Beauty Contest:
Written by: Dana Baratta
Directed by: Arvin Brown
Original airdate: May 12, 1998
Joey and Dawson debate about how attraction actually works with Joey arguing that what men have found attractive has changed over the decades because of how women were portrayed publicly or in the media while Dawson suggests that some of the attraction is just based on basic animal instinct, a thought that leaves Joey ready to end the conversation.
As the gang later hangs out at the SS Icehouse, the subject of the Miss Windjammer Pageant comes up, in which Dawson’s mom will be participating as one of the judges with Dawson covering it on camera for the news station. It’s revealed that Jen was once a young pageant goer courtesy of her mother, leaving Dawson to make some cutting remarks about how she should enter this one as well. Jen retreats and talks with Joey, asking her if they could try being friends now that the Dawson component has been removed from the equation to which Joey replies somewhat positively.
At school, Pacey laments about his home life where his father constantly compares him to his successful brother, and leaves him wishing he could find a way to emancipate himself from his family and find his own place. Remembering about the Miss Windjammer Pageant and its $5000 prize, starts to consider entering it himself. Meanwhile, Jen has convinced Joey that she should enter the contest for at the very least to win the prize money which could be a good down payment for her future college education and a way out of being stuck in Capeside forever.
Dawson starts to see that it seems like Joey has been avoiding him and he realizes he has started to miss her being around. Pacey tries to push him to make a choice but Dawson still holds fast that he doesn’t feel any romantic feelings for her, while elsewhere, Jen asks Joey how she feels now that her and Dawson have broken up to which Joey repeats her standard line of how he just sees her as his gawky friend.
As the contest gets started and Dawson starts interviewing the contestants on camera, Pacey runs into a former classmate now attending a boarding school out of town and the two exchange barbs back and forth. Meanwhile, Jen has been coaching Joey on all she needs to know about performing well in the pageant from walking in heels to proper smiling technique. When Dawson begins to interview Joey he’s surprised to hear her talk of wanting to move away, anywhere, and the two have a prolonged talk while taping her response.
As the night goes on, Pacey charms the audience and judges with his carefree attitude, but eventually learns from Gail that he doesn’t have a chance of winning because the people who run the club would never permit it, leaving him to change up his act for the upcoming portion of the contest. Joey performs a song for her part for the talent competition to great applause, with Pacey following her but instead of doing a magic act, launches into a speech adapted from Braveheart in a an attempt to stand up to the fact that he wasn’t given a fair chance at winning and when the contest ends, Joey is surprised to find she came in second, a good showing for someone who had never been in a show like this before.
Meanwhile, Dawson has found himself suddenly attracted to her after seeing her onstage dressed very differently from her normal tomboyish outfits and confronts her about it to which she rebuffs him, saying that this isn’t the real her, and she walks off, telling him he’s had plenty of time to reconcile his feelings for her.
Jen later finds Dawson and admits that she made a mistake and would like to try things out with him again, but Dawson surprisingly says that this isn’t the best time to do that, having realized his feelings for Joey as down the creek, Joey gets ready for bed, smiling, thinking back on the evening, while Dawson at home, finds himself smiling alone as well.
Dawson's Trivia:
Decisions:
Written by:
Teleplay by: Mike White & Dana Baratta
Story by: Jon Harmon Feldman
Directed by: David Semel
Original airdate: May 19, 1998
As Dawson and Joey walk up to the fourth wall and poke it during their conversation about television shows and big cliffhangers, next door Jen and Grams are amazed when Gramps wakes up and tries talking. Filled with such hope, Jen asks Dawson if he wants to hang out later that night but he already has plans with Joey, who then shows up and reveals she has been picked as a replacement for a student who had a scholarship to spend a semester in France, leaving Dawson worried.
While talking the offer over with Bessie, she reminds Joey that it is her turn to go visit their dad in prison on his birthday. Reluctantly she goes with Dawson as moral support but they arrive too late and need to stay overnight in a hotel until visiting hours are open again. They begin to talk about their feelings but Dawson backs away again, still unsure of what could happen to their friendship if they move forward. The meeting does not go well as Joey harbors a lot of hate and resentment since she finds him responsible for destroying they family and she takes off while Mr. Potter asks Dawson to tell him about Joey, leaving him to describe his best friend as only someone who really loves her could do.
Meanwhile, Gramps, at the hospital for tests, ends up having another stroke, leaving Jen to ask why, with Grams responding that God has a plan for everything, and begins praying for her husband. Back at the Icehouse, Joey is closing up for the night when Pacey walks in lamenting about how he is the town loser according to his father and brother, recalling incidents from his childhood that made him also feel that way. Joey suggests telling his father how he feels which he then turns around, asking if SHE told her father the same thing. Joey then enlists Pacey in borrowing his fathers truck so they can go back to the prison and see her father again, which at first doesn’t go well, being after visiting hours, but Pacey slips the guard a 20 and Mr. Potter is brought out. Joey and her father have a conversation in which she lets him know she’s been so hurt for so many years and he apologizes and the two renew their relationship.
