Valentine's Day Massacre:
Written by: Tom Kapinos
Directed by: Sandy Smolan
Original airdate: February 2, 2000
Synopsis:
While Dawson attempts to teach Joey how to drive a stick shift, Pacey brings up the party that a classmate has set up that evening for Valentine’s Day but Joey is cold to the idea while Dawson actually considers it.
Meanwhile, Henry is selling his blood in order to get enough money to ensure that his date with Jen will be perfect, even asking the nurse to bend the rules so that he can get even more funds.
Elsewhere, Andie lets Jack know that his ex-girlfriend Kate is coming up to Capeside for the weekend after her and her boyfriend just broke up, while Jen prepares for her date with Henry while countering Grams who believes she is nervous about it.
Kate shows up and reveals that the reason her and her boyfriend broke up was because he turned out to be gay, causing Jack to wait on telling her that HE is gay as well. They go to meet up with Dawson and Pacey who are hanging out on a golf course pretending to play golf. Joey also shows up in order to play angel to Pacey’s devil on Dawson’s shoulder. As they grab some golf carts to head for the nearby party, Dawson shares one with Kate and the two chat, with Dawson complimenting her on her beauty.
At the party, the host will only let them in if they do a shot, but Andie and Joey refuse and so leave, while everyone else partakes of the alcohol. After taking in a good amount of alcohol, Dawson asks Kate to go for a walk, and she figures out that he’s the nice guy of the group while Dawson tries to understand how he gets lumped into that stereotype. Unfortunately when he takes Kate’s advice to stop thinking and start doing, in this case starting a kiss with her instead of talking about it, the alcohol in her system decides that THAT is the time to reappear as she turns away to throw up.
Joey and Andie, driving the golf cart away from the party, get intercepted by Deputy Doug and arrested, along with everyone else at the party.
At Henry and Jen’s date, Henry is noticeably distracted and out of sorts as he tries to manage the date while having sold too much blood. He proceeds to faint, resulting in an ambulance being called and him being carted off to the hospital, but not before he hands Jen an ill-fitting ring he brought for to help make the night memorable.
In the local police lockup, Jack finally brings up that he is gay to Kate who accepts it without pause, asking if Dawson was gay too since it seems only gay guys will kiss her. This gets Joey angry that Dawson was going to kiss her and the two argue, as they do, until Pacey interrupts it and admonishes them both in a bit more of a cutting manner than usual, before throwing up in the sink.
Jen returns home and explains what happened to Grams, with Grams offering the suggestion that maybe Henry did all that because he thought that THAT is what Jen wanted him to do. Jen goes to the hospital and admits to him that she was nervous about their date as well, and explains that she never really had a date on Valentine’s Day before, that most of the boys in her school only took the girls they ACTUALLY liked out on that day. She tells Henry that maybe they should just act like their true selves instead of a couple in their thirties and he whole-heartedly agrees as they eat their hospital Jello.
The kids in the lockup are let go as Mitch comes to pick them up, but Deputy Doug reveals that their dad wants Pacey to spend the night in jail to learn a lesson. Later Doug talks with Pacey and realizes something is up, when Pacey reveals that he is hung up on a girl. Doug gives him some advice to act on it now because as you get older, you lose the youthful feeling of butterflies in the stomach when it comes to romance.
Dawson talks with his dad who is disappointed in him but understands him. While Dawson professes to trying to act like a kid, Mitch says then it is up to him to act like an adult and grounds him by making him work for his mother on the restaurant she is building.
Jack and Kate have a nice talk as they both get closure, with Jack realizing he didn’t tell Kate right away about being gay because it brought back painful memories from when they were together and he started to realize he was gay, feeling like his thoughts were wrong.
Pacey goes to Joey’s house and apologizes for his behavior and she accepts and reveals that she is just trying to show concern for him when she intervenes between him and Dawson. Pacey moves closer to Joey and while it seems he is preparing to tell her how he actually likes her, he switches gears and gives her advice on how to drive a stick shift, volunteering to help her learn. She laughs and the two jump in the truck and she manages to successfully learn how to shift as they drive away down the driveway together.
