In this weeks episode of The Dawson's Creek Rewatch, Cory and Tom stand against forbidden love as they discuss of season 3 episodes 22 & 23, "The Anti-Prom" and "True Love."
The Anti-Prom:
Written by: Maggie Friedman
Directed by: Greg Prange
Original airdate: May 17, 2000
Synopsis:
Jack finds himself unable to buy tickets for him and Ethan to go to the junior prom due to the student in charge refusing to sell him tickets because he wants to take a boy as his date. Dawson comes up with the idea for an anti prom in order to celebrate not who they bring, but rather who they are.
Jen and Henry make a pact not to feel pressured to have sex on prom night, but any plans they had for anything get scrapped when he reveals he is going away for the summer to football camp, a decision that leaves Jen angry.
Dawson gives Joey his mom’s diamond earrings to wear when he picks her up for the prom and the two head off to the dance where they end up dancing throughout the evening as Pacey and Andie do the same, however Joey is unable to hide her sadness. Pacey, dancing with Andie, watches from afar while Joey asks Dawson why he brought her, thinking it’s just to make Pacey jealous, but he replies that he is stunned that his former friend would actually show up to his mother’s restaurant to a prom that HE organized.
Mitch, increasingly uncomfortable with his and Gail’s undefined relationship, starts to put on the brakes when she comes onto him again, telling her that he is tired of the one who makes the decisions for what they are.
Ethan and Jack are having a tense conversation in which Ethan reveals that he’s never actually done anything public like this before, leading Jack to realize that Ethan was comfortable with the date because he didn’t know anyone there and it was safe for him. Jack gets angry at this admission, learning that Ethan isn’t as self actualized as he portrayed. As Ethan wonders if Jack really is ready for their relationship to move on to the next level, he prompts Jack to kiss him right then in private, but Jack discovers that he truly isn’t ready as Ethan walks out the door.
Joey asks Pacey to dance with her and he agrees, and they share a moment where he comments on her earrings and how they aren’t really her, that she is much more like her mother’s bracelet that she’s wearing. The conversation reveals to her that Pacey has actually always paid attention to her and remembers little things about her, making her feel special. However, Andie and Dawson both see them, with Andie heartbroken, still not truly over Pacey while Dawson starts to storm off, yelling at Joey for her actions. Joey tries to defend herself saying that she thought the night was supposed to be about friendship and that it wasn’t supposed to matter who she danced with but Dawson gives her an ultimatum and asks her to choose, hoping that if he had made things perfect that she would pick him. Dawson kisses Joey and leaves, commenting that THAT was how the night should have ended.
Andie consoles Pacey and tells him that he needs to really tell Joey how he feels before going away for the summer on a sailing trip to Key West and he considers the idea. She reasons, from experience, that if he doesn’t try to get her back, he will always regret it.
Joey goes the next morning to return the earrings and talks with Dawson and says that he can’t make her choose, telling him what she told Pacey a few days before and he agrees to not pressure her, reasoning that his soul searching journey brought him here and found her. Gail suddenly arrives and runs into the house to declare her love for Mitch and the two embrace, ready to come together in a true relationship once again as Joey and Dawson watch on.
Dawson's Trivia:
Corri English played Barbara Johns. Most recently she was in Five Women In The End (a bunch of women hanging out for the evening get trapped in a condo during a chemical attack). She was a lead in Holliston, a comedic horror series about two aspiring filmmakers struggling with life, careers, and the opposite sex in a small New England Town. Also stars Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame. She was also in a couple of episodes of Luke Cage (quite far down on the cast list), she co-starred in Lovin’ Lakin (a mockumentary about child star Christine Lakin making a comeback), and has done numerous voices for various video games like Star Wars The Old Republic, Fallout 4 (trader Shelbie Chase), and Final Fantasy Type 0. She was a lead in The Bedford Diaries (about NYC college life and several students brought together by a provocative sexuality seminar, also stars Milo Ventimiglia and Matthew Modine). She was also a smaller supporting character (Darla) in the often mentioned Shake Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story miniseries.
True Love:
Written by:
Story by : Greg Berlanti & Jeffrey Stepakoff
Teleplay by : Tom Kapinos & Gina Fattore
Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.
Original airdate: May 24, 2000
Synopsis:
As Dawson and Joey discuss his mother and father’s upcoming wedding, in which Gail asked Joey to be her maid of honor, Pacey is readying his boat for a summer sail down to Florida away from the troubles of Capeside. Doug tries to convince him to talk to Joey and tell her how he feels, spelling it out exactly to her, but Pacey refuses, reasoning that she already knows. Doug eventually takes matters into his own hands and pulls Joey over for speeding UNDER the speed limit and lets the info drop about Pacey’s trip.
Meanwhile Jack plays messenger between Jen and Henry who are still arguing about Henry going away for the summer. Jack tries to make the two of them realize they’re being ridiculous, but Jen walks away saying that she wishes she never met Henry.
Andie heads to Dawson’s hoping to get him to sign her yearbook near Pacey’s picture, encouraging him to take the first step and reach out to his former best friend before he sails away, but Dawson points out that Pacey is leaving during his parents’ rehearsal dinner so he can’t go and wouldn’t go even if he wanted to.
Joey finds Pacey and confronts him about running away, to which Pacey replies with his old sarcastic wit, before telling her that he wants one thing, for her to ask him to stay. She argues with him that she needs time and chastises him for just giving up, but he reminds her of her unfinished wall which right now represents them and their relationship, as he walks away.
As Jen commiserates with Andie and Jack, commenting on how Grams just doesn’t understand how tough their life is, Grams responds by telling them of her time during the war and a boy she actually met and fell in love with before she met Gramps. She tells them that she has no regrets about the things she’s done and decisions she’s made, and asks them if they will be able to say the same in their future. As Grams drives the McPhees back home, Jen wishes aloud that she had told Henry how she really felt, prompting Grams to swing the car around in a rush and speed off with them to find Henry, on his way to the football camp.
