October 31, 2011
Scream: What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?
Skeet definitely looks skeezy here
Summary: Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) gets what she thinks is a wrong-number call, but after she hangs up, the caller calls back. This time he just wants to chat. Casey hangs up and goes to make some popcorn on the stove. The caller calls again and she tells him she’s about to watch a scary movie. “What’s your favorite scary movie?” he asks. Casey picks Halloween, then has to guess what the caller’s favorite horror movie is. She guesses Friday the 13th, saying only the first one was scary. The caller asks her name, saying he wants to know who he’s looking at.
Casey starts to get nervous, turning on the patio lights and locking the back door. She hangs up but the caller calls a fourth and fifth time. Now he’s angry and threatens to gut her like a fish if she hangs up again. He tells her they’re playing a game. Casey runs around the house, locking all the doors, and looks into the yard but can’t see anyone. She threatens to call the police, but the caller points out that they’re out in the middle of nowhere and the police would never make it in time. Casey asks what he wants, and he replies, “To see what your insides look like.”
The doorbell rings and Casey calls out asking who’s there. The caller calls again, telling her never to ask who’s there. (As if he would tell her anyway.) Casey claims her boyfriend’s on his way, but the caller isn’t intimidated. He asks Casey if her boyfriend’s name is Steve. He makes her turn on the patio lights, and now she can see Steve tied to a chair outside. She starts to go out to him, but the caller tells her not to. He tells her they’re going to play a game, and if she doesn’t play, Steve’s dead.
Casey turns off the light as the caller tells her she just has to answer one question. She gets the warm-up question right, the name of the killer in Halloween, but she mistakenly says Jason is the killer in Friday the 13th. (It was his mother. Uh, spoiler.) Casey will get another chance in the bonus round, but Steve’s time is up. After watching him die, Casey begs the caller to leave her alone. He says he will if she can answer his final question: Is he at the front door or the back door?
Casey grabs a letter opener as a chair is thrown through the patio door. She runs through the house, ignoring the fire that the popcorn has started in the kitchen. She sees a flash of black run through the house and sneaks outside, still carrying the phone. She peeks inside and sees a figure in black wearing a white mask. A car is coming up the road, and instead of running right toward it, Casey stays next to the house. She turns to see the figure in black standing right behind her.
The figure grabs Casey through the window, chasing her as she runs off and stabbing her in the chest. She tries to fight him off and get to the house, which her parents are just now entering. She’s too weak to call out, and the figure grabs her again as her parents go inside. Casey reaches up and pulls down the figure’s mask as he raises his knife to finish her off.
Casey’s parents panic over not being able to find her in the house, and her mother picks up the phone to call 911. Casey’s phone is still on, and her mother can hear her gasping for breath as her killer drags her across the lawn. Casey’s father tells her mother to drive to the neighbor’s house and call the police. She goes outside to do so and screams. Casey’s bloody corpse is hanging from a tree in the front yard.
Elsewhere, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is working at her computer in her bedroom. She goes to close her window and Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) scares her from outside, making her scream. Sidney’s father comes to check on her, but she insists everything’s fine. Billy’s nowhere in sight. Mr. Prescott tells Sidney he’s going out of town for a few days, and after he leaves, Billy pops up from under the bed.
Billy tells Sidney he misses how their relationship used to be almost R-rated; now they’re more of an edited-for-TV version. They start making out, but Sidney stops them before they can go too far. As Billy exits through the window, Sidney offers him a PG-13 relationship, flashing him a breast.
The next morning, the police and press are swarming Sidney’s high school. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) is one of the reporters. Sidney meets up with her friend Tatum (Rose McGowan), who tells her that Casey and Steve were murdered. They police are investigating, saying it’s the worst crime their town, Woodsboro, has seen since… She trails off. Sidney is called out of class to meet with Sheriff Burke and Deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette) in Principal Himbry’s (Henry Winkler) office in case she has any information that can help them.
At lunch, Sidney, Tatum, and Billy discuss the murders with Randy (Jamie Kennedy) and Stu (Matthew Lillard). They talk about whether a woman could have committed the crimes. Stu doesn’t spare any graphic details. Randy notes that Stu used to date Casey, so he could be considered a suspect, but Tatum says she was with Stu all evening. Randy also has an alibi, as he was working at a video store. Their joking around makes Sidney uncomfortable, and she walks off.
Sidney comes home from school to an empty house, since her dad’s out of town, and talks to Tatum on the phone. Sidney feels déjà vu from all the police and reporters being around. They make plans to meet up that evening, as Sidney’s going to spend the night at Tatum’s. She tries to watch TV, but everything she sees is about Casey and Steve. She also sees a report from Gale about Sidney’s mother, Maureen, who was raped and murdered a year ago.
Sidney lies down for a while, waking up after dark when the phone rings. It’s Tatum telling her she’s on her way. The phone rings again, but this time it’s Casey’s killer. Sidney thinks it’s Randy playing a trick on her. She scoffs at horror movies, saying they’re all about big-breasted girls who run upstairs when they should run out of the house. The caller tells her he’s not Randy and announces that he’s on the front porch.
Sidney heads for the window and doesn’t see anyone, so she opens the door and steps outside. The caller insists he’s there, so Sidney looks around, still not seeing anyone. She starts getting nervous, then realizes the caller’s bluffing. She pretends to pick her nose and asks what she’s doing, since the caller can supposedly see her. Sidney threatens to hang up, still thinking the caller is Randy, but he tells her he’ll kill her like her mother. She goes back inside, where a masked figure in black grabs her.
Ghostface and Sidney fight, and he threatens to cut her with the knife, but she gets away and goes upstairs (exactly what she said people shouldn’t do in horror movies). She uses her closet door to keep her bedroom door from opening all the way. Sidney tries to call the police, but the phone is off the hook. She instead uses the Internet to reach 911. Billy appears at the window and Sidney frantically tells him the killer’s in the house. As he comforts her, his cell phone falls to the floor.
Sidney runs downstairs and opens the front door, where Dewey is holding up the mask. They scream and scare each other. Billy’s arrested as he insists that he didn’t do anything. Tatum arrives and Dewey tries to get her to leave. In the process, they reveal that they’re siblings. Gale shows up but Tatum won’t tell her what happened. Gale takes her anger out on her cameraman, Kenny, for not moving fast enough.
Dewey tries to call Sidney’s father from the police station, but he’s not registered at the hotel where he’s supposedly staying. Burke interrogates Billy, whose father says they should call his cell phone company and check the phone records to see that Billy never called Sidney. Billy admits to stopping by Sidney’s house the night before, but insists he didn’t go to Casey’s and didn’t kill anyone. Burke says they’ll have to hold him until they get his phone records.
Gale goes to the police station to make a report as Billy is taken to lock-up. He tries to reach out to Sidney, but she ignores him. Burke tells Dewey that kids today are so messed-up that Billy could easily be a killer. Tatum bugs Dewey to let her take Sidney home, overriding his authority. The three try to sneak out the back door to avoid the press, an idea Gale has thought of as well. She meets them behind the station and tries to get Sidney to give her a soundbite. Instead, Sidney asks how her book is coming along, then punches her.
At the Rileys’, Tatum relives the moment triumphantly. She asks Sidney if she thinks Billy is guilty. Sidney points out that he was there. Mrs. Riley tells Sidney her father’s on the phone, but when Sidney picks it up, it’s Ghostface. He tells her she “fingered the wrong guy again.” He promises that she’ll get some answers soon.
The next morning, a news report explains that Sidney was the key witness against Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), her mother’s alleged killer. Dewey tells her that Billy was released, since he couldn’t have made the phone call to her at the Rileys’. The police are still going to look into any phone calls he made to Sidney and Casey earlier.
At school, Sidney’s harassed by another reporter (Linda Blair!), then asks Gale to talk to her, saying she owes Maureen. Gale notes that someone was going to write a book about Maureen’s murder. Sidney accuses her of making things up about the case. Gale replies that Sidney got what she wanted – Cotton in jail.
Sidney asks if Cotton has changed his story, and Gale says no. He still claims that he had a consensual sexual relationship with Maureen and left his coat at the Prescotts’ house. Sidney saw someone leave wearing the coat, and though she testified it was Cotton, Gale notes that it could have been anyone. She thinks Cotton was framed. Sidney tries to sound confident when she saw Cotton killed Maureen, but Gale can tell that she’s not so sure anymore. Gale also thinks Maureen’s murder is related to Casey and Steve’s.
Tatum takes Sidney to class, and Gale tells Kenny they need to get proof about the murders being connected. She knows how much saving Cotton from death row could help her book sales. Sidney asks Stu if Billy’s mad, which is kind of a dumb question. A guy runs through the hall in black, wearing the white mask, and upsets Sidney. She runs off, smacking into Billy, who thinks she still suspects him. He insists he’s innocent and scared off the real killer.
Sidney tells Billy that the killer called her, and he notes that it couldn’t have been him, since he was in lock-up. He wonders if she’s trying to come up with reasons not to sleep with him. Billy notes that things between them changed after Maureen died. Sidney can’t believe he’s so flippant about her mother’s death. Billy notes that it was a year ago (tomorrow); when his mom left him and his dad, he got over it pretty quickly. Sidney sarcastically tells him she’s sorry her life isn’t perfect enough for him.
Principal Himbry blasts the student who ran through the halls, as well as his coconspirators. He cuts up their mask and expels them. One of the students complains that he’s not being fair. Himbry says fair would be hanging them from a tree and exposing their insides. In the bathroom, Sidney overhears two girls accusing her of making things up for attention. One of them even thinks she’s the killer and killed Casey because she and Steve were having an affair. The other notes that Sidney has a boyfriend, and the first says she could be a slut like her mother.
