Felicity Smoak: Bitch With Wifi

[Advance35]

Ok first of all who is writing the Flash.   I NEVER saw chemistry between Barry and Felicity when he guest starred on Arrow but I feel like chemistry was BURSTING all over the place during Felicity's guest turn on the Flash.

 

Her goodbye to Barry at Star Labs was very well done BUT when he later came and found her on her train to Starling City and they just honestly talked about how they kind of wish they were into each other in THAT way and how they are ideally suited for each other.....sigh.    Than when he promised if she ever needed him, he would come running and she said she would come running if he needed her.....only slower and than the KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Omg I nearly squealed.    And they NEVER appealed to me as a couple before.

 

It was also interesting that Mr. Wells knew who Felicity was, though they kept it ambiguous, Wells and everything we've seen of him gives the impression that Felicity will matter a great deal in the future and apparently she was of note in certain circles long before she met Oliver.

 

Liked her scenes with Iris and Eddie.   And I know the cringe feeling one get's when you realize you were so excited about meeting up with someone that you end up overdressing.

 

Just a really awesome appearance by Felicity.   Also loved her minor but still enjoyable interaction with Cisco and Caitlin.

[wonderwall]

Yeah, she was precious. I like watching her and Barry together (although I feel like the two of them are best in small doses). And I also wish we'd gotten to see how she felt about ending things with Oliver instead of on another show, but I'll take what I can get.

When Felicity said this:

 

"The way you linger on her when she isn't looking. The smile you fake to play the part. The quiet dreams you keep to yourself."

 

This was such a genuine moment that I really don't care whether it was on Arrow or not. It fit the episode, it fit the narrative which is why I'm happy that she said it at all. I mean, kudos to EBR for making her feelings for Oliver so palpable and real even on a different show. 

Edited October 29, 2014 by wonderwall

[apinknightmare]

When Felicity said this:

 

"The way you linger on her when she isn't looking. The smile you fake to play the part. The quiet dreams you keep to yourself."

 

This was such a genuine moment that I really don't care whether it was on Arrow or not. It fit the episode, it fit the narrative which is why I'm happy that she said it at all. I mean, kudos to EBR for making her feelings about Oliver so palpable and real even on a different show. 

 

Oh, no, I definitely agree. I just wish, much like with the 2.5 comics, that we could get a complete picture of the characters on Arrow by just watching Arrow. It makes sense that she'd say something like that to Barry, it's just that...IDK, I wish it was all on the same show.

Edited October 29, 2014 by apinknightmare

[Tangerine]

I'm glad that Felicity also called Barry out on the fact that he never told her he was awake. Granted, he had a lot of things going on but I find it odd that NOBODY told the woman who traveled 600 miles every weekend to sit at his bed side that he was awake.

 

I never shipped Barry and Felicity before, but I agreed there was something different about their chemistry this time. Maybe it's because we got to know Barry a bit better as a character. Part of it also was knowing what Felicity had been through, I just wanted her to have some light and happiness in her life for a change.

[foreverevolving]

Regarding Felicity on the Flash.
bringing this from the Flash episode thread:

 

While i enjoyed felicity interactions. she felt, at times, out of character. i felt like i wasn't watching felicity but EBR trying to be Felicity. i don't know if it's just the writing, the fact that flash as a different tone than Arrow and it affected her acting, or that she was with a different cast. It was odd, and i didn't like it at all. even her tone of voice was different.

it kind of throw me out of some of the scenes, but it could also have been that i was constantly trying to locate a properly working stream that caused that affect.

 :-(

[apinknightmare]

Regarding Felicity on the Flash.

bringing this from the Flash episode thread:

 

 :-(

 

Awww, I feel like she was different, but not out of character. Fresher, I think...friendly and light in a way that she can't be on Arrow because the stakes are higher for her in Starling City.

Edited October 29, 2014 by apinknightmare

[apinknightmare]

Also, that chat between Barry and Felicity on the train gives us some insight as to why she's trying to move on so quickly, and why (per the producers) she might think she's Oliver's "crush object."

