Dawson's Creek - 221 - Ch-Ch-Changes

Original air date: May 19, 1999

So, here we find out if time has changed the people of the Creek even if we can't trace time. OK, sorry, I'll stop referencing the David Bowie song. No, I probably won't because David Bowie is awesome.

And I stop referencing Bowie for no one

Anyway, Dawson hasn't changed much because we open the episode with him whining about his film class final and writing about how Miss Kennedy is totally evil and sadistic because she dared to not like his movie. No seriously, his assignment is to "compare and contrast Humphrey Bogart's character arc in Casablanca to one in your own life. Use examples." To which Dawson starts writing this:

Dawson: Number one...Mrs. Kennedy. The character starts out as a sadistic film teacher/father's new girlfriend who maliciously conjures up a finals assignment for the sole purpose of slowly torturing her helpless nemesis, played by Dawson Leery, to death. An example of a purely evil character...with absolutely no arc whatsoever.

No, sweetie, you're thinking about yourself again and lolz to that whole quote, just wow. Is Dawson supposed to be ten? I was joking, last recap by continually referring to Miss Kennedy as Dawson's Arch Nemesis but apparently, that's exactly how Dawson thinks of her, that they are nemeses. He's being completely melodramatic, which is in character for him, I guess but is he really going to consider anyone who gives his movies a bad review his nemesis? Dawson is going to have a lot of enemies. A lot.

So Dawson angsts to Joey about his film final and complains about wanting to please Miss Kennedy even though she's his arch nemesis and hates him. Joey suggests interviewing someone which Dawson thinks is a great idea and wants to put it on camera. He thinks he will get points for ingenuity but it's film class, probably a lot of students are going to have this idea. He starts to try and interview Joey because she's had a character arc this year but she refuses. I love that he says she's had a character arc, as opposed to himself, who is pretty one note. 

This is literally the most accurate description of 

Dawson's character I've ever heard. 

Andie comes downstairs to find her father has come home again. She is not pleased to see him this time and says he's not welcome. Jack admits to calling him and Andie is outraged that he would do that. I kind of get this reaction and kind of don't. Jack had the way harder relationship with their father, shouldn't that have clued her in to how worried Jack is about her that he'd call their father? But anyway, their father explains that they are packing up their things and leaving Capeside so that Andie can get the help she needs. Andie freaks out on both Mr. McPhee and Jack and Jack looks shocked that this was their father's plan.

Meanwhile, Dawson is pestering everyone he knows to be his topic for his film final but they blow him off because fuck Dawson for wanting to treat them like their serious issues only matter to him when his grade depends on it. Both Jen and Jack turn him down, Jack is looking distressed and Dawson doesn't even bother asking if he's OK because Dawson is horrible. And yeah, you can argue that they are barely friends and Dawson shouldn't have to because they aren't really friends but then, Dawson is the one that was trying to ask him for a huge favour so I argue that if they are friends enough for Dawson to ask Jack to air his personal life on camera, then they are friends enough for Dawson to ask if Jack is OK.

Dawson is just a shitty person

He resorts to asking Joey for a second time but she stands her ground and refuses. Then and only then does Dawson think to ask Pacey. Huh, were they ever really best friends, really? Think about this for a second, he asks his girlfriend twice, asks his ex and asks a guy who, up until a few episodes ago, he hated before asking Pacey. Pacey also had a great arc this season but Dawson didn't want to acknowledge it because, let's face it, drunk or not, everything Dawson said about Pacey at his birthday was probably true. Dawson resents the fuck out of Pacey, first because he is more sexually experienced and now because Pacey has turned his grades around and has been in a happy relationship for far longer than he and Joey, his supposed soul mate, lasted. Dawson hates that Pacey has improved his life because Dawson hasn't changed at all. To cap it off, Pacey is completely willing to do Dawson's interview because he's a good friend to Dawson and Dawson doesn't even appreciate it.

Now, to give Dawson a minuscule amount of credit, he does cut off the interview when he realizes Pacey is upset about something and actually asks him if he wants to talk about it. Pacey admits that he thinks he's a fraud and has been trying to be the person that Andie wants him to be, despite not feeling like he is that person. Hmmm, what would have put that thought in his head?

*cough*Dawsonisadouche*cough*

Pacey is so upset by this realization that he says he can't do Dawson's interview either because he's not really a hero. Way to go Dawson, your callous attitude towards your friend came back and bit you in the ass.

Pacey leaves and bumps into Andie who is looking distressed. He pulls her into an empty classroom to talk and she confesses that her father is back in town and wants to take her and Jack back to Providence. Pacey is mortified and says that they will fight it but Andie says that there is no way because they are leaving tomorrow. As much as I love this couple, watching this scene as an adult kind of makes me want to pat them on the heads. Especially because of this:

Pacey: That's fine. Andie, it's fine! It's fine. Because when he hears what we have to tell him, he's not taking you anywhere.

No, no, you're right. I'm sure her father will reconsider getting his daughter
professional help because of your teen romance.

Don't get me wrong, I love Pacey and Andie. Love them. It's just, this type of thing is one of those age difference issues. When you're a teen everything is so intense and real that you are one hundred percent on their side and the grown ups are the bad guys that are trying to rip apart true love. However, when you gain some perspective, life experience, and distance from your high school years, you tend to not buy into this type of drama as easily. This is one of those scenes that can't possibly hold up on repeated viewings because Mr. McPhee actually isn't the bad guy in this situation. He's just not. Andie is incredibly unwell in the head to the point that she is seeing hallucinations of dead people and talking with them, essentially she's talking to herself. This is serious fucking business, not high drama. She has serious mental issues that cannot be solved by the magic of true love and it should not be presented as being that easy either. Thankfully, the writers understood this so I just get a mild chuckle out of the storyline with Pacey trying to convince her father to let her stay rather than getting sent into a blind rage over their simplification of a serious mental problem.