After the girls leave, not realizing Sidney was in the bathroom with them, Sidney starts to get paranoid and makes sure she’s alone. She’s not: Ghostface is hiding in a stall. Sidney hightails it out before he can get to her. The police return to the school, which Gale is staking out, and she meets Dewey. She flirts with him, thinking he falls into her target demographic, 18-24. He’s immune to her charms.
Himbry announces that classes have been cancelled but there’s a citywide curfew starting at 9. Gale asks Dewey where Mr. Prescott is, wondering if he’s a suspect. He won’t give he any info but tells her she’s prettier in person. Gale’s pleased that he watches her show. “I’m 25. I was 24 for a whole year,” he replies.
Everyone leaves school early and Stu tells Sidney and Tatum he’s having a big party that night. Tatum talks Sidney into coming. Himbry plays around with the mask, then hears a knock at his office door. The only person around is a janitor (Wes Craven!) wearing a Freddy sweater. Himbry is overly jumpy and keeps scaring himself, but he’s still not prepared when Ghostface comes out from behind his door and kills him.
Tatum and Sidney discuss Gale’s claims; Sidney’s still in denial that Maureen could have had an affair with Cotton. She’s angry with Gale for spreading what she thinks are lies about her mom. Sidney’s nervous about the killer, and Tatum tells her to stop freaking herself out “like some Wes Carpenter film.”
Randy’s working at the video store, where he tells Stu he thinks Billy’s still a suspect. Stu finds it suspicious that Mr. Prescott is missing. Randy says he’s probably dead and his body will pop up in the final reel. He yells that there’s a simple formula for horror movies: “Everybody’s a suspect!” As he says that Mr. Prescott is a red herring and Billy is the killer, Billy arrives and asks how they know it isn’t Randy. Randy admits that he’d be a major suspect in a movie, even without a motive: “It’s the millennium. Motives are incidental.”
Woodsboro prepares for curfew as Dewey takes Sidney and Tatum downtown and stops by the police station. Tatum wonders who would play Sidney in a movie version of her life. Dewey suggests Meg Ryan, but Sidney thinks with her luck, she’d get Tori Spelling. As the girls shop for the party, they discuss Billy and his patience over Sidney’s hesitance to have sex with him. They don’t see Ghostface watching them from nearby.
Burke tells Dewey that the calls from Ghostface to Sidney were made from a phone registered to Mr. Prescott. He reminds Dewey that the next day is the anniversary of Maureen’s death. Burke decides to keep roadblocks and the curfew in effect while they try to find Mr. Prescott. He tells Dewey to stick close to Sidney. Dewey does so by…taking Sidney and Tatum to the party, then leaving. (Good job, Dewey.)
Gale also goes to the party, running into Dewey outside and telling him she wants to be around in case a story breaks. He’s actually sticking around to keep an eye on things. Gale takes advantage of this to get access to the house, taking a camera with her. Randy has brought a bunch of horror movies, many of them featuring Jamie Lee Curtis. Stu sends Tatum to get him a beer as he answers the door and lets Dewey and Gale in. Dewey proves again to be a bad cop when he lets the kids keep drinking. Gale places her camera on top of the VCR without anyone seeing.
Tatum goes to the garage for beer and gets spooked by a cat. As she’s heading back into the house, the lights go out and Tatum realizes the door is locked. She opens the garage door, but it only goes up a little, then goes back down, thanks to Ghostface. Tatum thinks it’s Randy, telling him Sidney will freak out if she sees him. She asks if he wants to “play psycho killer,” asking if she can be the victim. Ghostface definitely wants to play, and he’s brought his knife along to prove it.
Tatum tries to make a run for it, using the beer bottles to buy her some time. The garage door is still closed, so she tries to make it out the doggy door. She gets stuck and Ghostface sends the door up, killing her. Inside, the party breaks up, with only Sidney and Stu remaining. Billy shows up and Stu sends him and Sidney upstairs to talk or…not talk. Randy reappears, upset that Billy came back and ruined his chances to hook up with Sidney.
Gale goes back to her van, where Kenny’s already watching her slightly delayed footage from the party. Inside the house, Billy apologizes to Sidney for being selfish, though she admits she’s the one who’s been a jerk. She knows she can’t remain in denial about Maureen forever, and she can’t stop hiding behind her death. Sidney’s afraid she’ll turn out like her mother. Billy compares her situation to Jodie Foster flashing back to her dead father in Silence of the Lambs. Sidney notes that this is her life, not a movie. Billy tells her it’s all one big movie. They start making out, then more.
Downstairs, Randy and a bunch of people watch Halloween, and Randy gives everyone a lesson on horror movies. Rule #1: No sex. Rule #2: No drinking or doing drugs. Rule #3: Never say, “I’ll be right back.” Stu breaks the second two rules by heading outside for another beer and telling everyone he’ll be right back. Dewey gets Gale from the van, telling her that someone reported a car in the bushes down the road. As she leaves Kenny, she tells him she’ll be right back.
As Sidney and Billy get it on upstairs, Randy gets a phone call telling him that Principal Himbry was found dead, his body hanging from the goalposts on the football field. The last remaining partygoers (minus Stu, Randy, and the lovebirds) drive off to go cut him down. Gale and Dewey flirt as they walk down the road, then have to jump out of the way of the speeding partygoers. Dewey winds up on top of Gale and they kiss. They come across the car, which Dewey recognizes as Mr. Prescott’s, and run back to the house to get Sidney.
Post-coitus, Sidney asks Billy who he used his one phone call to contact when he was arrested. He says he called his father, but she knows Burke called him. Billy says no one answered when he called. He asks if Sidney still thinks he’s a suspect, and she assures him she doesn’t, she just thinks it would have been clever of him to use his one call to contact her. Billy angrily asks what he has to do to prove he’s not the killer. Well, getting stabbed by Ghostface would do it, which is exactly what happens.
Ghostface goes after Sidney next, chasing her through the house and trapping her in a bedroom. She spots Kenny’s van outside and yells for help, but no one hears her. As Ghostface tries to get into the room, Sidney starts to go out the window. She fights Ghostface off, falling onto a boat in the driveway. From there, she can see Tatum’s dead body hanging from the garage door. Randy drunkenly watches Halloween by himself, yelling for Jamie Lee Curtis to look behind her. He should really be looking behind himself, since Ghostface is there.
Sidney makes it to the van, where she and Kenny watch Ghostface approach Randy 30 seconds after the fact. They get out of the van to go up to the house, but Ghostface is waiting and stabs Kenny. He gets Sidney in the shoulder, but she’s able to escape by going back into the van and crawling out the back. She hops a fence and runs off as Dewey and Gale return to the house. Dewey heads inside, telling Gale to call Burke for backup.
Inside the house, Dewey hears screams and calls out for Mr. Prescott. The screams are actually from the movie. Gale runs to the van to get Kenny’s phone and sees puddles of blood. She calls 911, getting spooked when Randy pops up outside the car. She hits him with the phone and starts to drive off, but the windshield is covered in blood. That’s because Kenny’s dead body is on the roof of the van. Gale manages to throw him off, but as she’s driving away, she swerves to miss hitting Sidney and hits a tree instead.
Sidney heads back to the house, yelling for Dewey, who stumbles out the front door. He’s been stabbed in the back. Ghostface is right behind him. He chases Sidney to Dewey’s car, which she locks herself inside. Too bad he has the keys. Ghostface ducks down so Sidney can’t see and unlocks the back of the jeep. The radio goes off and Sidney uses it to call for help. Ghostface attacks but Sidney gets away again, heading back to the house.
Randy and Stu approach and Sidney grabs Dewey’s gun. The guys each tell Sidney the other is the killer, but she can’t decide which of them to trust, so she locks them both out of the house. Upstairs, a bloody Billy stumbles out of the bedroom and falls down the steps. He gets Sidney to give him Dewey’s gun, then opens the door and lets Randy in. Randy tells him Stu’s gone crazy, to which Stu replies, “We all go a little mad sometimes” before shooting Randy.
Stu licks his fingers, letting Sidney know that his “blood” is corn syrup. Stu comes in through another door with the voice modulator used to create Ghostface’s voice. The guys corner Sidney in the kitchen, telling her she needs to answer a question. First she has her own question: Why did they kill Maureen? Billy denies that they need a motive, saying it’s scarier without one. Maureen was a whore and they put her out of her misery. Billy reveals that Maureen was having an affair with his mother, which is why his mom left town. Stu notes that Sidney’s no longer a virgin, so she can die.
As Stu ducks out of the room (saying he’ll be right back), Billy tells Sidney it’s after midnight, so it’s officially the anniversary of her mother’s death. Stu returns with Mr. Prescott, planting a cell phone and the voice modulator on him. The guys do that stupid-villain-who-talks-too-much thing, explaining that they’re going to make it look like Mr. Prescott snapped, killed a bunch of people (including Sidney), and committed suicide.
First they have to make it look like they’re victims, so Billy stabs Stu. Stu repays him in kind, but not as gently as Billy would have liked. Sidney and Mr. Prescott communicate with their eyes as Stu says they’re going to survive to plan a sequel. Sidney calls them crazy, and Billy tells her, “Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative.” He orders Stu to get the gun, but it’s missing. Gale has arrived and grabbed herself a weapon. She doesn’t move fast enough, though, since Billy’s able to get the gun back, shove her outside, and knock her out. Billy’s about to shoot Gale when Stu realizes that Sidney and her father are gone.
The phone rings – it’s Sidney, taunting Billy that she called the police. Billy leaves the phone with Stu, who’s losing a lot of blood, and Sidney asks for his motive. Stu blames peer pressure. Billy freaks out, ripping up pillows in the living room as Stu cries that his parents are going to be mad at him. Billy goes back through the house, looking for Sidney, who’s now in the Ghostface outfit. She jumps out of a closet and stabs him with an umbrella. Stu runs in and attacks her, but she fights him off, hitting him with a vase, then pushing the TV over on his head.
