November 23, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.22, The Anti-Prom: Define the Relationship
And then Jenn went, "Squee!"
Summary: Dawson awkwardly reminds Joey of a deal they once made to go to the junior prom together if neither had a date. Joey thinks they should agree that it’s a meaningless event, but Dawson sees it as a rite of passage. She gives in, on two conditions: no corsage and no ruffly blue tuxedo shirt for Dawson. Just when things are no longer awkward, Mitch and Gail send it back the other way by stumbling out the door, making out.
Joey makes an excuse to flee, and Mitch sends Gail away so he can discuss the situation with Dawson. Dawson notes that his parents’ relationship has always been “dramatic” and he’s just been a passive observer. Mitch tells him they’re maybe, possibly back together. Dawson confirms that Mitch hasn’t actually discussed that with Gail, but Mitch is pretty sure about this. Pacey and Andie study at his and Doug’s place, and she encourages him to go to the prom, possibly with her. She claims she’s trying to pick from her numerous offers. He declines.
Joey tells Bessie that Dawson asked her to the prom and she thinks she made a mistake by saying yes. Not only will it probably give Dawson the wrong idea, but she’s worried about how Pacey will feel. Bessie tells her she has a problem without a solution. At school, Andie complains to Jack about her lack of a prom date, though Jack thinks it’s better for her to go alone than with an ex she isn’t over yet. She says going with Pacey would be safe. Jack is going with Ethan, but he’s nervous about letting everyone know he’s bringing a guy to the prom.
Jen rants about how stupid prom is, though Henry notes that she’s never been to one. He also figures out that she’s trying to invite him. Jack tries to get his tickets but is informed by an annoying girl named Barbara that he can’t bring a guy as his date. She says she’ll bring it up with a teacher. Pacey overhears Dawson getting his tickets and learns that he and Joey are going to the dance together.
Joey and Andie take up Jack’s problem as their own pet project, though he’s resigned to just skip the dance. He hates that something that’s normal for everyone else has to be political for him. The girls decide that if he’s not going, they won’t either. Dawson announces that they should hold their own prom, “where it’s not about who you bring, it’s about who you are.” Everyone’s on board with this.
Dawson brings up the prom to his parents, who agree to let them use the restaurant and announce that they’ll be chaperoning. After Dawson leaves, Mitch tells Gail that their son is handling their reunion remarkably well. He, however, wants to discuss whatever their relationship is. She’s not paying attention. Jack and Andie sell tickets to their own prom, laughing off Barbara’s attempts to trash-talk them.
Grams alters her late husband’s tux for Henry, and when she leaves the room, Jen tells Henry it’s time for the “prom sex talk.” She thinks post-prom is an unromantic time for their first experience. He just wants to make sure it’ll happen eventually. Pacey stops by the McPhees’ and Andie admits that she didn’t have any other prom offers. He asks her to go with him.
The night of the anti-prom, Bessie makes Joey and Dawson take pictures and asks where Joey’s corsage is. He’s loaning her a pair of Gail’s diamond earrings instead. Jack is clearly uncomfortable at the restaurant, and Ethan promises that he won’t make him dance. When Pacey arrives with Andie, Dawson and Joey quickly go elsewhere. Meanwhile, Jen and Henry are thinking way too much about sex.
Ethan tells Jack that he’s never gone to a dance with another guy before; he thought it was something they could go through together. Jack’s upset that Ethan acted like a sage when he had no idea what he was talking about. Jen tries to get Henry’s (and her own) mind off of sex by discussing the summer. He tells her he’s going away to football camp for two months. Now she’s ticked and definitely not having post-prom sex with him.
Joey asks Dawson if he asked her to the anti-prom to throw it in Pacey’s face. She’s seen the way Dawson has been shooting looks at Pacey all night. She feels like he’s parading her around like a prize. Dawson says it’s not his fault if people want to look at them. Joey joins Jack outside and he admits that he’s hiding from Barbara. He doesn’t feel like he belongs at the anti-prom. Joey wants things to go back to the way they were with all their friends. Jack tells her to set the example.
Gail and Mitch dance, and she invites herself to spend the night with him. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea since they haven’t defined their relationship. Joey asks Pacey to dance, which Andie sees. He asks where she got her earrings, saying they’re too gaudy and aren’t her, unlike her bracelet, which is, because it’s simpler. Joey tells him the bracelet was her mom’s, and he reminds her that she told him the day she found it. She’s surprised he remembers. “I remember everything,” Pacey says. Andie’s not happy, and neither is Dawson, who’s also seen them together.
Joey follows Dawson as he stomps outside and blasts her for her actions. She says she’s trying to get things back to the way they were. He tells she can’t put things back together. He also admits that he organized the anti-prom for her, not Jack. Joey tries to get Dawson to admit that he wanted to get her to pick him over Pacey. He tells her they’d be missing a lot by not getting back together. He kisses her, telling her that was how the evening was supposed to end.
Henry takes Jen home and asks why she made a big deal about them not having sex when she was planning on it all along. He hates that she gets “extreme” about their relationship but lets everything fall apart because of her insecurities. Jen’s upset that she let herself be vulnerable with him. Henry assures her that his decision to leave has nothing to do with her. She gets it, but she knows that if they had a real relationship, he would have kept her in mind when making his decision. Henry says that if she goes inside, he’s not going to try to win her back. Jen goes in.
Jack chases down Ethan, who’s at the train station to go home. Ethan notes that Jack isn’t ready for a relationship, but Jack wants to figure out what they have before they figure out who’s ready for what. He doesn’t get why there are so many hurdles when Ethan just has to kiss him. Ethan says he’s not sure if Jack’s ready, so Jack will have to make the first move. No one’s around, and there’s nothing to interrupt them, and he dares Jack to do it. Instead, Jack leaves.
Pacey walks Andie home, telling her he honestly believed he wanted to go to the prom with her. As soon as he arrived, he realized the real reason he wanted to go. Andie says she’s sorry things didn’t work out for him, but at least he got to dance with Joey. Pacey wants to make things up to Andie, but she tells him he can’t.
Pacey changes the subject, telling her he’s going to spend the summer sailing True Love to Key West. He’s leaving right after finals. Andie asks if he’s told Joey how he feels. Pacey replies that Joey already knows, but Andie wants him to tell Joey he’s leaving. She urges him to tell Joey he loves her and try to get her back, or he’ll regret it.
The next day, Joey returns Gail’s earrings to Dawson and admits that she felt something unexpected when he kissed her. She thinks that feeling will probably always be there. But she can’t keep hurting people, and she can’t choose between Dawson and Pacey, so she doesn’t want Dawson to make her. He tells her he’ll wait. He’s spent the whole year feeling like he’s on a journey, and now he’s come to the end, and Joey’s there.
Gail goes to Mitch and Dawson’s, sitting him down and kneeling in front of him as Dawson and Joey come in. She wants to make any mistakes they might remake together. Mitch is up for that, too. Dawson and Joey watch their reunion, stunned but happy.
Thoughts: Whoever did Andie’s hair and makeup for the prom is in the wrong line of work. I love her dress, though.
I didn’t realize until this episode that Jack and Joey haven’t had a conversation since right after he came out. It’s hard to remember that they ever dated. Though that could be because they have no chemistry.
Joey, asking Pacey to dance isn’t setting an example. It’s doing the same thing to Dawson that you accused him of doing to Pacey – throwing someone in his face. Though kudos for doing something for yourself instead of making everything about Dawson and tiptoeing around him as usual.
Henry’s totally right about Jen. She’s overreacted to so many things in their relationship that it’s ridiculous.