 

That being said, she's such a smartie - I'm so glad she has a better job at a place where her talents will be utilized, even though her boss may or may not be shady as hell.

[olicityfan25]

She just has the it factor. She is the best!

[Chaser]

I really enjoyed seeing Felicity on Flash and I love how easily she stepped into that world, but she belongs on Arrow. That element that she brings to Arrow is so important. No one else on Arrow can pull that off.

 

I was a little let down by the double date. I think I expected to much, but it was a little too predictable. Amusing but not really funny if that makes sense?

 

My two favorite scenes: the conversation by the treadmill and the train scene. I thought that was some of EBR best acting. It was really subtle and soft and I kinda loved it. Arrow is very much focused on Oliver's reactions (as it should be), but this gave us a glimpse into how Felicity has been taking everything in and learning from it. It was nice to see her in the 'Diggle' role so to speak with Barry on the treadmill. I was hoping we would get an acknowledge from Felicity about her feelings for Oliver and I was really glad with how it came out. It was kinda dreamy; Oliver wasn't the only one picturing a life. 

 

Barry and Felicity: The chemistry was improved. I felt it a lot more, but I still don't feel any heat from them. I just want them to be BFFs. I wasn't feeling the kiss personally. It felt a little forced I guess.

[TwistedandBored]

I enjoyed Felicity on The Flash. EBR had great chemistry with everyone on that show. Loved it. 

[wonderwall]

This girl is just the cutest person ever:

 

[Angel12d]

This girl is just the cutest person ever:

 

 

Haha, I was just about to mention this moment because she is just so precious and perfect and I want to hug her so much. 

[wonderwall]

God bless Emily Bett Rickards. She can pull off cute and sexy at the same time. HOW IS SHE HUMAN?!

 

[Password]

I just need a moment to sort out my feelings after that episode.

[Orion]

I adored that episode of the Flash. Felicity was great and EBR had some of her strongest acting moments. They gave her time to have emotional beats in the story and I was SO happy with it.

 

It does make me sad that we found out more about Felicity and her emotions in one episode of a show she's not on then we have in 2 years on show where she is one of the leading characters.  The scene where Barry and her were kicking trivia butt had to be one of my favorites, I love that she got to showcase her intelligence in a fun way. That scene could never happen on Arrow so I was especially appreciative of it.  She also got more compliments in one episode of the Flash for her brain, appearance and personality then she ever got on Arrow.

 

The lingering looks, the smile you fake to play along, and the quiet dreams that you keep to yourself  and this is a lonely life don't make it any more lonely was heartbreaking and we finally got a window into how what is going on with Oliver is effecting her.

 

Felicity really needs to change her job title to Superhero motivational speaker. 

 

I really wish Arrow had the self awareness to see the pacing in this episode and copy it. Action + character development for everyone in just the right amount makes for such a better story.  I didn't leave this episode wishing for a missing scene or more dialogue. 

[dtissagirl]

The most telling thing I got from this episode is Geoff Johns loves Felicity as much as we do. Now THIS is how you write a love letter to a character. Take notes, Kreisberg.

[writersblock51]

The most telling thing I got from this episode is Geoff Johns loves Felicity as much as we do. Now THIS is how you write a love letter to a character. Take notes, Kreisberg.

 

Amen.

 

This made me smile for EBR/Felicity and yet weep for CL/Sara.

[formerlyfreedom]

Just a reminder, folks - this is the Felicity Smoak topic in the ARROW  forum....

 

You can talk about your enjoyment of her on The Flash over in that forum. Not saying there won't be some crossover, but some of what's happening here would be better over there.

 

Thanks!

[statsgirl]

I never shipped Barry and Felicity before, but I agreed there was something different about their chemistry this time. Maybe it's because we got to know Barry a bit better as a character. Part of it also was knowing what Felicity had been through, I just wanted her to have some light and happiness in her life for a change.