As she goes back to where Billy’s lying and picks up the Ghostface mask, Randy reappears, saying he’s never been so happy to be a virgin. Billy pops up with the knife and tells Sidney to say hello to her mother. She puts her finger in one of his stab wounds, which just makes him angrier. Before he can bring the knife down, he’s shot by Gale. Randy warns that this is usually the part of the horror movie where the killer comes back to life for one last scare. Billy sits up and Sidney quickly shoots him, saying, “Not in my movie.”
Mr. Prescott comes in with a crash and finally gets untied. As the sun comes up and the paramedics take Dewey away, Gale gets to give an eyewitness account of what happened.
Thoughts: I just had to do this for Halloween. I’ll do the second and third ones some other time (even though the third one isn’t actually from the ’90s). Probably not the fourth, though, since it doesn’t really fit with the first three.
I wonder what Billy would say about the fact that I did this post off of an edited-for-TV version of the movie. (Hey, it’s been on MTV, like, ten times this month. I took advantage of it.) I think the language is the only thing they edited, anyway. I’m pretty sure they didn’t take any scenes out, and I’ve seen the movie enough times that I probably would have noticed if they had.
This is the only movie where I can tolerate Matthew Lillard. However, he did a really good job in an episode of House he was in last year, and it was all dramatic.
What’s with Kevin Williamson having people go through each other’s windows? Do they not have doors where he grew up?
The party is kind of confusing. It seems to break up twice. But apparently it was filmed over 21 days, so the continuity problems can be forgiven.
I never realized that the scene where Ghostface chases Sidney through Stu’s house after “stabbing” Billy is a big hint as to his identity. The house is big and has a number of doors and hallways, but Ghostface knows his way around. This makes sense, since it’s his house.
I’ve always loved the inside joke of Randy yelling for Jamie Lee Curtis to turn around, calling her Jamie, which is the actor’s name.
Kenny’s “cellular” is a Zack Morris phone. Hee.
I found some great trivia about the movie, some of which I didn’t know before:
- Wes Craven got Drew Barrymore to cry by telling her tales of animal cruelty.
- The MPAA wanted Craven to edit Drew’s death scene because it was too graphic, but he lied that they only had one take of it.
- Bob Weinstein told Craven to kill off Himbry because there are 30 pages of script where no one dies.
- Ghostface was originally supposed to wear white, but people thought he might look like a member of the KKK.
- The person playing Ghostface when he sneaks up behind Randy is actually Skeet, who asked to do a scene where he wears the costume.
- Dewey was originally supposed to die, but Craven filmed the scene where he’s conscious and being taken away by the paramedics in case he changed his mind about killing him off.
October 30, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.18, Neverland: Loyal to a Fault
This look says, "I am turned on." Or possibly, "Pacey has a nice butt"
Summary: Pacey and Joey are still making out by the side of the road. When they stop, she pushes him away and yells at him for taking advantage of her friendship. He says it was just an impulse. Joey says that impulse will have huge repercussions, and he knows why: Dawson. She accuses Pacey of having a “hormonal meltdown.” He notes that she let him kiss her. Pacey sarcastically says the universe will now start falling apart and tries to get Joey to get back in the car. He pretends to take the kiss back, but she still won’t get in. Pacey threatens to drive alongside her while she walks home, which finally gets Joey in the car, though now she won’t talk to him.
At home, Joey tells Bessie about her weekend – she broke up with A.J. and then Pacey kissed her. Pacey tells Doug the story as well. Bessie asks Joey how she could let Pacey kiss her, and Joey admits that she let him, though she still blames him. At the same time, Pacey blames her, since Joey told him he knows her so well. Both teens tell their siblings that Dawson is an obstacle. Doug says Joey’s the bus from Speed, Dawson’s the bomb on board, and Pacey is Keanu Reeves.
Bessie encourages Joey to discuss the situation with someone who can help her, since she doesn’t know what Joey wants to hear. Doug tells Pacey to defuse the bomb and tell Dawson about Joey. He advises Pacey to take Dawson to a place that reminds him of their friendship. Dawson might be upset, but he should also respect Pacey for telling him. Pacey’s impressed with this advice, though he points out that Joey wasn’t happy after the kiss. Doug notes that she wouldn’t have had such a strong reaction if she didn’t like Pacey.
Jack tells Andie that Ethan’s coming to visit for the weekend. He claims they’re just friends, but Andie doesn’t think his big grin is the result of a simple friendship. Jack plans to keep the news from their father, since he’ll be out of town. Except he won’t be. Jack says he’s old enough to have a friend visit if he wants, but he’s obviously too chicken to tell Mr. McPhee. At school, Jen tells Henry that she knows his birthday is the next day, and she’s planned a special date for them. He tells her he already has plans with his family. Jen soon learns that he’s actually having a party and didn’t invite him.
At lunch, Joey avoids Dawson as he and Pacey lament the upcoming bulldozing of the woods they played in as kids. Pacey suggests a camping trip as a last hurrah. Jen tells Joey and Andie about Henry’s behavior, saying she shouldn’t be surprised considering her romantic experiences in the past. Andie says that other girls don’t have the problems they do because they actually spend time together. She invites Jen and Joey to a girls’ night out, pointing out that the two of them only hang out with guys. They reluctantly give in.
Ethan arrives at the McPhees’ the same time Mr. McPhee does. Mr. McPhee tells Jack to send Ethan home, chastising him for not asking permission to have him stay over. Jack thinks he’s being homophobic. He says he moved back home because he thought he would be allowed to live his life the way he wants, adding that he only came home for Andie. Jack declares that Ethan’s staying no matter what. Pacey takes Buzz home after some more work on his boat, telling him about his camping trip with Dawson. Buzz wants to come, too, but Pacey says that will have to wait until another time.
Andie tries to get Jen and Joey pumped up about facials and pedicures. You can imagine how well that goes over. Jen offers to listen if Joey wants to talk, leading Joey to figure out that she knows what’s going on. She wonders how Pacey’s supposed impulse became public knowledge. Mr. McPhee tries to hang out with Jack and Ethan while they play chess, but Jack makes him leave. Ethan assures Jack that he’s not scared off since he already dealt with his father when he came out.
Dawson and Pacey head out for their camping trip, finding their childhood fort, which Dawson sees as smaller than he remembered it. It makes him a little existential. Pacey says he has something to talk about, but before he can bring it up, Buzz and some of his friends arrive. The girls give themselves their pedicures and facials, talking about how simple things were when they were kids. Joey complains about boys, and Jen says the worst thing is when guys pretend they don’t have feelings for you. Joey changes the subject by suggesting a trip to the roller rink.
Ethan invites Mr. McPhee to dinner with him and Jack as Pacey gets permission from the kids’ parents to let them camp out. Dawson tries to tell the kids a story, but all his stories are based on Spielberg movies and the kids all know them. They want one of Dawson’s own stories. Dawson tells them about a guy named Max who lived in the fort and hates everyone, especially nine-year-olds. The girls get glammed up and skate, still talking about boys. Jen realizes that Henry’s birthday party is at the rink and crashes it.
Mr. McPhee and Ethan hit it off at dinner, but Jack is still mopey. As the kids sleep, Pacey finds a box he and Dawson buried as kids. It contains ticket stubs, Doug’s pocketknife, a picture of Dawson and Joey, and a loyalty oath the guys wrote when they became blood brothers. Jen and Henry skate and she promises that she didn’t crash his party on purpose. He says he’s embarrassed, but she notes that she’s the one who should be embarrassed, considering her clothes. Henry tells her he hates how childish the party is; he told his parents this was the last time he’d be doing it. Jen tells him she likes his innocence and he doesn’t have to hide his true self from her.
Jack, Ethan, and Mr. McPhee go see some classic cars, but Jack has had it. He yells at Ethan for making him hang out with someone who hates him. Mr. McPhee decides to go home and give them some time alone. But first he tells Jack that he canceled his business trip that weekend to spend time with him. Dawson tells Pacey that the only thing in his life that hasn’t gone bad is his friendships with him and Joey. Pacey’s always been loyal, and Joey is still his conscience, inspiration, and soulmate. Pacey says he’s only loyal because Dawson, as a storyteller, puts him in that role.
Ethan wants to talk to Jack about what happened that night, but Jack wants to keep sulking. He feels like Mr. McPhee made himself look like the victim and Jack the villain. Ethan says they’re both victims, and nothing will get better unless Jack stops being so angry. Jack blames his father for making him that mad. Mr. McPhee spent a year being cold, then canceled his trip to throw it in Jack’s face, and now he thinks things will magically work out. Ethan predicts that Jack and his father will lose another year together, then even more.
While Andie gets ready for bed, Joey tells Jen that Pacey kissed her. She claims the kiss came out of nowhere, but Jen says she’s not surprised, so that can’t be true. She asks why Joey’s so upset and confused if the kiss was really nothing. Jack asks his father why he’s all of a sudden trying to reach out. Mr. McPhee has a co-worker with a son who keeps screwing up, and it finally hit him that his own son is a good kid and he doesn’t know him. Now he wants to get to know Jack better. Mr. McPhee notes that someone had to make the first move, and Jack replies that he didn’t think it would be him.
In the morning, Pacey takes Buzz to a convenience store, where they run into Joey. He apologizes for the kiss, saying the impulse is now out of his body. She tells him she overreacted over something that obviously meant nothing. They agree that they’re still just friends. After they leave, Buzz asks Pacey if Joey’s the girl he’s in love with. He says no. Joey watches them go, and she totally doesn’t want to just be friends.