November 19, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.21, Show Me Love: I’m On a Boat (Which is a Thinly Veiled Metaphor for My Feelings for You)
Seriously? You want the one on the right? What is wrong with you?? Also, it looks like Pacey's the killer from "I Know What You Did Last Summer"
Summary: Dawson studies Gwen’s painting of him and Joey while Joey looks at her wall and Pacey works on his boat. Henry comes to Jen’s house with a sign asking for forgiveness, but she won’t talk to him. In fact, at school, none of the friends will talk to each other. Later, Dawson finds Joey back at the wall and says they need to talk. He wants them to salvage their relationship, preferably by rebooting their Joey-climbs-through-the-window-and-they-watch-a-movie tradition. Joey would rather paint her wall.
Gail and Mitch have offered to sponsor Pacey in a regatta, partly so they can get publicity for their restaurant, but Mitch thinks that in light of recent events, it’s a bad idea. Dawson assures them that it’s fine and offers to take Pacey their banner. Pacey says that if Dawson wants him to drop out of the race, he’ll have to ask him directly. Pacey’s just glad that Dawson’s angry with the right person. Dawson blasts him for being a martyr.
Bessie and Joey have a food station at the regatta, which Joey doesn’t want to be part of. She’s surprised to see a Leery’s Fresh Fish flag on Pacey’s boat. Bessie tells her to let the guys work out their own problems. Jen, Jack, and Andie help Grams make wreathes for the regatta winners and are interrupted when Henry shows up again with his sign. Jen can’t believe that after she convinced Grams that Henry wasn’t a typical teenage boy, he proved her wrong. Grams encourages her to forgive him since he’s been punished enough.
Dawson asks Jack and Andie if he can borrow their father’s boat. Jack knows exactly what he’s trying to do and vetoes the idea. Dawson wants to show Joey how much he cares, and Andie’s on his side. Dawson tracks down Joey, who thanks him for what she sees as his peace with Pacey, since Mitch and Gail are still his sponsors. He tells her he wants to enter the race with the Potter B&B as his sponsor; he’s even paid the entry fee for them. Joey tries to protest, but it’s no use.
Later, Joey blasts Bessie for giving in to Dawson, telling her that he’s only entering the race to beat Pacey. Bessie’s fine with their competing on the B&B’s behalf. Joey laments that things were supposed to be okay, but Bessie isn’t surprised. She reminds her sister that actions have consequences, encouraging her to accept them and work on making things better.
Will shows up at the McPhees’ to tell Andie he’s gotten a scholarship. He’s worried about Pacey, seeing the situation as him and Joey just acting on their feelings for each other. Andie says that Pacey and Joey broke up their group of friends. She mentions Pacey’s refusal to forgive her infidelity, which destroyed their relationship. (Um, Andie? The cheating was what destroyed the relationship. Keep up.) Will says Andie’s making him pity her, and he knows she’s better than that.
Mitch gives Dawson and Jack some boating tips, offering to help his son during the race despite the restaurant’s sponsorship of Pacey. Joey runs into Pacey and apologizes for Dawson’s entry in the race. Pacey isn’t upset about that, but he is upset that they’re talking for the first time in two weeks and the topic of conversation is Dawson. He guesses that Joey wants him to drop out of the race. Pacey notes that either way, Dawson wins, because even if Pacey beats him, he’s really beating Joey. Joey encourages him to talk to Dawson, but Pacey doesn’t think it’ll make a difference.
Henry shows up at the Leerys’ restaurant with his sign, leading Gail to make Jen do something. She lets him take her to the roof, which he’s decorated romantically. He admits that he’s glad they haven’t had sex yet because he doesn’t want to be like all the other guys in Jen’s life. Henry promises to be the most original person she knows from now on. She tells him he already is.
Pacey tracks down Dawson and asks him what he’s trying to prove. Dawson claims he’s just trying to help Joey. Pacey notes that he’s dragging his family and friends into things, then asks if Dawson really thinks this is the way to prove himself. He thought Dawson would understand how he felt with Joey.
Dawson thinks Pacey is crazy for thinking that there’s actually something there, especially considering what Dawson and Joey have. Pacey counters that Dawson must be crazy for thinking his ultimatum with Joey would work. Pacey continues that Dawson and Joey’s history involves sleepovers and movies, nothing more. They keep pretending to be grown-up but drop each other as soon as trouble arises. Dawson’s mad that Pacey went after Joey, but Pacey notes that Dawson dropped her. Dawson accuses him of going after someone vulnerable to get sex.
Jen comes home the next morning, having spent the night on the roof with Henry. Grams is displeased. Jen’s surprised she’s not happy, since she urged them to get back together. Grams is worried that Jen is returning to her old lifestyle. Jen protests that she’s changed, and she’s angry that Grams can’t see it. Gail and Mitch talk about Mitch helping Dawson in the race; Gail thinks they should be teaching Dawson to fight with his words. Mitch says that sometimes conversations won’t cover it all. He’s obviously referring to their own relationship, but Gail remains silent on the subject.
The race begins, and apparently the show didn’t have money in the budget for extra boats, because it looks like Dawson and Pacey are the only people racing. It’s also the slowest race ever. Dawson aims his boat at the same spot Pacey is heading for, refusing to get out of his way. At the last minute, Pacey gives way, which allows Dawson to win. (Hey, do you get it? Do you?) Ultimately, Dawson winds up disqualified.
Both guys approach Joey, who announces that she’s not a trophy. Dawson yells at Pacey that he went after Joey even though Dawson still had feelings for her, and still has them. Joey replies that she hates both guys, as well as herself. She wishes she could go back, but she can’t. She tells them no one is worth all this trouble, especially not her.
Dawson goes after Joey, telling her he’s glad Pacey kissed her because it forced him to deal with the idea of losing her. Now he knows he can’t. Joey tells him to think about how he behaved today. Dawson knows he can’t compare to Pacey in terms of showing Joey how he feels. He’s trying to show her how much he wants her. Joey argues that he doesn’t want her, he just doesn’t want to lose her. Dawson replies that he wants her more than he ever has. She tells him that she doesn’t want a suitor, just a friend. And apparently she doesn’t want it to be him.
Pacey takes Will to the train station, since his pointless arc is over. Will advises him not to give up on true love: “It always wins in the end.” Grams brings Jen a dress she used to wear and talks about how she knows Jen has matured and grown since she first came to Capeside. She finally believes that she deserves to be loved. Grams remembers what it’s like to not think you can wait to have sex, but she wants Jen to keep in mind all the responsibilities that come along with it. Jen assures her that she and Henry haven’t done anything yet.
Gale closes down the restaurant so she and Mitch can have dinner together. He notes that it’s an important weekend for customers, but she thinks he’s more important. Then they make out. Pacey finds Joey at her wall with a can of paint, wondering if she was hoping he was Dawson. He asks if she wants to keep the wall after the lease is up. Pacey’s surprised that Dawson’s behavior earlier in the day didn’t make Joey love him less. Instead, she seems to love him even more.
Pacey asks if Joey could ever love him like a soulmate if Dawson weren’t in the picture. Joey won’t choose. As he leaves, Pacey says he’ll renew the lease on the wall first thing in the morning. He adds that he understands what Joey’s going through and promises not to give her any ultimatums. Then he goes to the dock, takes the True Love sign off his boat, and throws it in the water. Andie fishes the sign out and assures Pacey she doesn’t hate him, despite her feelings of hurt and betrayal. He appreciates this. She tells him that “hate” is a strong word, as is “love.”
Joey goes through Dawson’s window with a copy of E.T. She thinks it’s time to see it again. Dawson reminds her that she thinks E.T. is depressing, but Joey wants to watch a movie with an ending she knows well. Dawson thinks it’s because she likes how E.T. promises that he’s always right there. They lie down on the bed, but Joey’s mind is obviously elsewhere.
Thoughts: I just don’t get why anyone would choose Dawson over Pacey. In what universe is Dawson a prize? And keep in mind his ultimatum. What kind of a jerk does that?
Did Bessie just happen to have a banner lying around in case someone wanted her sponsorship? Yes, these are the things I think about. It’s that or the qualities that would lead one to want a relationship with Dawson, and thinking about things like banners lets me hold on to my sanity.