I think it was because she was released from the burden of being The Arrow's Felicity Smoak.  On this show, everything revolves around Oliver and Felicity has a very specific, defined role to play, and if she deviates from it, people get upset (fanboys because there's not enough action and Diggle, comic canon and Laurel lovers because Oliver is supposed to be with Laurel/BC), not to mention she has to fight for space with Oliver. Roy, Diggle, Laurel, Quentin, Malcolm, Thea and the villains.  On the Flash, she was freed from the burden of that and got to created a grace note for the show instead of having to play the regular motif.

[wonderwall]

Yeah but this forum has a Felicity Smoak thread and the Flash forum doesn't? I'm sort of confused :p 

[formerlyfreedom]

If you want to posts appreciations of the interaction between Barry and Felicity in the episode, here is where you can do that, as well as any gifs you appreciate and would like to share. You can also request a topic over there, although a standalone Felicity topic would probably not work - maybe a guest star topic?

 

Again, we're not saying there won't be crossover. But this IS the forum for Arrow, not the forum for The Flash. So let's not take what happens on The Flash as automatic canon for Arrow.

 

Thanks.

 

[BkWurm1]

I'm going to go over to The Flash episode forum in a moment but first just had to say how much more I appreciate Felicity's lightness after watching her on The Flash.  I think we got to see that she works hard to be that person.  A lot of great character insights, things that really aren't revelations but more like a fuller picture of who she is and what she does. 

[JenMcSnark]

That, to me, is what felt slightly "off" about Felicity.  It wasn't off so much as we got more of her depth.  I felt like she was light, happy, and fun but at the same time, there was a solemness behind it.  Like it was work for her.  We don't get to see that on Arrow because she's not even in the top 5 of focus right now.  

 

Last week, I almost felt she was too happy.  It doesn't match the so-called story they tried to sell me in the premiere. With this more fleshed-out version, I can see that she's happy because she wants to be happy, but that doesn't mean the other stuff isn't affecting her.  Much more real to me.

 

Love her. 

[JenMcSnark]

I also wanted to share this interview http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/28/emily-bett-rickards-on-appearing-on-the-flash-and-whats-next-for-felicity-on-arrow that came out yesterday.  I just love EBR's insight into her character!

 

She says this about Felicity and Oliver going forward:

 

I feel like Oliver's ability to cut off a limb to a certain extent is something that Felicity, you know, she can't really do it that well, but she knows that he can and, therefore, we're not going to talk about it. "This is our experience as friends." She doesn't really know what they are or who they were or where they stand now. I don't know, I've been there. I'm still confused. [Laughs] I don't know how she's going to figure it out. Felicity and I have no hope!

 

*sigh*

[Password]

It's like the writers wanted to crush me in this episode. Felicity Smoak, is quite frankly, the most interesting character on Arrow. Whatever she does, and credit to EBR hits the mark. Oliver heavily hung over her head this episode but our girl held her head high. And @JenMcSnark you're absolutely right about her happiness being solemn.

Before I have to head over to Bitterness, it really annoys me now that I have to sit through Laurel's problems when Felicity interests me more by far.

[TanyaKay]

She had the total screen time of 13 minutes and 10 seconds which is the maximum screen time she ever got on any episode of Arrow. Even the heavily promoted Olicity episode 3x01 had around 10 minutes of screen time for Felicity.

 

I just loved everything about her in this episode and her wardrobe was to die for. Take note Arrow writers and Arrow costume department, this is how you do justice to a well loved character.

[Ceylon5]

She had the total screen time of 13 minutes and 10 seconds which is the maximum screen time she ever got on any episode of Arrow. Even the heavily promoted Olicity episode 3x01 had around 10 minutes of screen time for Felicity.

 

Well, counting screen-time is tricky and a bit subjective, but I have to argue your numbers here.  Even by the most conservative estimate, Felicity had more screen-time on 301 than on 104 - I get about 16.5 minutes vs 14.5 minutes (approx.).  Of course, there are moments in any scene when the camera is focussed on the face of the person she's talking to, rather than on her, but I still count that as her screen-time.  If you're more generous with your count, and include some of the scenes where Felicity isn't seen, but is on comms with the guys, then her screen-time on Arrow 301 is even higher.  But even at its minimum, I'd guess that that episode is probably her most screen-time so far.