Dawson's Trivia:
Matt Caulfield, who is in the Capeside Classifieds as being a DJ, was played by Michael Hagerty. Just a few handfuls of credits as guest actors in various TV shows like Nash Bridges, Dark Skies, Jack & Jill, Malibu Shores, and The Pretender.
Kate Douglas was played by Alexandra Breckenridge. She leads the show Virgin River (nurse moves to remote North California and is surprised by what she finds there), it also stars Tim Matheson and Martin Henderson. She also had a good run of episodes in This Is Us as Sophie Larson, albeit a bit farther down the cast list. She’s also been on shows like The Walking Dead, True Blood, Life Unexpected (with Kerr Smith), American Horror Story, and Save Me as one of the main cast members (woman thinks she is channeling God after having an accident. Also stars Michael Landes from Lois and Clark, and Anne Heche). She was a lead in The Ex List (a woman explores her past relationships when a psychic tells her she has already dated her future husband). Also starred as a lead in Dirt, starring Courtney Cox and Ian Hart (tabloid editor and her photographer try to survive celebrity journalism). Aside from other guest spots, she is a frequent voice contributor to Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy projects.
Crime and Punishment:
Written by: Gina Fattore
Directed by: Joe Napolitano
Original airdate: February 9, 2000
Synopsis:
Pacey talks with Joey who is painting a mural as part of a school project and as usual joking back and forth. Later Dawson tries to get a sneak peek at it, but Joey won’t let him until the public unveiling of all the school murals the next day, an event that she is nervous about due to her baring her soul to the world for all to see.
Meanwhile, Andie and the disciplinary committee are holding their student hearings, and after hearing Matt Caulfield’s defense for his latest infraction, Andie goes a bit hard on the punishment, with Principal Green pulling it back and showing him some leniency. Afterwards, Principal Green tells Andie that her PSAT scores were among the highest in the country, a great feat but one that Andie has mixed feelings about, knowing the score isn’t a true score due to her cheating.
Pacey shows up to Doug’s bachelor pad to camp out for the time being while his sister and her kids have come visiting, getting a respite from her tattooed husband.
At the mural ceremony all goes well, and Joey gives her speech about her mural being about the word possibilities, painted as a Chinese symbol, when she pulls the curtain away and is shocked to see someone vandalized her mural. She runs off but Dawson pursues her and talks with her, trying to pass it off as a prank, but Pacey is of the opinion that it was less of a prank and more of an attack on her personally, otherwise all the murals could have been vandalized.
Andie reveals to Jack about her cheating on the test and her plan to tell Principal Green about it. He tries to convince her not to, especially since it was only a practice test, but she is insistent. The next day she resigns from the disciplinary committee.
Dawson goes to Joey and tries to get her to redo the mural but she doesn’t want to, and the two begin to argue about giving up, with Joey taking shots at Dawson’s recent move away from film. Dawson counters with the idea that Joey was glad the mural was vandalized because then she never had to actually stand there, baring her soul, and being judged.
Pacey begins to investigate possible leads on who the vandal is and comes up with Matt Caulfield’s name. He confronts him and tells him he needs to turn himself in as he walks away. Unfortunately Matt refuses, so Pacey finds him and shoves him against the car. Matt eventually says he will confess and then sucker punches Pacey before Principal Green shows up and stops it all.
In his office, Dawson and one of Matt’s friends are also present in order to figure out what happened. When Matt paints himself into a corner he is forced to reveal that he was the one who vandalized Joey’s mural.
Joey goes to see Pacey and scolds him for getting in a fight and possibly ruining his future with being suspended for fighting. He counters back that he was just trying to do the right thing, and inadvertently reveals that Dawson had asked him to look after her, which Joey takes great offense to at being traded like a “thing.” She goes to confront Dawson angrily but he manages to counter by calling Joey out on attacking those very people who actually do care about her.
Matt Caulfield goes before the disciplinary committee again, acting cocky and when told of his punishment, threatens to get his father involved, something that doesn’t scare Principal Green. Pacey on the other hand is sentenced to being a mentor for younger children, with the hope that his recklessness will be tamed.