Joey goes to Dawson and tells him that she broke things off with Pacey because she really didn’t want to lose her friendship with Dawson, and if she had thought for a second that he would actually forgive her, that she likely would have chosen to be with Pacey.
Later, Joey walks towards the store where Bessie had asked her to go before coming home, and is stopped by Pacey who motions to her wall which has now been painted over with the words Ask Me To Stay, conceding that by leaving he was giving up, and at the same time, asking her to give him a reason to stay as he leaves her alone to think.
Grams and the gang continue their search for Henry, when Jen spots the bus and begins calling out for Henry, finding him and telling him that she wants to be with him but was nervous and scared, but no longer as she embraces him and they kiss.
At the wedding reception, Joey tells Pacey that she can’t give him a reason to stay, leaving Pacey to reason that she has made her decision then. Pacey prompts Joey for a goodbye that she gives reluctantly, when Dawson shows up and confronts Pacey about being there. Pacey holds that he is there to celebrate Dawson’s parents’ wedding, and congratulates Dawson for winning.
After Henry and Jen’s success, Grams and the gang prompt Jack to follow his wishes and eventually they find Ethan, with Jack rushing to him and kissing him outside in front of others. Ethan Is stunned, as is Brad, Ethan’s ex boyfriend who had just gotten together with Ethan earlier. Jack leaves, heartbroken.
At the wedding reception, Dawson gives a speech about forgiveness and how true love means you can forgive anything. Joey asks him about it after he’s finished, and he says he believes it to be true, and prompts her to go to Pacey, reasoning that he held her back from going to Paris when she had the chance, and that he doesn’t want to make that mistake again. He explains that he can see that Joey wants Pacey the way he himself wants Joey, and that he doesn’t want to be the one to stand in the way of that. Joey tells him she still wants to be friends, but Dawson stops her, saying that those are just words, because at the end of the day, she is going to leave him to go to Pacey, to which she acknowledges that she has to, running down towards the pier while Dawson cries and sets the Internet aflame with a meme for the ages.
Jack returns home, defeated, and Mr. McGee talks with him, but Jack tries to avoid what happened with Ethan. Jack tries to lash out but his father won’t get into a fight with him and tells him that his life isn’t a wash because of what happened, but that he actually had the guts to put himself out there and try for something. Jack tells his father that the typical teenage problems are compounded because of him being gay, and that he never asked to be that way, but his father responds that he never asked to have a gay son, but is glad that he has one.
Elsewhere, Andie, Jack and Jen meet with Dawson to cheer him up with a movie night, while elsewhere Joey runs to Pacey and tells him that she doesn’t want to stop him from going but that she wants to go with him, that she has known she was in love from the moment he kissed her and maybe even before, and that she doesn’t to run from it or let it run away from her. Joey and Pacey kiss and together, they sail off into the sunset.
Dawson's Trivia:
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/dawson-crying
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmY9a3hAraD/
The Elderly Reverend was played by Harold Bergman. This episode was his final acting credit. Before that he was in both Cocoon movies, and a movie called The Whoopie Boys starring comedian Paul Rodriguez, all as relatively minor characters. He guest starred in a number of tv shows as one offs, like Miami Vice, BL Stryker, Matlock, and Swamp Thing.
Brad was played by Burgess Jenkins. This was his first acting credit. He had a run of 127 episodes of The Young and The Restless, playing Billy Abbott. He was in a few handfuls of episodes of Army Wives (Four women and one man share the common bond of loving someone in the army). He was on One Tree Hill for a run of 8 episodes as Bobby. He plays lead John Wesley, in the movie Wesley (1700’s self righteous Oxford instructor goes to Georgia to preach to Indians). He’s had a number of other TV movies as supporting characters as well. His latest project expected next year is something called Untitled Goonies Re-Enactment Project as Willow’s Dad (After failing to make it in NY and carrying a heavy secret with her, Stella Cooper returns to her distressed automotive hometown to substitute teach). Another project in post production with no release date is called Southern Gospel (a rock n roll star’s life crashes down and must fight his demons to realize his childhood dream of becoming a preacher).
The bus driver was played by Chuck Kinlaw. A bunch of minor roles in movies and TV shows. He did have a bit part along with Richard K. Olsen (Mr. Milo, Guidance Counselor) in a movie called Traxx (starring Shadoe Stevens as tough guy/soldier Traxx who finally retires to become a designer cookie baker but ends up hiring himself out as a town tamer to clean up Hadleyville Texas).
Essential Playlist:
Classic Creek Critiques:
David wonders about the future… before the season finale: What about a Jack and Ethan spin~off? Lot's of good storylines there. Ethan must have alot of interesting friends TPTB could introduce and develop. Maybe Jack could go his senior year to a Walt Whitman HS and could stay with a "gran like" character. Ethan's in college. Think of all the interaction. An ex of Ethan's is there and wants Ethan back making Jack fight for his man. Have one story about those wacky ex~gay (so called) ministries. Or if Jack stays on the Creek he could start up a gay / str8 student alliance. Whatever they do we need more Jack and Jack needs a love life.
wahldawg is on board: I'd watch it. Keep Adam Kaufman as Ethan, he's hot. But as much as I like Kerr's acting when playing a hetero, he seems a bit stiff (no pun indended) playing a gay character.
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Po5girl7 asks: This is what I didn't understand about Dawson last week, if J&P are over, at least for the time being why is it ok for Dawson to be friends with Joey again but he won't be friends with Pacey? Doesn't he think Joey betrayed him too, why is it all Pacey's fault.