Thoughts: Henry, you really thought you could throw a big party without Jen finding out? Also, if you were embarrassed by the childishness of the party, why invite your fellow jocks?
I can’t believe Dawson didn’t have Pacey run out and scare the kids during his story. Why else would you tell a scary story to a bunch of kids?
Why is Ethan on this show? He’s annoying and doesn’t add anything that, say, Andie couldn’t.
If Joey didn’t like Pacey before, I’m sure seeing him with a kid helped tip the scales in his favor.
October 29, 2011
BH90210 2.13, Halloween: Tricks, No Treats
You wish your Halloween costumes were this great
Summary: Andrea is decorating little pumpkins for a kids’ party at the local youth center. David’s been hired by some teenagers to make Halloween tapes for a party at a mansion. Scott plans to participate in an egg fight, telling David he loves danger. David reminds him that the cops will be patrolling. He plans to go to the mansion party because half the girls in town will be there. Emily learns that Brandon isn’t a Halloween fan and isn’t going to the big party. She’s not going either, since she hasn’t been invited. Brandon implies that he’ll go if she does, but neither gives in.
Brenda and Donna discuss their Halloween plans; Brenda reveals that every year, Brandon dresses as Dracula and tries to scare the trick-or-treaters. Apparently it doesn’t work. Kelly tells Donna that their Halloween dates ditched them, so now they’re stuck dressing as Lucy and Ethel without their Ricky and Fred. Brenda can’t get Dylan to agree on a costume, but Kelly doesn’t think it’s a big deal since they have such a good relationship. The girls decide to go to a costume shop with Steve and Dylan to find something new.
Steve decides on a Zorro costume, which Brenda teases him about. She tries to convince Dylan to go as Robin Hood. Kelly wants a burlesque-type costume; she figures since she doesn’t have a date, she should go all-out. Donna finds something perfect but wants to keep it a surprise. Dylan decides on Bonnie and Clyde, and Brenda seems to be on board. That night, we learn that Cindy is That Mom, the one who hands out raisins. Bonnie and Clyde get together, looking pretty awesome.
At the mansion party, Donna realizes that her mermaid costume wasn’t the best choice, since she can’t walk in it. Kelly shows up looking incredibly sexy, and not unlike Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge. She tells Brenda she’s a good witch. Brenda notes that guys will stare at her all night, but Kelly says she wants to make a good impression. She makes it clear that she doesn’t care what Brenda thinks, and she just wants to have fun. Steve also comments on Kelly’s costume, but she cares even less what he thinks.
David arrives (not in costume) and asks Kelly to dance, but she turns him down. He also gets turned down by a girl dressed like Cleopatra. He and Steve commiserate over feeling like they’re too old for Halloween, and missing the egg fights everyone had in junior high. David leaves the party and runs into Scott, who’s waiting for his egg-fight combatants. David tells him the guys were at the party. A police car drives by and the guys jump into the bushes.
Brandon gives scaring trick-or-treaters another shot, embarrassing himself in front of Emily, who’s taking her twin niece and nephew around. Emily meets the Walshes, who lets one of the kids use the bathroom. Brandon tries to convince Emily that twins are awesome. Back at the party, Kelly tells off a guy who wants to take her for a drive, which makes Brenda feel better about her. They scope out potential hook-ups for Kelly, who spots a handsome cowboy and decides to get to know him.
Emily invites Brandon to go trick-or-treating with her and the kids. Kelly chats with the cowboy as Brandon tells Emily that kids come from all over to trick-or-treat in Beverly Hills because the people there do it up right. Brandon misses seeing leaves on the ground on Halloween. Emily, who’s from New England, feels the same way. They’re so caught up in their conversation that they lose the kids. The police arrive and tell Brandon and Emily to search the area while they…I don’t know, go get coffee?
Kelly dances with the cowboy as Steve asks Donna why she keeps dressing weird, like she did at the prom. He tells her she can be herself every once in a while. She doesn’t think anyone would want to see that, but Steve assures her that he and most other guys would. David decides to stay in the bushes with Scott, who still thinks the egg fight is on. Brandon and Emily go to the Walshes’, where the kids have turned up. Apparently the teens told them that if they got lost, they should go back to the last place they remembered.
By 11, the egg fight still hasn’t happened. David tells Scott that times have changed and kids don’t have fun the way they used to. They decide to egg a car, “for old time’s sake.” Scott almost eggs Brandon’s car, but David stops him. Emily complains that no one in Beverly Hills has any fun; there hasn’t even been an egg fight. As they drive off, Scott and David throw eggs at the car. Donna realizes another problem with her mermaid costume: She can’t use the bathroom. She has to get Brenda to help her out of it.
The cowboy puts up a red flag by being controlling, then takes Kelly up to a bedroom. He asks if she’s looking for a boyfriend, and she says she’s just having fun for Halloween. The cowboy asks if she likes to play make-believe, then locks them in the room. Kelly tells him she’s not going to sleep with him, though he notes she seems dressed for it. He apologizes, saying he even scared himself. Kelly agrees to forget that anything happened. The cowboy says he respects her, then asks for a make-up kiss. She says no, so he throws her on the bed and tries to rape her.
Brenda and Donna wander in and accidentally interrupt. Kelly tells them what the cowboy did, as he tries to convince them that she misunderstood the situation. Brenda yells for Dylan as the cowboy says that Kelly wanted it. Steve arrives with Dylan and gets furious with the cowboy, saying he loves Kelly. Dylan and Steve throw the cowboy out as he tries to get them on his side, saying they know how girls are.
Kelly chastises herself for dressing sexily, and though Brenda says that she tried to warn her about her costume, she said no, so the cowboy was at fault. Kelly says she said no too late, and it might as well have been yes. She was leading him on. Donna replies that the cowboy should have taken a cold shower if that was the case. Dylan says that no matter how sexy a girl is, the guy always has a choice to not make a girl do something she doesn’t want to do. Kelly says she didn’t make the choice very easy. Dylan reminds her that she did, since she said no. Donna wonders what might have happened if she and Brenda hadn’t arrived when they did.
After dropping off the kids, Brandon takes Emily to the Peach Pit and she thanks him for helping her with the kids. He notes that she wouldn’t have lost the kids if he hadn’t been there. Emily admits that she took the kids to his house on purpose. She asks if he wants to go to the party, saying they can go as other people going as them. Then they make out. Kelly thanks Steve for helping her out, and he tells her he meant what he said. Brandon and Emily show up, but the rest of the gang is ready to go to the Peach Pit. Dylan jokes that he wants to go by the bank first.
Thoughts: I love that this episode came up in the rotation right before Halloween. It was a complete coincidence.
Donna’s baseball shirt is really cute and I want it.
Brenda and Donna should have gone back to their flapper outfits from “Anaconda.” Those were awesome.
I’m not proud of this, but Dylan as Clyde is totally hot.
I love how on TV, everyone has expensive-looking Halloween costumes, including the teenagers.
Niece or nephew, about their ghost costumes, made by Emily: “She cut holes in a sheet!” Brandon: “Wow. Wasn’t that creative of her?” Hee hee hee.
If this had been the Buffy Halloween episode where everyone turned into their costumes, the guy dressed as Edward Scissorhands would have a huge advantage.
October 27, 2011
BSC #88, Farewell, Dawn: West Coast Represent
"This time it's for good." Promise?
Summary: After hearing in the last book that Sunny’s mom has cancer, Dawn decides she really wants to move back to California – for good. School is about to start up, so she has to go quickly, which means she only has a couple of weeks left in Stoneybrook. While she’s trying to figure out how to break the news to Mary Anne, Dawn tells Kristy, in case she needs to get a move on replacing her in the BSC. Kristy tells Claudia, Claudia tells Stacey, Stacey tells Robert, Robert tells Logan, and Logan tells Mary Anne, who’s understandably ticked about not hearing the news straight from Dawn.
Mary Anne turns into a big baby, acting like a jerk to Dawn and refusing to help the other BSC girls plan her goodbye party. Of course, it’s just because she’s so upset, but talk about handling it badly. Though, to be fair, everyone else handles the news of Dawn moving across the country a little too well. Maybe they’re as sick of her as I am. Anyway, long story short, Dawn goes back to California, rarely to be heard from again.
In the B plot, James Hobart breaks his leg, so the BSC girls and a bunch of kids decide to put on Christmas in the summer to make him feel better. It’s sweet but boring.
Thoughts: There are actually some nice moments in this book, and Dawn is much less annoying than usual. Jessi writes her a nice letter saying how much she looks up to Dawn and admires her for standing up for what she believes in. There’s also a scene where Dawn and Stacey talk about changes and how it can be hard to make people understand what you want when they’re not ready for a change. And while I’m not a Dawn fan, I did feel a little bad for her, feeling torn between her two homes, and her friends who want her to stay but also want her to be happy.
Interesting that, despite being on probation, Stacey has been reinstated as treasurer. Maybe Shannon just really sucks with money.
Jessi tells the kids not to buy James a gun that shoots sparks because Dawn doesn’t like guns. Who gives a crap what Dawn doesn’t like if the present isn’t for her? If I were the kids wanting to buy it, I’d say, “Dawn’s moving across the country. I can buy whatever the heck I want.”
Why does Dawn write Sunny a letter when she’s going to see her in two days?
October 25, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.17, Cinderella Story: You Remind Me of Me
Geez, freaking finally
Summary: Pacey’s driving Joey to the train station so she can attend a dinner where A.J. will receive a writing award. She predicts that this will be the most romantic experience of her life. Pacey notes that she only refers to A.J. as a friend. Joey says that long-distance relationships have different rules from regular relationships. He thinks that’s perfect for her since she gets to have a fairy tale. Her romantic evening is only an “eyes-closed wish.” Joey replies that wishes come true sometimes. Pacey tells her reality always comes back.