 

However, I do agree with your over-all point - that it's silly that we got more time with Felicity on an episode of another show than we get on 96% of Arrow's episodes and we got to see her doing something fun on her own time, which we never, ever get to see on Arrow (I'm not counting her 3 minute date with Oliver pre-bomb).

[Password]

Sigh this woman gives me feelings.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Limbo

[somewhereother]

Does anyone get the sense that Felicity is becoming the lynchpin of the DC TVerse? If so, I am wholeheartedly in support.

Edited October 29, 2014 by somewhereother

[KenyaJ]

Sigh this woman gives me feelings.

 

I'm trying really hard to remember the last time I liked and admired a television character as much as I like and admire Felicity. And I realized there are characters I've liked a lot, but not necessarily admired and admired, but not necessarily liked. So Felicity may well be at the top of the list of characters I've liked and admired in equal measure. I just adore her.

 

And I don't think Felicity was OOC at all last night. Fundamentally, she was still the same person we see every week on Arrow. I just think the lighter, less oppressive tone of The Flash allowed us to see aspects of her that wouldn't fit or work on Arrow. Who on Arrow could she go to nerd trivia with? I loved being able to see her be light, carefree, and happy, but I also loved seeing how the aborted attempt at a relationship with Oliver is affecting her. And I think it's sad that The Flash played those emotional beats better than Arrow. 

 

In any case, all the Felicity goodness on The Flash has infinitely increased my excitement for "The Secret Origins of Felicity Smoak," which I would not have thought possible.

Edited October 29, 2014 by KenyaJ

[Password]

In any case, all the Felicity goodness on The Flash has infinitely increased my excitement for "The Secret Life of Felicity Smoak," which I would not have thought possible.

Yep I was thinking gosh I can't wait till secret origins of the best character on Arrow when I rememebered I haven't even watched The Magician. Shows how much I care.

[Sunshine]

Does anyone get the sense that Felicity is becoming the lynchpin of the DC TVerse? If so, I am wholeheartedly in support.

I think so too.  I also think this is the main reason she is the regular interacting with Ray Palmer.  They may go romantic but I think it's more about establishing a friendly working relationship between the two.

[Ceylon5]

Question for the Americans among you: Felicity said she was MIT Class of '09, and we now know she has her Masters, not just her Bachelors.  When someone says they're a particular class, would they be referring to their undergraduate degree only, or to their highest degree attained?  What I'm really asking is whether she graduated with her Masters in 2009 or would she have attained her undergraduate degree in 2009 and then done another year to get her Masters?  Or is it ambiguous even to those who are more familiar with the terminology?  I get the impression either way that she started university at a younger age than normal.

[apinknightmare]

Question for the Americans among you: Felicity said she was MIT Class of '09, and we now know she has her Masters, not just her Bachelors.  When someone says they're a particular class, would they be referring to their undergraduate degree only, or to their highest degree attained?  What I'm really asking is whether she graduated with her Masters in 2009 or would she have attained her undergraduate degree in 2009 and then done another year to get her Masters?  Or is it ambiguous even to those who are more familiar with the terminology?  I get the impression either way that she started university at a younger age than normal.

 

I think it varies by person, but most of my friends with Masters degrees refer to their class as the year they finished undergrad.

Edited October 29, 2014 by apinknightmare

[ostentatious]

You'd be referring to your undergrad *unless* you were doing a 5 year BS/MS, which is not unreasonable for her at all.

[quarks]

Also, I'm curious why the shows' decided to give her such amazing credentials to only have her be an IT support person in S1.

 

 

 

I'm not certain that she was just an IT support person - in the initial scene, which they filmed on a hastily slapped together soundstage, they gave her a cubicle, but in her next scenes, after they'd decided to make her a recurring character she was either meeting with Oliver/Diggle up in Walter's office, or she was in a large IT looking space, with her own office, suggesting that she was at the manager/director level, which in some organizations does require a master's degree and/or additional Microsoft/other certification.  After all, Walter and Oliver knew who she was, so she may have been a bit more than just the help desk person.