Jack is sitting by the docks when Jen walks up, sits next to him and asks him if he wants to vent his problems to her. Excuse me for a second...

The true soul mates of Dawson's Creek have just arrived!

Oh, it does my heart good to see her and Jack starting the blossoms of their close friendship. This was truly the best friendship on this show from what I remember, and I'm so happy it's finally beginning and they can stop pretending that Joey is going to be his bestie because no. Jack and Jen forever!!!!! 

Anyway, Jack tells her that he called his father to come back because he was worried about his sister and didn't know what else to do. Jen assures him that he did the right thing because she's awesome and is pretty consistently the voice of reason and logic in this show. Jack isn't so sure he did so Jen tells him to look on the bright side, that them moving back to Providence could mean that Andie gets better and Jack and his father could reconcile. Damn, she's awesome. Jack, in turn, asks her what she's going to do about her situation. Jen doesn't think that she and Grams can make up so Jack suggests she go back to her parents. Jen says that she's pretty sure they made their feelings clear when they sent her off to live with her grandmother and Jack tries to encourage her by reminding her of how much she's changed this year. You know, aside from that night she got drunk with Abby by the docks and Abby drowned? Jen kind of points the same thing out and Jack tells her that maybe she's not the only one who changed, maybe her parents have too.

Dawson meets Joey at the IceHouse which is undergoing some serious renovations. Apparently, all of the fix-ups and new style is her father's idea and Joey is thrilled about it all suddenly. Last time her father tried to change things, she whined the whole time but I guess she's now OK and thrilled with him being back because the plot needs it for these last two episodes. Joey is going on and on about how amazing her father is lately and that she's shocked because the father she used to know was a grumbling mass of negativity and before I can say anything, Dawson lays on the burn I was going to:

Scorch, pow!
Damn, Dawson, I didn't think you had it in you.

Love it. It was just so accurate and kind of mean that I'm surprised the writers gave that line to Dawson who is usually going on about how awesome and flawless Joey is. She runs off to do something and Dawson walks up to her father and asks if he'll be the subject of his film final. Mr. Potter is flattered and agrees but only if Dawson will do something for him. Dawson agrees and Mr. Potter hands him a level. Dawson stands there like an idiot with it and Joey comes back in and starts laughing. Dawson looks at her quizzically and is like "what?" and Joey keeps laughing and responds "nothing." And...I kind of feel like Dawson at this moment because I feel completely left out of the joke. Is there some significance to him holding a level that I'm not aware of or is she just laughing at the thought of Dawson doing manual labour?

It is kind of funny trying to picture Dawson being useful

Pacey goes over to the McPhee household to try and convince Mr. McPhee to let Andie stay. He argues that she could get help in Capeside and that she has a whole support system here but Mr. McPhee shoots it down saying that he is not here. Now Pacey offers up one valid argument, that Mr. McPhee knew what Andie's condition was when he left her in Capeside in the first place so why does he have to take her now? Mr. McPhee comes back with the fact that Pacey is too selfish to let her go so that she can get the help she needs and yeah, way more valid. I mean, Capeside is supposed to be a small town, they probably wouldn't have the type of care available that Andie needs right now so it kind of makes sense for her to go. Pacey admits to being selfish and begs her father not to take her away but Mr. McPhee says his mind is made up.

 Jen has decided to try and call her parents to see if she can go back to New York and live with them. We just hear her side of the conversation so we don't know what the verdict is yet.

 Dawson is failing miserably at doing manual labour, no shock there, when Joey comes up behind him. She starts toying with him by saying that his working man thing is a turn on for her. Mr. Potter shows up and says that he's ready to do the interview and Dawson immediately runs away from working to go set up his camera. Joey and her father look at his work and agree it sucks balls but Joey tells her dad not to say anything. Mr. Potter reveals how ashamed he was when he got caught dealing drugs and worried that his daughters would never forgive him for what he did to their mother. Joey gets upset by this and does what she does best.

Run away!!!

Jack tries to argue for them to stay to his father but Mr. McPhee still won't hear it. Jack then starts in with the fact that Andie and Pacey belong to each other and I'm just like "no, step back, step back, your argument is going in the wrong direction! This will not convince him because..."

Exactly

Then Mr. McPhee loses me when he starts talking about Jack getting the help he needs to cure him of his gayness because obviously he's just confused. Hey, Mr. McPhee?

Go fuck yourself

Andie is packing up her things when Pacey suggests that they go on a date, one last date, to get their minds off her leaving. She is reluctant at first but then sees him getting upset and she agrees. Dawson is still interviewing Mr. Potter when Joey storms in and tells him to bring dinner to Bessie and Anthony like he promised. Once he's gone, she turns to Dawson and yells at him for making her father relive a painful time for himself. Dawson tries to explain that he wants to show how much Mr. Potter has changed but then Joey throws back at him that he should just turn the camera on himself for a change. Dawson reveals that he's afraid to because he feels that it will reveal that he hasn't changed at all (truth) and that she'll realize that she's grown way past him and he'll lose her again. 

Andie reveals to Jack that she talked to their father and that he's agreed to let her stay if she really wants to. Jack is happy for her but she doesn't seem so happy with this news. Jack asks her if she's really thinking about leaving and she says that she, in fact, is. Very cool of the writers, it's her choice and she acknowledges that she needs to get serious help for herself. She says that the more she stays around Jack and Pacey, the more she wants to get better for them. Jack says that neither he nor Pacey feel burdened by her but Andie says that she feels burdened with the knowledge of how hard it must be for them to look out for her all the time. She doesn't want that and so, she's decided to leave but she wants Jack to stay in Capeside, where he's happy.