Pacey, are you waring camouflage pants with a shirt with fish on it? Dude, you need a girlfriend if only to have someone dress you.
Grams, you rock and all, but trust me, no teenager wants to hear her grandmother talk about sex.
November 13, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.20, The Longest Day: “There’s No Going Back”
I know, things would be so much better without Dawson in the picture, right?
Summary: “Ever had one of those days you wish you could live all over again?” Joey asks in voiceover. Dawson, Mitch, Jen, Andie, Jack, Doug, Will, and Buzz are at a pier, ready to christen Pacey’s boat. Dawson thinks Joey’s at the library, but she’s really making out with Pacey in a boathouse. He wants to tell Dawson that they’re together, but both of them know it won’t be easy. Pacey decides to take the bullet for Joey. He thinks honesty is the only way he can save his relationship with Dawson. He just wants one day.
Post-christening, Pacey makes Doug look after Buzz while he goes off to take care of something. Grams is going out of town and is worried that Jen will get into trouble with Henry. Jen spots Pacey standing outside Dawson’s house, unable to make himself go inside. She tells him that she’s sure Joey wants to be with him. Pacey’s imagined version of the conversation with Dawson is much more positive than it will end up being. Mitch leaves the house, telling Pacey that Dawson is at the library.
Pacey heads to the library, running into Andie and Will, who are kind of dating. Unable to find Dawson, Pacey goes home, where Doug is fed up with Buzz, who’s broken his answering machine. He confides in Doug that he and Joey are basically together and he’s working on breaking the news to Dawson. Doug chastises him for sneaking around with the love of his best friend’s life. He thinks Dawson and Joey will eventually wind up together and Pacey will end up alone.
Pacey returns to Dawson’s house, but Joey runs up and stops him from going inside, saying she needs to be the one who tells Dawson about them. Pacey admits that he was chickening out on his way over anyway. Joey sees that as a sign. Dawson’s always been the one person she can count on, and the news is going to kill him. Pacey realizes that Joey didn’t come over with the intention of telling Dawson. Dawson sees them outside and asks what they’re arguing about. “Us,” Pacey tells him. “There’s an us here now.”
Joey reasks the question from the beginning, and we return to the first scene. This time we see Pacey and Joey arrive separately for the christening. Afterward, Joey and Jen go to the library, talking about Joey and Pacey. Joey admits to having feelings for Pacey and being unsure of what to say to Dawson. If she tells Dawson the truth, he’ll be hurt, but if she tells Pacey not to say anything, he’ll be hurt. Joey feels like a villain and wishes she were more like Jen and Pacey, who acts on their feelings and see fearless. Jen warns her not to see Pacey as invincible.
Joey watches Pacey and Andie talk at the library, then talks to Andie about Will. Andie really likes him, but she regrets that she’s not with Pacey anymore. Running into him at the library brought everything back. On her way out, Joey runs into Dawson, who invites her to come over for a movie night. She begs off, acting flustered. Later, she leaves Pacey a message on his answering machine, asking him not to talk to Dawson.
Dawson’s watching The Last Picture Show by himself when Joey goes through his window. She remembers that they saw the movie on their first date. They didn’t see the ending, so she asks about it. In an amazing coincidence, the movie is about friends whose friendship is destroyed by a bad relationship. Joey quickly goes back out the window, circling around the house and intercepting Pacey at the front door. Dawson hears them talking from his room. After the conversation we saw earlier, Pacey apologizes for telling Dawson like this. Dawson says Pacey didn’t tell him, and Joey realizes he already knew.
We go back to the beginning again, and Dawson compliments Pacey on his successful boat restoration. Pacey thanks everyone for helping out and christens True Love with a bottle of champagne. At the library, Dawson encounters Will, who asks what he and Joey did on their first date. Dawson advises him not to take Andie to a movie on their first date since they won’t be able to talk. He suggests that Will take Andie out on the creek, inviting him to borrow his boat.
Henry comes to Jen’s house, but she won’t let him inside, per Grams’ rules. She changes her mind when Dawson comes over, since she thinks she’s going to need to comfort him. Dawson says he’s had a rough day, and Jen says that in the long run, it’s better that Pacey told him. Dawson has no idea what she’s talking about. He does, however, guess that it has something to do with Joey.
Dawson’s mad that Jen knew and didn’t say anything; she says she wanted to protect him. Dawson insists that he’s fine, telling Jen to keep quiet again. Joey comes through Dawson’s window, and this time his side of the conversation contains the hint that he knows what she’s there to talk about. He tells her the movie ends with everyone alone and hating each other. After Joey leaves, he starts crying.
Dawson confronts Pacey and Joey, revealing that Jen spilled the beans, and blasts that the two people he trusted the most lied to him. He asks if they were bored or malicious. Pacey tells him to be mad at him, not Joey. Dawson says that Pacey clearly values sex more than friendship. He feels sorry for Pacey because when it’s all over, Pacey will need friends, and he won’t have any. Andie and Will show up to return the boat and Dawson tells them that Pacey and Joey have been sneaking around.
We rewind to Dawson leaving Jen’s house, seeing her go inside and tell Henry what happened. He tries to kiss her to make her feel better, but Jen thinks he’s trying to make himself feel better. He tells her he wants to put the two of them in front of whatever drama her friends are dealing with. Jen angrily tells him to leave.
Will takes Andie out on the creek, telling her the story of Orpheus and Eurydice (she died, he played music in the underworld to get her back; he wasn’t supposed to look at her until they got back to the real world, but he did and she died again). Fast-forward to the two of them interrupting the Dawson/Pacey/Joey confrontation, and Andie blasts Pacey for being dumb enough to risk his friendship with Dawson. She tells him that Dawson is Joey’s first love, and she’s never going to love Pacey as much as she loves him.
Joey follows Dawson up to his room, telling him she didn’t intend for things to happen this way. She reminds him that they broke up almost a year ago. Dawson points out that she keeps saying she wants to find herself – is Pacey what she’s looking for? He doesn’t get how Joey and Pacey can be together when they supposedly hate each other. Joey says things between her and Dawson are complicated, and he says that’s on her.
Joey can’t explain things, but she knows she needs Pacey. Dawson asks if she needs Pacey the way she needs him. Joey says the two things are different. The way she feels about Pacey is completely separate from her friendship with Dawson. Dawson tells her that they can’t be friends if she’s going to be with Pacey. She has to choose between them. He adds that if Joey chooses Pacey, he won’t be around to pick up the pieces when things don’t work out. “This ruins everything. There’s no going back.” Then Dawson tells her to leave.
Jen comes by later that evening, telling Dawson he shouldn’t be alone right now. He asks why she didn’t tell him about Joey and Pacey. Jen says that if she’d tried to stop them, they just would have gotten closer. She tells Dawson to let things run their course and let Joey decide what she wants. He doesn’t think he can let her go, so he’s going to fight for her.
Pacey and Joey meet up at the pier and she asks the question from the beginning. He asks what she would do differently her second time around. She doesn’t know, saying they’d probably wind up back where they are, wherever that is. Joey admires True Love, but Pacey notes that he’s not sure it’s actually seaworthy. After a few moments, he realizes that they’re over. Joey says it has to be. She starts to leave, and when she turns around, Pacey’s gone.
Thoughts: Oh, Joey. You have to choose between your boyfriend and your best friend, and you pick the one who made you choose? What kind of friend makes you make a decision like that? Not the one you should want to be with.
Alias did an episode kind of like this. Only it had less teen angst and more car chases.
For a small town, Capeside has a pretty big library.
Doug is the worst older brother ever.
Nice continuity: Gwen’s painting of Dawson and Joey from Stolen Kisses is now on his wall.
November 6, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.19, Stolen Kisses: Daydream Believer
Foreshadowing!