Back at home, Jen climbs through Dawson’s window and asks if she could spend the night there, feeling like she’s losing everyone and needing some comfort. Dawson reluctantly agrees and when they wake the next morning, Joey starts to climb through the window just as Jen tries to kiss Dawson. Joey runs away, but Dawson takes off after her, trying to find her to explain what was going on but to no avail as he keeps missing her in his search.
Meanwhile, Jen receives a call that her Grandfather has passed on. At the church, Grams prays with Jen sitting beside her, as the two break down and comfort each other.
Dawson returns home after a fruitless search only to find Joey in his closet. They begin talking about being honest and Dawson starts to hold back again but as Joey starts to leave, he pulls her back, taking the big leap and kisses her as they both finally give in to their feelings.
Dawson's Trivia:
Gareth Williams played Mike Potter. Most recently he was a supporting cast member in a movie called Gutterbee (a social satire comedy about two guys building a German sausage restaurant). He also has made a couple of appearances as a police chief on True Detective. He had supporting roles in Love After Love with Andie McDowell (getting back into life after the death of a father/husband) and Executive Target with Roy Scheider and Michael Madsen (stunt driver is black mailed in helping kidnap the president). He's also directed some short films.
Richard Fullerton was the guard and he returns in a later season as a diner owner. He did play a guard several times before in Muppets from Space and The Stepford Husbands. He also had minor parts in Secretariat and Remember the Titans.
Essential Playlist:
Classic Creeks Critiques:
Correr2000 I loved the show last night it was great!!!!!! It was sad though when Joey walked a way form dawson, but I could see why see did it, she did not what him to like her becuase she was good looking but becuase of who she was inside.
JWEISSNYC Did Pacey not look amazing when he walked out as a contestant?! I thought he looked great, and although the crown should've gone to Joey, he would have made a great first runner-up. However, that is not how the world of beauty pagents work.
Caroline (Chris): i think that joeys song really gave dawson an assurace that joey was for him. i mean her look sparked something inside him but the song was the kicker. i think he realized that the song was about him and joey
Chris was wondering why Dawson and Joey ere laughing near the end. Happyjamie says: I think they were laughing because they were thinking about what happened that night. Dawson was probably laughing cause he got to see a new side of Joey and he liked it. He knows she is had over heels for him, so I don't think that he is too worried about not being able to be with her. Joey was probably laughing and smiling because she now knows that it is possible for Dawson to look at her in another way.
Nicolas Stroman is wondering “what happened to Dawson’s horror movie which was the basis for much of the first 5 or so episodes?? It was supposed to be entered into that Boston Film Festival along w/ "Helmets of Glory" from the film class and then...POOF we never heard about it again!! I love the show right now and it has been consistently excellent week after week, but it's just hard to ignore the fact that Dawson's supposed to be an aspiring filmmaker and we have heard nothing about his film for MONTHS!! Has this plot point been dropped (which would be very stupid) or will it picked up again in the next season? Comments?? Sorry for the rant. I was also wondering why we haven't seen Nellie in forever (and I miss Abby!) and I was going to say Jen's Grandpa as well, but he was in "The Scare" and he's in the Season Finale so I guess he is still in the picture. :-)
Montgomery responded with: Nellie and Abby are the one-dimensional token bitch characters. They're interchangeable.
KingMo69 who is also Dr Mike, Medicine Man & Cat Therapist: I have to admit that Dawson's Creek has really surprised me with its quality.
When I first heard of the show, I thought, "Not another 90210 rip-off". The show is pretty good. The characters are all interesting and believable, the plots are not all that predicatable, and the dialogue is good (even though the kids sound like they're 35). It's a fun show and it will be interesting to see how long it stays good.
A lot of criticism of Joey’s singing and a fair amount of defenders as well, searching for a wav file of her song. Arguments about speaking voices versos singing voices. One even posted a fake website: http://www.joey.offkey/flat&cannotsing/tonedeaf.wav
Argyle115 responds to the haters of her singing with: What?!?! Did you not notice the wistful glances and shy little smirks she made throughout the song? She was totally conveying the fact that *she* feels the lyrics to that song. That *is* acting.
Kristy Gleason also: One thing of note... she started out VERY tentative... however, as the song went on, her voice got much stronger as her nerves settled down. She's an actress... she's not a singer.. and for not being a singer, she did pretty well.