 Mr. Potter is teaching Dawson how to use the level and Dawson apologizes to him for making him dredge up painful memories. Mr. Potter says it wasn't anything that he doesn't think about constantly anyway, so he's fine with it. Joey walks in and Mr. Potter gives them time to talk. Dawson apologizes to Joey for saying what he said, I'm not sure why he's apologizing for saying how he feels but he's often kind of whipped when it comes to Joey. Joey says that Dawson has it all wrong, that her life is finally perfect because she has him in her life and she is not only proud of him, she's proud to be with him. All she needs is a white picket fence and her fairy tale is complete.

Did I mention I'm not a fan of the Dawson/Joey romance?

Jack confronts his father about wanting to stay. Mr. McPhee tries to talk him into going and to get some help for being gay. Jack refuses because he doesn't need help, he is who he is. Mr. McPhee feels like it's his fault but Jack says that he's gay for the same reasons Tim wasn't, it just happened that way and there is nothing that can change it. Jack won't go because if he does, he may start to sacrifice his happiness to make Mr. McPhee proud and he doesn't want to do that.

 Pacey and Andie are on their date and Pacey has taken her to the place where they shared their first kiss. They reminisce about their journey from hatred to lovers and how much they'll miss each other. This could be schmaltzy too but for some reason Pacey and Andie sell mushiness better than Dawson and Joey. Probably because they are more awesome. Andie admits to Pacey that she can't hide from the truth anymore, she's not getting any better. She says that she is leaving tomorrow because she has to and Pacey agrees. They promise each other no goodbyes.

*sigh* I used to believe this but I know better now...

After this gloriousness we cut back to Dawson and Joey being schmaltzy and it's just so not even as good. Dawson has built her a white picket fence so that her idea of perfection is complete. She thanks him and he jokes that he might climb in her window for a change and she says that change can be good.

 Jack is running through the streets to the bus station where he catches Jen. He tells her she's not getting away without a sendoff. Ahhhh, these two are awesome together. Jen reveals that her parents did not actually want her to come back but Jen is leaving anyway because she doesn't need them as a destination. Jack tells her that it's sad when parents don't love their kids unconditionally but that it's better to not be loved by them than to be like them and be incapable of love. He then takes her bags from her and asks her to come live with him because he needs a roommate. Jen agrees and they walk off together in glorious friendship.

Soul mates for life

Meanwhile, Dawson returns the tools he borrowed to the IceHouse when he catches Mr. Potter and his friend Pete looking over a bag of, what looks like, cocaine. Just then, Joey bumps into Dawson but she's completely oblivious of what her father is doing. Dawson stays quiet about it.

Mr. McPhee admits to not being the best father but that he does want Jack to be happy and they shake hands. Pacey runs up to say his good byes to Andie. Andie told him that they weren't supposed to say goodbye to each other but Pacey says he just wanted to look at her and to thank her for giving him a reason to become a better person. He tells her to get better and then to hurry back to him. Awww, it's so sad because this isn't going to happen.

Dawson monologues over the ending scenes about people perhaps not changing because they fear it and he's talking about Mr. Potter but he really could be talking about himself because I don't think Dawson has changed at all this season. I mean think about it,

 Pacey bettered his grades in school but also developed a bit of a
hero complex, thinking he could save Andie with the power of his love.
He only truly became a hero to her in this episode when he learnt to let her go
so that she could get the help she really needed.

Jack faced his sexuality and came out, Jen tried to better herself even though
she felt she couldn't be loved by anyone and yet finally
accepted Jack's love and friendship

Andie admitted that she had a serious issue and made the mature
decision to deal with it and get the help she needed.

Hell even Mr. McPhee, a side character who appeared in two episodes, got
an arc where he at least admitted his faults as a father. 

Dawson and let's face it, Joey too, have not really changed at all.
She still runs away from her problems and pushes people away and
Dawson well, as we learnt, he still cries and films the videos.

So, it's funny that this episode seems a lot like a season finale to me. I mean, Andie is being sent away, leaving Pacey in turmoil, Jack is being left alone, Jen has been abandoned by her family but is taken in by a lonely Jack to form their own family, and Dawson has stumbled upon a pretty cliffhangery secret that Mr. Potter is still dealing drugs. This would have been a perfect place to leave off because the audience would be left to wonder what Dawson will do with his new found information and what Joey will do when she finds out. Well, not to worry, we don't have to wonder about this at all because most of this will be answered in the next episode, Parental Discretion Advised.

Dawson's Creek - 220 - Reunited

Original air date: May 12, 1999

Welcome back, folks. When we last left off, Andie thought she saw Abby in the mirror but that can't be right because Abby is dead and this show doesn't have supernatural elements in it. I have to admit, when I was younger and I saw that scene, I was stoked. I loved anything to do with creepy stories and ghosts and I was most disappointed to tune in for this episode and find that it was not about Abby 's ghost haunting Andie. I think that would have been fairly interesting but what we got was quite a bit different but pretty interesting none the less. 

So, we start off the episode with the entire gang hanging out in Dawson's room. Before I can get too excited about this show actually developing friendships between our characters, they immediately start arguing about whether or not they are actually friends and Joey seems absolutely disgusted by the idea. 

Ew, does this mean I have to be nice to you guys?

This kind of disappoints me. Why can't our gang be friends? Why do the writers seem to hate this idea or seem to make our characters hate the idea of friendship? Is this the way they think teens really are? Because I had friends in high school and I never competed for guys against them. I just don't get this weird thing with this show not liking friendships. Romantic relationships are all they care about exploring. It's sad. 

