There aren’t a lot of shows about college, with the exception of Buffy—which, if I may, was way better when Buffy and her friends were fighting supernatural crime in high school—and Undeclared (starring enough Freaks and Geeks alums to placate any Apatow loyalist). So when I got the assignment to steep myself in the world of the ’90s dramedy Felicity, I was excited to see that the show revolved primarily around an undergrad girl.
Created by J.J. Abrams—yes, that one—and starring the great Keri Russell as the titular character, Felicity doesn’t 100% hold up in 2023, but even watching a few episodes of the first season was enough to reacquaint me with a simpler time…one when hair didn’t have to be over-processed and carefully straightened, and Dean & DeLuca still existed (R.I.P.). Here’s everything I’ve gleaned from my foray into the show so far:
Hair Was Everything in 1998
Plenty has been said about Russell’s signature curls on Felicity, not to mention the literal outcry after the show had her go short instead, but now that I’ve seen Felicity’s curly hair in all its glory, I’m also on the verge of writing some angry emails about the chop myself (which, yes, happened two decades ago, but I’m catching up!). If I had seen this show in the late ’90s or early aughts, I definitely would have despaired even more about my hair’s inability to hold a proper curl.
Pen Pals Used to Exist
The whole conceit of the show is that Felicity is…taping a cassette for her friend Sally? Who may or may not be Janeane Garofalo? Should we go back to communicating this way? Because I kind of love it, both as a narrative device and a blast from the past.
Teenage Girls Have Always Cornered the Market on Obsessive Crushes
“Three years ago, I held a pint of Ben Covington’s blood,” Felicity narrates at one point about her would-be beau, going on to explain that she was volunteering at the school blood drive…but still, it’s giving Angelina’s blood necklace! And it’s also kind of…prefiguring Twilight? I mean, once you’ve held a guy’s blood, you kind of have to change your college plans and go wherever he’s going, right?
People Really Listened to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones Once Upon a Time
Not to be a hater, but…why?
