Dawson's Creek - 205 - Full Moon Rising

Original air date: November 4, 1998

So I think this marks the first episode that Joey and Dawson don't fight. The past four episodes, ie: their entire relationship, they have gotten into some fight or another. Also, we left last episode with their relationship hanging in the balance, unresolved.

This episode opens with them perfectly fine together. They also tease us by opening in Dawson's room (too late, writers! That ship has sailed) except that no one is there, so they then move the camera outside the window, where Dawson and Joey are sitting on the roof and looking at the almost full moon.

They are debating (what else is new, right?) whether the moon is romantic or creates chaos. Joey believes that the moon just causes everyone to act crazy while Dawson counters that it's calming and romantic. Joey remains convinced that weird things always happen during a full moon which sets our theme for the episode. Cue theme song.

At least they are actually getting along

Mitch is talking with Tamara about her warehouse. She is desperate to sell and is probably getting annoyed at Mitch stringing her along about the place. He asks her why she thinks it's so bad being here and everyone screams at him to shut up because that bitch is almost out of our lives. Oh wait, that was me who screamed that. Mitch then promises to make a decision if she lets him go over the plans for the warehouse again. What plans? It's a warehouse. Look at it and decide what plans YOU have for it and then make your damn decision. I highly doubt it's a maze, it looked pretty open concept to me.

Vincent, the guy from the docks that Abby liked, approaches Jen and begins flirting with her. He asks her out for coffee and Jen invites him around to her house. Uh, Jen? You do remember that you're sixteen and live with your grandma, right? I mean, I'll give you that the guy is hot, I'm just saying that it might not be the wisest decision to invite a way older guy over to Grams' house.

Alright, fine. Invite him over but no good
will come of it. Mark my words

Andie walks into the video store under the guise of renting a movie. Pacey and her trade barbs with each other and Pacey finally asks her out.

How I looked as I watched this scene unfold

Andie agrees and they make plans to meet for a movie. Everything is going smoothly until Pacey mentions picking her up at her place. Andie tries to get them to meet else where but Pacey insists on picking her up. Andie almost bails but then agrees that they will still meet at 7:30.

Pacey is happy, yay!

Abby catches up with Jen all bright and happy and asking if Jen is still mad at her. Uh...what? Did I miss something? I thought Abby was the one who was mad at Jen for stealing Vincent or some junk? Well, the show is pretending that it was Jen who was mad and she still seems to be because Abby called her a "desperate loser." Abby apologises, while stealing everything that Jen is trying out in the make up store, and says that they should never let a guy come between them again. It's kind of sweet but then Jen ruins it because she still doesn't get that not fighting over guys means not pursuing a guy that your friend openly liked and gushes to Abby about having a date with Vincent.

Abby does not react well

Jen gets upset that Abby is upset except that why would she think it was OK that she was going out with the guy that Abby liked? Just last episode, Jen said that she didn't want him, that Abby could have him and that their friendship meant more to her but now she's offended because Abby is upset? Jen, you kind of lied to her. I'm sorry but I'm on Abby's side on this one, even though we're being told by the writers that Abby is the villain. Abby starts attacking Jen, talking about needing condoms because he probably has illegitimate children all across the Eastern seaboard which is kind of funny because that's exactly what she said about him last episode that added to his appeal. Check out the contrast:

Is this a good thing?

Or a bad thing?

She then basically calls Jen a slut.

Jen does not react well

Meanwhile, in the Leery household, Mitch sinks ever lower. Gail is preparing a meal because she says she is playing an ambassador for a reporter who is going to be their station's affiliate or something and she thought it would be better to have him over at the house instead of going out. Reasonable. Mitch catches the word "him" and proceeds to argue with Gail that her work thing sounds like a "Thursday night excursion" even though that is supposed to be a date night as per his own rules. He says this right in front of Dawson and Joey who are in the kitchen studying. He also brings up the fact that she cheated on him with a co-worker, again in front of Dawson. Gail snaps back that at least she has coworkers and I finally realise why she may have cheated. Mitch doesn't work, he sits around at home and dreams of owning a restaurant. I'm not condoning her behaviour but I kind of understand her a little more, anyone could get resentful of a partner who seemingly isn't contributing to the household income while wanting to use your income to finance a pipe dream about owning a restaurant.

They both suck for airing their issues out in front
of their son and his girlfriend though.