But, I digress. Pacey makes a comment about them being one step away from the Peach Pit, (for those unaware, the Peach Pit was the popular hangout spot for the gang of 90210) and for some reason, this results in everyone attacking Pacey with really feathery pillows. 

Pillow fight of non-friendship!

Next day, Pacey bumps into Andie only to find that she's not quite the same as she was before. She has...gasp...brown hair! Pacey is taken aback by her drastic change and Andie is offended that he doesn't like it. I'm super excited about it because I just realized that this is the episode about Andie's breakdown and I remember it being pretty cool. Then I get sad because this is the episode about Andie's breakdown which means, spoiler alert, it is almost the end of her relationship with Pacey. 

Team Pandie forever!

Andie is extremely agitated and won't take any compliments about her hair since Pacey was surprised by the change first. She's also forgotten her textbook and is overly angry about this as well. Pacey tries to cheer her up by saying it's in her locker but she just storms off. He turns to Jack who just says she's overly sensitive about her hair because she did it herself. 

Cut to Dawson and Joey who are trying to figure out what to do that night. Surprise, surprise, Joey is complaining that they only watch movies together and Dawson whines that she thinks he's boring. Ugh, I can totally see why people think these two are soul mates. That was sarcasm, by the way. To be fair to Dawson/Joey fans this is, at least, playful banter but I still find them boring together. Anyway, Dawson finally lets it slip that he's actually taking Joey to a fancy restaurant for their one month milestone which was supposed to be a surprise but Joey kept harping on what they were doing and complaining about watching movies so he had to tell her to get her off his back. Feel the romance. Also, I kind of chuckle at the fact that one month together is such a milestone for teens that they go so far as to call it a "monthaversary." This isn't a condemning of Dawson and Joey, just an observation about how all teens and emotionally immature adults think. Here's a hint, one month together is not an achievement, you're still in the honeymoon phase so everything is still easy and new.

This is how adults feel about anything other than an actual anniversary
In other words 1 full year

Gail tries to talk Jen into making up with her grandmother but Jen doubts it will work at this point and says that sometimes people just can't work things out, much as they'd like to. Jen realizes who she's talking to and apologizes to Gail trying to say that she didn't mean to insinuate that her and Mitch couldn't make up. Gail has supposedly accepted that they won't be getting back together and brushes Jen's apology off, saying that it is not needed. She then suggests a girl's night for them.

Speak of the devil, Mitch is clearly on a date with Dawson's Arch Nemesis again. She shows off her French skills and then kisses Mitch who is taken aback which means that I guess up until this point, they really had just been hanging out and hadn't kissed before. News to me. They step into a fancy looking restaurant. Dawson and Joey show up at the same fancy French restaurant as Mitch and Dawson's Arch Nemesis. I sense shenanigans are afoot!

But you're not Dawson's Creek so these shenanigans will be contrived and forced

So the host seems to not have Dawson's reservation because he didn't realize there were two Leery reservations. What a shitty host. Anyway Dawson spots his father and Mitch spots Dawson. Awkwardness and shenanigans to follow.

Back to the serious drama, Andie is talking to her therapist about her issues that have arisen since Abby's death. It appears that Andie told her therapist that she saw Abby after her funeral because the therapist is very concerned with this and wants to focus on it. Now this is juicy drama. She asks Andie if she's seen Abby since the incident at the end of last episode but Andie says she hasn't and then says that she probably didn't see her at all. The therapist wants to prescribe Andie some real medication this time, no free night for Andie this time.

Andie leaves the therapist's office and gets in her car where a guy is waiting for her. He is a stranger to us but Andie seems to know him. He asks Andie if she told the therapist about him and she says she couldn't. He tells her that it's good that she didn't tell because what they have is secret. Ooooooohhhh things are getting interesting up in the Creek. Is Andie cheating on Pacey? We'll have to wait to find out, unfortunately.

The mysterious other guy

Gail and Jen are hanging out at the Leery house and Jen brings up the subject of Mitch again. She asks Gail if she's tried to get Mitch back. Gail claims to have made a few attempts here and there but I haven't seen any indication of this all season other than last episode where she claimed she was going to win him back only to not try at all because Mitch showed up with Dawson's Arch Nemesis. Gail says that she can't force love, love has to find her and says that she's waiting for the right sign. Jen says she smells smoke because apparently Gail was attempting to cook a pot roast and sucks at it.

So, since the host sucks and the plot says so, Dawson, Joey, Mitch, and Dawson's Arch Nemesis decide to share a table. Dawson's Arch Nemesis claims that she can find an agency or production company that Dawson could intern at over the summer and Dawson snarks back that he thought she said that Hollywood would "eat him for breakfast." She tries to apologize to Dawson for being hasty with her analysis of his film but Dawson does not accept her apology. I demand an apology from her for going back on her truthful analysis of his film making skills and drinking the "Dawson is super talented kook-aid"

Mrs.Kennedy: You asked me to be truthful, Dawson. Now I may not be a fan of your work, but I am a fan of your enthusiasm. There are plenty of opportunities in the film business, not just creatively speaking.

OK, you're partially forgiven. Dawson then gets pissy because she insinuated that he wasn't creative enough but she has a point. The most creative we've seen Dawson was in season one with his creature feature movie and even then he horse-shoed in a major plot-point from a way better movie. You know, if this year he made the equivalent of The Room and last year he kind of ripped off Alfred Hitchcock, do you think the title of his unnamed movie from last year was Psychodemic: Shock and Terror?

It's totally a romantic thriller, guys!

Joey pulls Dawson aside and yells at him for ruining their romantic date celebrating their one month of dating by being a whiny douche. He whines some more about how she trashed his super awesome movie that he worked months on and how she crushed his Hollywood dream before finally giving in and promising to be good. Just then Gail and Jen walk into the restaurant.