Dawson helps Gail at her restaurant, where there are printer and food problems. Gail, however, is sure things will work out. Also, the sign that’s supposed to go outside doesn’t have a name on it. Pacey meets his mentee (his punishment from his fight with Matt in “Crime and Punishment”), Buzz, who’s basically a miniature version of himself. A.J. sends his friend Morgan to pick up Joey when she arrives in Boston and take her rollerblading. Pacey takes Buzz to an arcade, where the imp demands Pokeman cards, then smacks a kid with a Whac-a-Mole mallet.
Joey and Morgan meet up with A.J. at a coffeehouse, where he’s trying to figure out what to read at the ceremony the next night. They’re basically Joey and Dawson, though Morgan studied in Paris, where Joey has always wanted to go. (And could have, if she hadn’t chosen to stay with Dawson.) Jack and Andie help Dawson with some tastings at the restaurant, as he and Gail are trying to find a chef. Jen shows up and apologizes for being MIA recently, as she’s been spending a lot of time with Henry. She asks for a waitressing job and Dawson happily agrees.
Joey asks A.J. why he didn’t mention Morgan to her before she arrived. He points out that Joey doesn’t talk about her friends very much either. She wants to know if A.J. and Morgan ever dated, but A.J. doesn’t answer the question. They start kissing, but Morgan interrupts to give A.J. advice about what to read and wear. Pacey takes Buzz to his boat for some free labor. Buzz talks about his father, who’s dead, and accuses Pacey of having authority issues because his father’s a cop. Pacey lectures him about violence, then has to admit that he had to become a mentor because of a fight.
Morgan’s an artist, in case we didn’t already get the Morgan/Joey similarities. She also knows way more about A.J. than Joey does. Morgan admits that she and A.J. kissed once, but they felt weird afterward and realized there’s no mystery there, so there’s nothing between them. Joey invites Morgan to the ceremony, telling her that both of them can be part of A.J.’s life. Jack and Andie complain about the poor offerings from the auditioning chefs while Jen fails to be good at waitressing. Mitch arrives, having been summoned by Dawson, and offers to help out.
Buzz sees Pacey’s True Love sign and asks who the boat is named after. He mocks Pacey for being unable to tell the supposedly nonexistent girl how he feels about her. A.J. panics a little before reading his piece, which Joey quickly realizes is about Morgan. Pacey complains to the head of the mentor program that Buzz hates him, and she tells him that the kid is smart but an underachiever. His father isn’t dead, he left the family for another woman. Buzz lashes out because he feels rejected and wants to test people to see if they’ll leave as well. Pacey decides to stick it out.
Gail confronts Dawson for calling Mitch in behind her back. He reminds her that the restaurant is supposed to open soon and she needed the help. Gail says that she’s the director and she needed Dawson to be an actor. Dawson replies that he just didn’t want to see her fail. She always tells him to ask for help when he needs it, but she’s not taking her own advice.
After the reading, Morgan heads off alone while Joey announces that she wants to go to A.J.’s room. When they get there, she tells A.J. to go after Morgan, since she’s his muse. Joey continues that she doesn’t want Morgan and A.J. to realize their feelings for each other too late, like she did. He wants to get to know her better, but she knows what they have isn’t real, unlike what he and Morgan have. She knows Morgan came back from France to be with him.
A.J. says Joey’s reading too much into the situation, but she saw the way he looked at Morgan during his reading. He and Joey are a memory, but he and Morgan are reality. A.J.’s worried about leaving Joey with a broken heart. “There are worse things than a broken heart,” she replies. Pacey stops by Buzz’s house and cooks him the dinner he wanted his mother to cook for him. Buzz admits that his father isn’t actually dead, and Pacey finally tells him the name of the girl he’s in love with. Joey heads to the train station, but there’s no train back to Capeside until the next morning. After some hesitation, she makes a phone call.
Jen finds Dawson moping by the water; she admits that she heard his fight with Gail. He says he was trying to help, but Jen thinks he had ulterior motives. Dawson claims he wasn’t trying to get his family back together. Jen says people always go back to what they know. She reminds Dawson of the time he asked her to dance, saying he was honest and sweet, though he thinks he was naïve. Jen says he’s been through too much to still be naïve, but part of him will always reject reality and be eternally hopeful.
Pacey picks Joey up at the train station in Boston, but she doesn’t want to talk about what happened. The next morning, Dawson apologizes to Gail about his behavior the night before. She and Mitch announce that the restaurant will be called Leery’s Fresh Fish, the name Mitch always wanted to use. Gail has hired him as a general manager, and Mitch’s first act was to recommend that she hire Bodie to help her out. Oh, and Jen has to be fired. Dawson notes that his parents work well together.
On the trip back to Capeside, Pacey tries to get Joey to talk to him about her weekend. She tells him he was right about reality encroaching on her fairy tale. He encourages her to keep looking and she’ll eventually find the right person. Joey says there are only two people who know her better than anyone else: Dawson and Pacey. Pacey pulls the car over and demands to know what that means. He wants to know why she called him. Joey says he was the first person she thought of, probably because she knows she can talk to him. Pacey’s tired of talking, so he kisses her.
Thoughts: Buzz is played by Jonathan Lipnicki. Hey, why are you laughing?
I wonder what Joshua Jackson thought when he got the script for this episode and saw that almost all of his scenes were with the kid from Jerry Maguire. I wouldn’t have been happy.
The restaurant is opening in a week with no chef or staff? Yeah, no.
YEAH, JOEY AND PACEY FOREVER! Ahem. Sorry.
October 23, 2011
BH90210 2.12, Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills: I Ain’t Saying She’s a Golddigger
That living room is bigger than my apartment, so Andrea has no right to complain
Summary: Andrea has that classic nightmare about showing up for school naked. Fortunately, she manages to remember to get dressed before she goes to school for real. Brandon tells her he entered her in a contest for high school journalists, but she’s worried that someone will find out she enrolled out of district and she’ll get expelled. Brandon promises he won’t bust her, noting that if she hasn’t gotten a call about the competition yet, she must not have won.
At the Peach Pit, Steve meets a girl named Christine and turns on the old Steve charm. Her ride home has ditched her, so he offers to take her. She wants to hurry home to watch the TV show Steve’s mom is on. Steve takes Christine to his place to watch the show and make out. She says she doesn’t usually go too far with a guy she’s just met, but she knows Steve is special, so she’ll make an exception.
A teacher, Mrs. Teasley, tells Andrea she’s won the contest and the district public relations office will be sending someone over to her house to interview her. Andrea freaks out because the interviewer will meet her grandmother. Brandon goes home with Andrea and meets her grandmother, Rose, and Rose’s friends. Andrea tells Rose about the interviewer, Mr. Kramer, and asks her to pretend that Andrea lives with her. Rose is upset that Andrea’s going beyond using her address for school. She says she’ll keep her mouth shut unless Mr. Kramer asks her a direct question, but she won’t lie.
Mr. Kramer finds the situation a little weird but doesn’t seem suspicious. Rose says that Andrea is so wonderful to live with, it’s almost like she’s not there. After Mr. Kramer leaves, Andrea asks if Rose is on her side or not. She doesn’t like lying, but it’s for a good reason. She notes that Rose changed her identity as a teenager. Rose replies that that was to avoid being killed in concentration camp. (Okay, Andrea, you totally lose that argument. Not even close.)
Steve and Christine (now together a week) make out at the Peach Pit while Kelly glares from across the room, saying he could do better. Donna tells her to go let Steve know. Steve surprises Christine with REM tickets, and the ensuing makeout session is too much for Kelly to take. (Same here.) Brandon and Dylan try to make weekend plans with Steve, and Kelly steps in to complain about Christine. Brandon, Dylan, and Andrea start to leave, but Steve wants them to hear what Kelly has to say. “All I’m going to say is that you get what you pay for,” Kelly replies. Steve thinks she’s a snob. He notes that it’s not like Christine lives in the valley…which is where Andrea lives.
Mrs. Teasley relays a message from Mr. Kramer that he couldn’t complete a full interview with Andrea because he questions whether she really lives in Beverly Hills. There will have to be a home visit. Later, Andrea tells Brandon that Rose will let her move in that weekend. Brandon feels guilty for outing her, but Andrea tells him she brought it on herself. He agrees to help her move, though he won’t let it interfere with the plans he’s made with Dylan.
Steve takes Christine to the REM concert, getting right in the door while David has to wait in line. Andrea moves in with Rose, apologizing for her comments about Rose changing her identity. Her mother calls but Andrea doesn’t want to talk to her. Christine complains that Steve wasn’t able to get them backstage passes. David meets up with them, having snuck backstage and gotten the band members’ signatures.
Christine then complains about the slowness of their limo service, telling Steve not to tip the driver. He tries to reenact the limo-sex scene from No Way Out, but Christine’s too grumpy…until Steve promises her jewelry. Then the L word comes out. At school the next day, Steve shares his limo experience with the rest of the gang. After he leaves, Kelly asks if anyone else thinks Christine is a phony. (Apparently not.)
Brandon tries to cheer Andrea up about living away from her family, having no privacy, and being annoyed with her grandmother. Donna asks if West Beverly is really worth it. Andrea goes on a rant about how not all schools are as awesome as West Beverly, and she doesn’t have money while they’re all rich, and blah blah blah. Kelly offers to help make Rose’s place look like Andrea really lives there.
The girls teenagerize the apartment with photos, stuffed animals, and movie posters. Brenda spots a photo of Andrea with her mother, which Andrea quickly removes after Rose glares at it. A non-conversation between grandmother and granddaughter later clarifies that Rose and her daughter-in-law don’t get along.
