I’m always watching a few things (right now: Grey’s, Revolution, Parenthood, Walking Dead, PLL, 90210, Revenge) but I have this thing where I’ll binge watch one new show by myself that I know wouldn’t interest Will at all. And right now that show is….
Felicity! What a great show! I watched the first season back in the day (I was like 14) but I never continued on with it. I’m currently on the last season and it’s been fun to rewatch what I already have seen (but barely remembered) and continue on with Felicity’s journey!
If you don’t know what it’s about: The pilot starts out with Felicity on her graduation day from high school — she asks her crush (the extremely HOT) Ben Covington to sign her yearbook and has a short conversation with him and is moved when he says he wishes he got to know her in high school. She makes the rash decision to scrap her pre-med plans at Stanford and follow Ben to NYU. CRAZY RIGHT? While Ben’s reaction isn’t necessarily what she thought she decides to stay in NYC for HERSELF rather than go home and do what her parents expected of her. So then the rest of the season chronicles her tumultuous freshman year as she transitions to a new city all alone, adjusts to college, makes friend and navigating the romantic waters. The rest of the seasons cover each year of her college life.
It’s AMAZING. A-freaking amazing. At first, as a 27 year old lady, didn’t understand what I found so romantic and awesome as a 14 year old about her running off to follow a guy she barely knew but I slowly realized that she ended up where she needed to be to grow even though she may have done it for a complete crazy reason. I have loved watching Felicity’s journey through her college years and watching her make mistakes and grow. She’s not perfect, she’s downright irritating sometimes and she can’t ever make up her damn mind but she’s so real and relateable to me.
The characters are amazing in this show! There is a love triangle — obviously Ben (SCOTT SPEEDMAN! I NEED TO EFFING WATCH LAST RESORT APPARENTLY) plays a big part but the sweet Noel comes into the picture freshman year. You know how I wrote about good love triangles this week? Well this is one of my FAVORITE and is so well done. SO WELL DONE. I am so Team Ben but there are so many times where I find myself loving Noel and thinking maybe Noel would be best for her. My mind is just as damn confused as Felicity’s is through all the seasons. Each one of them, to me, represent a different side of her and it’s been interesting to watch this crazy love triangle. Tons of tension. Tons of squealy moments and OMG so much disappointment sometimes.
But the other characters are incredible too — I love Javier! He’s the best — so hilarious and kindhearted! And I never saw Felicity’s roommate Megan as an important character in the first season but she really grows on you in her weird way. And Sean! Oh Sean! I just want to hug him! I love Felicity’s friends — Julie and Elena — and I feel like the writers really showed the beauty of these college friends in all of their complicated glory.
Basically Felicity is everything I wish this New Adult genre was (at least for contemporary NA stories)….what I pictured it to be when I first heard the term a few years ago (it’s true..there was this very vague article talking about a new imprint (I think a Hachette one) and how it was going to focus on that early twenties to mid twenties demographic — it didn’t seem to be this sexed up YA that I’m finding to be/hearing it is. There’s sex in it but it’s not gratuitous — it’s real and not glamorized. But it’s so much more than about sex — it’s about not living with your parents anymore, figuring out who you are (you see Felicity struggle with this with her majors), making friends and losing them, navigating relationships, having fun and random adventures and just discovering what you are made of when you face tough things — and these characters certainly do. Felicity isn’t one of those super exaggerated shows like Gossip Girl (which I totally love) or something where really UNBELIEVABLE and OVER THE TOP things happen. But it’s still entertaining and moving and just REAL. And oh VERY SWOONY ROMANCE SCENES! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to punch a wall with your Ben/Felicity/Noel tension but it’s amazing.
TEAM BEN!
Have you watched Felicity? Are you Team Ben or Team Noel? Shhh don’t tell me how it ends because I’m not done with the last season. What were some of your favorite moments from the season? What are some other shows you are binge watching right now? PLEASE CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT FELICITY. SOMEONE! Before I resort to making Will watch it with me! (He is shaking his head no right now!)
Kristen Evey says
Bahaha! I hope you get someone to talk about Felicity with you. I sadly cannot, as I haven’t seen it yet. But it’s one I’ve had my eye on for awhile and will probably watch at some point. I really think you should casually turn it on while your husband is around and see what happens. I’ve been re-watching all of Dawson’s Creek, which I affectionately call “the smutty teen show” to my husband (which is SO a misnomer). But anyways, one day I was watching it and he was just sitting on the couch and then totally got sucked in. His words: “This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” HAH!
Beth says
Oh, that kiss! Wow! It ranks right up there with the Veronica/Logan first kiss from Veronica Mars. Now you make me want to go back and watch both those shows all over again!! 🙂 (P.S. Megan and Sean are awesome–one of my favorite tv couples ever).
Emma @ Hopeful Happiness says
I re-watched the first two seasons this summer and tried to get a watch-along going to no avail. I freaking LOVE this show! Julie gets on my last nerve. . . although I totally have a friend just like her. I too can never quite decide who I like better, Ben or Noel. (Sometimes I don’t like either one of them!) I feel like my feelings change with every episode I watch. Javier is HILARIOUS! Felicity is pretty funny as well without even trying. Sometimes she makes me cringe and other times I’m just like “I have so been there!” Anyway I could go on and on and on! What season are you on? You should totally start a watch-along because I too would love to talk about it with someone in somewhat real-time!