And DJ Cream too: Yeah, I agree with this. She may have done this on purpose. Remember this is puny little small town pageant. Most people in these are very amateur. Plus this was Joey's first time singing in front of people. So people stop complaining and comparing it too professional broadway shows please!
Sunnygirl (cybergrrlz): Joey's voice is so not the point of that scene. The point was that the song was a perfect reflection of how Joey felt for Dawson. Dawson just stared at her with this amazed look on his face and didn't even understand that Joey was singing to him. That was the worst part, Dawson's clueless expression.
Katie Holmes Sings:
MnLtKnight said: Does Dawson's strike anyone else as a 90's-style homage to Archie comics?
Think about it:
Dawson = Archie
Joey = Betty
Jen = Veronica
Pacey = Jughead
Discussion of who would be Reggie: Pacey? Cliff? The BF from NY?
Miss Loveleigh: Is it just me or is Jen Two faced. Just as she finally wins Joey's friendship, she has to go and try to steal Dawson from her. I don't know what Jen's definition of a friend is cause she sure isn't acting like one. And just as I was starting to like Jen she has to go and do something stupid like that.
JWEISSNYC agrees: I agree also. Two weeks ago, she wanted nothing to do with Dawson anymore at the carnival, last week she tells him not "to cross her off any more lists" and last night she decides she's ready to get back together. If I were Dawson, I'd
be pretty sick of her unwillingness to make up her mind about how she feels about him! Just an opinion.
Riock Halton has an interesting idea: In looking back, I think Jen's "change of heart" was entirely predictable. One episode, she almost crys on the ferris wheeI. You can she she wants to get back together. The next episode, she tells him not to cross her off any more lists, and is pleased with the little envelope thing. This episode, she shows Dawson what others can see in Joey. I think she set it up so Dawson would go after Joey and then reject her when she tries to make up. I dont think she feels she really deserves Dawson or is comfortable with a "good" guy
Jennifer Marina Montes: i agree. i think she has an ego problem. she thinks that by making joey up to be at par with her looks (i guess she thinks she looks good), that dawson will still choose her over joey. i hate her.
Reese calls it like it is: I know that I'll get a lot of negative responses...but here I go... I will chalk Jenn to acting her age. I mean she is a teenager, teenagers are wishy-washy when it comes to "who they like." We all did it, it's a high school thing. The natural reaction to not being able to get what you want is to try to get it even more. (Here I go I'm going to say the big liner)When I was in High School it went on all the time. I will give the writers points for hitting the nail right on the head.
___________
Montgomery: I couldn't really care less about the Joey/Dawson thing, but the big scene between Joey and her father really hit me. "Do you love me?"
the Condrons (Katrina C): Can Dawson and Joey ever spend a hands-off, "buddy sleepover" night together again? I'd like to think they could, especially this first night, they'd have so much to talk about. But I remember being 15 *really* well, and realistically I think they should both know better than to tempt themselves and rush things.
LaffinLady: I agree that ending the season on a good note was a REALLY good idea. I hate it when shows leave you hanging in between a relationship....like some shows end the season with a "Will he get the girl?" kinda ending and it's soooooooo annoying. Dawson's Creek on a Wednesday night!?!? That sucks. I know lots of people that will still be at church until late that night. Tuesday nights were so perfect! Why are they changing it????
Eleanor Perrone: I got the impression that the season ended with the end of the first semester, mostly because the season started in January "our time" but August or September "DC time." That way, Joey would be in FR the second semester if she went. Any thoughts? If that's so, will next season begin in "real" time (beginning of junior year for them)?
Vira: Yeah to make it even better they should have had Pacey confront his dad and they could have made that quite dramatic. To add to this already wicked episode
SaraRhiannon (Amelia): wow...that was the saddest. it was like the first time i cried at the tv since the finale of the wonders years. i was screaming at the tv for jen to get off dawson as joey was going up the ladder and weeping penly when the gradfather died and the very end with the kissing in the window because, i was in that exact position with a guy once. i dont know about joey, but that was the first time i intamately spent the night at a guys. woah. i wonder what will happen next season.
John R Rybock: OK, looking at Joey's father, he kinda, to me, looked like an older Dawson. Something about the eyes and the pained smile was similar. I was wondering if anyone else saw this, and if so, do you think it was intentional… a metaphor for Dawson, being trapped, regretting not saying the things that need to be said. That sort of thing...
Eleanor Perrone: Joey ends up going to France second semester and comes back changed-more confident and less pessimistic, mostly. Or maybe she'll be terrified and come back early!? But I think she will go to France for a couple of reasons...
1. She has an insatiable need to get out of Capeside and see the world, as she's shown many times, and a scholarship is the perfect way because of her financial situation. When will she ever get another chance like this?