Brooke answers sarcastically: Because the sweet, fragile, easily confused female was manipulated by the fiendish just-in-it-for-sex male. *g*
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GayPixie21 reveals: Someone told me that on Dawson's Desktop Joey got an email from that Colin guy asking for Jack's email. I would love to have Colin back and Ethan gone like a nightmare.
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Pierre-benoit Gauthier wonders why Henry is suddenly a jerk: First times we saw him, he was adorable ... now he just wanna have sex :-) And I think that what he told to Jen ("I just want that once we pass before the drama you have with your friends each week" something like that) was totally out of character : a month ago he would have jump in cold water if Jen had said so. Am I the only one who feels that?
TT Ren responds: I think it was just a quick scenario to get rid if the character.
Po5girl7 replies: Henry was ALWAYS a jerk. From the beginning this was a boy with a crush who couldn't accept the fact that Jen didnt like him back, she was even nice to him but cause she didn't like him he's like she's so mean to me which was total bull. And IMO he's a stalker, what was that stunt he pulled after the play, and in the most recent episode stalking Jen night and day with his sign. The guy is a creep.
Josh Stroup adds: One thing you have to remember....all of his "stunts" worked. And they worked on Jen, a hardened girl used to all of the stunts guys will pull. She fell for him like she would fall for no one else. Although I agree that he doesn't always use the *best* judgment when he pulls some of his stunts (ie the restaurant thing), you gotta remember that it worked. And he made up for it with the candle light dinner on the roof. I think that if Jen really didn't like him, she would get rid of him. She is not one of those that is "too nice" to say no. But she definitely likes the attention from him, even though she appears to be annoyed.
Madforit50 jumps in: The singpost thing may suggest Henry could be a much darker (as in stalker) character than we've been led to believe. But, for now, I see him as no more than a sitcom guest you might seen on, say, Friends. He and Jen lighten up the show.
Roc…@my-deja.com clears up a guy’s thinking in NSFW terms: pierre - i hope your a guy. lets get one thing on the table guys spend alot - i mean alot of time thinking about sex. For example - you know how girls spend time thinking about getting married and raising kids as well as the time they think of new make overs - new clothes - and making sure their ass isn't as big as Jennifer Lopez's well take all of that time and that's less than the time guys think about sex. Trust me. It's part of our nature. When I see a girl somewhere there's a good chance that I've thought of her and I laying on the park bench as we do it.
I'm considering that most of the posters are girls so here it goes. I'm breaking a code to translate everything guys say that sounds normal but means something totally different.
Can I borrow a pencil - I'd like to have sex with you
So what are you doing this weekend? - I'd like to have sex with you this
weekend
Would you like to get something to eat after school? - I'm hungry so
lets get something to eat and then I'd like to have sex with you
So are you going to ____ Party on friday? - I'd like to have sex with
you during _____ party.
My friend and I are going to chill out after school, would you like to
join us? - I have a fetish for threesomes.
Would you like to have dinner with my family? - I have a fetish for
incest
Would you like to see my puppy? - I have a small penis and I'd like you
to rub it
Would you like to see a movie? - I want to have sex with you
Would you like to go on a date? - I am willing to pay for your meal if
you have sex with me
Would you like to go shopping with me - I want to see you try on
lingerie then have sex with you
Would you like to go to take a walk the park with me? - I would like to
have hot sex with you
(After a date) Okay, I'll call you again sometime - Damn! You didn't
give up oh well I still want to have sex with you
Here is what guys think when a girl asks them a question -
Girl : Do you think my ass is fat?
What the guy is thinking: How should I know I was staring at your breast
Girl: Do you love me?
What the guy is thinking: I think she wants to have sex with me
Girl: Do you think she's pretty?
What the guy is thinking: Yeah and I'd like to do you both at the same
time
Matt M says nope: I suggest you see a councillor, you have really got problems! Lol!! To all female members of the N.G.- your average guy is nothing like this!
Kim Close is in the middle: it is a bit of an exaggeration, but guys do think of sex alot though.... girls do too.. it's a natural thing of life, just a lot of guys and girls just go along it in the wrong ways
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Apparently in the previews for the finale, the WB accidentally revealed that Joey wants to go with Pacey. I couldn’t find the exact preview that people were complaining about, but I did find a short teaser:
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ablang asks: Is Dawson being a jerk to Joey for forcing her to dump Pacey?
I think so. Poor Pacey.
Headhunter…@my-deja.com replies: I agree. Like we've never seen Dawson overreact before. If he is mad at anyone it should be Pacey for going behind his back with Dawson's ex-woman. Even then, though. Joey and Pacey and Dawson are all friends. I could understand Dawson getting pissed if he hated Joey and
therefore it would be like a betrayal thing with Pacey. But it's not like that at all. Dawson needs to take some time to think about what he has just done to Joey and take Jen's advice and let it run it's course. My theory on what will happen is that Joey will return to Dawson to find him in Jen's arms. Can you see the scandal coming on??? DC will never
be the same. Late!!!
Brooke adds: He's been extremely selfish and insensitive. These are his best friends; he should put his feelings of jealousy aside and try to be happy for them, not try to blackmail them into breaking up by threatening to stop being their friend.
That's not very noble of him.