Leela says
It was my favourite show when I was at university. I loved Felicity TV show so much and I really loved 1st and 2nd season. I didn’t like the 3st season at all! 🙁 but it improved in season 4th.
I am Team Noel because he’s loyal and amazing and … hot. I loved the boggle episode. I didn’t know that game, but mmm I like now 😀
Kimberly says
Just found it on Netflix, I am SO going to watch this!
Allison @ The Book Wheel says
I loved this show! I loved it when it was on the WB (before it was the CW, I think). I watched it because I liked Keri Russell on The Mickey Mouse Club. Last year, I watched the entire series again on Netflix while I was laid up after a surgery and I forgot how great it was! I recommend you run through the O.C. after this one 🙂
Jessica says
ooooh I love Felicity! I was ahem slightly older when it aired and it was everything I wanted my life to be at the time. I stopped watching after the 3rd season, but now seeing your post I think it is time to go back and rewatch the series.
I was always Team Noel because he loyal, but deep down inside I shipped Ben and Felicity. Also Jennifer Garner is Scott Foley’s girlfriend, Hanna, on the show and when they married in real life I thought it was adorable they met on set, etc. Of course their marriage didn’t last, but at the time, I did think it was a lovely story.
Meredith says
Ooh, I haven’t seen this one but I LOVE Keri Russell! (so excited to see her in Austenland!!) But I’ll look for this one on Netflix because I’ve heard fab things about it! 😉
-Meredith
Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl says
I just barely watched the entire series on Amazon Prime last month for the very first time! I didn’t love it, just because it was SO dramatic. Everything that COULD have happened (that was bad) did. It got kind of heavy for me. Oh, and I was SO team Noel!
Rory says
I LOVE Felicity. It’s one of my favorite shows. It was actually the first show I watched with a character named Finn on it. I loved the name so much that I named my son that years later (though I rarely tell that to non-Felicity fans).
Brodie says
See, this is why book bloggers are the worst. Not only do they shove amazing and must-read, GO-HAND-YOUR-BANK-ACCOUNT-OVER-TO-THE-BOOK-DESPOSITORY-NOW-GODDAMNIT books down my throat, but they get me hooked on the most addictive tv shows and then I’m struggling to find time to eat and pee and sleep and live this thing called a life.
I have NEVER shown any interest in watching Felicity before. Don’t ask me why, I didn’t even know what it was ABOUT prior to reading your post! But… but…. now? It’s like you knew to post this the exact moment I was itching for a new show to get hooked on. I SO need to go accio me a trailer on youtube.
Also, what you wrote about your New Adult expectations and not the ” sexed up YA” – YES YES YES YES YES!!
Tiffany says
This is seriously one of my favorite shows! My husband makes fun of me for watching it, but it is so good! As much as I love the main characters, I actually think Megan is my favorite character in the series. Team Noel!!
Dana says
ooooh, Felicity. My BFF got me watching this show (and bought me a couple of seasons) and I’ve rewatched it several times. She and her husband watched it when they lived in New York. I’m Team Noel but Ben is adorable too. I’m binging on The Walking Dead…I’m all caught up on the past seasons and am now itching for February’s new shows! Amazing how many TV shows I watch when I don’t even how cable! 😉
Alexa Y. says
You make me want to watch Felicity, and maybe I will. It sounds like just the type of show I would enjoy. I think I just never watched it because I wasn’t of an age to watch it when it first started showing! Plus, you know, I lived in the Philippines and that always automatically reduced my chances of getting exposed to foreign TV shows (though that’s changed dramatically these days!). But seriously, it sounds good.
Laura says
“Ben or Noel” is a question I ask people when I first meet them, to judge their character. The answer is obviously BEN. ALWAYS BEN. I don’t trust Noel people.
I was the same age as Felicity while the show was on. Monday nights were Dawson then Felicity. I remember studying and watching them at the same time.
Javier was great. I love the way he says “Benjameeeeeeen!” Richard is an under rated character. Great for a laugh.
You’re watching the last season for the first time ever?? OMG I’m so jealous. Though you must be jealous of me since I watched it first run.
The last season is interesting. Don’t know how far you are so won’t give it away, but it goes in a very different direction, that could have been awful, and actually kind of was awful for a while, but it all kind of comes together in the end.
Melissa says
I love Felicity! Like you, I started watching it when I was about 14 and it was on TV. I did watch the whole show though and I re-watched it just a couple years later. I always forget that it was done by J.J. Abrams and damn, that man can tell a story! I’m Team Ben, but I always loved Noel too. I think Felicity needed the opposite nature that Ben offered.
Hannah @ so obsessed with says
1. ADORE FELICITY SO MUCH!
2. Ben. Covington. sigh sigh sigh.
3. This really is one of the best love triangles – it’s one where even though duh I’ll always love Ben, there were times I legit thought maybe Noel was better for her… But I still love Ben always and forever.
AND AND AND you’re right on by saying this is what you want new adult to be! I’d read the crap out of books like Felicity. Yes there’s drama, but it’s kind that seems realistic and relatable and not crazy shizzz.
Nadia says
THIS SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW JAHBFKJABFAJFA.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS OF ALL TIME.
I remember watching it when I was like 12 for the first time ? And ever since then I’ve been sort of obsessed with it, I always come back to it.
Surprinsingly I have never seen the last season! I used to watch it when it came on tv and missed it every time. I had to google it to know what happens. I plan to buy the DVDS one day tho.
TEAM BEN ALL THE FREAKING WAY.