Dawson expresses concern over his parents fighting. Hey, he's actually acknowledging his parents' problems this season. Some improvement for Dawson. Joey tells him that it's just the full moon putting people on edge and then leaves for work as quickly as she can to escape the awkwardness.

Yeah...I'm gonna go ahead and leave now

Jen is preparing for her date and lucky her, Grams is going to bible study. However, those things usually don't last a while and dates tend to last a lot longer, so I still fail to see how she can hide this from Grams. Abby bursts in and yells at Jen for hitting her. Jen says that she called her names and Abby counters with that she would never hit Jen. Jen says she's warped. Sorry, Jen, I disagree again. While, in the heat of the moment, people tend to say mean things that they may regret later, those mean things are not just cause to hit someone. The slap was dramatic and entertaining but not justified at all. She escorts Abby out and waits for Vincent to get there.

Jen is not a very good friend this episode

Gail is talking with the news anchor guy when the doorbell rings. She goes to answer it to reveal Tamahra. She is there to "go over the plans" again with Mitch. Seriously? How complicated is this warehouse? Apparently, she is leaving tomorrow which is writer code for "we are using her to escalate this dramatic breakdown between Dawson's parents but we have no intentions of developing her after this"

Convenient. Now can she be gone for good?

Joey and Jack are working at the Ice House which only has one customer so they are bored. Joey begins complaining that they haven't made any tips and that if "Mr. Bottomless Cup of Coffee" would leave, she would close the place. Jack calls her out on her disdain for their customers and the fact that she hates her job. Then this happens:

Thank you! Thank you for calling Joey out on
her irrational rage issues

Joey tries to pass it off on the full moon freaking her out but Jack calls her bullshit again and points out that it's not just today, she's always mad. Yes, yes to all of that. She is such an angry, bitter shrew of a character. Joey has no answer for that but thinks about what he said. Will this ever be fully addressed? Fuck, I hope so but I don't expect it to be.

Jen greets Vincent at Grams' house and, to her credit, seems to be keeping him relegated to the porch. They talk over coffee and Jen learns that he wants to be a lawyer which surprises her and also gets her even more interested in him. In other words...

Jen pictured here

Dawson walks past both of his parents as they are engaging in their pseudo-dates and looks confused. Do I really have to keep saying Dawson looks or is confused? That really seems to be his natural state of being on this show. Anyway, Mitch and Gail go into the kitchen, where Dawson is and begin bickering because they love exposing their son to their marital problems.

Gail yells at Mitch for getting mad at her when it's clear that his "Thursday night escapades are overflowing into the weekend." Dawson tries to ask them what Thursday nights are and Mitch has the gall to yell at him to go to his room. Uh, you guys are the dumb asses who are talking about it in front of him. You expect him not to be curious? Dawson does end up leaving as Mitch and Gail argue about the fact that Mitch wants to open a restaurant and that Gail is tired of indulging him in his dreams while their guests overhear everything in quiet discomfort.

I slept with a fifteen year old and
even I'm uncomfortable

Dawson finds Abby in his room, who seems to be spying on Jen. This goes no where because Dawson asks her what the hell she's doing there and then it cuts to another scene.

Meanwhile, Pacey has gone to Andie's house to pick her up for their date. However, she is not there but her mother is. She invites Pacey in and mentions that Andie tells her about him all the time. She also mentions that her husband, Will, probably wants to give him the third degree and that he should meet Tim. Pacey asks who Tim is and she tells him that he's Jack and Andie's older brother who goes to Columbia. Pacey thinks that's why he's never been mentioned. Andie's mother then invites him to stay for dinner and then goes upstairs to find Tim.

Yeah, that is a bizarre first date

Joey and Jack are still passing time at the Ice House while the old man sips coffee. The power suddenly goes out and Joey realises that the lobster tank has stopped working. They are rushing to put the lobsters in ice until they can fix the pump when Andie comes in looking for Pacey. She had been waiting at the theatre for him but he never showed and then she remembered they mentioned maybe meeting here. When she sees he isn't at the Ice House either, she gets a sudden thought, either Pacey ditched her or he went to their house. She starts freaking out and Jack tries to calm her down but she runs out quickly. Jack stays behind even though, whatever Andie was freaking out about, should be affecting him too and given what we find her freak out to be, Jack probably should have gone with her. I would think Joey would understand.