Did I not tell you shenanigans would ensue?

Pacey and Andie are studying when Andie claims she needs to go for a drink. The mysterious guy from before is in her kitchen waiting for her. Andie, you hussy, Pacey is right upstairs! Andie calls him Brown and tells him that he has to leave because she's not ready to tell Pacey yet. Brown tells her that she has to choose but Andie doesn't want to. Pacey hears her talking and goes downstairs to investigate. He listens to her for a bit and then pops into the kitchen.

But she's by herself! Dun, dun, DUNNNNNN!

Joey confronts Jen about being at the restaurant with Gail and points out to her that Mitch is there with Dawson and Gail's Arch Nemesis. Jen agrees that this is a bad thing but then she reconsiders it and thinks it may be a good thing. You see? You see? Shenanigans, they are brewing, I tell you. 

Dawson goes to confront his father about Gail being at the restaurant while his Arch a nemesis is in the bathroom. Dawson is upset that Mitch acts cool about the whole thing. 

Cool as Icccce!

Dawson begs him to ask Gail to stay if he thinks there is even a small chance that he wants to work things out. Mitch points out that he is not relevant in her choice to stay or go which it shouldn't be but totally is. 

Gail bumps into Dawson's Arch Nemesis in the bathroom and the two have a catty exchange where Gail actually comes off more bitchy. I mean, she's mad that this woman is dating her ex-husband but that's not her fault. Mitch made the choice to ask her out and Mitch wouldn't have been in a place to ask her out if Gail hadn't been...how did Abby put it? 

Thank you, Abby

Back with the more interesting storyline, Pacey confronts Andie about who she was talking to and Andie denies that she was talking to anyone. So Pacey asks her flat out if she is seeing anyone else and she says she isn't and Pacey asks her if she's having mental issues. Andie freaks out about this because it is a sensitive topic for her but Pacey points out that it's the logical place to go. He then asks her about a photo album that she was looking through and if it has any meaning since, in the pictures, she has the same hair that she's changed to now. Andie claims that it doesn't mean anything and demands to get her photos back. Pacey ignores her and keeps asking questions so she tries to rip the photo album out of his hands and ends up breaking a vase. She claims she's tired and runs upstairs to bed, leaving Pacey to clean up the mess. But what's this? TWIST!

The guy Andie has been seeing was her dead brother all along!

Pictured: Andie McPhee

Back at the French restaurant, Gail pretends like she hates romance but Jen isn't buying it. Jen then asks Gail if she and Mitch had a song that they danced to. Before Gail can answer, a waiter brings them some wine which was apparently sent over from Mitch. Do I sense...shenanigans?

Meanwhile, Dawson's Arch Nemesis is being bitchy about Dawson not making movies that "try" to make money once he becomes a Hollywood big-wig. Uh, lady, I like you. You ripped apart Dawson's dream and that was cool by me but right now, you are coming across as a phony.

Exactly

Joey uses her powers of bitchyness and making catty comments that she honed to an art with Jen last season, to put Dawson's Arch Nemesis in her place. Dawson is confused by this as he thought he was supposed to make nice with them to save their romantic evening.

1. I argue that their romantic evening is ruined by having to share it with a parent already and
2. Dawson should know by now that rules never apply to Josephine Potter. She can call you out for doing something but she can do the exact same thing because she says so. 

Can we go back to the interesting storyline, please?

Pacey is cleaning up the broken vase when Jack comes home. He asks what happened and Pacey explains that Andie is a bit off. Jack looks worried and then extremely concerned when Pacey mentions that she was talking to a guy called Brian or Bron or something. Andie has been listening to them and she confirms what we already know, Brown was her name for her brother, Tim. She explains when she was younger, she couldn't say Timothy, so she called him by her favourite colour, Brown. I argue that Tim is a perfectly simple and easy to say name, who said she had to use his full name? But whatever, the writers wanted to keep who she was talking to a mystery so, Brown it is. Andie then gets upset that they don't believe her and she runs and locks herself in a bathroom.

Back at the boring restaurant, Joey is stirring things up with Dawson's Arch Nemesis, getting her to admit, in front of Mitch that she disliked his precious son's perfect film. She tries to brush it off but Mitch jumps in by saying that as a teacher, it is her job to encourage kids to pursue their dreams. Not really, it's her job to prepare them for their future and pass down knowledge, Mitch. Dawson's Arch Nemesis says that is a "cosy fantasy" but that "life has a much meaner bite." Joey points out that people who focus on life's meaner bites, tend to be bitter about something. After all, she supposedly made it in Hollywood but is for some reason now slumming it in a small East Coast town teaching high school. She probably flamed out. Dawson's Arch Nemesis gets offended by this and excuses herself from the table.

Dawson asks to talk to Joey and points out the fact that not ten minutes after asking Dawson to behave, she has been pushing every button at the table. Joey plays coy about the whole thing but won't let Dawson in on what's going on. Jen then comes up and says that "Operation Reunited" (Ooooh, episode title drop!) is underway. Dawson is now upset because Jen knows and he doesn't. Then the Maitre D' shows up and asks them if they got the wine they asked for. Now Dawson is really upset because the Maitre D' knows and he still doesn't know.