Angpagz differes: Spare me the BS. If any one of you had this happen to you would feel the same way. This is a guy who has been through hell with this girl.He has had to go through so much shit with her and all in the name of love...and she keeps twisting that knife a little deeper Pacey is an asshole. If your someone best
friend...you don't do what he did.You end up losing everything.She never knows
what she wants ever!!! And when it's all said an done...i hope she is the one
alone
GS offers: Well right now it seems that he will force Joey to be back with him AND end the friendship with Pacey... ouch... either way, let's face it - things will never be the same between them... certain level of trust that was built over the years just cannot be rebuilt. If you ever had your best friend stab you in the back, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Howard Rappaport suggests: I guess people just don't get the whole connection between Joey/Pacey/Pacey's Boat. The whole true love, and it finally being sea
worthy and everyones knowledge of the true love between joey and pacey. It's been all building up since pacey started with the boat. There's symbolism all throughout this. Maybe when his boat crashes or sinks then he'll have no chance with Joey.
ablang isn’t having it: Come on! Dawson's being a jackass! He doesn't own Joey, and Joey certainly gave him a chance to get back together, but he blew it! She should'a just told him to piss off on his ultimatum.
Fk…@my-deja.com understands: Everyone seen to think it is fair game to move into your best friends ex. It is not. what happen to honor and respect now a days. "the hell with everyone" & "me me me!" attitude just make thing worst.
Kim Close has perspective: it's what high school life is like though, you have to be this, do that, have this etc, to be liked have friends.... i'm not saying he's not being insensitive and selfish.. oh he is... but thats what it's like in high school..
Siobhan Clibbens agrees with the OP: YES!!! Sorry I used to like Dawson but his whole morality guilt trips and ability to influence his friends even when it has got nothing to do with him is sooooo annooying... i feel really sorry for Pacey. He desrves better. In a best friend and in a potential girlfriend
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Vinny wonders about the true focus of the show: Well, I must say that this season is finally getting interesting. There is an obvious connecting between Pacey & Joey. I do like their relationship better than Dawson/Joey. Pacey seems to understand her better. Also, they are making Dawson not so likeable in these last few episodes. Interesting.. One poster stated that this should be called "Joey's Creek", I am beginning to believe this.
Cspitz is tired of the adults: i dont know if this is one of the best episodes ive seen. the whole mitch and gale thing is truly boring and getting old. i desperately want to switch the channel when it switches to them. but. dawson, was being childish as usual--i really dont see where he thinks he and joey are "meant to be" lately, they seem so detached from one another. Pacey and JOey on the flip side, imo, had the best 2 min of the show while they danced together. he is just what she needs. you can tell they are not over. =) poor henry i guess, he cant win. i liked jen in the beginning of this ep, but i think she overreacted abit. ps--thought kerr smith acted very well in his closing scenes with ethan.
Roc…@my-deja.com says: I hate the whole "Henry does something stupid - jen gets upset - henry begs like a BDSM slave" theme thats been going on all year. If Jen gave a damn she'd go to a cheerleading camp wherever Henry's football camp was taking place. her parents live in New York and drive a nice new car they can afford it - not to mention that Grams House would sell for about 300,000 on todays market (the potter's B&B would be aroun $250). The triangle was okay. Too predictable as to what was gonna happen. Jack and Ethan put me to sleep. I was happy that Ethan stopped the whole "directions to being gay handbook" thing. It's like my friend telling me how to get my girlfriend to like me.
Whitney is tired: This damn triangle? ::yawwwwn:: When will it end already? Just throw Joey in the creek and let everyone move on. The highlights of the show:
-any Pacey and Andie scene! They are SO cute- god I miss the good ol' days!
Glad to see that they're great friends now. It's what both of them need.
-Jack! I love him. He's my fave on the show. Pacey used to be, but now he's just a lovesick whiny mopey geek. He's becoming Dawson! UGH!
-Mitch and Gale! for the first time I was actually interested and got that whole "awww!" feeling with the two of them
WORST:
-any scene involving the triangle or Joey's incessant whining. I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!
-Jen and Henry...love ya, Jen- but GOD!
They just need to rename the show Joey's Creek. This entire season has focused solely on Joey. And for Joey haters, it hasn't been a good year.
Po5girl7 jumps in: I loved their scenes too, not nearly enough. Their bittersweet though, I feel so bad for Andie, and as much as I love Pacey it kind of annoys me the way he drools over Joey now. I agreed with your whole post but this was the highlight. I was really happy for Mitch and Gale at the end.
Po5girl7 replies: I'm starting to think I wouldn't mind D/J if they backburnered them. I really wanted to be pro P/J cause I want Pacey to be happy, but I liked him alot better with Andie, P/J were ok when it was just flirting but I didn't really care for them for their brief stint as a couple.
bashton responds: I couldn't agree with you more about the Pacey/Joey connection....Is there even a choice between Pacey and the self-involved Dawson?....Next week looks good, I just hope the writers don't skrew it up because this is called "Dawson's" creek....
Pacey and Andie were fine, but Joey and Dawson is exactly like Gale and Mitch....way too much relationship overanalysis....I cheered when Gale said that all they do is analyze their relationship....I thought, "Thank God someone is recognizing the problem finally." But then it gets twisted around to being a good thing again at the end of the ep......sigh....... Your comments did lead me to a new thought....What about Andie and Dawson....He needs someone as down to earth as Andie can be.....Actually I really would have liked this idea a month ago when I didn't like Andy and Dawson, but now I like Andie too much to put her with Dawson....
NeTGaLiA replies: Do you want Andie to end up in that mental institution FOREVER!!! :) Shesh. I didn't like Andie at first, but I love her now, way too much to ever want her with Dawson. I'd like to see her wtih someone completely new, like Will, or back with Pacey.
Lilangel3 not jiving with the adults either: Ha..that's when I go for my snack break...I could care less about their relationship, doesn't interest me in the slightest...
Claire A. Heil says: I really liked Pacey in this episode. he was sweet and not pushy. The whole few minutes where he and joey danced was very romantic. I especially liked the part where Joey said "you remembered that (when refering to a conversation she and pacay had six months ago). and Pacey said, "i remember everything". it made it seem that what he was feeling for joey was not a quick crush but that he deeply cared for her for a while.