Principal Green reads Andie’s confession letter and is stunned and admonishes her for her behavior, but when she reveals she is ready to be expelled, he changes gears and shows how in some cases, leniency is important to have, and that the punishment should fit the crime. He refuses to expel her but tells her that her punishment will have to take a few days until he can determine something appropriate.
Back in the school hallway, Joey returns to her mural to find Pacey painting over it in order to give her a fresh canvas to work with and she thanks him, as the two finish clearing the wall together.
Dawson's Trivia:
Essential Playlist:
Classic Creek Critiques:
Adam Miller: I gues Dawson and Joey are totally over with now. I thought that during either November or February sweeps we would see them get together, lord knows they could use the ratings since I have been reading that DC and the WB as a whole aren't doing as well this season as last. I guess we still have the May sweeps, but I have to say that I think they have abandoned the whole possibility of Joey and Dawson getting togethr. Thats the whole reason I enjoyed the show for the first two seasons. I loved it. Now, I don't know, it just doens't seem to hold my interest anymore. Thats just me, I'm sure a lot of you may enjoy the new direction the show appears to be going in.....
Pavel Nikiforovitch reviews: -- When Pacey was describing the consequences of "taking an action" (telling Joey about his feelings for her) to Doug, he might have exaggerated a little, but I do understand his reluctance. When Joey was just as reluctant two seasons ago to tell Dawson about her feelings, she said once (it was in the detention episode): "if I say those words, I will never be able to take them back". Now, Pacey is in the same situation. By saying "I love you, Joey", he would burn the proverbial bridges. He would risk losing Joey as a friend (surely, this friendship is hardly what Pacey really needs, but at least now he can spend time with Joey on a regular basis) -- not to mention losing Dawson (his best friend) as well. And so far, Pacey is not willing to take that risk. Yes, he almost "came out of the emotional closet" in the end of the episode, and I wanted him to, but deep down, I knew that the historical moment wouldn't come so fast. And it didn't. Will it ever?
-- Maybe it will, if Joey gives Pacey some encouragement. At the moment, Joey's romantic interest in Pacey is equal to zero (which in turn doesn't give Pacey much of an incentive to "take an action" -- why risk so much for nothing?). Yes, Andie mentioned that Joey's thoughts about Pacey are similar to the ones she had before they started dating -- but, so far, I still fail to see how Joey's feelings towards Pacey will change from annoyance to attraction. Plus, as far as I understand, Joey is not done with AJ yet --when Pacey mentioned the "college boy" in the beginning of the episode, she didn't say anything like "it's over" or "this is ancient history". Not that I think that anything significant can develop between AJ and Joey... but his name will probably drive Pacey (and, to a lesser extent, Dawson) crazy with jealousy from time to time.
-- Speaking of jealousy... this time, it probably wasn't the issue when Joey reproached Dawson for almost kissing Kate. (And if it still was, then Joey is a hypocrite -- didn't she kiss AJ just an episode ago?) I guess Joey's romantic feelings for Dawson are slowly fading away, which is undoubtedly a positive development. As to the exact nature of Joey's indignity because of Dawson's behavior... all I could hear in the jail cell scene was "this is not like you" and something about "taking advantage" of poor Kate. But didn't she say something similar in the beginning of this season, when Dawson was dating Eve, organizing stripshows at home and breaking boats? Or, was it Dawson who said back then: "this is not me"? Whatever... the point I am trying to make is that this season is already too much "not like" the previous two, so "this is not like you" doesn't sound like an informative statement at all.
-- Correct me if I am wrong, but this has been the very first time when Doug had a nice brotherly conversation with Pacey. Until that moment, Doug had always acted like a jerk, which in turn made Pacey constantly bombard his big brother with you-are-gay jokes. Now, however, they suddenly remembered they are siblings. Isn't it ironic? It takes for one brother to arrest another to make them act like true brothers... But then again, Pacey's father started respecting his son, only when Pacey punched him in the face... Must be a Witter family thing..
Amy is angry: I also was mad that they didn't have Pacey tell Joey...BUT, on the other hand, it also made me "wanting more" and after watching the ep. I thought it was one of the better ones as of late.