Aw, honey, it's probably because you're useless

Anyway, the song Reunited starts to play because apparently that is Gail and Mitch's song. That's a horrible song to be their song because it sucks. But, they love it and Mitch actually goes over to Gail and asks her to dance, so success, I guess. Mitch thanks Gail for the bottle of wine that she apparently sent to his table and Gail quickly figures out that it was Jen and Joey's doing and plays along. Mitch then asks Gail about her decision to move away and she points out that it's none of his concern since he's obviously moved on with Dawson's Arch Nemesis. Mitch says that he's making a plea on Dawson's behalf for her to stay but she shoots back that Dawson could ask her to stay and look, I understand that they are talking about Mitch while using Dawson but Dawson did ask Gail to stay, she just made it clear that she didn't care if her son wanted her to stay as long as Mitch didn't want her back. So, no I don't buy that she would stay if Dawson asked her to but I do buy that she'd stay if Mitch asked her to which is what she's implying. I forget what my point was so the song ends and they both go back to their respective tables, having nothing really resolved.

Bang up job, guys

Back with the infinitely more interesting storyline, Pacey and Jack are trying desperately to get Andie to open the door and come out of the bathroom but she refuses. She is yelling at Tim to go away but Pacey thinks she is talking to him so he refuses. She clarifies that she means Tim so Pacey tells her that he does believe that she's seeing Tim and that it's not fair that he can't see Tim. So Pacey asks Andie to tell her what Tim is saying. What follows is a really engaging scene and I am going to post it for you below because it's that awesome.

Notice how most of the really great scenes I've shown 

have involved Pacey?

The only thing about that scene is that it's really awkward having Jack stand idly by offering up nothing to talk his sister out of the bathroom. I get why he had to be there, to set up the next episode's conflict, but I wish they'd given him a little something else to do. I mean as it stands it's like:

Uh, yeah...what Pacey said

Uh, me either 'cause I'm your brother...and stuff

Yay, you came out and...you know what, you guys should just have your moment
It's cool. I'll just hang back here until you need me...

It's just kind of sad and a bit awkward to watch him standing uselessly in the background while Pacey gets to save the day. I love the scene but it's staged awkwardly. It would have played better if Jack wasn't there, but I guess he kind of had to be because of what follows.

Jack says that he got Andie to go to sleep and Pacey asks what they should do. Jack says sensibly, that he should call his father. Pacey is livid at that idea and Jack says he's not thrilled about it but his sister clearly needs more help than they can give her and his father can afford that help. Pacey tries to say that she'll get better with time but Jack, rightfully, slaps Pacey with some truth and his first hand experience with this type of psychosis. Andie will not get better with time, untreated. She will get worse, like her mother did. Jack doesn't want her to get as bad as their mother did to the point where nothing could help her. So Pacey agrees that Jack should call Mr. McPhee.

Gail thanks Jen for the evening, even if the shenanigans were a little too much for her tastes.

But it's such a fun word to say

Jen asks Gail if she decided to stay in Capeside and Gail admits that she really wanted to leave, to run away from her feelings for Mitch but that she could move 10,000 miles away and still be connected to him. She thinks that Mitch felt it too and seems happy but then she spots Mitch with Dawson's Arch Nemesis looking intimate and she runs away. Uh-oh, looks like Gail probably will move to Philly.

Dawson and Joey are hanging out in a row boat, talking about their evening. Joey asks Dawson if he planned the romantic evening specifically so that they'd close the deal on their relationship. IE: fuck. Dawson plays innocent but then admits that he didn't think the idea was that preposterous. She says that it isn't and that she thought about it too. Dawson tells her that the night is young and Joey counters that so are they. Sorry, Dawson/Joey shippers, their love is not to be consummated.

We fittingly end on the true tragic and romantic couple, Pacey and Andie. Andie is scared about what will happen to her and Pacey says that he is scared too. She admits that she doesn't want to lose him and he says that she won't "not now, not ever" and then they say "I love you" to each other.

Awwwww!

This scene just breaks my heart and angers me because of what is going to happen next season but we'll get to that drama when it unfolds. For now, they are team Pandie and they are the strongest and most endearing couple on this show.

Stay tuned next time for Ch-Ch-Changes, yes that actually is the episode title. I guess the writers figured it was time for our fellow Creekers to turn and face the strange.

Ba-dum TISH!

No, but seriously, it's really obvious that the episode is named after this song. We'll see if they do encounter any real changes or face anything strange, next time in the Wastelands.

Dawson's Creek - 219 - Rest in Peace

Original air date: May 5, 1999

OK, so here it is. We've had our "don't drink alcohol. Alcohol is bad, m'kay" message and now we move onto an episode dedicated to the aftermath of Abby's passing and it does it surprisingly well. Not only do they address the general publics reaction to a young girl's death but also how we tend to whitewash people after death, no matter how bad they are.

OK, there are some exceptions to the rule

At any rate, this episode is another example of the theme song kind of draining the emotional weight of the opener with its cheeriness. We have Dawson and Joey giggling as they make their way up to his room, only for Dawson to be cock blocked by Jen breaking the news of Abby's death. I like yo think that this was Abby's last blow to the gang, delaying the grossness of Dawson and Joey, and I salute her for it.

Joey comforts a sobbing Jen as Dawson stands uselessly in the background because real human emotions frighten him, remember. But it's OK, people, this episode won't get too heavy, the theme song will relax us after the sad!

Awwwww, Abby's dead... :'(

Yay! Dancing on the beach!

Joey, no surprise, copes with Abby's death by making it about her and her mother's death. OK, to be fair, I get that a death can bring up old feelings again and losing your mom at a young age would suck, so joking aside, I do get why she'd be thinking of her mom. Her dad walks in and tells her a story about the dress her mom is wearing in the picture. He then says that he never got a chance to talk to Joey about her mom's death. That's Joey's cue to run away. 

Running away is my one and only response to all problems!!