Alan replies: Yes Pacey cares forJoey. while the Joey bashers dont like the attention focused on her, the fact is dawsons creek is dawsons creek in name only. The show revolves around Joey Potter. I think its clear that Pacey seems more genuine in his feelings for Joey than Dawson. Joey and Pacey have an amazing chemistry, something ...special that makes up for the D/J friendship that Joey doesn't want to lose.
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Tracy Colavito says: I part i enjoyed the most was the whole car ride with Gram thing. That was great. Great to see Jen really decide what she wants. So i guess this means that they will still be together next season. I am glad that Jack got his first kiss over with, but I was kinda disappointed with the kiss in general, I mean I guess it was a step forward, for gays on TV but it lasted for like a second. I wanted and expected a lot more. But the scence between Jack and his father was great. Great acting on smith's part.
The other main storyline was good I guess, I liked how it went back and forth how you didn't know until the very end who she was going to pick (even though it was pretty obvious who she was going to pick before hand) I don't buy that she made the decision to sail off with pacey in a second that was not realistic
Whitney was not a fan at all: I kept the same bored-out-of-my-mind-about-to-doze-off expression the entire time. the only time I cracked a smile was when Jack looked damn good. And since when has his dad approved of him? Don't recall that. But my god, this triangle is killing me. If it continues next season I might have to shoot myself... that, or stop watching. That finale sucked- all I'm gonna say. I was bored, bored, bored! Does anyone else think that Henry is just a big geek? Take the first scene for instance. His hair? His clothes? Complete geekiness.
wahldawg disagrees: Well, I liked it. Dawson finally grew some character when he let Joey go. Joey and Pacey together (yes!). Daddy McPhee grew some character by supporting Jack. Jen got it all figured out. And Grams is a crazy lady behind the wheel of the car. But why didn't her car show damage after smacking the garbage can? Snored though the wedding. Boring. Agreed on Henry. He has the charisma of a phlegm globber.
Adam agrees: I'll admit, it was slightly boring UNTIL the end! :) :) I already knew what was going to happen, of course, but it was wonderful seeing Pacey and Joey finally together! Was also nice to see Dawson grow up a little bit for a change!
Ethereal Queen wasn’t impressed: I wouldn't say it was boring, it was just not eventful. Nothing HUGE happened like the previous season finales. Nothing left us anxious for the next season. This whole season has been so predictable, it's not
interesting anymore.
Po5girl7 is not a fan of the finale: The end was the worst part. Well I knew what was gonna happen too, but I'm not happy aboutit. I'm very anti P/J. Dawson was a little better tonight but he needs to cut Pacey some slack.
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Regarding the soon to become famous meme, TVcriticDUDE says: The funniest moment of this boring season finale was the scene where Dawson had to cry like a baby.............It was such a terribly funny bad cry job.
~§hé§ Au†øma†iç~ agrees: oh i know! i was joking around and i said to my friend 'now watch him cry like a little girl' and he DID!!! hilarious!!
wahldawg jumps in: It was hysterical. They could have gone with one of the more
conventional methods of getting him to cry, like rubbing a freshly cut onion under his eyes or whacking him on the foot with a sledge hammer.
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On Jack’s growth, Nicholas W says: Well, I have to say, it was a tad disappointing; but certainly not a complete letdown. Kerr's acting was superb, as usual--he didn't seem at all hesitant or uncomfortable during that entire scene. There was certainly some of that "energy" in the kiss that I was hoping for, at least on Jack's part. As another poster pointed out, the mere fact they cut to a sideview (and a close one at that) of the kiss which lasted for more than 1 second was very pleasently surprising! However, what made it disappointing was Ethan's reaction and the fact that the writers had to resort to such an abrupt, cliched, and downright cruel resolution. After all the buildup between these two, Jack and the viewers deserved more than that! Oh well--as I mentioned before, I'm not going to lose any sleep over the loss of Ethan as a character anyway. The kiss itself, while not quite living up to the hype, was still a vast improvement over most others I've seen on network TV so far. Of course, it's a shame a gay kiss is still treated as a hyped up "event" rather than a touching and frequent ocurrence of any romantic relationship--*sigh*. I also have to comment on the scene with Jack's father--wow! Jack basically expressed everything I (and most other gay teens, I'm sure) have been feeling the past few years. Kerr expressed Jack's pain and frustration wonderfully, and seeing his dad finally comforting him almost brought tears to my eyes:-) Anyway, Jack has made another huge step in his personal growth, and am looking forward to him hopefully finally finding a new and more stable, romantic relationship in the future!
Butch agrees with the Jack scene and has other thoughts: Just wanted to throw in my two cents about last nights season finale... The show did well in the ratings, its scored a 4.1 rating and came in fourth, beating CBS and UPN. Very respectable... Now about the show...
mitch and gale.. don't care about them at all, for me just a complete waste of air time for another storyline... they need to go away on a very loooong honeymoon..
jen and henry.. since i've heard that henry isn't coming back next season, it seemed pointless to have them make up, but i guess that will give jen something to be depressed about at the start of next season.. maybe his bus will crash or something during the trip..
d/p/j..... yawn...yawn... i don't know what i can say that hasn't been said already.. we all already knew joey was going to pick pacey by the spoiler on thewb.com website, not much surprise there.. but i was glad to see pacey and joey together in the end, dawson just gets on my last good gay nerve and am tired of his whining and crying when he doesn't get his way, plus his acting was really poor in the finale, just my opinion.. also it was pretty stupid that she left for three months without at least throwing a few things into an overnight bag, i mean she did go home and change clothes..
grams was really cool last night, her story at the going away party and then driving the car like a bat out of hell, i was rolling in the floor... she need more air time, give her some of mitch and gales...
and that leaves jack... i thought kerr did an excellent job throughout the show. the KISS was more that what i expected, i can't believe the writers played out the storyline that way, just last week ethan was telling jack how much he cared for him and then this! but with ethan not kissing jack back, the kiss was much less passionate and that was surely the reason, but the fact is that the kiss did take place. i was sure the camera would be in odd position as to not show too much, maybe a shot from behind or something, but i was surprised. at least the wb didn't cave in like fox did a few years ago, and for that i say "You Go WB".... kerr played the kissing scene with great ability and passion, he made it seem very believable, trying for more when ethan began pulling away.. i've heard different stories about
where or not ethan will return next season, i'm not ready to give up on jack and ethan. i still like ethan and the actor that plays him, so who knows.. all in all a so so ep, can't wait till season number four.. lets hope the storylines are a little more exciting next year...