Steve and Christine go to the Walshes’ for dinner with Brenda and Dylan; Christine complains that they’re cooking instead of eating out. She won’t shut up about money, the stuff Steve’s bought her, and how she hopes Steve will take her to Hawaii over spring break. Christine wants to be like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, even knowing she was a prostitute. Brenda accuses Christine of using Steve, and she replies that they’re using each other. Steve blasts Brenda for meddling and asks if Kelly put her up to it.
Andrea tries to talk to her mother on the phone, but Rose starts vacuuming. Andrea confronts Rose about not liking her mother, thinking it’s because she’s not Jewish. Rose says it’s not that; she just thinks Andrea’s mother is disrespectful. Andrea decides she’s had it and she’s moving back home. At school, she types a letter resigning from the newspaper and tells Brandon what happened. He offers to talk to his parents about letting Andrea live with them. Andrea says she’ll have to deal with whatever happens.
Steve tells Brandon about Brenda and Christine’s fight the night before, and how Brenda’s accusations made him see Christine in a new way. He’s realized that Christine is obsessed with money. Brandon can see that Steve really cared about her. Steve thought he’d found someone who wanted to be with him for him, not his money. After school, he takes Christine to a jewelry store, telling her he picked something out for her. She’s underwhelmed, and he confronts her for being a golddigger. He also confirms that she lied about not knowing who his mom was when they first met.
At the Peach Pit, Steve and Andrea both mope, though he gets a laugh out of her when he asks if she’s busy that night. He asks if she likes her, and when she says yes, he asks why. Andrea says that on the inside he’s just a little boy who likes to have fun. Oh, and he’s cute. Steve admits that sometimes he wonders why people talk to him after he says stupid things about them. He apologizes for his comments about the valley, telling Andrea that she needs to stay in Beverly Hills and inspire people.
Andrea goes to Rose’s to get her things and runs into the woman investigating her living situation. Whatever Rose said to her has left her with a positive impression. She tells Andrea that she deserves something good for all the hard work she’s done. Andrea replies that if she’s going to live with Rose, the two of them need to sit down with her parents and talk about the situation. She calls her mother, and Rose talks to her for the first time in three years.
Nat and the gang give Andrea a “good luck” cake to celebrate the fact that she gets to stay at West Beverly. (When they got the cake, they didn’t know what the outcome would be.) Kelly notices Steve moping by himself and checks up on him. He’s sorry he didn’t listen to her about Christine. (Are you going to apologize to Brenda, too?) Steve tries to give her the bracelet he bought Christine, but she doesn’t want something she got for another girl. Kelly invites him to a movie and they head off alone, leaving the rest of the gang in semi-confusion.
Thoughts: Rose is played by Lainie Kazan, who is too good for this show.
The whole plot makes no sense. They couldn’t take the interviewer out for dinner at a restaurant and avoid having him come by the apartment in the first place?
Seriously, Andrea? You’re going to compare using a false address for school with hiding from Nazis? SERIOUSLY?
Andrea types her resignation letter on what would probably be described as a word processor. Possibly a Tandy.
How long till Kelly wakes up in Steve’s bed, trying to remember what happened the previous night?
October 22, 2011
SVH #103, Operation Love Match: Written in the Stars
Is Bruce auditioning for a role in "Grease"?
Summary: Mercury’s in retrograde, which means Jessica’s life is a big mess. (No one else’s life is a big mess, though, which makes no sense. Whatever, none of this makes sense.) She’s klutzy, she’s having bad luck all over the place, and all of her attempts to get Bruce’s parents back together are falling apart. Oh, yeah, Jessica and Elizabeth have taken it upon themselves to get the Patmans back together. Jessica is exactly the person I would entrust to fix my parents’ marriage.
Jessica’s currently obsessed with astrology, so she uses a book about it to make her plans. (Just pretend those two things are connected.) She writes a letter from Hank to Marie, but forgets to put a stamp on it, so she tries to fish it out of the mailbox. Instead, she gets stuck, then busted by the police for mail tampering. Cute new senior Michael Hampton sees all of this, so Jessica tells him she’s Elizabeth. She continues to do this every time she does something dorky or clumsy in front of him, like getting stuck in her locker.
The next wacky plan the twins and Bruce come up with is putting super glue in the Patmans’ lawyers’ car ignitions so they can’t go to a meeting to discuss the divorce. Then they plan to go to the lawyers’ office and put the Patmans’ wedding album out for them to see, hoping they’ll reminisce together and remember how much they love each other. But Jessica gets stuck in an elevator and can’t get the album upstairs. The Patmans arrive and start reminiscing anyway, and are very close to getting back together when Marie sees one of Alice’s scarves in Hank’s coat pocket. (He took Bruce’s coat accidentally, and the scarf was one Jessica borrowed.)
During this craziness, Jessica flirts with Michael and tries to talk herself up to him. He’s actually attracted to Elizabeth, or Jessica-pretending-to-be-Elizabeth, since he finds her clumsiness endearing. He sends Liz flowers, she figures out what’s going on, and she agrees to meet him for a date. But she wants to get Michael’s attention on Jessica, so she acts completely calm and put-together to make Michael realize he’s fallen for the wrong twin. It works, and Michael figures out that Jessica was pretending to be Elizabeth.
Back to the love games. Jessica and Bruce buy a bunch of goldenrods for Marie, but it turns out she’s allergic and she winds up in the hospital. Out of ideas, Jessica decides to have Elizabeth tape a conversation with Alice in which Alice states straight out that she and Hank are done, so Marie will stop thinking they’re having an affair. Except the wrong tape gets delivered. Finally, the meddling teens decide to go all out and have an intervention: They’ll display mementos from the Patmans’ marriage and show then footage from their honeymoon to hit them over the head with what they’re throwing away.
The day the plan is supposed to go into action, the twins get locked in their bathroom (don’t ask) and Bruce has car trouble that keeps him from getting to the house on time. The Patmans work things out on their own, so the plan basically worked, just in a different way than Bruce and the twins planned. In the end, almost everyone is happy: The Patmans are back together, as are Bruce and Pamela. Jessica and Michael, however, don’t work out, since he’s too awkward for her. Eh, two out of three ain’t bad.
Thoughts: Lila wants to throw a masquerade ball? She just had a big party! Where people almost died! What is up with this girl?
Ned: “As a family, we’ve never believed in meddling in other people’s private affairs.” HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Ned, you so crazy.
Elizabeth got a laptop! That’s pretty impressive for 1994.
Elizabeth’s bedroom is beige and cream. Well, that’s certainly conducive to sleep; it has me yawning just reading about it.
I’m 99 percent sure you can’t hire lawyers from the same firm to represent opposing sides in a case. Why would a husband and wife be willing to go against in each other in court anyway?
Bruce would never create, let alone participate in, a secret handshake with the twins.
Michael’s poem to Elizabeth is ridiculous:
I never dreamed or hoped I’d see,
A girl like you who trips like me.
You’re beautiful and clumsy, too,
You’re just my secret dream come true.
I’ll see your face where e’er I roam,
Won’t you please let me drive you home?
Todd actually nibbles on Elizabeth’s ear. Todd, you disgust me.
Dawson’s Creek 3.16, To Green, With Love: “You Bought Me a Wall?”
Hey, who wrote "J.P. + P.W. 4EVA" in the corner? Oh, wait. That was me
Summary: Joey, Dawson, and Pacey are an angry PTA meeting about Matt’s explusion. Someone says that Principal Green shouldn’t get to make decisions about Capeside residents because he’s an outsider. Joey defends the principal, but Matt objects that Principal Green wasn’t doing his job. Someone else replies that if Matt’s father had done his job, Matt wouldn’t have gotten in trouble. Matt’s father attacks Joey’s family, noting that she can’t really say anything about family values. The superintendent demands Principal Green’s termination if he doesn’t reverse his decision about Matt.
After the meeting, Gail runs into Sherry, a reporter covering the story who happens to be Gail’s former intern. Sherry thinks Principal Green is crazy. Joey and Pacey discuss the situation and the fact that, as teenagers, they have no say in it. She’s upset that none of the other students at Capeside can be bothered to care. Pacey encourages her to “rally the troops.” She tries, but, as she tells A.J. later on the phone, she doesn’t make much progress.
Bessie pulls Joey in to see Sherry’s report on the story, which Dawson, Pacey, Gail, Nikki, and Principal Green also watch. Sherry says that people think Principal Green has a personal agenda since he let Pacey off with community service. Joey’s words at the meeting are also taken out of context, so that it sounds like she said everyone’s making too big a deal out of things. A.J. tells her she needs to stand up for the truth. At school, Joey advertises a meeting to save Principal Green, teasing Pacey when he tries to take credit. A.J. has come to help out, and he meets Pacey for the first time. When Principal Green arrives at school, he’s greeted by press and protestors.
That night, Dawson helps Gail out at her future restaurant and tells her how great Joey was at the meeting. He’s proud of her for fighting the way he always knew she could. They’re planning to do something at the superintendent’s office the next night. Gail is frustrated by Sherry’s coverage of the story, leading Dawson to think that she misses being a reporter. He suggests that she get her own crew (read: him) and do her own story. Gail knows the station doesn’t want her back, but Dawson wants her to do it for herself, Joey, and Principal Green.
Joey isn’t as easily convinced as Gail, since she doesn’t think they have enough people on their side to make a difference. Sherry finds out that Gail’s doing her own report while students picket the superintendent’s office, and that she’s thinking about submitting it to the station. Sherry asks Joey for a follow-up interview, but Joey quickly shoots her down with, “In your frosted-blonde dreams, Barbie.” Superintendent Fielding calls Joey in to talk, and while Pacey thinks she should decline, A.J. tells her to accept. His advice is what Joey ultimately takes.