Vinny agrees: yes, this was definately one of the better ones
Jaz G is with them: I am sofriggintired of this! Dangit will Pacey just tell her how he feels!! *argh*
Gina settle mires also: I Pacey wasnt going to tell Joey. I mean I questioned it at first but when he got right up in her face I knew he was going to totally change the subject.
Daniel Habib in Joey’s corner: As for Pacey and Joey, I think we're all giving Joey too little credit. After Pacey's diatribe in jail, it's impossible for her to still be oblivious. I theorize that she's fully aware of how Pacey feels about her, but because of her relationship with AJ/her lingering feelings for Dawson (evidenced by how she reacted to his almost-hookup with Kate) she's pretending not to notice. If I had to predict something, I would predict that if Pacey ever pours out his heart to Joey, she will reject him. Just a thought
Error: 403 feels Pacey’s situation: It's not easy to tell someone how you feel. I've been interested in the same girl at work for over 6 mos. I don't have the courage to say anything to her. ARGHHHH!!!!!
Xenon: This was a good one. I hope the writers keep it up. Pacey was very funny. The show is getting interesting now. Sometimes it doesn't move along like you would think it should, but the show has its moments. There are a few loose threads (Eve, the stolen exam, etc.) which I hope get resolved by season's end.
Dginsb1213 (David the lurker) gets the scoop on Brittney: Although I'm a lurker to the group, I saw all the messages a long time ago about how people didnt want Britney Spears on Dawsons Creek. Well, I found
this on people online… "Spears is also gearing up to go Hollywood; although scheduling problems scotched a planned guest spot on Dawson's Creek,she is pondering several movie offers and likes a script that would have her play the President's rebellious daughter opposite -- big surprise -- Ben Affleck" So, looks like she's not comin to Capeside....
Ace Greenhalgh responds with the first use of the word “sus”: That always sounded a little sus to me, the way she was saying "Oh yeah, I'll be on it" but nobody else was confirming it.
Boss6Sr responds: I think Brittney being on Dawson's Creek would've brought a whole new low to the show. I kept hearing her in interviews explaining her supposed character on the show, and I would just laugh b/c it all sounded ridiculous to me. "Yeah, I'm going to be a nerd and Katie makes me over." Ok, the character Joey would never do that. What is this? Brittney's Creek now? I'd get a new agent if I were her. Her current one obviously doesn't know how to make deals.
Lisa: So I was sitting in the Philadelphia airport not this past Sunday but the Sunday before and Im sitting next to this guy who is totally pissing me off cuz he keeps fidgeting and pulling stuff out of his twenty pocekts in his cargo pants. I never actually bothered to look at him, but he was irking me. We happened to be waiting in the same area as those waiting to fly to Raleigh, NC and this guy kept calling somewhere on his cell phone asking about weather conditions. About 10 minutes later my mom taps me on the shoulder and says "hey lis, doesnt that girl over there look like jen from dawsons creek?" not expecting much i look and this girls profile looks SURPRISINGLY like michelle williams. Well turns out it was her...oh say 3 seats down from me eating an eggmcmuffin of sorts. ANd the annoying guy right next to me? John Wesley Shipp (AKA Mitch). And let me tell you how incredibly buff that man is. ANyway, thats my story. I didnt say anything to them cuz i didnt feel like saying the obvious like "hi, uh, you are michelle williams" and i wasnt awake enough to be creative. But thats my story and im sticking to it. It was fun. =)
Tank_Commander is jealous: Wow! I envy you so much! I would probably have pushed John aside walked up to Michelle, just stood there staring at her, mumbled some unrecognizable phrases and drooled down the front of my shirt, just seconds before being wrestled to the ground by security and locked up in an insane asylum for being totally out of my gourd. But that's just me :)
Jeff Mills on the Star Wars connection: It has to be difficult to kiss someone onscreen, but can you imagine Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson? I'm sure that part of them must think "Well, it's not like I haven't had practice" and the other part is "Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?" It should be interesting. I like the Pacey/Joey idea. But not very original. Usually the two people (guy and girl) who bicker and hate each other always end up together. Read Jack and Rose from "Titanic." Or Han and Leia from "Star Wars"? Han and Leia are like Pacey and Joey. And Dawson? Well, I guess Dawson is Luke. All I have to say is if I were Dawson..."I have a very bad feeling about this."