David wanted more: I was disappointed with the kiss. I wanted so much more. To me two guys kssing seems so natural and normal sometimes I forget there is a world out there that still doesn't realize gays are just like everyone else; they eat, sleep. work and yes even fall in love.
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Manh Tưởng Lewis Nguyễn likes Dawson: Personally, I have never been fond of Dawson (although I like James Van Der Beek), and while he will never become my favourite character on the show, this season has been his best. Why? He's finally flawed! Now, people will now list off every bad thing Dawson has ever done prior to this season, but unlike seasons one (which I did NOT enjoy--Jen was not at all developed, Pacey was lame and unfunny with a stupid storyline, Dawson was a real ass, and Joey was a bitch) and two (the best season), Dawson is finally being called on his flaws. The loss of Joey will ultimately cause Dawson to grow up and be his own man. It will also allow Dawson to date other people, without the ghost of Bitchy Joey to follow him around. People harp on the fact that Dawson is whiny. Well, DUH! That's the point! Now, people calling Joey a bitch is another thing because the show doesn't see Joey as such. Therefore, either writers better wise up to this fact or get Joey to actually act like a decent human being.
Po5girl7 replies: I like Dawson, I just like Pacey and Jack better. Dawson has always been a nice guy just somewhat boring.
Gina Nye replies: My best friend is OBSESSED with Dawson...his SN is even DawsonBoy LOL...there ya go!
Madforit50 adds: Same here. I've never been fond of Dawson, and heck if Katey Holmes wasn't playing Joey, I probably wouldn't like her much either. But, I empathize with those two and can understand what makes Joey so indecisive and Dawson so self-righteous at times. Pacey, well see, that has alot to do with Joshua Jackson's Clooney-esque charm. He's perhaps the only actor/actress on the show who winks at the audience when he shoots his lines. That both Kerr Smith and James Van Der Beek invest absolute sincerity in their roles, IMO, really turns off alot of viewers, though I can't imagine them being played any other way. For the girls, such sincere/over-acting makes the characters more interesting, I guess.
Could also be that -- honestly -- more guys are deep inside like Dawson than Pacey. That identification breeds resentment; it does for me sometimes. Sometimes, when I see Dawson talk to Joey, I go -- geez, I really thought that way in high school? But, that's what *I* (and I bet alot of the viewers) believed in -- the soulmate bit and all. What Dawson feels, IMO, is essentially good in intention. Sometimes, it doesn't jibe with the truth, and it makes him act and choose badly at times. After all, was he not the man who said "I reject reality"? What if reality rejected him back?
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Brother282 is annoyed: As much as I wanted to see Pacy and Joey together that ending totally sucked! In my opinion they killed the most sucessful storyline, the love triangle, in DC history! Joey needed to miss that boat it would have been much more dramatic and It would have kept the love triangle storyline in tact. Plus how are the writers going to address Joeys virginity next season? Are we supposed to assume when they return from their trip next season Joey will still be a virgin? Thats not even realistic. So they killed the next most interesting storyline , who gets Joeys virginity, all in one scene. The writers royally screwed up in my opinion....Im pissed.
Po5girl7 agrees: I hated it too, for different reasons. I am very anti-P/J. I hardly think this is the most successful storyline in DC history when the show lost 26% of its viewers this year.
CaptnJaq1 says: And a high school student taking a boat thousands of miles away from home for 3 months IS? [realistic]
Roc…@my-deja.com says: I'm extremely anti-pacey and joey but i liked the season finale because it wasn't a glob of cheesiness! This year had the best thing going with Jen and Pacey. They had the most interesting relationship/storyline i've seen in a long time. Joey is cool but she and Dawson are too much alike. And Pacey being a loner without Dawson just sucks. It's different.
I remember in the beginning episodes where it was Dawson and Pacey chilling out and forgetting about women. They were cool when they were together. Then Andie came in and Joey dated Dawson so there was no "buddy story anymore". Jen and Pacey were cool because they both didn't get what they wanted in life (Dawson, Joey) and were alike.
Dawson and Joey won't be friends anymore and there's no point of the show. I also find it hard to believe that Joey - who was trying to get Dawson to love her for the longest time - all of a sudden drops everything after spending a short time with Pacey.
Whitney is hating: Did Joey even warn her sister and the family? Did she just *leave*? She does have a job and priorities, riiiiiiight... really realistic, writers! It sucked the big one. After 23 episodes or so of this P/J/D blah blah blah crap I couldn't stomach another minute. I was flipping constantly to NBC where I was watching a *repeat* of the FRIENDS finale that I watched last week, taped and watched again and then watched AGAIN tonight. That's how bored I was
fée verte offers: The only fun part of the final was grams driving like a maniac
jonathan barrow disagrees: They added me as a veiwe just beacuse of this storyline. P/J forever.!!
Po5girl7 is grossed out: Ewww. Yuck. If you saw the eps from season 2 you'd realize that Pacey had better chemistry and a much better romance with Andie. Even Pacey and Miss Jacobs had a better storyline in season 1.