Summary: It’s spring break, and Dawson and Joey are continuing their ritual of visiting his aunt, this time with their friends. Joey hopes to also continue their tradition of doing karaoke. Some guy named Will who used to live in Capeside is there to visit, and Pacey’s invited him along. Andie arrives and announces that Jack is staying behind to spend quality time with Mr. McPhee. Joey pulls Pacey aside and mentions that he hadn’t planned to come along. Pacey claims he’s just going so Will won’t having a boring vacation.
Jen apparently hasn’t been invited along, and she’s working as a hostess at Mitch and Gail’s restaurant, alongside Henry. A waitress named Shelley thinks he’s cute and has dirty thoughts about him. At a diner, Andie quizzes Will on his favorite things. Dawson and Joey tell the others about Dawson’s aunt Gwen, who’s an artsy free spirit. She left her husband for an older man, who has since died. Andie’s sad, but Will thinks it’s better to have a short time with someone you really love than a long time with someone you don’t really care about.
Mitch and Gail visit with an old friend named Megan, who tells them about her husband Tom’s death. Gail decides not to tell her that they’re not together anymore. Megan’s happy that they made their restaurant dream a reality. She gives them a copy of the toast her husband wrote for their wedding. The kids get to Gwen’s house and she mentions meeting Pacey before when he was a kid chasing after Joey. That evening, Joey and Pacey run into each other in their pajamas and agree not to discuss their recent behaviors. Then they have to share a bed, for some reason.
The next morning, Gwen tells Dawson and Joey that she needs their help with something, but the others can go exploring. Will and Pacey want to play pool, but Andie objects. Gail asks Mitch if he wants to discuss Tom’s death, but he doesn’t think there’s anything to say. He admits that he wishes they’d been in better touch. Gail gives him the toast and encourages him to read it, saying it was nice to see their relationship through Tom’s eyes. Mitch doesn’t want to revisit the past.
Jen catches Shelley flirting with Henry and punishes her with extra work. Henry accuses her of being jealous, which she tries to deny. Pacey, Andie, and Will play pool, and a guy in the pool hall challenges the guys to a game for money. Dawson, Joey, and Gwen shop somewhere, and Dawson tells Gwen that he took down all of his movie posters and isn’t interested in movies anymore. He and Joey tell Gwen about their failed relationship, mentioning Pacey. Gwen asks why they aren’t together now.
Andie blasts Pacey and Will for hustling the guy in the pool hall; she’s also mad that Will pretended to be bad at pool and made her think she was good. Later, they help Gwen out with a horse while Dawson asks Joey if he seems different to her. She says yes, because he no longer has to be the center of attention. Now he stands back and lets other people shine.
Dawson tells her that the visit to Gwen’s has reminded him of how good they are for each other. Joey notes that people change and relationships change with them. Dawson wants to have faith that they’ll find their way back to each other. Joey says she’s changed her mind: Dawson is still the same because he’s still an eternal optimist. Dawson admits that he’s starting to forget why they’re not together.
Joey admires one of Gwen’s paintings, learning that she painted a picture of her house before she lived there. She asks if Gwen has any regrets about her life. Gwen admits that she got married too young and stayed in a safe relationship. Then she met someone who made her feel alive and couldn’t ignore her feelings for him. She owed it to herself to explore something new. Gwen shows Joey a painting she did of her and Dawson as kids. Pacey accidentally interrupts while she’s looking at it.
Henry informs Jen that Shelley just told him she wants to have sex with him. He’s a little freaked out. Jen asks if he thinks Shelley’s attractive. Henry says no, but Jen snaps that he can go off and have a billion babies with her, but he’d better not call her jealous again. Andie and Will hang out and she asks why he’s so unhappy. He tells her about his father, who’s a jerk. Mitch questions his and Gail’s supposed friendship, noting that if they were such good friends, they’d still be married.
The kids do karaoke with Gwen, who makes Joey and Dawson sing “Daydream Believer.” Pacey can’t take it and walks out. Jen catches Henry and Shelley getting flirtatious again and finally tells Shelley that she and Henry are dating. She didn’t say anything before because she has issues (no kidding). Jen manages to embarrass herself in front of the whole restaurant, then admits to Henry that she’s jealous (again, no kidding).
Joey finds Pacey moping alone outside, and he tells her he can’t compete with her history with Dawson. She tells him there isn’t supposed to be a competition, and she and Pacey have their own history. Pacey admits that he’s hated the whole uncomfortable trip. He only came along to be with Joey. He doesn’t think she feels anything for him, but she admits that his touch makes her feel alive. Pacey announces that he’s going to kiss her, and her protests just make him want to kiss her more. He invites her to stop him, but she doesn’t, so he proceeds. They make out for a few moments, but Gwen interrupts.
Pacey goes back inside while Gwen remarks that she now understands why Joey and Dawson aren’t together. She encourages Joey to tell Dawson what’s going on. She warns Joey not to be reckless with his feelings, noting that he could have been the one to see the kiss. Inside, Pacey and Andie discuss Will, and he asks if she likes him. She says they need to stop worrying about each other and she wants him to move on.
Henry finds Jen crying in a storage room and expecting him to be mad. She admits to being scared because she let down her guard with him and could lose him. Henry assures her that she has nothing to worry about. He also says he can die happy because his biggest dream came true: seeing her in lingerie.
Gail and Mitch watch a tape of Tom giving their wedding toast, and Mitch says that he had to let Gail go. Remembering what they used to have is painful for him. Gail tells him that after talking to Megan, their own problems seemed much smaller. They dance, as do their former selves on the tape.
Dawson’s also reminiscing, looking at pictures of himself and Joey as kids. Joey tries to talk to him, but Gwen interrupts. She gives Dawson the painting of him and Joey, calling him a daydream believer and telling him his dreams are an asset, not a weakness. Before Gwen dies, she wants to know that she did one thing: loving someone. She tells Dawson to decide what his one thing is.
Joey and Pacey meet up outside again, and she says she tried to tell Dawson about them but couldn’t find the words. He asks what she would have said, not believing her when she says she doesn’t know. He says she doesn’t have the answers because she’s too scared to ask herself the right questions. How he feels isn’t important; what matters is how she feels. Joey says she feels awful.
Pacey tells Joey that he feels awful as well, because he can’t get rid of the feelings he has for her. He can’t initiate the next kiss and he can’t keep giving Joey the answers. “If you felt even one shred of what I feel for you, then we wouldn’t be standing here having this conversation,” he says. And then they stop talking and start kissing.
Thoughts: Shelley is played by Sarah Lancaster (now on Chuck) and Gwen is played by Julie Bowen (Modern Family), which means two of the guest stars have better careers than most of the main cast.
This was the episode that started a short arc establishing Will so he could be spun off into another series, Young Americans. Which makes no sense, because a spin-off without a character already from a series isn’t exactly a spin-off. It’s just…a series.
Gwen invited five teenagers to her house and doesn’t have beds for all of them? What’s up with that?
Andie would not wear that knit cap. She’s a little white girl from New England.
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 9, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.14, The Valentine’s Day Massacre: A Little Less Conversation, a Little More Action
TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL, YOU FOOL!
Summary: Dawson tries to teach Joey to drive stick (not a euphemism) as Pacey lounges in the bed of the truck. Pacey can’t believe A.J. isn’t taking Joey out for Valentine’s Day. Some guy named Matt is throwing a big anti-Valentine’s Day party, and the guys invite Joey to go with him. She thinks they’ll make fools of themselves and decides to rent a movie instead. Pacey taunts that she’ll have to find someone to drive her to the video store.
At school, Jack tells Pacey and Dawson that he tried to find out where the party is, but it’s confidential because Matt’s afraid the police will bust it up. However, he did find out the secret password. Henry tries to sell plasma so he can afford a date with Jen, but it hasn’t been long enough since his last sale. He sweet-talks a nurse into breaking the rules for him. Pacey tracks down Doug and asks to go on a ride-along with him that night. Doug tells him he’ll be staking out the golf course because someone heard there might be a party there.
