The ratings for Season 2 were a major failure (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/fonts-who-lived-through-the-90s-why-was-it-a-big-deal-when-keri-russell-chopped-up-her-hair.5209912/post-91085208).

Before:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThEu1aH7x3XzVavyqynkVzmBhQ8T00hpxFRV1C9auXRAOm0V_4yHEkXf6TlEUv89hIfYE&usqp=CAU

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdWuo9lMrkoRgi54a4MVKRPXIRykdiRuvnn2UzWgIZ6zUdduCe8AT-tjmb3cSzFTXGVOw&usqp=CAU

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DNkCunkX4AEXRMO.jpg

After:
https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/felicity-2-03-2.jpg?w=710

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHZfDA9EEXXwNBv0mgGZKkasdEiSnezMWO8jkxoLMMTIHUD6z2M2xfut1wmutHNGzT5q4&usqp=CAU

The answer is pretty simple. After she cut her hair she wasn't even half as cute as she was before. Therefore people tuned out.

Keri Russell's Haircut in 'Felicity' Lead to This Controversy (https://collider.com/keri-russell-felicity-haircut-controversy/)

'Felicity's most infamous moment reveals an ugly truth.

I mentioned Keri's haircut in the following thread from last month:

https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=441859&highlight=keri

If I understood correctly, some snips of her long hair were done on camera in the second or so episode of the season by another actor, after which her hair was cut short at a salon (with only the results seen).

Viewers had fallen in love with how Keri looked with her long curly tresses. The series producers were complicit in an extremely boneheaded change. I remember when all of this went down, it was a very big deal.