Fred1229 makes TOM (me) wonder if Gail cheated again? Does this mean that next season we will find out that Dawson and Joey are siblings ?? : )
Tank_Commander: Wait... Wait.. Wait! Deputy Doug is back??? They finally brought back Bodie, and now Pacey's brother? Man I can't believe I missed this episode. All this time both characters were "MIA" and all of a sudden their back. We've been gripping and moaning about them just disappearing in the story-line and now they bring them back?! So, it seems like the newly appointed DC Gods are finally answering our prayers. Who's next to return? Anderson?
PWiseKorn theorizes: Maybe they will bring Abbey back! Oh, wait......never mind.
LoebLs asks what is up with Deputy Doug: I don't know what they think they're doing. Did they think we wouldn't remember Doug asking the teacher out. He was certainly not so *prissy* before...maybe they are setting him up for a relationship with Jack? >I think that would be so weird! It would seem strange to have Pacey having had a relationship with Andie and now Doug having a relationship with Jack.
David Anthony Wyatt responds: It would be an amusing scene to have the Whitter brothers both show up on the McPhee doorstep one evening, dressed for dates and armed with flowers...
Michael adds: Well, deputy Doug does exemplify all the trappings of your modern homosexual male; listens to easy listening music, has broadway posters on his wall, too clean cut to be straight, drinks wine for dinner, has a deco coffee table. Not to mention that there has never been a steady woman of interest in Doug's life. There was Tamara for that one episode, but Pacey was already nailing her like the playa he is. The way i look at it, it's only a matter of time before Deputy Doug and Jack hook-up.
AJ responds: Those confused script writers really have to get Jack out of the role of angelic supporting brother for his psychotic irritating sister and back into the thick of things. Turning Dougie abruptly into a stereotypical "Bed Bath & Beyond" queen is a cheap trick on the part of the writers but it does at least offer the hope of injecting a little badly needed humor into this mess of a third season. Consistency of character has never really been a strong point of the show anyway.
Thomas Kevin Pride wonders: Can anyone confirm/refute the rumor that I've been hearing recently that James VanDerbeek is changing his official professional name from "James" to "Jimmy?" I'm not sure that it would be a good career move for the talented young actor, but then again, it might just be a rumor. Let me know what you've heard...
Jeff Mills jokes: I hear he is going to change his name to a symbol. From now on, he will be known as "The Actor Formerly Known As James Vanderbeek." Starring in "The Television Show Formerly Known As A Good Show."
Pavel on Joey’s attitude: -- I do realize Joey was full of anxiety before the exhibition and fuming with anger after the desecration, but did she have to be such a bitch? Not a single "thank you" to either Dawson or Pacey... Whatever one of them said or did, Joey's reaction was sarcastic and bitter. I especially hated that "you can do everything, but I can do nothing" speech. That idiotic I-am-just-a-poor-girl-from-a-small-town inferiority complex is completely unjustified -- Joey is an "A" student who'll definitely get some college scholarship, and also a beauty who attracts numerous men most of the time.