Andie’s friend Kate/Jack’s ex-girlfriend is coming to visit for the weekend, which Jack isn’t happy about. Andie admits that she didn’t tell Kate that Jack’s gay. She’s going to leave it up to Jack to share that news. Jen gets ready for her date with Henry, trying to convince Grams (and herself) that it’s not a big deal. Andie, Jack, and Kate head off to meet up with their friends before the party, sharing awkward conversation. Kate’s upset because her boyfriend just broke up with her…because he’s gay.
The three meet Dawson and Pacey on the golf course, and Kate tells them that Jack was her first boyfriend. She adds that she’s just broken up with her boyfriend and is now in a “highly charged emotional state.” Pacey thinks this means she’s looking to hook up, so he encourages Dawson to go for it. Joey arrives, claiming she wants to make sure Dawson doesn’t do anything stupid. Pacey suspects that she’ll ruin the night for everyone.
Henry picks Jen up for their date looking like a Twilight extra. She pricks herself on the thorn of the rose he gives her, which can’t be a good sign. As the kids take golf carts to the party, Joey tells Pacey that Dawson’s lost, so he shouldn’t have pushed him on Kate. The two disagree about the best way to get Dawson’s head back on straight. Jack doesn’t want to tell Kate that he’s gay since she’s already in a bad state. Dawson assures Kate that there’s nothing wrong with her, and she starts to feel better.
The kids arrive at the party, which they weren’t invited to. Matt challenges their presence, but they have the password, so he can’t really turn them away. Everyone has to do a Jello shot to gain entrance, and Pacey, Kate, and Jack don’t have any problem with that. Andie begs off, as she’s the designated driver, and Joey snarks her way out of it. To Joey’s dismay, Dawson does a shot. Meanwhile, Henry passes out on his date with Jen.
Back in one of the golf carts, Joey complains to Andie about Pacey always getting them into bad situations. Andie thinks he’s fun, saying he’s like “a big, dopey dog.” She thinks Joey sounds like Andie did before she started dating Pacey. Doug catches them in the golf cart and pulls them over. Back at the party, Dawson, now tipsy, asks Kate to go for a walk. Henry’s taken to the hospital, telling Jen he sold his plasma to buy her a ring. It doesn’t fit.
Kate tells Dawson that she’s figured out that he’s the nice guy who always takes the troubled girls off the other guys’ hands. He’s somewhat offended that she automatically pegged him as a nice guy. He asks the universe to get on board with what he wants, and Kate tells him to stop whining. If he would act instead of talking, he might get some results. In other words, stop talking about kissing her and just kiss her. Dawson starts to, but first Kate has to throw up. And then Doug finds them.
Jen comes home and tells Grams that her date went badly. Grams tells her that even a bad date is just an experience in a long line of experiences. Jen tells her just how badly things went. She wonders why Henry went to all the trouble he did when he’s not that sophisticated. Grams suggests that that’s how he thinks she wants him to be. Doug breaks up the party and takes all the kids to the police station.
Kate says she’s have the best time, and Jack decides it’s a good time to tell her he’s gay. She figures it out a split second before he tells her. She’s surprised since they had sex and he was good. Kate asks Dawson if he’s gay, too, since apparently only gay guys will kiss her. Joey’s upset that Dawson and Kate kissed, or at least almost kissed. Joey asks what Dawson was thinking, and he says he wasn’t thinking for once. She says he was acting out of character. Dawson tells her that character is in her head and he has to be allowed to make mistakes.
Pacey mocks his friends for reprising “The Ballad of Dawson and Joey,” complaining about the way Joey treats Dawson. She asks when he developed a mean streak. Pacey backs off, telling her he’s had too much to drink. He’s just frustrated to have to keep watching Dawson and Joey’s on-and-off relationship. He asks them to make up their minds and stop treating their “saga” with such “reverence.” (Amen, Brother Pacey! Preach it!)
The kids are all freed from their holding cells, but Sheriff Witter has told Doug to keep Pacey there overnight. Jen visits Henry in the hospital and admits that she was more nervous about their date than she led on. She’s never had a date on Valentine’s Day, let alone a first date, and she made too big of a deal about it. She does want to keep seeing Henry, but she wants them to act more like themselves. She will, however, be keeping the ring. The two eat Jello together and Henry notes that this is their date.
Jack and Kate get ready for bed at the McPhees’ house and make peace with their status as exes. He admits that he was afraid to disappoint her by telling her he was gay. Kate promises that he could never disappoint her. She’s happy she got to see him at a time she really needed to. Mitch takes Dawson home, noting that he’s made a lot of mistakes this year. Dawson wants to pass them off as “youthful exuberance,” and though Mitch is okay with that, he’ll have to start acting more like a parent. Until Dawson figures out his new path, he’ll be working at Gail’s new restaurant.
Doug brings Pacey some coffee and asks what has him so down. He guesses it’s a girl. Pacey tells him the girl is really annoying, but she gives him butterflies. Doug laments that getting older means losing the butterflies. He urges Pacey to do something, but Pacey thinks that would welcome a Hellmouth. Doug tells him that he may never come across another girl who gives him butterflies, so he should take action.
The next day, Pacey goes to Joey’s and apologizes for the things he said the night before. She admits that she was worried about him because he doesn’t have the moral compass Dawson does and no one else worries about him. Pacey says there’s something he needs to tell her, but chickens out of talking about his feelings, instead asking her if she wants him to show her how to drive stick (possibly not a euphemism).
Thoughts: Do they really let teenagers sell plasma? I’m going to guess no.
Yeah, an outdoor party in February in Massachusetts is my idea of a fun time. Isn’t it everyone’s?
I bet Jello appreciates all of its mentions in this episode.
October 2, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.13, Northern Lights: True North
This picture scares me
Summary: Joey helps Pacey with his lines for the school play, which opens the next night. He’s disappointed that she won’t be coming to the first performance. He’s even more disappointed when he learns that A.J. is coming to Capeside for a party and they’re going to see the northern lights together. Pacey thinks A.J.’s making stuff up to win Joey over, since there’s no way they’ll be able to see the northern lights from Capeside.
At school, Nikki confronts Dawson about dropping out of their film class. She wonders if it’s because of his poor showing at the film festival, but he says he needs some time off. She reminds him that they were supposed to pitch a film idea to their class in a few days. Andie tries to run a play rehearsal, but Pacey’s having trouble remembering his lines. Mr. Broderick develops a kidney stone and leaves Andie in charge of the production, giving a melodramatic monologue that I was sure meant this was a dream. Somehow, it’s not.
Jen tries to talk to Henry, who runs away from her. They planned to have dinner that night, but he’s sure she’s going to cancel on him. She assures him that she’s not canceling, but she does have to postpone so she can go to opening night of the play. Henry invites himself along. Pacey goes to Joey’s house to freak out over his inability to remember his lines. He invites her to the cast party after the play, then tries again to tell Joey that A.J.’s lame. When A.J. arrives to get Joey, Pacey is full-on jealous.
A.J. takes Joey to a house near the marina for a viewing party attended by a bunch of grad students and other sophisticated types. He gets her a drink, then pours it out before she can drink any. She notes that most college guys want girls to get drunk. Everyone heads into the house since it’s cloudy; A.J. tells Joey things might clear up by midnight, the best time for seeing the lights. He suggests that they take a walk instead of joining everyone else.
20 minutes before curtain call, Pacey isn’t at the school, so Andie’s freaking out. Dawson finds him shooting baskets in the gym. Pacey admits that he’s nervous to perform in front of so many people, especially with Andie depending on him. Dawson asks if he’s had fun with the play, and when Pacey says he has, Dawson encourages him to just keep having fun. Pacey notes that Dawson just gave up his dream, but he’s calm. He even remains calm when Pacey mentions that Joey’s going out with A.J.