After all, they only have one customer

Jen and Vincent have apparently moved inside the house, into Grams' kitchen. They are sharing stories and getting along. Jen asks him what his most embarrassing sexual encounter is to which he responds that he almost had sex with a drag queen...this show has issues with the LGBT community. Anyway, he asks what hers is and Jen tells him that she got caught having sex on her parents' bed. Things are getting steamier between these two.

They kiss

Abby is upset by this turn of events, as she's been watching Jen and Vincent the whole date. Dawson asks her again why she's in his room and I love how this showcases what a doormat Dawson is. Think about it, a few scenes ago he finds Abby in his room spying on Jen and Vincent, they were outside on the porch. Now they've moved inside, so their date has obviously progressed and Dawson is just getting an answer to his question that he had to ask a second time. How long was Dawson sitting there in uncomfortable silence, watching Abby watch Jen and Vincent? It's hilarious when you really think about it. Abby tries to hit on Dawson because she desperately wants to make Jen jealous or hurt Jen in some way. Dawson refuses and Abby tries to negotiate with Dawson to get him to at least tell Jen they kissed. She tells him to tell Jen that he and Joey have an open relationship and that he and Abby hooked up. This finally gets Dawson thinking.

Wait, I could have had sex?

Just kidding, Dawson actually clues in to what's happening with his parents and he goes downstairs to get them into the kitchen and ask them point blank if they are having an open marriage.

Jen and Vincent are really heating things up and Jen starts to get a bit nervous. She starts to try and stop things but Vincent is in full rapey mode, trying to coerce her into having sex with him anyways. Telling her she's not serious when she says no and I want to punch him in the nuts. Jen finally blurts out that she's sixteen.

Why else would she have been hanging out with
someone you deemed a "teeny bopper", Vincent?

Yeah...not buying it, Vincent. I'm sorry but last episode, you called Abby out for being a teen princess and Jen was hanging out with her. What the hell did you think Jen was doing hanging out with a teenager, if she was not a teen herself? I guess he maybe thought she was 18 but I still don't buy that he was this surprised. I know, I know, Michelle Williams and the rest of the cast don't look 16 but in the show, they are 16.

Anyway, Grams comes in at that moment and confirms her age and goes major bitch-cakes all over him. It's magnificent.

Fuck yeah, Grams just threatened a dock worker.
Like a BAMF

Andie rushes into her home and finally finds Pacey. Pacey apologises for mixing up where they were supposed to meet and mentions that her mom invited them to dinner. Andie tries to convince him to sneak out of the house with her but Pacey won't budge because he doesn't want to be rude. Andie then flips out on him and says that he has no right to be at their house because he wasn't invited. Pacey says that he was invited by her mother and that he thinks Andie is ashamed of him and that he is not worthy of meeting her country club father or her ivy league brother. Andie begs him to leave but Pacey still refuses and asks her what her problem is with him meeting her brother.

Awkwarrrrrrrd

Joey and Jack are still trying to fix the pump but having no luck until their lone customer pipes up and tells them to unplug the power source and then plug it back in. They try it and it works. They thank the man and then Joey shows how ungrateful is that she still wishes he would leave. You know, he can probably hear you two talking about how much you hate the fact that he is there and yet he still helped you out. Who are we supposed to be rooting for here?

Team Random Guy!

They finally realise that he is probably there because he is lonely and not for their coffee but when they turn around, he is gone. Joey immediately checks for a tip and I have to wonder why? I mean, it's not like she offers friendly service or anything and she was complaining about him the whole night. Was she really surprised there was no tip? Jack goes to clear the table and finds $100 underneath the man's napkin and again I'm going to have to ask why the man left a tip, especially that amount. Neither one of them were deserving of it and the guy helped them fix their tank so that they didn't lose the expensive lobsters. This guy must be a saint.

Yay, money we didn't earn! Complaining and
horrible service gets you everywhere!

Apparently the guy also left a poem on the napkin. Joey reads it aloud.

By moonlight many years ago my true love did I know,
and by that moon I begged her wait but that night did she go.
So, young lovers, heed my words, don't squander love away.
The moon is changing ever still,
soon comes the light of day.

So, heeding the old man's words, Jack kisses Joey.

Dun, dun, DUN!