Meanwhile, Jen is also acting out and running away from her problems but she kind of has better reason to. She's in a group counselling session with a bunch of other students, including Pacey, Andie, and Jack. The counsellor asks if anyone has anything to say about Abby, Jen refuses but Andie speaks up. She talks about how Abby was full of life and has such a great spirit which disgusts Jen so much that she storms out. I have to agree with Jen's disgust though. Andie didn't like Abby at all, hated her even and she had every right and very good reason to. However, why is she suddenly trying to talk nicely about Abby? Shouldn't she be venting about her real feelings about Abby? I get why that would be hard to do in a group so for that matter, why the hell are they just doing random group sessions? Usually counsellors will talk to classes and then offer for students who need to talk to come by their office. 

Meanwhile, Dawson and Joey confess to each other that they hated Abby and how weird it is that people who hated her are making a big deal about her death. Dawson says that Abby was weird, that she died was weird and the way she died was weird. I don't really see how drowning is a weird way to die, I'd say it's a horrific and terrifying way to die but not weird. Whatever, Dawson doesn't understand how humans react to things anyway. Joey says she's not going because, in case you didn't know, her mom died and that's the last funeral she's been to. Dawson says that happened three years ago so she should probably deal with those emotions. Oh Dawson, Joey doesn't deal with her emotions, she runs from them. It's the Potter way. She confirms this by saying:

Joey: I don't know. I guess I'm just...there's a part of me that's still holding on. That little girl inside is just waiting for her return. You know, that her death was just some cosmic error and eventually, God will realize he made a terrible mistake and he'll send her back to me like he did my dad. And ...(smiles) I'll have my mom again.

Andie finds Jen to see if she's OK and Jen lashes out and calls Andie a hypocrite for waxing poetic about Abby's free spirit when before she died, Andie would've said she was a bitch. Andie doesn't think it's appropriate to malign someone's character post-mortem but Jen points out that it's not maligning if it's the truth. Andie then tries to defend herself by saying that she tried multiple times to reach out to Abby but she rejected her. Jen then spits that it was Andie who rejected Abby at the wedding and that's why they were at the docks and why Abby died. 

Totally

Dawson comes home from school to find his mother waiting for him. She asks him how school went but she's not really interested in that, she wants to tell Dawson about the job offer she got in Philadelphia. Dawson says he doesn't want to move to Philadelphia and Gail agrees that it's too late in his life to move him and she doesn't want to uproot him or take him away from his friends. Good, Gail, I thought I'd have to slap you for a second there. Then Dawson asks if she's going to take it and Gail explains that she's thinking seriously about it, so seriously that she's planned it out. Mitch will move back to the house to take care of Dawson, she'll come home and visit as often as she can and Dawson can visit in the summer. She says that if she doesn't take the job and she loses her marriage, what else does she have?

Seriously, Gail?

Exactly!

You still have your son, Gail. You know, the person you created? The person you should be putting above your selfish needs?

oh, honey...

That's not enough

Heinous bitch!

Ugh, did you see that look? That look totally said, "oh honey, you don't matter. I just want want your father back. You can't fuck me." Just, heinous. Gail is one of the worst TV parents ever. All that matters is her husband, her kid doesn't factor into her decision at all. It's just, "Mitch doesn't want me back? Nothing's left for me for me here! Nothing!"

Even his mother doesn't want him

Grams checks up on Jen, who is still in bed. She's worried about Jen and even though Grams never liked Abby, she's sad that Jen lost her friend. That's nice but unfortunately she's using her religious views to talk to Jen. Now, I get that this is how Grams deals with death bug ultimately I get as pissed as Jen does when people try to tell me that someone being taken from you, people you care about, is "God's plan" because you know what? If God's plan is to take a young girl's life, Then God's plan fucking sucks. 

We next cut to Pacey and Andie who are at a restaurant. Pacey is absolutely indignant that Jen blames Andie for Abby's death but Andie does feel guilty for sending her away from the wedding. Just then, Abby's mother walks up to them and this, my friends, is where Abby becomes the most interesting side character Dawson's Creek ever produced. Now, one would assume up to this point that Abby's friend that she would have talked to her mother about was Jen but apparently, she talked the most about Andie. Andie, the girl she was constantly ridiculing and terrorising, was the one that she told her mother about. I mean, I find that fascinating. Was Andie the friend she always wished she had or was Andie the perfect cover friend that her mother would approve of, thus letting her go out to do other things? I'm mixed on this one, it could honestly go either way. There were glimpses where Abby did seem to genuinely want to be friends with Andie, case in point the time Abby offered her a ride home after that teen girl thing Gail did. Also when Abby did the mystery project on the sex note, then opted to take a failing grade rather than expose Andie's pain to the entire class. I don't know, I think through all of Abby's nastiness, she was actually just a lonely, bored and mixed up girl. 

Not as cartoonishly evil as we thought?

Anyway, Abby's mom is having a hard time finding someone to do a eulogy because Abby was a bitch to everyone, no mistaking that. She asks Andie to do it since Abby apparently only mentioned her as a friend and Andie actually agrees despite how anxious this makes her. 

Andie decides that to make the eulogy respectful but truthful, she has to get to know Abby. So she and Pacey sneak into Abby's house during the memorial and go up to her room. I briefly wonder why Abby's mom is having both a memorial and a funeral but this could be more common than I think so I'll shut up. Andie finds Abby's journal and despite Pacey's protest, she reads it and discovers that Abby pretty much hated everyone, including her. So, I guess Abby was just using Andie as a way to trick her mother to let her go out? 