William Schwab is happy for Tamara love: OMG once again i have to say i totally agree p\a were great together, and FINALLY someone else who likes pacey and tamara together!!! i honestly have NEVER met another person who liked them together, i'm so glad i know that i'm not the only one!!
Po5girl7 adds on: Actually it seems believable to me, she dropped Dawson as soon as she got him last season for Jack. Hmm... so I guess this means I have some hope that now that she has Pacey she'll find someone else. Well I hope anyway, Pacey deserves better imo.
Madforit50 says: I thought the finale was alright, not great. Ending the triangle was a good idea 'cos the relationship between Dawson and Joey was disintegrating before our eyes. To me, the episode was mostly functional; it ended the triangle, brought Joey + Pacey together, and started Jack anew. But, besides the Jen + Henry scene, I didn't think the writing was particularly inventive or good.
The direction was poor -- the actors/actresses seemed to be clawing for emotions; scenes seemed left out. I was very happy for Joey + Pacey, and that feeling was did the show for me. But, if you weren't a JP fan, I'm not sure one would think highly of it at all.
Vtrq isn’t a fan of Tamara or Andie’s relationships with Pacey: Not true at all. Pacey, in the case of his teacher was just in it for the sex, which was new for him. He fell for Andie becase Joey was not "available" and he thought she never would be. The "romance" between [Dawson] and Joey was always "stilted," "forced," and very questionable, to say the least.
Vtrq adds on about Dawson and Joey possibly not being friends now: This depends upon whether Dawson ever "grows up," and realizes what as ass he is and has been. Pacey wanted to remain friends through it all, even when he thought that Joey chose Dawson. When and if Dawson ever realizes that he does not love Joey as a lover, but as a sister then he may be able to regain a true friend, Pacey. Pacey, the one who loving Joey from afar (for Dawson's sake and because of Joey's feeling then), remained a true friend.
Jessica Turgeon shares: I think it is somewhat realistic. If it were me, sure I would have stopped in to tell... but the way that I heard it was originally written, and you can tell by the finale, too, is that Pacey was supposed to leave the next day. He even told Dawson that. But then when Joey chooses (supposedly) Dawson, Pacey gets upset and plans to leave early. Joey runs off to find him, and is interrupted by Doug who tells her Pacey is leaving NOW. But then again, I can't see why she was running at the wedding... unless she was just so eager to be away from Dawson! :)
Anyway... the whole story line has been about these kids (and they are kids) who are WAY more mature than they should be. Look at how Dawson talks. Look at the stuff Pacey has to put up with with his father. And Joey... working her ass off in school, making 98s on midterms and doing extra credit work to "make it up". She's gotta be a kid sometime. She's got to be spontaneous, and run off to the Keys for three months now, because once you're out of high school, there's not much more chance. Especially since she plans on going to college/university. And for the people who state she has to worry about paying for college/university and it's unrealistic that she would run off for the 2nd to last summer before she goes away (she'll have next summer, when she's graduated and heading to college to work too don't forget)... well I don't know about the States or the UK... but if someone were making grades like 98% up here, was a talented painter, did her little extracurricular things like painting classes and dance lessons, held various jobs
(shows responsibility), plus she's helped Dawson's with his films and has that credit to her name.. well the schools would be lined up begging for her in Canada. She'd get her whole way paid, *if* she didn't get to school and completely mess it up by getting horrid grades.
Po5girl7 hatin’ on Joey and if she owes Bessie anything referring to bailing on the BnB: Yes she does. Joey is 16, she's a minor, and Bessie is her legal guardian. I never liked Joey even back in season 1, she's the worst of the cast.
Po5girl7 getting angry with Vtrq about Tamara and Andie: Pacey wasn't just about sex with Miss Jacobs, he cared alot about her, she was too old for him and the relationship was doomed but there were definitely feelings involved just because your a P/J fan you feel the need to rewrite history.
Pacey fell in love with Andie, period, Joey played no part in that, and IMO Andie is the real love of Pacey's life. The thing with joey is a mistake and won't last. Don't be rewriting history just cause you like P/J.
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Dizniac theorizes: I've been lurking here for a while though I have only posted
once, but I had to see if anyone elso noticed the same thing that I saw in the finale. It doesn't come on here till 12:30 am Friday so I just saw it. I already knew what to expect, but I noticed something about the end that I haven't seen mentioned on here (unless I just missed it!). Anyway, what I saw was this:
Joey and Pacey are on the boat together, very excited. Joey looks back toward the shore with a sad expression on her face. As the boat starts to get further away you can see the two of them together. Pacey is standing and looks back over his shoulder (you can't see his face at this point). Then it fades out.
The thing is, the last scene where you can see Pacey, Joey is nowhere in the shot. I watched that part several times to be sure, and she just isn't there. Now, I know that she could just be somewhere that we can't see her - and it IS getting darker which makes it more difficult to see everything - but it seems strange to me that we are left with a shot of PACEY sailing off into the sunset. Wouldn't it make more sense to show both of them? Even though it seems silly to have changing her mind that much, the impression that I was left with was that she wasn't on the boat any more. Did anyone else notice this? Any theories?
Madforit50 replies: maybe she’s in the cabin?
Madfforit50 addresses Joey’s expression: the look was more a wistful "I'm leaving what I've always known" than a sad "I wish things were different" look. It's natural, when you're on a boat, leaving for the Keys, with your new boyfriend, for 3 straight months, with nary a shirt, to feel that way. =)
Aesha responds: I noticed this, too. I just figured Joey was in the cabin, maybe, or
sitting somewhere on the boat where we just couldn't see her. It was cold, she had that little shirt on... maybe she went to grab a jacket!:)
[and regarding the expression] It didn't have anything to do with Dawson- or at least, not that much. She was leaving Capeside for the first time in her life! I think that maybe she's been away from Capeside for a week at a time, at the longest (Spring break). But 3 months, sailing all they way down the coast... she's leaving her family, and her friends, and everything she knows on an adventure- and she's not too spontaneous. Of course, she may have been thinking how things will be different when she returns- different between her and Dawson, her and Andie, her family, her friends...