Mitch tries gloss over the situation, saying that it's not what Dawson thinks. Dawson isn't buying it and asks if they've completely lost their minds. Gail spares no time in demonising Dawson's father by saying that she would like to know too. Look, I get it, it was Mitch who thought the idea up and Gail wanted no part, he was in the wrong but it's so not cool dragging your kid into the fight and trying to turn him against his father. Dawson's parents...are not that good.

Mitch yells at Gail, asking her where she gets off being mad because they wouldn't be here if she hadn't cheated which is true, I'll give him that. Gail gives up and says she can't apologise anymore. Dawson tries to get them to sit down and fix their marriage but Mitch throws in a barb about Gail never supporting him and then running off to sleep with another man. Gail leaves.

Dawson yells at his father for not being able to let it go and not being able to accept her apology. Dawson tells his father that he has to forgive her and fix their marriage. Uh, Dawson, he doesn't have to do that at all, especially if he legitimately can't forgive her. Mitch then breaks down and says that he doesn't know how to fix it. He gives a very moving speech about how he was never prepared for this type of thing and how he's lost and it's some great acting by John Wesley Shipp. Then Dawson ruins it because he is incapable of showing human emotion. He just makes the entire scene hilarious with his awkwardness, watch:

I love the wide eyed, blank stare Dawson has as his 

father pours his heart out

Dawson, your dad just broke down in front
of you, show some emotion!

See? He renders an otherwise emotional scene hilarious just by looking completely clueless. I get being thrown for a loop by witnessing an otherwise strong parent break down in front of you but eventually, you get over the shock and an actual emotion shows, sadness on behalf of your parent, concern, anger at your other parent...something. No word of a lie, I completely thought Dawson was just going to back out of the room and leave his father in that state of despair instead of going over to him and awkwardly putting a hand on his shoulder.

Exactly like this

Grams in the meantime completely reams out Jen for what she saw. I really like this scene. I know that liking sex does not mean that you are disrespecting yourself but Jen needed to hear this. She needed to be told that she was repeating the same dangerous mistakes she'd made before.

Grams has laid down the law!

Dawson goes to get Joey from the Ice House. Joey is awkwardly avoiding Jack and so Jack tells Joey that he will lock up so that she can leave with Dawson.

Uh-oh, Joey might be into Jack

Andie explains to Pacey that they were all riding in their car after a homecoming game a year ago. Her mom was driving and didn't see a truck in the road, so her brother Tim died and her mom kind of went crazy with guilt. Her father checks up on them once a week but works in a failing business in Providence. Jack is a bit naive and pretends there are no issues so Andie is left with most of the responsibilities. She breaks down crying and Dawson, this is how you react when someone is breaking down:

Pacey is once again, the man

Dawson and Joey sit on his roof again and look at the moon. Dawson is obviously upset and although Joey seems to want to tell him about Jack kissing her, she sees that now is not the best time to dump more shit onto Dawson. They then talk about the man in the moon or some shit and I don't really get it...the dialogue I mean. See if you can make sense of it:

Dawson: Hey, look up in the sky. What do you see?

Joey: The moon?

Dawson: No, no. Look at...look at the moon. Close your eyes. Now what do you see?

Dawson: It's the man.

Joey: Who?

Dawson: The man, remember?

Joey: Oh, right, right, right. The man in the moon. I get it. I get it. Oh, but wait!

Dawson: What?

Joey: It's not a man, Dawson. It's a...woman.

OK...point being?

There was literally no need for that dialogue. None. The line before Dawson says he doesn't want to talk, he just wants to look at her face in the moonlight and then this exchange happens and then Joey starts to tell him about Jack but then decides to agree with him that a full moon is beautiful to make him feel better. This stuff with the man in the moon? Serves no purpose but to confuse the audience. I mean remember? Remember what? That there is a man in the moon? Everyone knows that. Or were they referring to some secret thing they did when they were younger that the audience would know nothing about? Honestly, they could have cut this out and you would be missing nothing but I guess they needed to stretch the episode out a bit? If I were them, I would have used that precious 30 seconds or so on the much more interesting Pacey/Andie scene but that's just me.

