I loved the entire "Felicity" series, which is why I gave the finale an 8, even though it was not on par with prior seasons. I agree with another reviewer's opinion that there were several things in the very last two episodes that did not make much sense. For example, Felicity and Ben graduate from the University of New York, and then Felicity returns home to California to study "pre-med." However, a major conflict of the show is Felicity's assertion of independence from her father by majoring in art rather than pre-med. Felicity finally seems to come full circle with her decision to be an artist, and lands a job in the field. However, this storyline is entirely dropped once Felicity travels back in time, where she is suddenly pre-med for good. It also did not make sense that after Felicity graduates, she is still studying pre-med. Was she at Stanford as a post baccalaureate/fifth year student? We cannot tell.
To top it all off, Ben joins her out in California to study pre-med also, and it is all unclear as to what university they are attending, or what their academic status is.
Another confusing part of the finale was the fate of Ben's baby. The last several episodes of the series focused on Ben's major decision to follow his "baby mama" (Lauren) to Arizona to be near his son; but suddenly Ben ends up in California with Felicity. His child with another woman is never mentioned again.
It was never made clear if and how Felicity's time travel changes other aspects of her life, such as Elena's death. Elena dies rather abruptly in a car accident before Felicity's travel through time. She then reappears once Felicity goes back in time. But in the final episode, when Felicity goes "back to the future," Elena is still there at Noel and Zoe's wedding. Had Felicity's time travel changed Elena's fate? We are never told how this was possible, and it was very "and they all lived happily ever after."
Another character with a fate that doesn't seem to fit is Meghan, who pursues psychiatry after graduation. However, it isn't clear that she ever had any interest in science while at the university. She gives the impression that she has more unconventional interests, into which psychiatry does not seem to fit.
Another character's fate that I didn't "buy" was Noel's marriage to Zoe. I did not believe that Noel was over Felicity and happy with Zoe. If Felicity had said the word, I think Noel would have dumped Zoe for her. There is a scene where Noel tells Felicity that he doesn't think she'll ever get Ben out of her system, but that wasn't enough to convince me that Noel was over her.
The last several episodes have characters entering and exiting relationships that, if faithful viewers didn't know better, make the characters seem superficial. One minute, Felicity and Ben are having this intense relationship distinguished by melodramatic piano motifs; the next minute, Ben betrays Felicity by hooking up with Claire, after which Felicity goes back in time to reunite with Noel. Felicity is as happy as a lark with Noel until his ex Hanna causes unexpected obstacles. Suddenly, Noel is conflicted between his feelings for Felicity and his feelings for Hanna. Meanwhile, out of the blue, Sean breaks up with Meghan, just so he can venture a relationship with Julie. None of these impulsive relationships work out in the end.
Finally, there was the fantasy-based arch of time travel. It seems like this was a creative idea with potential, but one that should never have found its way to a script. This series is realistic fiction, not sci-fi. An appealing aspect of "Felicity" is how true-to-life characters work through their issues in creative, unexpected-- yet always realistic-- ways. The time travel departed too far from the premises that made the show so appealing in the first place.
To top it all off, Ben joins her out in California to study pre-med also, and it is all unclear as to what university they are attending, or what their academic status is.
Another confusing part of the finale was the fate of Ben's baby. The last several episodes of the series focused on Ben's major decision to follow his "baby mama" (Lauren) to Arizona to be near his son; but suddenly Ben ends up in California with Felicity. His child with another woman is never mentioned again.
It was never made clear if and how Felicity's time travel changes other aspects of her life, such as Elena's death. Elena dies rather abruptly in a car accident before Felicity's travel through time. She then reappears once Felicity goes back in time. But in the final episode, when Felicity goes "back to the future," Elena is still there at Noel and Zoe's wedding. Had Felicity's time travel changed Elena's fate? We are never told how this was possible, and it was very "and they all lived happily ever after."
Another character with a fate that doesn't seem to fit is Meghan, who pursues psychiatry after graduation. However, it isn't clear that she ever had any interest in science while at the university. She gives the impression that she has more unconventional interests, into which psychiatry does not seem to fit.
Another character's fate that I didn't "buy" was Noel's marriage to Zoe. I did not believe that Noel was over Felicity and happy with Zoe. If Felicity had said the word, I think Noel would have dumped Zoe for her. There is a scene where Noel tells Felicity that he doesn't think she'll ever get Ben out of her system, but that wasn't enough to convince me that Noel was over her.
The last several episodes have characters entering and exiting relationships that, if faithful viewers didn't know better, make the characters seem superficial. One minute, Felicity and Ben are having this intense relationship distinguished by melodramatic piano motifs; the next minute, Ben betrays Felicity by hooking up with Claire, after which Felicity goes back in time to reunite with Noel. Felicity is as happy as a lark with Noel until his ex Hanna causes unexpected obstacles. Suddenly, Noel is conflicted between his feelings for Felicity and his feelings for Hanna. Meanwhile, out of the blue, Sean breaks up with Meghan, just so he can venture a relationship with Julie. None of these impulsive relationships work out in the end.
Finally, there was the fantasy-based arch of time travel. It seems like this was a creative idea with potential, but one that should never have found its way to a script. This series is realistic fiction, not sci-fi. An appealing aspect of "Felicity" is how true-to-life characters work through their issues in creative, unexpected-- yet always realistic-- ways. The time travel departed too far from the premises that made the show so appealing in the first place.