Henry meets up with Jen in the auditorium, but she’s not alone – she brought Grams with her. Grams also didn’t know Henry was going to join them. Pacey tells Andie he can’t go on, but she won’t let him back out. He hesitates when he first gets on stage, but his lines come to him and he does fine. Joey and A.J. take a walk on the beach and talk about her fear of failure. He thinks it’s a result of her losing her mother at a young age. Joey admits that she may have gotten interested in art to please other people. They kiss, but Joey says she has to go meet someone.
The play goes well, and Jack gives Andie flowers at the cast party, which he organized in a single afternoon. Jen keeps avoiding being alone with Henry by going to sit with Pacey. He remarks that none of his family members came, and Jen adds that Joey didn’t show either. Moments later, Joey arrives for the party.
Nikki asks Dawson why he dropped the class that centered around his passion. He tells her he took all of his movie posters down. He also tells a story about going to the movies with his parents and seeing people making out. He’s no longer with his parents, he’s never been the guy who makes out at movies, and he’s no longer having fun. Nikki asks what Dawson’s going to turn to next, asking when he last had fun.
Joey uses the cloudiness as an excuse for skipping out on the viewing party, but Pacey guesses that A.J. kissed her and she got scared off. He asks if she’s going to see him again. Joey makes up more excuses, saying he lives far away and is smarter than her. Pacey thinks she doesn’t feel the same way about A.J. that she does about Dawson. Joey corrects that she doesn’t feel that way about Dawson anymore. Pacey assures her that she’ll find someone else someday. A.J. shows up and Pacey reluctantly sends Joey over to him.
Henry climbs up to the rafters and reenacts a scene from the play, making Jen admit that she’s embarrassed to be there with him and that she’s been horrible to him to hide the fact that she likes him. Joey and A.J. go for another walk and he asks if he did something wrong. She says she panicked because they’re a mismatch. She thinks A.J.’s too smart for her. He tells her he’s not so smart when it comes to girls. Since they’ve missed the northern lights, A.J. tells Joey about them, as he’s seen them before. He says it’s beautiful to see something familiar in a new way.
Andie and Jack clean up after the cast party, discussing the fact that Andie got to spend time with people who don’t know her whole history. She felt more like herself than she has in a while. She reveals that her mantra in the hospital was, “Structure and purpose.” Andie likes having something to hold onto that isn’t a person. She goes outside to talk to Pacey, who’s clearly mopey. Andie says she was wrong to treat him like a fixer-upper because he’s perfect the way he is. He tells her she is, too.
Henry walks Jen home as she tells him he doesn’t have to try so hard. Henry wants to know Jen better and be completely honest with her. She claims that that’s not possible, though he’s the one person who could pull it off. Henry offers to teach Jen how to be honest in the childlike way he is, asking her to say whatever’s on her mind. Instead, she kisses him.
Joey goes home to find Dawson waiting to talk to her. He was feeling lost. He admits that he didn’t think about how he would react to dropping the film class. Joey guesses that he’s questioning who he really is. She thinks he’s lost his true north, the fixed point in the sky you use to guide yourself. Dawson asks what Joey’s is, but she doesn’t think she has one. Suddenly they see lights in the sky and realize you can, in fact, see the northern lights in Capeside. Joey remarks that it’s typical for her to wait a long time for something and finally experience it with Dawson.
Thoughts: Joey, please learn how to curl your hair correctly. It shouldn’t look like it’s wet all the time.
Hey, A.J., I think you left your charisma in Boston.
There sure are a lot of people at the cast party. Remind me, which character did Grams play?
September 26, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.12, A Weekend in the Country: The Little Chill
SQUEE!
Summary: Dawson, Joey, and Pacey watch The Big Chill at the bed and breakfast, which is open but has no guests. She blames Pacey for inspiring her and Bessie to start the business. At school, Jen runs into Henry, who tells her he’s been working on the roof of a restaurant and was offered a free dinner for two. She doesn’t want to take him up on it since they’ve established that they don’t feel the same way about each other, but she agrees to think about it.
Andie tells Jack about all the things she has to do for the play, so he offers to help her with the playbill. She encourages him to move back home, but Jack doesn’t want to live with their father. He also thinks Mr. McPhee is behind Andie’s request. Joey and Bessie try to get a loan and are advised to take out a mortgage. Bessie thinks it’s a good idea, but Joey’s worried about risking their home, which is their one remaining connection to their mother. Bessie reminds her that she’s in charge, stating that Joey doesn’t understand the responsibilities she has.
Dawson stops by to shoot an ad for the B&B and try to drum up some business. Joey’s not in the mood (is she ever?). Pacey joins them to announce that he’s booked a writer from the New York Times‘ travel section to visit and review the B&B. Joey says they’re not ready for a review. Pacey brings in Jen, Jack, Andie, Grams, Mitch, and Gail to play other guests, so the reviewer doesn’t think the place is empty.
Dawson and Joey blast Pacey for springing this on them, especially since he’s making Gail and Mitch pretend to be happy and married. Pacey says he only asked Mitch, and it was his idea to bring Gail. He in turn blasts Joey for not being grateful to everyone for wanting to help. She tells him and Dawson about the possible mortgage and how she and Bessie could lose their house if the B&B fails. It’s too late, though, since the reviewer, Fred, has arrived.
Mitch and Gail take the honeymoon suite, planning on only playing house until Fred goes to sleep. Dawson asks if they didn’t consider his feelings when they agreed to help. He’s sick of his parents not knowing what they want. Fred isn’t impressed with the accommodations, and for some reason, Andie and Jack are sharing a room, which is weird. Jack guesses that Andie’s going to spend the weekend trying to talk him into coming home. The toilet in the communal bathroom overflows and Joey makes Pacey clean it up.
Mitch apologizes to Dawson for not telling him they were coming to the B&B. He wants to show Gail that he’s there for her even if they’re no longer together. He doesn’t get why Dawson’s mad that his divorced parents get along so well. Dawson says he’s confused about where they stand with each other. Bessie totally flirts with Fred, telling him Pacey is their on-site handyman. Then the furnace goes kaput.
Joey calls Bessie on her flirting, complaining that she’s 16 but gets treated like a child. Bessie complains about being a single mom, and Joey notes that she hasn’t exactly asked Bodie to come home from wherever he’s working out of town. She decides she’s done caring about the B&B. Pacey chops wood and tells Mitch that all the disasters at the B&B are his fault. He’s worried that he’ll end up making Joey and Bessie lose their house. He thinks he has the opposite of the Midas touch. Mitch tells him to think of all the positive things he’s done, asking him what makes him care so much.
Dawson apologizes to Gail for his behavior earlier; he’s just confused about his family’s dynamics. She compares their relationship to his and Joey’s, as they care about each other but aren’t together. Andie and Jack head to Grams’ house to get a space heater and she sees how much of a family the three of them are. Jack realizes that she’s been asking him to come home because she misses having him there, not because of Mr. McPhee.
Jen asks Dawson what scared him the most about her sexual past while they were dating. He says it was the unknown; he’d never met anyone with as much as experience as her. She wonders if most other guys would have the same reaction. Dawson admits that his reaction was wrong because she’s awesome, and he feels sorry for anyone who can’t see that.
The men try to start a fire in the fireplace, but Grams has to school them on the proper way to do it. She tells everyone about evenings she used to spend with her husband, saying you know you love someone when you can spend the evening watching him or her sleep. The smell from the fire leads everyone to talk about their favorite scents and the feelings they evoke. This also leads to Joey revealing that her mother’s dream was to open a B&B.
Joey thanks everyone for helping out, telling them they’re great fake guests, then excusing them for the rest of the weekend. Fred overhears, and Joey tells him that though the B&B might not be perfect, she thinks her mom would have loved it. In the morning, everyone’s still at the inn, and they reenact the kitchen scene from The Big Chill. Joey asks why they stayed, and Dawson points out that they’ve only done one of the B’s in B&B.
