none of that happened. Maybe we’ll need to discuss this next time.

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

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Fox All-Star Party Red Carpet – Jumpsuits, Playsuits and Gold Blazers

19 Jan

January continues to be red carpet heavy and we’re starting the week with several super stylish looks from the Fox All-Star party, some of which feed into some of my clothing maybe attempts of 2015.

Keri RussellKeri Russell does the black jumpsuit thing and I think my jumpsuit obsession can be traced back to this Keri Russell outfit. This is a really great look on her and she makes it seem so effortless.

Becki NewtonPlaysuits are also on the hmm, maybe list – the bare legs factor makes me lean more towards jump – and Becki Newton is wearing the slightly longer and less bum skimming version of the alphabet Mary Katrantzou romper that Taylor Swift wore to the VMAs. In contrast with the magic eye picture like print (which I could never do) the nude pumps with red tips are the ideal shoe for this outfit.

Mindy KalingMindy Kaling shows off her new ombre locks and a sparkly twist on the menswear trend with a stunning gold Smythe blazer and stripe The Kooples blouse.

Tamara TaylorRocking cropped pants and A+ red lip color is Bones’ Tamara Taylor.

Hannah SimoneThere were some dresses on display with Hannah Simone going a little matchy matchy in a mint summer frock with a silhouette her New Girl co-star tends to wear.

Judy GreerThis has a hint of business wear and I guess this is a work function for Judy Greer. It manages to avoid an all office vibe thanks to the splash of yellow and Greer is another red lipstick queen at this party.

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TV Rewind: Felicity, “Senioritis,” “It’s Raining Men,” & “The Last Summer Ever”

8 Jan

Felicity, Episodes 3.15, 3.16 & 3.17
“Senioritis,” “It’s Raining Men,” & “The Break-Up Kit”
Original Air Dates: May 9, 16, & 23

Felicity 3.17 wistful FelicityJulie: I thought these episodes were kind of interesting tonally. There’s nothing really “wrong” with Felicity and Ben’s relationship by the end of the season, but obviously not all is well. Maybe there has been too much hurt all season, too many Noels and Averies and that frat dude Ben punched. But it kind of feels like (spoiler alert) when the two of them say goodbye at the end of the season, there’s a bit of relief there. They’ve spent too much time worrying about the other’s intentions all season, Felicity and Ben are ready to have the summer to themselves, though I don’t think they (or at least Felicity; we don’t get to see Ben’s reaction) realized it until they found themselves on their own.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The trio of episodes kicked off with “Senioritis,” a reminder that Noel is a year older than everyone and he’s getting graduated this year. He’s taken a job in Seattle, doing…something, and he and Felicity are really going to miss each other’s…friendship. He offers her a job working under him for the summer. She’s interested, but she balks. She and Ben want to spend the summer together and Ben’s not sure he wants his girlfriend spending the summer with Noel (which, really, is kind of fair; she barred him from seeing any more of Avery).

Speaking of Avery, she did what I thought she’d do — she “accidentally” OD-ed on some pills in order to get Ben’s attention. It worked. And Felicity saw the two of them together again…a couple of times…and Ben really can’t get a clue about how to extricate Avery from his life. So Felicity tells him how: STOP TAKING HER CALLS AND INVITING HER TO STAY AT YOUR APARTMENT, YOU MORON. Ben finally gives Avery the official heave-ho at Dean & Deluca, and it seems to take. She’s gone, after too many episodes and too much of her trying to weasel herself between Ben and Felicity, it appears she has finally left the show. Thank goodness.

But, of course, Avery wasn’t the only ghost of relationships past to make an appearance during the final three hours of junior year. There are so many things to talk about with these episodes. Aaah! How sad are you to see Avery go?

Felicity 3.15 FelicityEmma: I am super sad to see Avery go… Okay maybe that is the biggest lie I’m going to tell all year because FINALLY this story has been put to bed but not before one almost rift causing hurrah! My problem with this plot and with the overall Ben and Felicity friction from this second half of the season is that it feels so contrived, it’s like they needed to find a reason to cause uncertainty and this was it. For me it hasn’t worked at all because I can’t see Ben being this dumb even when he has shared this huge experience with Avery. Girl is definitely persistent and the pills move is a sign that she definitely needs to be talking to someone. Her poor little rich girl “I am so alone” schtick doesn’t wash with me and she strikes me as someone who always gets her way and this is something she can’t buy.