In death, you became so much more interesting

Dawson finds Mitch in a classroom and sits down to talk. Mitch thinks Dawson wants to talk about Abby's death but Dawson doesn't care about that. He tells Mitch about Gail's job offer in Philly and Mitch just says that's good for her. Dawson is angry that his father doesn't care and is willing to let his mom walk out of their lives. Yet another reason Gail is a complete bitch here. She blatantly told Dawson that she's leaving because his father won't get back together with her so now Dawson is blaming his father for Gail leaving. That's horrible, she's leaving Mitch with a son who will hate him for making his mother leave town. I fucking hate Gail in this episode because she's being an awful and selfish person which is funny because the writers are clearly trying to make her sympathetic so that the audience will want Mitch to take her back. Well, it's not working on me. 

Jack asks Joey what's up with her and Dawson and she says they're putting things on hold because of reasons. I'm not bothering getting into it because we sell know they're together, this is just a bullshit thing to make you wonder just a little longer. 

Pacey is complaining to Dawson about not being able to protect Andie from dealing with death which is pretty misguided. I love Pacey and I love him with Andie and I remember loving how much he fought for her but this is getting kind of ridiculous. It's not his job to protect her from her feelings or stop her from going over the deep end. He can support her but ultimately, it's her job. 

Your hero complex is showing

Grams confronts Jen on her drinking again. Jennifer wigs out on her for it and lashes out even more about Grams' God speak. She goes out of her way to offend Grams and when Grams gets angry, Jen then chastises Grams for not being infinitely patient. She then says that if she can't speak her mind, she will just move out. 

Whatever! You don't know me!

Joey is pouting over the fact that she can't remember her mother very well so her dad comforts her by telling her that she reminds him of her mother. He also says that her mother isn't gone because she lives on in Joey. It's nice, I'll leave it at that. It's really just there to tell us again about how awesome and strong and beautiful Joey is but it's at least trying to have some heart about it. 

Andie is freaking out because she couldn't figure out what to write for Abby's eulogy. If she makes up nice stuff, she's lying and if she tells the truth, she'll break Abby's mom's heart. Pacey offers to do the speech for her so that she'll stop stressing about it which Andie is moved by but also sets Pacey straight about his role in their relationship. That he shouldn't always rush to be her knight in shinning armour. She says she has to learn to take care of herself so she is going to do the eulogy herself. 

The day of the funeral the people of Capeside show up. Despite the fact that our characters have spent the entire episode going on and on about how awful Abby was and how much they all hated her and that she was a harpy who rode to school on a broomstick, etc the entire gang shows up for her funeral. Why? Because the plot says so. Really, it only makes sense for Jen, Grams, Pacey, and Andie o be at the funeral. Dawson and Joey have no business being there. They flat out said they didn't like her at the beginning, so why show up? Because Joey has made Abby's death about herself and the loss of her mother? 

This funeral for Abby is totally about me and my issues with my mom's death!

Grams sits next to Jen and apologizes for the fight they had last night and says she forgives Jen. Jen says she doesn't need her forgiveness, she needs her understanding and she thinks Grams has never been able to give that. Uh, Jen look in the mirror because you haven't given your Grams any understanding either. Before they can get too into it, people are asked to say a few words about Abby. Jen is the only one yo stand up and she says this:

Jen: My name is Jen Lindley. And I was friends with Abby, as much as anyone could be because Abby had a toxic personality, in fact it was almost bordering on radioactive. Abby could be cruel and Abby could be spiteful, and Abby could certainly be petty. She spent her days mischievously stirring up trouble, and creating calamity, and generally, taking pleasure in other people's pain. You know, in Sunday School, they teach us that God made Man in his image. Well, if God made Abby in his own image then what does that say about God? God has always been such a mystery to me. I mean, what kind of Deity creates a world that is so full of suffering and so full of pain. I tell you what, Abby taught me a lot. She taught me how to do a tequila shooter with one hand tied behind my back, and she taught me to live life by my own set of values, and not follow the crowd, in hopes of winning some phantom popularity contest. But most of all, what's most important, is Abby taught me the sadistic nature of our God and as much as that knowledge is disturbing, it's true. And it's real. And for a world that is so saturated with phoniness and lies, for that small amount, for that little bit of honesty, I will always be grateful to her. 

And Grams looks like this:

I will rain God's vengeance down upon thee!

Then Andie finally gets up and says her piece. She paints Abby as a person who challenges people and pushes them to be stronger. It was truthful but so much kinder than Jen's words. This rightfully makes Jen feel like shit. 

Dawson tells Joey that he's happy about what happened between them but she's too busy being sad face about her mother to show any emotion:

Yes. I am thrilled to be back with you too. Can't you tell by my face?

She snaps out of it and says that she is happy about being back with Dawson too but says she needs to do something first but wants him to walk her there. He looks extremely happy and smug that she needs him. 

Pacey congratulates Andie on how well she's handled everything. Andie spots Jen and goes to talk to her. Jen apologizes for blaming Andie for Abby's death because it was really her own fault. Andie tries to comfort Jen by telling her she was only speaking the truth. Jen says that she was being stupid and that the truth should not be said sometimes. Andie remembers Abby's diary and is worried that Abby's mom will find it and be heart broken. 

Jen returns home to find Grams has packed up all of her things. Grams is pissed, y'all. Grams yells at Jen for basically shitting all over her olive branch and did it in a house of God. She also points out what I did about Jen demanding understanding without giving any of her own. Then Grams tells her to find someplace else to live and, I'm not gonna lie, this scene was hard to watch. They were getting along so well and then this happens and it breaks my heart. 

Noooooooo!

You were getting along so well!

Andie is getting Abby's diary out of her room when she spots Abby in the mirror, like this:

The fuuuuuck?

But she's not really there:

Don't bother trying to find her, Andie

So, what happened? Did Andie see Abby's ghost or is she going coo coo for cocoa puffs? I guess we'll have to find out next time in Reunited but time will tell if it feels so good.