Joey tells Fielding her side of the story: that Principal Green made a decision about Matt and shouldn’t be bullied into changing it. She tells him 300 students have signed a position in support of the principal, and they’re holding a rally the next night. Their voices will be heard. Fielding says he’s listening, then tells Joey to get to school before Principal Green has to write her up. Joey replies that she’s not skipping, she’s out sick.
Gail and Dawson go to the Greens’ house to get Principal Green’s side of the story. He tells them he knows his side, and that’s all that matters. Dawson tells him it’s been misinterpreted. Principal Green replies that he knows he’s a fair man, and if others don’t, him giving a soundbite won’t change their minds. Nikki tries to get him to change his mind by quoting Martin Luther King, Jr., but her father won’t budge.
A bunch of students gather at the bed and breakfast to try to get more support while Pacey and A.J. work on figuring out how to get around Joey’s petition lie. Jack makes a flier advertising the rally the next night, telling Joey that Pacey convinced a coffee-shop owner to print it for free. Joey gives everyone a pep talk, which makes Pacey adorably proud. Then he has to watch Joey and A.J. be all lovey-dovey, which makes him unadorably nauseous. Jen’s the only one who notices.
Someone calls Bessie to tell her that letting high schoolers use her B&B to organize might be bad for business. She interprets this as a threat over their mortgage. Joey tells her it’s too late to stop. Bodie encourages her to be realistic. Bessie notes that Principal Green doesn’t care to defend himself, so Joey doesn’t need to. Joey says that Matt’s father has a personal agenda, and Bodie interprets that he’s racist. Bessie decides to stop fighting the issue and storms off. A.J. chooses this moment to tell Joey he’s going back to school. She has enough support, including Pacey.
Jen tries to get Pacey to talk about what’s bothering him, though it looks like they both know she already knows. He thinks his situation is impossible, but she thinks he can actually do something about it. Pacey thinks he’s Ducky from Pretty in Pink, which means he’s not getting the girl. Jen notes that he makes the girl feel better about herself. She asks if he’s going to let his hurt feelings keep him from being the friend he needs to be. Pacey says it hurts, and Jen replies that that means it’s not pretend anymore.
Dawson and Gail go to interview Fielding, though Dawson thinks everyone has heard enough from him. Gail knows that part of being a good journalist is covering all angles of a story. Fielding repeats his assertion that Principal Green has until Friday to change his mind or he’ll be terminated. Gail asks if that’s what best for the students. Fielding says it’s what’s best for the community, which is his ultimate responsibility. Gail has him read from the contract he signed when he became superintendent, which states that his main priority is the students. Fielding ends the interview.
Nikki heads out for the rally, trying to get Principal Green to go with her. She thinks he’s spent so much time trying to protect his reputation that he’ll come across as angry. Principal Green says he is angry; he feels like he did the right thing, but it’s not working because someone hates him. He doesn’t want to leave Capeside, and he doesn’t want to put Nikki through what’s happening, but he can’t show his anger because it’ll be used against him. Nikki tells him that the people at the rally are on their side, and they need to see that he supports them in turn.
Dawson tapes the rally in the school auditorium, coming across Nikki sitting by herself. More people show up than expected, and Joey tells them she’s not pursuing this because Matt trashed her mural. She wants to support Principal Green because of everything he’s done for his students. He’s encouraged everyone’s talents and interests, trying to make their lives better. Joey doesn’t consider him an outsider. She wants people to spend the evening talking about how Principal Green has made their lives better.
Andie talks about how Principal Green taught her that mistakes can be fixed. Nikki says that her father talks about his students all the time. He shows up while she’s speaking and tells everyone what Nikki said about everyone there being on his side. He thanks them for their support, saying that he’ll most likely have to leave the school, but he’s motivated by everyone there. Later, Jen praises Pacey for being a good friend to Joey. Pacey feels horrible, since Joey hasn’t thanked him, but Jen thinks his time will come. Joey and Bodie are about to head home when Bessie arrives. She’s been lurking for a while and heard Joey’s speech, which she praises her sister for.
The next day, Joey goes by Principal Green’s office, which he’s packing up, and admits that she feels like she failed him. She’s worried that the students on his side weren’t loud enough or strong enough. Principal Green tells her that he’s never felt more successful than he feels right now. He and Nikki walk out of the school as students lined up in the hallways applaud him.
Gail tells Dawson that the station is running her story that night, and a producer asked her to do some more special reports. However, she wants to continue with the restaurant. She tells Dawson she wanted a chance to say no, and to leave reporting on her own terms and start fresh. Gail thanks Dawson for getting her to the point where she could do what she wants to do. He’s a “quiet hero.”
Pacey takes Joey to a brick wall, reminding her that everything started with “a girl, a paintbrush, and a wall.” She thinks he bought her a paintbrush, but he actually bought her a wall. Well, he rented it. She thinks he’s a little nuts, but she’s grateful and tells him she thanks him. “It’s about time,” he replies. Some stupid song about teachers and growing gardens plays as Joey stares up at her wall of possibilities.
Thoughts: Someone finally realized it’s supposed to be winter, because everyone’s wearing sweaters.
I thought school boards got to make decisions about expulsions. And can superintendents make firing decisions on their own, especially if it’s something questionable like this one? I mean, if Principal Green had been, say, embezzling or sleeping with a student, that’s one thing, but I’m not sure he could be fired for making a decision someone else disagreed with. I would assume there’s also an appeal process for expelled students. Okay, why am I giving this so much thought?
I understand Principal Green not wanting to come across as angry, but…dang, fight for your job, man.
I’m surprised no one mentions it in the episode, but this is the first time Dawson picks up a camera since “First Encounters of the Close Kind.”
October 18, 2011
BH90210 2.11, Leading from the Heart: Yes, Brandon, It IS All About You
Uh, watch where you put your hand, cuz
Summary: Brandon and Emily chat, having not seen each other for a while, and Brandon mentions that Brenda’s about to retake her driver’s test. Her problem is parallel parking, and she’s even had a nightmare about it. Brandon and Dylan take her to the DMV for her test, which goes fine until the parallel-parking portion. The instructor gives Brenda some advice and she nails it. At home, Brenda tells her parents about the exam, and Cindy suggests having a party to celebrate. Brenda wants to share Brandon’s car, but he’s not in favor and tells her to get a job.
Brenda and Brandon’s cousin Bobby calls and tells Cindy he’s coming to visit. He’s also thinking of transferring to UCLA. Brenda and Brandon are happy about the news, but Jim’s concerned. Brenda tells Kelly about Bobby’s visit and tries to convince her that they’re not each other’s types. On the way home, Brenda admits to Brandon that she feels like they abandoned Bobby when they moved to California. It’s weird for her to grow up with someone and then suddenly not have him in her life anymore.
When the twins get home, Bobby’s there, and he’s in a wheelchair. They’re obviously comfortable with it, and Bobby’s obviously comfortable with his condition. Brandon tells Bobby that he’s interested in Emily, but they haven’t spent much time together since their one date. He wants to talk about the accident that put Bobby in a wheelchair, but Bobby avoids the subject. Jim and Cindy discuss having Bobby live with them. Cindy feels bad for Bobby but admits that she also feels a sense of relief that Brandon’s not the one who was paralyzed, and it could have been.
Bobby makes breakfast for the family the next morning, which puts Brandon in such a good mood that he offers to let Brenda drive his Mustang. Brenda would rather be chauffeured. At school, David asks Donna out, but she’s going to Brenda’s for dinner. She does tell him that she wishes she could go out with him, and she seems sincere. Kelly reminds Brenda about her celebration dinner, which Donna wants to bring David to. Brenda tells Kelly that Bobby’s in a wheelchair, adding that she and Donna better not act weird around him. Bobby dated a friend of Brenda’s who dumped him right after the accident.
Andrea asks Brandon for a ride to dinner, and he tells her to ask Brenda. Andrea decides she’ll take the bus. (Does Brenda know Andrea doesn’t live in Beverly Hills?) Emily comes in looking for a place on the paper, and though Brandon suggests that she do sports, Andrea wants her writing about the PTA. Kelly meets Bobby at the Walshes’ and they seem to hit it off. Brandon asks Brenda why she hasn’t driven yet, but she wants him to leave her alone.
The kids play charades and Bobby and Kelly flirt with each other. He even asks her to sit on his lap, which is weird considering they’ve only known each other for ten minutes. Later, Brandon and Bobby reminisce about summers together growing up. The twins decide to go to bed, leaving Bobby and Kelly alone. They talk about his condition, which Kelly thinks he’s handling well. Bobby invites her to go horseback-riding, assuring her that he’s able to. They start to kiss, but Kelly chickens out and leaves.
Brenda wakes Brandon up the next morning and admits that she’s uncomfortable with Kelly and Bobby’s flirtation. She’s afraid that Bobby will get hurt again. Brandon asks if she’s saying Kelly can’t really like Bobby because he’s in a wheelchair. Bobby makes a riding date with Kelly, telling Brandon he wants him, Brenda, and Dylan to come along. Brandon tells Bobby to move slowly with Kelly, and Bobby accuses him of thinking the same thing Brandon thought Brenda thought. (Got that?)
Bobby, Brenda, Brandon, Kelly, and Dylan go riding, with Bobby moving faster than anyone. Brandon is semi-hilariously bad at it. Bobby tells Kelly that the horse is his version of a seeing-eye dog. She invites him to a party that night that everyone’s going to. Too bad they have to go up a big flight of stairs to get to the action. Brandon, Dylan, and Steve carry Bobby up, which clearly makes Bobby uncomfortable. He’s also uncomfortable when he hears that Tal, the guy throwing the party, used to date Kelly.
Someone spills a drink on Bobby, and someone else asks what happened to him. He also has trouble navigating the house. Adding insult to injury, Tal hits on Kelly and asks her to dance. Oh, and there’s no beer. Bobby finally decides it’s all too much and he wants to leave. He tells Kelly she’s great and gives her the chance to let him down. Bobby thinks that sooner or later, the novelty of dating him will wear off and Kelly will realize she wants to date a guy who can dance.