I wonder if I’m being to harsh on her, but nope I don’t think I am. Take the way she dangles that ‘something’ happened at the Hamptons with Ben. Noel infers this as they slept together because that is the kind of thing you infer from this phrasing and while Ben doesn’t own up that he did kiss her back, it sounds way worse than it was. I’m surprised Noel showed such restraint and didn’t straight up tell Felicity about it and I’ve got to give him some kind of credit here, although I still think he has been petty at times with how he has dealt with his this is more than friendship feelings.

Avery is a temporary Felicity/Ben obstacle whereas Noel is more permanent even if he is meant to be moving to Seattle soon. Finishing college is causing this rush of aaaargh feelings and in this respect I understand why Noel is suddenly admitting how he feels and this has been a long time coming. Plus the S3 DVD cove might only be Felicity and Ben but this triangle is far from over. I’m glad they acknowledged the state of Ben and Noel’s friendship because they’ve never been BFFs and they shouldn’t have to be. In fact I think it would be pretty unhealthy if they were, living together is borderline huh. Don’t get me wrong I love Ben and Noel’s attempt at being friends because of Felicity but they really have nothing in common except her. Also Ben calls Noel a dick in two of these episodes which I also appreciated because he was being one.

What do you make of Noel’s big Felicity overtures?

Felicity 3.17 Felicity and NoelJulie: I’d like to be able to not buy the Ben/Avery thing, but I actually do. Ben is that big an idiot when it comes to beautiful, damaged girls. Noel hit the nail on the head. So, yeah. I’m fine with being hard on Avery (she deserves all the venom we and Felicity spew at her), but Ben is also a damn fool in this situation and he keeps making the same mistake over and over again until FINALLY he gets a clue and shows her the door.

Stop being your own biggest obstacle to happiness, Benjamin!

As far as Noel goes, his Felicity feelings definitely do stem from his being about to leave. Maybe there’s a bit of panic about wanting to hold on to some part of college. Maybe he realizes (just as I’ve realized) that Noel is at his best when his relationship with Felicity is in good shape. Even Felicity is at her best with Noel. She’s proactive (in a very business-like way) about her art. She’s FUN. She seems centered. When she’s with Ben, her whole being centers around the status of her relationship with Ben. There’s no fun. She tends to get lost and frets too much about making sure he’s happy. I don’t think that’s lost on Noel either.

Despite his dubious actions earlier this season — getting quickie married and stalking Tyra — I don’t think Noel’s initial actions are impure. I think asking her to work with him on Loser Pet Shop and giving her the break-up kit were totally “I care about you and think you’re talented as more than a friend, even though I realize you don’t see me that way” actions. I think Noel, at the beginning of this whole arc, was fine with friendship.

But THEN he was witness to how straight up shitty Ben was being, letting things happen with Avery and still seeing her despite Felicity’s feelings. Noel saw an opening, and I don’t blame him for that. He was leaving for Seattle. He had to take a shot. And so what if Ben got hurt, they were never friends anyway and Ben was constantly eating Noel’s food without asking (though, I’m on Team Ben here about putting peanut butter on a bagel).

I also buy Noel getting a little butt hurt that Felicity chooses Ben over him, because her past few months with Noel have been fun and easy, while her last few months with Ben have been torture. And I buy him deciding to cut her out so he can start fresh. And I completely buy all of that driving Felicity crazy because she needs everyone to like her.

So now we have Ben gone for the summer, and Noel (who has really been occupying more of Felicity’s mind space than Ben for the past few episodes) sharing an apartment together and “getting ice cream.” What do you think of this development? Where do you think Felicity’s head is at, and should Ben be worried?

Felicity 3.17 Felicity and BenEmma: Ben does have a saviour complex and I’m glad you brought that up as it had slipped my mind. It’s why he first connected with Julie and maybe Teri Polo too. Felicity is different and has never really needed saving, though if I recall correctly their night of breaking into the swimming pool came when she was feeling super low about her parents so it even works here a little bit.

For me Tracy’s speech to Elena works for the whole Felicity/Ben/Noel thing in that Felicity and Noel make the most sense for all the reasons you lay out, but it’s actually Ben who seems like the right choice despite their differences. This might be because I’ve been firmly in the Team Ben camp for a whole now and because I still can’t get over the Tyra thing. I might even at this moment suggest that Felicity goes for the “I choose me path” and I have a feeling that after this summer she might opt for that because something is definitely going to happen or almost happen while Ben is away.