It's a woman, hurrr

Mitch and Gail are finally talking after their blow out. They decide it's time to end their relationship and thank God, at this point. Gail offers to leave but Mitch says that he will go. Then a little montage starts playing of all the characters and their situations while this plays:

Everyone remembers Sarah McLachlan as the resident sad song expert but Jewel could hold her own too. No one seems to remember Jewel but she was legit. Anyway, that was Full Moon Rising. Everyone is dealing with serious issues, Mitch and Gail are getting separated, Dawson's family is falling apart, Joey let Jack kiss her and is conflicted over it, Andie's mom is crazy, Pacey wants to help Andie through her problems and Jen is sliding back into her old habits and has disappointed her Grams. How will they all cope?

We'll find out next time in The Dance. Hey....wait a minute. Wasn't there an episode last season called Dance? And for that matter, there was one called Kiss too and this season opened on an episode called The Kiss. What gives? Why are the writers reusing titles already? Are they that strapped for ideas for episode titles?

Dawson's Creek - 204 - Tamara's Return

Original air date: October 28, 1998

Oh my god, you guys. I wasn't prepared for this. I can't believe how much I hate this episode. I was prepared for hating the return of Capeside's resident statutory rapist but I was not ready for how much I'd hate every story this episode. Literally, every story. This is a big downer of an episode for me and it's sent me into a spiral of sadness about this re-watch and I'm not even at the worst part of the series. No, the worst is still to come.

Pray for Blinvy

*sigh* OK, so we start the episode with (I'm shuddering as I write this) Dawson and Joey making out. I don't know why it bugs me so much, it's just that they are all over each other and it doesn't come off as hot to me, it comes off as awkward. Princess Joey stops the make out session, thankfully, because she is cold and there are bugs outside. Dawson points out that they can't go to either one of their houses because of his parents and her sister and that he thinks it's romantic to make out where they are.

I agree

I wouldn't mind making out outdoors if the setting looked like that...OK maybe I'd mind if I was making out with Dawson. Dawson defends the place and says that if she gets cold, she has him to keep her warm. Ugh. Joey says he is really cheesy and Dawson worries that she doesn't like it. Joey tells him that she finds it "unbearably sexy", excuse me a second...

I'm going to wear out this Van Der Meme

Can the episodes please stop beginning with talk of Dawson's "unbearable sexiness?" Please? And don't get me wrong, James is a very attractive guy. I've seen him in Don't Trust the Bitch and he is very attractive but him as Dawson? Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. I don't know why, but when he is playing Dawson, he becomes unbearably UNsexy. Moving on.

Dawson is chatting with his father the next day. His father is meeting some mystery woman to look at a warehouse she has for sale. Why, you ask? Remember way, way back in the pilot episode? When Mitch was working on a model for a seafood restaurant? No? Oh, that's probably because I found it so insignificant a detail that I didn't mention it in my recaps. Uh...but yeah, apparently Mitch wants to open a restaurant and he is looking to buy a building. Guess who the mystery woman is?



I'm sure it came as a surprise to no one



Tamahra tells Dawson that he is now allowed to call her by her first name. Watch out, Dawson! Pacey was allowed to call her by her first name too. She's going to add you to her young boy collection! Whoa-oh, here she comes. Watch out boys, she'll chew you up!

She's a man-eater!



Dawson runs to tell Pacey the news. Oh god, this story hurts me so much, he was just getting to know Andie and now he's going to be all gaga over his statutory rapist again. Pacey thinks Dawson wants advice because he got into another fight with Joey. His advice is very funny and very on the nose:

Pacey: Let me guess. You and Joey are having another love spat and you want my opinion. Well, here it is. Joey is being sarcastic and oversensitive and you, my friend, are being self-absorbed and self-catering.

God, I love him. Pacey is in a hurry to get to class which is so in character for him, you guys, so Dawson can't tell him.



This isn't a contrived way to keep the Tamara
thing a surprise to Pacey. Shut up, he
always rushes to get to class



Joey runs into Jack and tells him that he has the day off from the Ice House since her sister's sitter cancelled and she has an art show. Jack volunteers to open for them but Joey laughs this off because he's so klutzy. He gets offended and says he can handle it and Joey relents but can't resist a final dig at him to not burn the kitchen down.

Why do people in this show like her?

Abby has just gotten her allowance and wants Jen to go shopping with her. Jen wants to sit around and mope because Dawson rejected her and she's feeling left on the outskirts of the group of friends she used to belong to. Abby won't hear it and convinces Jen to go with her to cheer her up.