Steve mocks Kelly, even though she didn’t do anything. Brenda also thinks Kelly said something to make Bobby want to leave. She reminds Kelly that she warned her not to lead Bobby on. Kelly shoots back that Brenda doesn’t have the right to interfere in Bobby’s social life just because he’s in a wheelchair. She likes being with him and didn’t mean to hurt him. The Walshes go home, and Bobby tells Brandon that most of the time he makes himself believe everything’s normal, but sometimes he gets to see how people view him.
Brandon asks if Kelly said or did anything to make Bobby uncomfortable. Bobby says he’s just thinking about the reality of moving to Beverly Hills. Brandon notes that it’s not like Bobby to dump a girl before she can get too close to him. Bobby shoots back that Brandon has no idea what it’s like to live his life. At least once a day, he wonders what he did to deserve being paralyzed. Brandon says that he idolized Bobby when he was a kid. He wants to talk about the accident, which happened when the two were skiing. Brandon dared Bobby to take a risky jump, though Bobby insists it was his own idea.
Brandon tells Bobby to let him apologize already, asking why Bobby tries to keep protecting him. Bobby admits that he’s trying to protect himself since he lost so many friends after the accident. Brandon doesn’t want him to keep pretending that everything’s perfect. Bobby doesn’t want to have limitations, and tonight has made him think he’s fooling himself. Before going to bed, Brandon tells Bobby he loves him, because teenage boys tell their male cousins that all the time.
The next morning, Bobby is making breakfast again when Kelly comes by. She tells him he was unfair at the party, though he knows from experience that they wouldn’t have lasted. Kelly insists that she wants to be friends and asks why he keeps putting expectations on her. She tells him to lighten up. Bobby thinks Kelly looked to the future and tried to decide if she could see herself with someone in a wheelchair. She tells him she hadn’t made up her mind, and last night she wasn’t even thinking about it. She was just going with her heart.
Brenda and Brandon come in, claiming that they weren’t listening at the door. Jim and Cindy arrive as well, and Jim says that Bobby’s welcome to stay if he’s going to make breakfast every morning. Bobby says he’ll live in a dorm or an apartment if he goes to UCLA; his plan was to live on his own. The four kids decide to accompany Brenda on her first drive. Kelly gives Bobby her phone number. Brenda manages to not kill anyone behind the wheel.
Thoughts: Tal (Tal? What the–?) is played by Gabriel Macht (Suits, The Spirit). He has ridiculously long blond hair in this episode. Seriously, seriously ridiculous.
The stereotypical Asian music that plays when the Asian driving instructor gives brenda advice makes me cringe.
A tip, Bobby: Don’t tell your cousin she’s gorgeous in that tone of voice.
If Bobby’s 21 and Brenda’s 16, and he was 18 at the time of his accident, but he was dating a friend of Brenda’s, that would make that friend 13. EW. And 21 and 16 isn’t much better. What’s with this guy?
Nice vest, Steve. Does it come in fashionable?
October 16, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.15, Crime and Punishment: I Confess
Oh, no! Two boys are in love with me! My wallet's too small for my 50s and my diamond shoes are too tight!
Summary: Joey’s painting a mural at school, so apparently she’s back to being an artist. Pacey shows up, supposedly to keep her company but mostly because one of his sisters has come home and he doesn’t want to deal with the drama. Joey finishes her mural, which contains leaves and Chinese characters, and Pacey notes that the student artists were supposed to paint things that exemplify school unity. He adds that none of the other students is going to get something unsubtle.
Dawson tries to take a peek at the mural the next day, but Joey wants him to wait until the unveiling ceremony like everyone else. She asks him to be honest about what he thinks, even if he hates it, which he doubts will happen. Joey’s nervous about giving a speech at the ceremony, as well as “declaring” herself.
Matt (who threw the party in “The Valentine’s Day Massacre”) faces Andie’s disciplinary committee for cheating on a quiz, though he claims he guessed all of the correct answers. Andie recommends a failing grade on the quiz and detention. Principal Green says Matt didn’t technically violate the honor code but basically warns that he better not get in any more trouble. After the hearing, Principal Green informs Andie that her PSAT scores have put her on the road to a National Merit Scholarship.
Pacey invites himself to move into Doug’s place, which Doug aggressively objects to (“this is not Party of Five“). Pacey tells him their sister left her husband and has moved her children into Pacey’s bedroom. Doug is willing to try out the new living arrangements as long as Pacey follows his finicky rules. He teases Pacey about having a broken heart, then asks if he’s any good at decoupage.
The day of the mural unveiling, Joey asks Bessie and Bodie not to take pictures. She knows Bessie isn’t thrilled about visiting her alma mater, but Bessie’s happy to celebrate her sister’s talent. Joey’s mural is the last one unveiled, and she first gives a speech about how nothing really unites the students. They were told as children that they could be anything, but by the time they get to high school, they’ve forgotten all of their options. She’s painting the character for “possibility” to remind everyone that anything’s possible. When the mural’s unveiled, someone’s defaced it.
Dawson and Pacey follow Joey as she runs off, disagreeing over whether or not she should see what happened as a personal attack. Pacey notes that Joey could have crossed some line without even knowing it. She doesn’t find either of them helpful. Jack thinks the disciplinary committee will be able to help; he’s surprised to hear that Andie wants to step down. He notes that it’s not like her to skip out on a commitment.
Dawson stops by the bed and breakfast, promising he won’t lecture Joey. She tries to downplay the whole situation, saying her lame mural wasn’t going to bring about any changes. Dawson encourages her to repaint the mural and surprise the defacer. He’s surprised when Joey declines, saying she’s letting herself be a victim.
Joey says she can’t just start over, for the same reason that Dawson hasn’t made a film since the festival. He claims that was a choice. Joey says she doesn’t have the time to make the kinds of choices Dawson gets to make. He points out that Joey didn’t have to show her work to everyone the way he did. He gives her keys to the school and leaves.
Pacey does some investigating at school, in the form of starting a pool about how the defacer is. At least one person suspects Matt. Matt considers accepting credit, since everyone thinks he’s responsible. Pacey tells him that not everyone thinks what happened was funny. Matt replies that some people don’t have a sense of humor. Pacey tells him to apologize and turn himself in because he’s messed with someone Pacey cares about. Dawson checks the mural but Joey hasn’t repainted it or shown up to school.
Pacey grabs Matt outside the school, trying to intimidate him. Matt confesses to defacing the mural and claims he’ll apologize. Instead, the two start beating each other up. Principal Green breaks them up and hauls them into his office. Andie chooses that time to tell Principal Green she’s resigning from the disciplinary committee.
Pacey and Matt won’t explain what their fight was about, so Principal Green brings Dawson and a friend of Matt’s in to give some information. Dawson spills that it was about the mural. Matt says he doesn’t care about a stupid Chinese character, and Dawson notes that he couldn’t have known what the mural was unless he defaced it. “You just painted yourself into a corner,” Pacey says, making me groan. Matt complains that the concept of the mural offended him. “‘Possibility’ offends you?” Principal Green asks. “I’m rich. I’m white. That’s all the possibility I need,” Matt says.
At home, Andie tells Jack that she cheated on the PSAT. She thought that acing the test would make people see that she was okay. Now that she’s actually okay, she feels guilty. She’s been hard on everyone she’s dealt with through the disciplinary committee as a way of punishing herself. Andie wants to tell Principal Green she cheated, but Jack tells her she just had a moment of weakness. She could get kicked out if she comes clean. Andie wants to be able to look at herself in the mirror again. She knows this is her only choice.
Joey goes to Pacey and Doug’s to blast Pacey for overreacting with Matt. She’s worried that he’s going to get himself in so much trouble that he throws away his future. Pacey tells her he did it because he was looking after her for Dawson, then tells her about his discussion about this with Dawson. Joey’s upset because she thought Pacey actually cared for her.
Matt and Pacey face an actual disciplinary committee, with Matt getting expelled for the rest of the year. Principal Green makes it clear that he doesn’t care what Matt’s father will have to say about the situation. Joey confronts Dawson about asking Pacey to look after her; she would have appreciated someone genuinely being concerned about her. Dawson notes that Pacey wouldn’t have gotten into so much trouble if he didn’t care.
Andie cleans out her locker as Pacey leaves the committee with a warning and a position in the school’s mentoring program. Dawson fears for the poor child assigned to Pacey. He also brings up Joey’s confrontation and how Pacey told her Dawson asked him to look after her. They’re not sure what will happen next.
Principal Green reads Andie’s confession about the PSAT, reminding her of all the consequences she faces. Andie thinks that her offense was no better than Matt’s, so she’s expecting an expulsion. Principal Green assures her that the two of them have nothing in common. Matt hurts others but Andie only hurt herself. Principal Green reminds her of something he taught her on the disciplinary committee: Look at the person, not just the crime. Matt won’t learn, but Andie will. She’s not expelled, and he’ll get back to her with a suitable punishment.
Pacey finds Joey painting over the ruined mural so she can start over and asks if she’s going to thank him for standing up for her. She says he was just being himself – not caring what others think, knowing what’s right and what’s wrong, and being there for her when she needed him this year. Pacey offers to help with the mural, but first Joey wants to know if he’s only been hanging out with her because Dawson asked him to. He lies that that’s true. Dawson sees them together and smiles to himself.
Thoughts: “Existential crisis”? Joey, shh.
Semi-intimidating Pacey is sexy.
Andie should absolutely have to give up her scholarship. That could be a lot of money she got by cheating. Also, isn’t she smart enough to get a scholarship just based on being a brain?