It’s the joy and woes of having a love triangle is there needs to be conflict and harmony; Felicity has been with Ben all season and I think that’s been good at times but they’ve also had to create tension for other places so Avery, Noel, Felicity’s mom, Ben’s dad and I for one need a break from this so I hope they do break up, which sounds weird as I’m on this ship.

The most interesting thing to come out of the Avery situation was seeing Felicity have a strong negative reaction to someone because it’s so rare and as you point out she wants everyone to like her and like each other. It’s also why I’m glad to see Dr Pavone back (and chain smoking once again) because she doesn’t make things easy for Felicity even if I don’t always think she gives the most sound advice.

The panic of leaving college and how this structured life you’ve had for 3/4 years is suddenly going to be gone rang so true and I can understand why Noel’s departure makes them both question what their relationship means. It is scary and everything does change. It’s why the idea of the last summer for Ben and Felicity is a big deal. Realistically it isn’t necessarily their last summer but it is the last one before the real world. Also this show makes the decision of summer plans seem so fraught and stressful. I pretty much did the same thing every summer while I was at university and not once did I have a huge choice to make between dudes or taking a job or going camping. Maybe I missed out? Also if Noel does hookup with Felicity while Ben is away it’s the perfect revenge for Felicity picking Ben at the end of season 1

Felicity 3.15 tpJulie: Felicity does need a Kelly Taylor moment, doesn’t she? Has she really been single at all since freshman year? She’s either been pining after someone or outright dating them for the past three years. What do you want for you, Felicity? Which is why I actually think Noel (minus the Tyra stuff) is the better choice for her. He lets her be her. Ben keeps her mind too focused on Ben. Team Noel for me. Let’s just pretend the Tyra stalking never happened. shall we?

Thank you for mentioning the weirdness of the summer plans. Mine were always basically come home and get a job. There was no flitting around the country. (Maybe there should’ve been.)

I was going to ask you how you’d feel if Felicity hooked up with Noel during the summer. Would it be a little evening the Avery score? Or is hooking up with Noel kind of mean and unforgivable? This isn’t 90210 where everyone is constantly changing partners. This show does tend to have consequences. What consequences will arise from this pairing?

Maybe we’ve said a lot about the central trio and should move on to someone else…Like the WTF-ness that was Elena’s story? So, she started hanging out with DeForest when she was blind, then she saw him and still kept hanging out with him (both because she enjoyed his company and felt bad for being shallow about his looks), then he made a move and she rebuffed him, then she tried to backtrack and he told her to stop pitying him, then she genuinely wanted to jump his bones kind of, and now she’s all of a sudden dumping him because Tracy’s back? Poor DeForest is what this amounts to, and he’s so genial about the whole thing.

So, yeah. Tracy’s back. And he never had sex with Africa Rose. And that condom was meant for Elena, not for Rose. And now he has a ring and he wants to marry Elena. What do you make of all this? And what will Elena say?

Felicity 3.17 Tracy and ElenaEmma: I love that we’re going into this final season with each of us on the opposing team, but I think ultimately we are both Team Felicity. And if anything does happen in the loft while Ben is away then yes that will be very bad and much worse than the whole Avery situation because of all the history and the location.

Ben’s decision to become an EMT actually makes sense even if downplays it at every opportunity as he’s shown not only with the ladies he’s tried to save but with that kid he played basketball with. Yes that kid ended up with a broken finger but he did take him to a doctor so there’s that. For everything that has been said about Ben’s temper he did keep his cool when James threatened them (the first time) and this is a skill that will come in handy if he does become an EMT.

I think Ben’s fretting about careers is a little preempted but he see Noel as someone to be envied when it comes to this and so it’s not surprising to see him get nervous about his lack of direction. Noel knows what he wants to do, but alas his job in Seattle is no longer available. What a neat coincidence, eh? I did wonder how they were going to ehg Noel back to New York and this is it.