 

This wasn't clarified in the show, though, so it's pretty arguable.

 

Regarding the class of 09 thing - I think that could have been either her undergrad, followed by a one year or 18 month MS, or a five year BS/MS program. The timeline works for me either way: a five year BS/MS program with early admission, graduating in 09 and working for QC for three years before meeting Oliver,  graduated undergrad in 2009, masters in 2010/2011, and then have a job at QC in 2012, quickly impressing everyone enough to gain the attention of Walter and Oliver.  

[Pyramid]

For once I don't mind some serious ret-conning of her IT girl status. I mean we all know she was never meant to be more than a one off character, and now that she's a lead some ret-conning is inevitable. I'll just close one eye and let it slide.

[Ceylon5]

From what I've read, there are too few computer science graduates for the positions available and the top graduates (even more so those with Masters degrees) are therefore heavily recruited by tech firms and in very high demand.  On top of that, the under-representation of women in that field would have made Felicity in even higher demand, especially since she went to MIT.  It actually doesn't make much sense that she'd be working for QC getting paid not very much (as she once mentioned) when she could have been in Silicon Valley making a mint.  Hopefully 305 will explain this discrepancy (though I'm not really holding my breath).

[tv echo]

Perhaps Felicity paid for her MIT education partly through a scholarship or work program or internshp set up by QC?  Or perhaps Walter recruited her or was an old friend of her mother's?

 

And yeah, it was so great learning so much about Felicity's background credentials - on another show! (sarcasm)

Edited October 29, 2014 by tv echo

[ostentatious]

For once I don't mind some serious ret-conning of her IT girl status. I mean we all know she was never meant to be more than a one off character, and now that she's a lead some ret-conning is inevitable. I'll just close one eye and let it slide.

I mind it, because as late as...what ep was the big "You made me believe I could be more than just an IT girl" speech in? The retcon was actually making her "just an IT girl" I think. When she started out, she worked in IT but, as she said to Walter, she was their most valuable department member. Reducing her to *just* an IT girl came later. So I'm going to need a reason for her to go from Master's degree from MIT to thinking of herself as "just" anything.

 

And I've thought from their first scenes that there was something up between Felicity and Walter, like he recruited her. But I also thought that between Oliver and Walter from their initial scene.

Edited October 29, 2014 by ostentatious

[Morrigan2575]

I think Felicity was just an IT person in 103 because she was supposed to be a one off character.  As the season progressed and they decided to make her a more important/permanent role they built her backstory against what her character evolved too and who she was initially just became irrelevant.  They also probably don't have a clear understanding, so it's all very vague.  We have no idea what Felicity's title is, even last night on The Flash when Iris asked her what Felicity did for a job..I work in computers at QC (something like that).  IMO a normal person, who just got a promotion and a big office would be a little bit more informative...just got a promotion to X at QC...or I've just been promoted to handle X project or X department.  

[apinknightmare]

IMO a normal person, who just got a promotion and a big office would be a little bit more informative...just got a promotion to X at QC...or I've just been promoted to handle X project or X department.

 

Well, she was at a coffee shop with a cop, a CSI, and a grad student. Could be that she didn't want to sound like an a-hole by telling them that she was a VP of Whatever at QC. Saying she's in IT brings her more down to their level. Like you wrote, she also might not know, haha.

Edited October 29, 2014 by apinknightmare

[Pyramid]

I mind it, because as late as...what ep was the big "You made me believe I could be more than just an IT girl" speech in? The retcon was actually making her "just an IT girl" I think. When she started out, she worked in IT but, as she said to Walter, she was their most valuable department member. Reducing her to *just* an IT girl came later. So I'm going to need a reason for her to go from Master's degree from MIT to thinking of herself as "just" anything.

 

And I've thought from their first scenes that there was something up between Felicity and Walter, like he recruited her. But I also thought that between Oliver and Walter from their initial scene.