I'm going to miss this friendship

Pacey runs into Andie, who has a bunch of movies with her. He makes fun of her for her tastes, until he sees she has Dumbo, which is one of his favourites too. They bond over this and then Pacey asks if she wants to hang out with him and I got super excited, you have no idea. I love these two together but I also know what happens during this outing so now it just makes me sad.

I am so in

On that note, is it just me or did Joshua Jackson get like 1000 times hotter this season? I don't know exactly when this happened. He was cute last season but this season, he's just gorgeous. It's probably the lack of the dorky "Julius Cesar do" but also, his eyes are just spectacular this season. I am a sucker for guys with dark hair and light eyes.




Gorgeous



Anyway, Joey and Dawson are at an art lecture being taught by the lady who helped Joey with her assignment last episode. Wow, some minor continuity for a change. Joey is completely riveted while Dawson is bored out of his skull. Joey calls him out on hating the art lecture and Dawson admits that expressionism probably isn't his thing. Joey gets offended and so Dawson explains further that it felt unresolved which further offends her. Look, Joey, he is stating his opinion about a certain type of art, that is what people do and not everyone is going to like the same things. I don't even understand what she is getting so upset about here, so what? Dawson isn't as interested in art as her, big fucking deal.

Get over yourself

The woman comes out then and tells them that she is teaching a drawing class and invites them both to come. Dawson says he has work and Joey says that she is not very good at art. The woman convinces her to try her class anyway.

Pacey and Andie are talking with each other, apparently about how Andie got into another car accident. Pacey proclaims her the world's worst driver but then is distracted when he spots the evil bitch queen herself, Ms. Jacobs. Pacey stares at her like an idiot while she introduces herself to Andie. I'm warning you, stay away from Andie's man, Tamahra! God, I hate her. She quickly leaves and Andie asks Pacey if he's OK because he looks like he's "seen a ghost." Pacey then bails on her to follow Ms. Jacobs, leaving poor Andie behind.

Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!-ahra

We cut to art class and it looks like Joey decided to go. The woman, Laura commends Joey for her artistic talent. Joey mentions that her mom used to paint and this is the one and only time so far that she actually looks uncomfortable to bring her mother up or talk about her death. Most times, it seems like she's bragging about it but I actually feel bad for her here, good acting by Katie Holmes in this scene. Anyway, Laura tries to encourage Joey to keep drawing and says that she can recommend some good classes to take.

Joey is genuinely happy for once...this won't
last long, I'm sure

Meanwhile, Andie shows up at Dawson's house. Clearly desperate for some insight on Pacey after he ditched her because, as it turns out, Andie likes him and is hoping he likes her too. Dawson says that Pacey hasn't mentioned anything to him but to his credit, he quickly amends it with that just because Pacey hasn't mentioned anything, doesn't mean he doesn't like her. He also tells her that Pacey's "obnoxious pig behaviour" is sometimes his attempt at flirting. This cheers Andie up.



Awwww, she is just too cute



Jen and Abby are sitting at a table after a long day of shopping. This is one of the last few times we'll see them genuinely liking each other and it saddens me. Abby spots a guy she likes, who is older I might add. She proceeds to flirt with him but the guy seems uninterested, until he spots Jen. He makes a specific request for her name and then says it was nice to meet her.

Joey is working on her sketch from class. She immediately closes her sketch pad when Dawson shows up. He tries to ask her what she was drawing and Joey admits it was just a bowl of fruit but freaks out when Dawson asks to see it. So he tries to tell her that he likes her "art thing" which is admittedly a poor choice of words but he is trying to be supportive and interested in something she is doing. She bites his head off and then he tries to apologise for referring to it as a "hobby" because he didn't intend to belittle her interest in art. But she isn't having it and decides to leave and then, this rage inducing moment happens:

Dawson: Well, so you're just going to leave it like this?

Joey: Like what? Unresolved?

Dawson: Yeah.

Joey: Why don't you just consider me a nonspecific, incoherent, expressionistic painting? (she kisses him on the cheek and slaps his back) Have a GREAT day, Dawson.

Back the fuck up

What the fucking hell? Your boyfriend is trying to be supportive of you and tries to say the right thing and you bite his head off. Not only that but you use his explanation of his opinion on art as a way of attacking him? What the fuck is wrong with you, Joey? He's entitled to an opinion on expressionism, it doesn't mean that he thinks all art is garbage or that he thinks you're stupid for liking it, he was just trying to explain why it didn't appeal to him. You are a fucking bitch-cunt.