But on to other couples and I think they’ve had an issue with finding Elena a decent storyline after the gun incident and you’re right about DeForest being this kind of prop. Yeah Elena didn’t mean for this turn of events to take place, but still pretty shitty. And yes Tracy wrote her a long looking letter (I don’t think it is quite 18 pages front and back) and has said all the right things but this proposal still doesn’t seem like a good choice. It’s the romantic/impulsive choice and yet I don’t think it’s enough. And considering we know Scrubs started around the same time as Felicity S4 I think this might end in tears.

We’ve also got Sean and Meghan doing their merry breakup routine and the whole rabbi thing was beyond tedious. The couples counselling and vacation chat were a little better but I’m still a bit fed up of them. What did you make of their relationship woes?

Felicity 3.16 Sean and MeghanJulie: I also love the idea of Ben becoming an EMT. It just feels right for him. He doesn’t strike me as a 9-5 suit and tie kind of guy, so riding in an ambulance at all hours of the day sounds perfect. Though, his swoonyness might cause more heart attacks than it prevents.

Ugh, with Meghan and Sean again. I thought we were over the whole break up every week thing, but no. And I get Meghan not liking the rabbi, but calling her a Hooters girl? Not cool coming from someone who seems generally more openminded about other women’s looks and choices. The vacation thing was also dumb, because come on, Sean. Get over the money thing. Luckily he does by the end of the episode and the two of them are off to Switzerland for the summer (leaving Felicity and Noel alone in the loft).

This is probably a good time to start talking about our hopes and dreams for next season. Molly wasn’t even in the final episode, so could that be her death knell? Javier’s back, which is a good thing. I think you’re right about Elena and Tracy. Despite her (happy?) fainting, the two of them will not get engaged because he’ll be with JD Dorian instead (Whose father is also a bad dad John Ritter! Do Scrubs and Felicity take place in the same universe? Are JD and Ben secret brothers with different last names??? Discuss.)

Obviously things will get rocky for Felicity and Ben. How do you see it playing out? How do you want it to play out?

Felicity 3.17 groupEmma: The only aspect of the Meghan/Sean stuff I liked was when Meghan showed her softer side but yeah I’m done with them if this cycle continues and as Alias is a Sepetember 2001 show I think they will be going the same way as Tracy and Elena. Or maybe he will pull double duty as I don’t remember Weiss being around that much at the start. Which brings me to something else regarding season 4 and considering the location I was wondering how they’re going to address 9/11. I suspect there will be a subtle nod with maybe just a title card rather than a direct reference, but it is definitely something that crossed my mind.

I want everything good for Felicity and I have a feeling she has a whole lot of DRAMA heading her way. I do wonder how Noel will fit it now that he’s graduated – by the way I adore how his mom responded to Felicity – will he get a job at the bar, Dean & DeLuca or at NYU? One of those will be awkward no doubt. I do want her to end up with Ben, but I don’t want the whole season to be about this.

As you mentioned with Molly I think her days might be numbered as she’s pretty much just been there to make a comment about whatever story is going on so laying it on thick about Felicity’s amazing friendship with Noel. Javier has been rather absent considering he now goes to college (they seem to have forgotten that), but hopefully there will be more for him to do.

Season three has been a bit of a mess and that time jump was part of the problem so I hope the focus is stronger in the last season. Oh and you know how much I love the sexual health stories so more of those please.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention the Ruby reappearance and do you think this is the last we’ve seen of her? It seemed pretty final to me and you can tell Avery and Molly were bad because I really didn’t mind seeing her again. Also why was she wearing a red sleeveless turtleneck with a red sweater draped over her shoulders? That was confusing. Any other faces from the past you want to see for one last time?

Felicity 3.17 RubyJulie: That’s a good point about 9/11. I know most shows didn’t mention the attacks, but I also think that a college student in Manhattan at the time would’ve been deeply affected, so it would be weird for them not to mention it, really. If it had happened a year earlier, for sure Noel would’ve been the one freaking out about his mortality and whatnot, because that’s what Noel does.

This show desperately lacked sexual health stories this season. I’m hoping season four is nothing but Felicity dealing with the herp.

I think Ruby’s gone and probably Molly too, possibly without mention. I’m wondering if Julie comes back in the final season, for closure. I could do without seeing any of Felicity’s ex-boyfriends or her parents ever again.

I’ll leave you with two words: Ruby’s choker.

Julie Hammerle is, according to Klout, an expert in the areas of both Morgan Freeman and glasses. Her writing can be found at chicagonow.com/hammervision and you can holler at her on Twitter as well.

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