Fred tells Joey that even though the heat didn’t work the night before, the B&B is one of the warmest places he’s ever been. Joey asks who made the pancakes, since they’re better than the ones Bessie usually makes, and everyone calls for the chef: Bodie. Bessie shows Joey the guest book their father gave their mother for Christmas years earlier; it’s now been signed by their first guest. She wonders how she could have forgotten their mom’s dream. Joey notes that she was busy raising two kids.
Mitch tells Gail that he thought of another memory when everyone was talking about scents the night before. She guesses that it’s of a business she wanted to open, Leery’s Fresh Fish. Since she doesn’t currently have a job, he suggests that she check out a location where she could make her dream a reality.
Jen meets up with Henry and tells him all about her past, surprised when he doesn’t care. He notes that whatever she did before is part of what makes her who she is, and he still likes her. Dawson tells Pacey that things in his life are changing so quickly that he’s having trouble finding his bearings. He can’t see his future, only a past that doesn’t seem familiar. He notes that Pacey has changed a lot; at first he thought it was because of Andie, but he’s still different without her. Dawson thanks him for taking care of Joey.
Jack tells Jen and Grams that Andie has been pressuring him to move back home. When they invited him to live with them, he had no one, and he was touched by how much they cared about him. Now he wants to remind Andie that she has someone who cares about her. Grams and Jen are obviously sad to see him go but support his decision.
Music montage! Pacey finds Joey asleep in the B&B and covers her with a blanket. Bessie, Bodie, and Alexander have a picnic together. Jen and Henry chat. Gail stops by to look at the possible future location of Leery’s Fresh Fish. Jack packs his things at Grams’. Dawson thinks about his future. Joey sleeps peacefully as Pacey watches her from across the room. BECAUSE HE’S IN LOVE WITH HER.
Thoughts: Nice Cosby sweater, Mitch. Did it come with a humorous yet touching lesson for your son?
I think the show only addressed Bodie’s absence because the fans actually noticed it.
If the B&B was so cold, why did Joey sleep in a tank top?
September 24, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.11, Barefoot at Capefest: Friends Without Benefits
Imagine this show had better writing...
Summary: Dawson and Joey go to get a camera from film class and run into Nikki, who’s going to be using it for the next month. Joey’s amused by Dawson’s frustration. Jack and Jen go grocery shopping, and he’s stunned to encounter Ethan, who’s in town for Capefest, a free concert in the park. He invites Jack to join him at a campsite near the park. He’s not even deterred when Jack proves to have no knowledge of alternative music.
At school, Andie talks to the annoying English teacher, Mr. Broderick, about being his assistant director on a production of Barefoot in the Park. Dawson and Joey learn that Gail is getting a bunch of the Leerys’ furniture in her and Mitch’s divorce settlement. She asks her son to keep being understanding because it makes things easier for his parents. Joey asks Dawson if he wants to talk, but he can’t think of anything to say.
Jack and Jen head to the campsite, her commenting that he’s going to extremes (like sleeping outside) to hook up with Ethan. Jack claims he’s just trying to get to know him. Jen advises him to play it cool and let Ethan come to him. Andie and Mr. Broderick suffer through some bad auditions before she thinks they’ve found the right guy to play Paul. Mr. Broderick has already picked someone else out, and his description of the kid as a bad student who’s a natural comedian leads me to guess who it is: Pacey.
Dawson goes to the Greens’ house to blast Nikki for being selfish with the camera. She claims that she didn’t know he wanted to use it. Principal Green invites him to stay for dinner, not taking no for an answer. Ethan arrives at the campsite and takes Jack to get dinner. He admits that he thought Jack would ask for his phone number on the train. Jack reveals that that was his first real conversation with another gay guy.
Jen runs into Henry (last seen in “Secrets and Lies”), who obviously doesn’t want to talk. She asks him to help her put up her and Jack’s tent. Henry accuses her of leading him on just so she could break his heart. He’s sure she’s happy to be “on the requited side of unrequited love.” Jen reminds him that they were going to be friends. Henry notes that he hasn’t talked to her in a month, and she hasn’t even noticed. He tells her to put up her own tent.
Principal Green tells Dawson about Nikki’s childhood film activities, asking if she’s enlisted him for her new movie yet. He thinks the two of them should work together, but they disagree. Ethan tells Jack about when he realized he was different, asking how Jack knows he’s gay even though he hasn’t even kissed another guy. He says it’s about moments and conversations. Then he realizes his camping gear has disappeared.
Andie asks Pacey to quit the play since she chose this as her afterschool activity first. Pacey tells her he’s going to get an automatic C. Plus, Mr. Broderick thinks he’s a good actor. Andie notes that the teacher is a disaster, and his plays are even worse. She wanted to be a part of this to distract herself from Pacey. Pacey tells her to quit instead, but neither of them will budge, so they’re stuck with each other.
Dawson gets his jacket from Nikki’s bedroom and sees that it doesn’t look like it belongs to someone who loves movies. He wonders why she doesn’t immerse herself in film like she does. Nikki says that film allows her to explore the other things that interest her. Otherwise she would only make movies about movies. Nikki mentions her parents’ divorce, and Dawson asks if she’s as cool about it as she appears. (She’s not.) She tells him her new movie is about the American family. Dawson admits that he doesn’t think about his parents’ divorce much, but sometimes he feels disappointed in being the product of something that failed.
Jen starts to tell Jack about her encounter with Henry, but stops when she meets Ethan, who offers to help with the tent. Jack tells her that Ethan needs a place to stay and asks her to leave until midnight. She threatens to take the car and go home instead. Instead, she comes across Henry and a couple other guys playing guitar together.
The play actors rehearse, and it’s clear that Pacey isn’t actually that great of an actor. It turns out he’s better when he doesn’t try, since he’s similar to his character. Jack wants to stay up talking to Ethan (or possibly more than that), but Ethan wants to sleep so they’ll be ready for the long day of listening to bands. Jen admits to Henry that she misses hanging out with him, and he tells her how much he was in love with her. He doesn’t miss that she never noticed how he felt about her.
Joey finds Dawson de-Spielberging his room; he tells her he doesn’t see the world the same way he did when he put up his movie posters. She doesn’t understand why he was at Nikki’s house. She calls him a sell-out, reminding him that Eve had him acting differently, too. Dawson says that Nikki helped him sort through his feelings about his parents. Joey’s mad that he didn’t talk to her about that, since she tried to help him. Dawson blasts her for not wanting him to talk to other girls. He points out that he hasn’t asked about A.J., but she finds that lack of interest a slap in the face.
In the morning, Ethan tells Jack to ask for his phone number. Jack notes that Ethan didn’t want to talk the night before. Ethan says that has nothing to do with the two of them being friends. He knew Jack had to be interested, but he’s not ready to be more than friends. Jack says he should be discouraged that Ethan rejected him the night before, but he’s optimistic to know there’s someone out there like Ethan.
Mr. Broderick is a no-show for the next play rehearsal, so Pacey encourages Andie to take over. Jen finds Henry again and apologizes for being a jerk to him. She stayed up all night thinking about what he said to her and realized that she doesn’t know what it’s like to be in love with someone the way he was in love with her. However, she’d like to find out. Henry may be younger, but Jen’s the one who acted like the child.
Mr. Broderick arrives for the rehearsal and takes credit for how well Pacey and his costar are doing. Pacey tries to tell him that Andie’s responsible for their successes, but he won’t listen. He also treats Andie like his servant. She walks out and Pacey follows her, telling her not to let Mr. Broderick get to her. He offers to quit instead, but Andie wants him to stay since he’s actually good. Pacey admits that he needs her there. Andie keeps insisting she’s done with the play, but he pretends he can’t hear her.