- Oh no -- Pacey got mad at Joey and told her the terrible Dawson-asked-me-to-watch-over-you secret! Oh my God -- Joey got mad at Dawson! Oh good heavens -- Dawson got mad at Pacey for revealing the secret!.. Oh well -- in about five minutes, everything got back to normal… Indeed, the secret was simply too stupid to generate anything substantial (Joey's lame and inappropriate "wife-swapping" analogy notwithstanding). Actually, the whole watch-over-my-ex deal lost its meaning a long time ago. When Dawson rejected Joey in the beginning of this season, it seemed back then that the two wouldn't even be friends -- thus, making Pacey a "substitute friend" for Joey made sense. However, Dawson and Joey resumed their friendship several episodes later, and Pacey really didn't have to "sub" for Dawson anymore. Hmm, I wonder if Dawson (or Joey, for that matter)
-- At first, it looked like yet another mystery -- this time, "who destroyed the mural?" I, personally, had no idea. Had Abby been alive, I would have thought it was she... but she wasn't, and no one else in this show had ever hated Joey. At one moment, I even believed that Joey had done it herself after it became clear Pacey didn't like the painting. But, of course, the real culprit was a guest star named Matt Caufield, whose guilt was brilliantly proved by Dawson (maybe that's Dawson's true calling -- to be a detective!) And I don't think it was anything but an act of pure, stupid,senseless vandalism just for vandalism's sake. Matt's babbling about "finding" the mural "offensive" and being "white" and "rich" was just too unconvincing to make his action look like a "hate crime" or something of the kind (even if the author meant that was the case). Matt is clearly just a destructive sociopath, who enjoys creating havoc (I guess he made the why-I-did-it remarks just to create even more controversy) and thinks he can get away with it (apparently, he has a powerful father). Well, this time was probably the straw that broke the camel's back. Now, Matt is expelled from Capeside High and (hopefully) from the show.
-- Don't get me wrong -- I don't like Matt Caufield one little bit, and I do like Principal Green, but I feel kind of uneasy about his "selective justice" principle: "if I like you, I'll be lenient, but if you suck, I'll expel you". He might be right about Matt hurting others (in this case, Joey) and Andie hurting no one but herself, but isn't cheating an extremely serious offense at any school? While I, personally, have nothing against cheating, I have to admit cheating is wrong, since it totally invalidates the grading process… (DISCLAIMER: No, I am not saying Andie should be expelled, too)
-- Speaking of Andie... I noticed her multiple personality disorder a long time ago. While most of the time she was the good old Andie we all knew and loved last season, once in a while she turned into a cold, ruthless, hypocritical, cheating, win-at-all-costs reptile. Yesterday, the "good" Andie finally became so ashamed of the "bad" Andie's actions that she couldn't stand it any longer. That led to the third version of Andie -- a masochist who would risk being expelled and ruining all her life just for the dubious pleasure of confessing an old transgression. I guess such attitude should be commendable, but I know that I (or anyone else I know) would never do it in real life.
-- What exactly is the point of making Pacey move in with Doug? I thought the two would continue their belated brother-bonding process (which was started last week in jail), but all I saw was more animosity and annoyance, spiced with more age-old gay jokes. The only good thing is that Pacey can use the
apartment to bring a girl over (if, say, he finally makes a move on Joey), when Doug is out protecting and serving.
-- Another subplot that was forgotten is Dawson's new job at Gale's restaurant. Was Mitch just kidding? Or, maybe, Gale hasn't bought the restaurant yet? But then again, it's not like I insist on actually seeing
Dawson wash dishes or clean tables. I just want to know in what (if any) direction his life is going to turn. If, indeed, Dawson's activities will be limited to being friends with Joey and working for Gale... yeah, that might cure his I-feel-lost syndrome (the question "what should I do with my life to be happy?" might simply fade away, if Dawson will have no time to do anything but work and go to school), but that will surely keep his romantic barometer at zero level. Something has to change, and fast. According to my calculations, there are only seven episodes left until the end of the season. And I DO NOT WANT Dawson to stay single and miserable until September!
Jackie says: i believe that this was a great episode and that it does contain relevence to the arc of the season. It's setting up the next ep which as most of us know already deals with Mr. Green getting fired due to Caufield's predicament. This in turn divides the town in two different opinions and for some insane reason college boy comes back.
Pavel responds: So that was the point of Matt saying "I'm white, I'm rich"? Are they going to make the whole thing a racial/classist issue? I doubt Green's opponents have much of a cause -- Andie is white, too, and she isn't exactly poor. But the fact that the show is becoming more ethnically diverse (Bodie's back, Green was almost a central characterlast night) is hard to ignore. Well, the more the merrier -- bring Nikki back and make her date Dawson! :) [I wonder if] the next-episode townwide conflict will be caused by Matt's expulsion.
Hermione Granger magically reveals the existence of a J. Crew Catalog featuring Dawson's Creek: https://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/the-beautiful-1998-dawsons-creek-j-crew-catalo
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