I will consider you a bitch-cunt
and you will like it

Pacey meets up with Tamahra at her house (STOP, DON'T DO IT, PACEY!) and they have a boring conversation about awkwardness, silence, and Pinter and I'm over here trying to contain my anger that they are still treating this relationship like it's not fucked up. Moving on.

The next morning, Dawson talks to Mitch about his relationship issues with Joey. I guess he couldn't handle Pacey's honesty on the subject. Mitch offers this bit of wisdom:

Mitch: Well, in my experience, Dawson, erratic behaviour of the female orientation usually means the root of the problem is something unexpected. It's probably not about art. Go find out what it is.

Mitch, don't lump us all in with that Drama Queen, Joey. K? Thanks. Most of us are capable of telling people what we are pissed about and most of us have good reason to be pissed when we are pissed. We don't all have over-dramatic non-issues like Joey does.

Go fuck yourself

Pacey comes in after Mitch leaves, looking for advice from Dawson. Bad move, my friend. Apparently...ughhhhh! Pacey realised that he still has feelings for Tamahra.

Pacey, stop. Just please, stop it. Thankfully, Dawson gives Pacey the advice to stay away from her. I'm happy about this advice but also it makes me a bit angry because he's giving the advice based solely on the fact that Pacey hasn't yet recovered from the "gossip fallout last time." Um, excuse me? That's not the issue, the issue isn't town gossip. The issue is that it is completely fucked up and wrong of this woman to do that to him. Quit brushing her creepy manipulative behaviour under the rug, writers! But, he did tell Pacey to stay away so I'm just going to have to be happy with that.

Thank you, Dawson

Dawson also tells Pacey that Andie likes him. Pacey then says that Andie is a girl but Tamahra is a woman and just stop! Stop! Andie is a million times better for you than that creepy statutory rapist. I don't like Pacey in this episode. I really don't.

Since the Ice House is dead, Joey asks Bessie if she can check out an art exhibit. Bessie agrees but asks her to take Jack. They both mock him like crazy but Joey asks him if he wants to go. Actually, she does it in a really condescending way:

Joey: Hey, Jack! Do you know what an art exhibit is?

Jack: Yeah...

Joey: Do you want to go to one?

Jack: Sure.

Seriously? I think Joey would die if she didn't snark at people and belittle them constantly. How dumb does she really think he is? Everyone knows what an art exhibit is, Joey. There was no need to ask him like that. And despite her bitchiness to him, Jack still has a crush on her. Why?

Mitch and Tamahra are talking about her warehouse that she wants to sell him. He asks her why she wants to unload the property and asks if it's because she's in financial trouble. Tamahra responds by saying that they both know her problems aren't strictly financial.

Mitch: Yeah, well, since you brought it up. Um, a student, wasn't it?

It was your fucking son's fucking best friend!!! What the hell, Mitch? Were you that oblivious? Are you that flip about a woman who took advantage, albeit allegedly according to Capeside officials, of your son's best friend? A kid who you probably are quite protective of too? There's no way Mitch didn't know who the student was when everyone in town was gossipping about it. What the fucking hell, writers?! *sigh* Moving. On.

Jen and Abby are trolling the docks because Abby wants to find the hot guy, Vincent, from before. She apparently is really interested in him. Jen finds out that they are there looking for Vincent and has this gem of wisdom to say:

Jen: [...]yeah, he may be good looking but he's old enough to be your father. Haven't you ever heard of statutory rape?

I think my brain exploded

Yes! Yes! I have heard of statutory rape, writers. Can I ask you, dear writers, if you've heard of a little something called double fucking standards? Because you just wrote a doozy of one into one episode. Bravo, writers, bravo. You are the most classless pieces of shit ever. Remember everyone, according to Dawson's Creek writers women can have sex with teens because they probably love them but older men having sex with teen girls? That's statutory rape. I mean, am I the only one infuriated by this? They spent all last season trying to get us invested in Pacey and Tamahra's relationship, trying desperately to paint her as conflicted but hopelessly/tragically in love with her student and they've brought her back still trying to insist the same thing and yet when a girl tries to get with an older guy, that's when you try to preach to us about statutory rape? Un-fucking-believable.



Excuse me for a second...