Fair enough, but given the real life circumstances I'm willing to hand wave for now. I reserve the right to change this opinion after 3.05 where this better be explained and canonised once and for all.

[Ceylon5]

I mind it, because as late as...what ep was the big "You made me believe I could be more than just an IT girl" speech in?

 

That was episode 21 of season 2.

 

We have no idea what Felicity's title is, even last night on The Flash when Iris asked her what Felicity did for a job..I work in computers at QC (something like that).  IMO a normal person, who just got a promotion and a big office would be a little bit more informative...just got a promotion to X at QC...or I've just been promoted to handle X project or X department.  

 

Well, Felicity has made it pretty clear she's not a normal person ("In case you hadn't noticed, I am not most girls!")! ;-)  Maybe she said she works in computer sciences at Queen Consolidated because Ray hasn't actually bothered to tell her what the title of her job is.  I hope she's at least had the sense to ask what her salary is.

[Morrigan2575]

That was episode 21 of season 2.

 

 

Well, Felicity has made it pretty clear she's not a normal person ("In case you hadn't noticed, I am not most girls!")! ;-)  Maybe she said she works in computer sciences at Queen Consolidated because Ray hasn't actually bothered to tell her what the title of her job is.  I hope she's at least had the sense to ask what her salary is.

She started working.  How could she not know title/salary?  Hell if she's high enough on the food chain she'd have to sign a contract which would go through her lawyer.  Even if she's not a C or VP or SVP she'd still have to go through HR and sign all those lovely documents that bore you to death, including the official offer letter which spells out everything.

[chaos is welcome]

But she came in expecting to be his EA :)

[Ceylon5]

She started working.  How could she not know title/salary?  Hell if she's high enough on the food chain she'd have to sign a contract which would go through her lawyer.  Even if she's not a C or VP or SVP she'd still have to go through HR and sign all those lovely documents that bore you to death, including the official offer letter which spells out everything.

 

Well, when she showed up on her first day, she seemed to think that she was an EA.  And Ray just told her what he needed and left her to her own devices in her new office.  And then a couple of days later she went on leave.  Also last season, Oliver unilaterally changed her job status and only told her after the fact.  So on this show, pretty easily, I'd think.  (And now I'm trying to to wrap my head around the idea of Felicity having her own lawyer - nope, my imagination is failing me.)  

[Password]

It is Wednesday and still no Felicity Smoak Origins photos!!!

[marketdoctor]

I realized it's been three seasons, and I still thought of her as Emily BRETT Richards.  My apologies.

 

I thought her work on The Flash was brillant, especially "when it comes to hacking, I'm the fastest woman alive."  She knows hacking is HER superpower.  (Looking that good might be one she's not aware of.) 

 

The costume changes were both a comic book moment (where everyone often wears the same outfit, but there's rarely, but occasionally, a character who never wears the same outfit twice) and a nod to the fact that she's on vacation--maybe that's what she enjoys wearing.  Or maybe she was throwing everything she had at seeing if there was chemistry with Barry.  There was some, because EBR has chemistry with coffee (caffiene, H2O...yeah, two-beat joke), but when she knew Barry had too many feelings for Iris, she exited gracefully. 

 

I thought her purpose was, as others have noticed, to be the voice of the viewers, to fight a World Series ratings dip, and also to give them another tech person when the rest of Team Flash were mad at their regular hacker member.  They set it up for her to take on a bigger role in the future for cross-continuity, which I hope works out.

[Danny Franks]

Wouldn't it make her more interesting and impressive if she had just been an IT girl when the show started? That she was just a smart girl who had put herself through some modest college program to get the qualifications needed for an entry level job at QC? Why did she have to be an MIT graduate?

For me, retconning Felicity into being a computer genius actually makes her look less impressive, because why was she working that job?

It seems to be a typical television trope that everyone has to be the best at whatever they do. No one is just average or overreaching or overachieving. They're geniuses or super soldiers or billionaires. have these writers not heard of the notion that if everyone is special, no one is?

Edited October 29, 2014 by Danny Franks