2. She scoffed at the girl who turned down the scholarship before her to stay with her BF.
3. She doesn't seem like the kind of a person to give up such an opportunity for a guy as unsure as Dawson about her/their future. And if they're really right for each other, and more than just friends, he'll still there for her when she gets back.
4. Things between Joey and Dawson will go well for a while, but Jen will still be there. Now that she's realized what she gave up and what she's missing, she's determined to get Dawson back. Probably using her newfound friendship in Joey as her ally, she will try to break them up numerous times. But she won't actually be the one to break them up
5. Pacey will seek academic help from Joey to get rid of his "joke" status, and they will yet again grow closer. Anyway, once Joey and Dawson are together, their friendship will become a bit awkward and they won't just "talk" like they used to. But as for Pacey, Joey will be able to joke around with him and talk to him. They'll probably have one of those love-hate relationships. Anyways, she'll go for it with him, looking for what she can't find in Dawson anymore. As soon as this happens, Dawson will be even more nerve-wracked and jealous than he was with Jen's breakup, and he will use Jen's "missing him"
to get back together with her and try to make Joey jealous. It won't work, but he'll feel bad for using Jen, and will break up with her.
6. FinallyJoey will realize that she was wrong to break his heart, and
they will have an emotional reconciliation. All of this will probably last
more than one season, and since they only have two more years left in high school, maybe Joey and Dawson will get engaged at their senior grad. Either that, or it'll be an end like in the Wonder Years, where they meet years later after parting for what they thought would be a temporary separation, and they stay just adult friends.
Annie: a) Joey snaps out of the magic moment, realizes if Dawson loves her, he'll still love her in a few months, and goes to Paris..It seems un-Joey-like to be the kind of girl who throws away an amazing opportunity to study abroad to "stand by her man" at home? I mean, she seemed incredulous when she talked about the girl who had given up the opportunity to stay by her boyfriend thus giving Joey the chance to go to Paris. She puts off couplehood with Dawson to be sure Dawson is really ready to love her in a non-platonic way. She's seen him fall in and out of love with Jen and has admitted she wants him to appreciate their friendship as the basis for love and not just be infatuated with her momentarily or by the romance of it all. Dawson meanwhile, unaccustomed to being second fiddle in Joey's life, broods. Joey returns more confident, self-assured, and less reliant on Dawson. Dawson is insecure about how she's changed and their unsettled relationship stays unsettled.
b) they go from the kiss to happy couplehood, but encounter lots of
bumps in the relationship road. The season will explore how it changes their friendship. Instead of lying around watching videos, they'll spend more time making out, groping, contemplating sex (with Dawson pushing for it, and Joey hesitant). It will bother one or both of them eventually that their friendship that was based on great conversation and easy-going comfort with one another has turned into more of a physical thing. "Why don't we talk like we used to" might be a line uttered by one of them along the way. If they manage to stay a happy couple, the sex storylines will be a strong undercurrent. They'll go through all the usual teen sex storylines: the decision to go all the way or not, the reprecussions. Along the way, Joey and Dawson as a couple will also encounter problems with how their new relationship effects their friends and family.
Onchangel: This had to be the best episode of the entire season. I loved the touching scenes between Joey and her father. And I'm so psyched about Joey and Dawson. I always felt they belonged together. I hope the PTB don't have Dawson running back and forth between her and Jen next season. I hope he just lets Jen down and she finds someone else, and doesn't become obsessed on winning
him back. If I want to see the merry-go-round I can watch a daytime
soap. I really hope Dawson and Joey's relationship matures into
an adult love. Maybe a wedding a few years down the road. This
certainly made up for the awful season finale of Buffy TVS.
Joey and Dawson forever!!! Another thing, please kill off Pacey's
brother soon, he's such an arrogant jerk.
Puccini12 (Ryan): I'm new to watching DAWSON'S CREEK (I've only watched two entire episodes). However, I now know what my girlfriend was talking about when she said it was great! I do have a bad feeling, though; everyone knows there are four main characters (Dawson, Joey, Pacey, and Jen) and, from what I've seen, they don't interact
with others that much (maybe I'm wrong, though). My bad feeling: how long can the writers and producers go creating plot lines involving only four people? There's only so many times that Dawson can go out with and/or break up with Jen/Joey. Perhaps the new season opens with a REAL threat to Dawson's relationships moving to Capeside? I love what I have seen so far and don't want the show to flame out too soon.
DrEvil0069 responds: There are other characters that are supposed to be built up in the new season. There is supposed to be more of Joeys dad, Abbie, Bessie, and Boatie, and PAcey's family. I hope that a new kid will move to town or something and end up hanging with their group, maybe shake things up a little. I am holding the world ransom for one million dollars! Man who stands on toliet is high on pot
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