Jack tells Jen that he just learned that the gay version of the let’s-be-friend speech is the same as the straight version. He apologizes for being self-involved and kicking her out of the tent. He also notices that Jen’s in a good mood. She tells him that she made a friend.
Joey comes back to Dawson’s room, asking if she still has “ladder privileges.” She’s brought him a John Lennon “Imagine” poster to remind him that he once wanted to write songs, not just make movies. She adds that no matter what, she always hears what he has to say. She wants him to talk about his problems even if it’s not to her. Dawson hangs up the poster, wondering if Lennon will inspire him to find his path. Joey warns him to watch out for his Yoko.
Thoughts: Has Dawson never met anyone with divorced parents before?
Henry was emo before there was emo.
I love Pacey, but he’s no Robert Redford.
Why is there a play rehearsal at night on what’s clearly the weekend?
August 30, 2011
Dawson’s Creek 3.6, Secrets and Lies: Lonely Hearts Club
Yeah, this might turn into the Joey and Pacey Devotion Blog. Deal with it
Summary: Jen laments to Dawson that she’s turning into her mother. First she was head cheerleader, then homecoming queen. Dawson thinks people voted for her because she’s different from everyone else. “They voted for me ’cause I’m blonde and I fill out my sweater,” Jen says. She’s introduced to a bunch of former Capeside High homecoming queens and learns their secret handshake. (No, seriously. This is not a dream.)
Thanks to help from the Police Auxiliary, Bessie and Joey have turned the Icehouse into a bed and breakfast. Joey’s happy to have a place to work that doesn’t involve her creepy ex-boss Rob. Pacey guesses that he fired her over a girl, and when Joey won’t tell him who it is, he realizes it was Andie. Dawson comes home from school and is surprised to Gail in the house. She’s in Capeside for the homecoming queen gala, which Jen has to plan. Gail wants Dawson to be her escort, which totally does not in any way hurt Mitch’s feelings.
Pacey avoids Andie at school, and she figures out that Joey told him about her and Rob. Andie tells Joey she can’t help liking Rob. Joey says sooner or later, she’ll get to tell Andie, “I told you so.” Jen meets with Ms. Franklin, the oldest living Capeside homecoming queen, and tries to get out of planning the gala with her. Ms. Franklin notes that most of the girls who win the honor are excited about it. She clearly doesn’t approve of who Jen is. Oh her way out, Jen encounters Ms. Franklin’s “handyboy,” Hank (AKA Henry), who has upset some bees and tells her to run.
Andie calls Joey while she’s working with Pacey at the B&B, tearfully begging her for help. Joey and Pacey rush over to Rob’s house, where he’s throwing a party, and Andie tells them that he tried to assault her. Pacey finds Rob, punches him in the face, and threatens to kill him if he hurts Andie again. Rob claims that nothing happened.
Jen and Henry hide from the bees in a greenhouse and he regales her with his knowledge of all the plants’ Latin names. He tells her that Ms. Franklin is lonely and he talked Jen up to her, so she was looking forward to meeting Jen. Joey encourages Andie to go to the police about Rob, but Andie doesn’t want to. Pacey assures Joey that he’ll handle things. Henry helps Jen and Ms. Franklin smooth things over, which allows them to start planning the gala. Jen announces that Henry will be her date.
Pacey takes Andie to his boat, since she said she wanted to go somewhere quiet. He wants to show her that he’s getting by without her, and has a new hobby. Andie admits that she’s not over him. If it took what happened with Rob to get them back together, then she’s fine with it. She tries to kiss him, but he doesn’t want anything to happen between them. He’s worried that tomorrow, she’ll regret it if they do something. Andie manages to talk Pacey into some making out, and the next morning, she tells him that she’s fine with whatever happens next.
Rob drops by Joey’s house and swears that he didn’t do anything to Andie. He claims that she pulled him upstairs, then started freaking out when they kissed. Joey notes that sexual assault and inappropriate behavior at work are both illegal. Rob points out that everyone knows about Andie’s mental-health history. He can’t figure out why she would accuse him of assault.
At the gala, Dawson learns the real reason Gail’s back in Capeside: She was fired from her station in Philadelphia because they thought she was too old. Jen and Henry show up in attire that’s not exactly right for a gala. The drag queens they’ve brought with them as the evening’s entertainment are much better dressed, though.
Joey asks Andie again about going to the police, and Andie says she may have overreacted to what happened. Joey tells her that Rob came by and begged her to believe that he’s innocent. She wishes she’d reported his behavior at work and prevented all of this from happening. Andie tells her that it may have happened for a reason, since she and Pacey are now back together. Joey is totally not at all in any way jealous.
Henry’s a little worried that Ms. Franklin will be mad at him for bringing the drag queens to the gala, but Jen thinks Ms. Franklin gets what she’s trying to say: Homecoming queens and drag queens are all just people dressing up and pretending to be people they’re not. In spite of herself, Ms. Franklin seems to be enjoying the evening’s entertainment.
Andie brings Pacey a skipper’s cap and topsiders, and he admits that he’s not sure if he’ll ever finish rebuilding the boat. He knows that it can never be the way it was before. (In case you were just born yesterday, this is all a metaphor for his relationship with Andie.) Pacey says that last night he went against what he knew was right. Andie says that this is the first day she’s really been happy since she got out of the hospital. He notes that they reacted to the same event in opposite ways.
Andie begs Pacey not to break up with her again, accusing him of punishing her. He says that punishment implies that she did something wrong. Andie points out that she did – she slept with another guy. “Maybe that was just your heart’s way of telling you that I’m not the one,” Pacey replies. “Because that’s what my heart’s telling me right now. It’s telling me that you’re not the one.”
As the now-much-livelier gala continues, Jen apologizes to Ms. Franklin for trying to shock her. Now she’s able to “look past the cliché” and has actually enjoyed being homecoming queen. Ms. Franklin tells her that Henry’s completely in love with her and talks about her all the time. She’s just worried that Jen doesn’t feel the same way about him. Jen admits that that’s true. Ms. Franklin tells her about her own experience with young love, which ended badly. She’s worried that Jen will hurt Henry so badly that he never recovers.
Henry takes Jen back to the greenhouse and tries to kiss her, but Jen stops him and tells him they’re just friends. He tells her he’s in love with her. She points out that he barely knows her, so that’s impossible. He’s two years younger and is going to fall in love a million times in the next couple of years. Henry asks for a chance, and Jen tells him he needs someone who both understands what he’s going through and can go through it with him. She’s not ready to be with anyone, let alone someone like Henry.
Dawson asks Gail why she didn’t tell him she got fired. She didn’t want to tell him that she followed her dream and failed. He tells her she didn’t, adding that she doesn’t look old. Gail doesn’t want to come back to Capeside for good, but Dawson thinks she and Mitch could help each other out right now. She tells him she doesn’t want to go back to being friends with Mitch.
Andie goes back to Joey’s and accuses her of sabotaging her relationship with Pacey. Joey says she hasn’t talked to Pacey since the previous night. She also knows that Andie wouldn’t lie about something like an assault. Andie replies that Joey doesn’t know what she’s capable of. She has blinders on and can only see what she’s after: Pacey. She’s desperate to get him back.
Jen returns to the gala to find Ms. Franklin having a great conversation with the drag queens. At the Leerys’ house, Gail and Mitch also have a conversation, though theirs seems to be more awkward. Meanwhile, Henry walks home alone, Pacey works on his boat, and Joey tries to comfort Andie.
Thoughts: Way to not even try to come up with a creative title for this episode, writers.
Ms. Franklin is played by K Callan, who has now officially been in every TV show ever.
Season 2 Andie was fun. Season 3 Andie is really annoying.
The drag queens’ names are awesome: Amanda Reckonwith, Summer Clearance, Megan Whoopee, and Christi Anity.
Aww, Jen. I’ve been there. But she let down the guy in love with her much more gently than I did.