Jack starts gushing about the art exhibit and Joey is blown away that he isn't the doofus she pegged him for. He then starts spouting off about how much he loves the exact painting that Dawson had said he didn't care for and how "intense" it is. I notice he doesn't actually analyse what he thinks the painting is though, he just mentions that he thinks it's emotional and intense.



The painting is intense. Good analysis, bro



Joey apologises for being a bitch to Jack and for judging him before she really knew him. That's nice of her, I expect it won't last.

Abby and Jen have found Vincent but there was one flaw in Abby's plan of snaring him, he doesn't like her. Vincent rejects her and Jen tries to talk to him about how Abby may seem harsh but means well, most of the time. Vincent then completely flirts with Jen and wants to see her again.

Abby is pissed

Joey tells Jack readily about how she's taken up drawing and Jack gives her the advice to draw what she's passionate about. Cue Dawson walking up. Jack gets obviously uncomfortable and excuses himself from the conversation. Wanting to make things up to her, Dawson offers to go to the exhibit with her. She replies, with her usual snark, that she's already seen it. So he counters by asking if she'd like to show him the paintings she really liked. She responds with bitchiness, saying that she knows art isn't her thing and that he earned his points just for tracking her down there.

What. A. Bitch!

Dawson apologises again for being too flip about her new interest in art and that he was just trying to have a discussion with her about art like they do about movies. Where they debate and share their differing opinions, he even mentions that she put him in his place a thousand times about some movie. This is valid but of course, Joey doesn't see reason or logic, she just wants to be mad.

Bah! I'm running away again!

Pacey confronts Tamahra at her warehouse and tells her that he is over her and I am happy to hear that. However, they are addressing this like it was a relationship without closure that is finally getting some and not in the way that this relationship was severely unhealthy and illegal, so it still pisses me off a bit. It then pisses me off further when this happens:

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Thankfully, Tamahra suggests he leave and is not talking in subtext but then they have a stupid subtext goodbye where Pacey asks if she misses "teaching" and she replies that she does and he says that he misses her "teaching" too.

Yup, I'm using the Van Der Meme on Pacey now

Jen and Abby have an argument about Vincent. Abby is hurt because she liked that guy and she sees it that Jen stole him from her. Eh, he never seemed that into Abby, he always seemed into Jen but I get her hurt feelings. Jen tries to say that Abby can have him and that all she cares about is their friendship but Abby is still pissed.

Awwww, is their friendship over already?

Joey approaches Dawson to talk. She wants to explain her behaviour but she doesn't even understand why she's acting like that (Psssst! The writers just wanted you guys to fight so that they could break you up for more DRAMA!). She then says that someone told her that she should draw what was important to her and she shows him her sketchpad to reveal:

Shock of shocks, it's Dawson

Dawson is moved but then she says that she's not OK with that. Wow, you are going for head bitch in bitch town, aren't you? You're not OK with your boyfriend and best friend being important to you? What the hell, Joey? She then tells him that she wasn't fighting with him, she was fighting with herself. One part wanted to send him away and the other part wanted to hold him tight. Dawson asks her which part won and Joey asks him if this can be unresolved for now. Um, no it can't. That is a serious issue, you're sounding like you want to dump him for a really stupid reason and you want him to just deal with it and pretend like nothing's wrong? But Dawson is her lap dog so he agrees to let it be unresolved.

Oh Dawson, you are such a door mat

Pacey runs into Andie and starts pestering her about liking him. It looks like they are finally going to get together, so yay! Andie points out Ms. Jacobs and asks "don't you know that woman?" To which Pacey responds "I did but not anymore." Yay! Please tell me that means there will be no more Pacey and Tamahra interactions because these writers clearly can't handle it. And besides, look how cute Pacey and Andie look together:

OK, one good thing happened this episode

Leaving it on that note calms me down a bit but there was so much wrong with this episode. Joey was a complete bitch, Pacey ditched Andie after asking her out to pursue his statutory rapist, Mitch acts like he didn't know Tamahra was accused of having an affair with his son's best friend, no one acknowledges Tamahra as a statutory rapist but Jen immediately pulls that card in reference to Abby wanting to date an older man, and Abby and Jen's relationship is disintegrating. Wrong, this whole episode is wrong and if I had my way, I would will it from existence. That's right, I will rid the world of this episode.

The episode must die!

Stay tuned for Full Moon Rising. Hopefully it will be a less rage-inducing episode.