William Schwab adds: well i heard they shot the end two different ways, one with pacey and joey sailing off and one with just pacey, so maybe they just accidentally used a clip from the just pacey one, but i know that they come back in september "more in love than ever" (GAG) so unfortunately they are both onboard
Jessica Turgeon offers: I didn't really think Joey's expression was sad, maybe a little wistful but I passed that off as a) worry about how Dawson is going to act when she gets back, b) worry about Bessie and the b&b, and c) well Joey has
never done anything this spontaneous before... she's going to be a little apprehensive.
You can see Joey once, her red shirt anyways. But she's like sitting in front of Pacey and a little to the side... you must have great vision because I can't see when Pacey turns back... it's settled, I need a bigger TV :)
Anyways, even though when Joey initially sits down, she's at the back of the boat where she should be clearly visible, when they show them going off in the sunset, you'll notice she is directly in front of Pacey and a little to the left... You can see her in the first shot, barely in the second shot (she starts to blend in with the black of the "door" to the bottom of f the boat (don't mind me my nautical terms suck)) and the third I'm assuming you can't see her because of the lighting. You can barely see Pacey even though he's standing up.
Brendan says: You see her go into the underneath cabin before that
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Rhonda reflects on the old Jack: What happened to his old personality.. he used to be shy, kept to himself and was EXTREAMLY CLUMSY. This just occured to me that since he came out of the closet, they re-vamed his whole personality. I remember, that I use to like the shy Jack.. the guy who was always knocking stuff over and being a goof!
S. Mallet (AKA Marmoset) offers a reason: Well, one answer could be that the writers have been developing their ideas of his (and other characters') character over time and as they gave more thought to him, he became more 3-dimensional than just 'the clumsy guy that worked in the restaurant.'
But there is another possibility. Sometimes shyness and awkwardness grow from a sense of not feeling comfortable with who one is and a feeling that somehow others might judge him. It could be seen as a self-esteem issue.
Remember that Jack was so in the closet that he didn't seem to consciously 'know' that he himself was gay, or if he 'knew,' he had repressed a LOT. He really ended up coming out to *himself* when he wrote that poem for the English class.
OrdinaryGuy adds: Just what happens to every teenager's personality :-) Jack McPhee is one of the most "real life' character I've seen on TV (just like all other Dawson's characters.... That's why I love this show so much) As a gay guy that finally understood his own reality one year ago (I'm 21 right now), I can recognize some of me on Jack's character..... I was that shy and clumpsy and I used to think that everyone around could break me apart... I used to feel like something was wrong with my life... Like, I wasn't dreading my real patch, I don't, got my point?
Well I'm babbling hehehe... Anyway my point is, after I realized (well it's not the
exact word) that I am gay I've chanced like..... wow 101%... It's a MAJOR change, your perception of the world becomes more "clear", you feel like you're finally being true, right. It's hard to explain (specially when you are from another country :-) ), I really hope you got my point, i really do!
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Richard H likes the Joey and Pacey ship: In the beginning I was hoping for a relationship between Dawson and Joey but now after the third season I'm more content to see Joey with Pacey. They just don't make a cutter couple but they have better chemistry on screen. Don't yo just love it when Pacey holds Joey's face whenever he kisses her! (sigh) or how Pacey whispered " I remember everything".
Maybe some of that off screen chemistry has made it to the screen. But hasn't anyone else noticed that Pacey and Joey have an incredicle chemistry and aatraction onscreen?
I don't want Dawson and Joey together because Dawson is too much of a thinker, he's always blah blah blah this and that. I mean he had his chance and he blew it! Besides, I think James has had a less significant role in the series this year so that he can pursue his movie career.
Manh Tuong Lewis Nguyễn isn’t feeling it: Uhm, no I don't. I haven'y puked, but I may if they continue. Right now, I'm neutral towards them. As for how they look, I think Dawson and Joey look better together than Pacey and Joey, who look too much like siblings
[in reference to Dawson blowing his chance] I Just don't see how Dawson was the bad guy when he rejected Joey in the season premier. She dumped HIM. And she thinks that by taking off her shirt, he'll crawl right back to her? Eve would do similar things as what Joey did, and she's considered a slut. But when Joey does it, she's STILL not taken to task for it. when the writers make Dawson more sympathetic, viewers will once again want D and J to get together, and no one will remember the supposed chemistry of Pacey and Joey.
Madforit50 counters: you gotta credit the natural chemistry (and similar appearance) between Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson. I'd also add that the latter makes a terrific counterpart in virtually every show/movie he's been in. He smolders a little;
he mugs a little; and he always seems to be charming or challenging the ladies.
I tend to favor Pacey + Joey mainly 'cos I like rooting for the underdog. But,
Pacey + Andie was very nice. Heck, Pacey + Jen was fun to watch too. Pacey +
Joey has a nice balance of personality attraction/antagonism that makes them so
watchable. It's a different kind. Right now, JP is much better than JD. But, again, JD has aspects to it that JP won’t ever be.
bashton says about the chemistry between Josh and Katie: Their relationship on screen only works because of their chemistry, without it we would see Pacey as betraying Dawson, rather than see him as a person whose "soulmate" happens to also be part of his best friend's past. I have to hand it to both Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes for making that plotline so believable.....
JennY16 adds: you said it!! Pacey and Joey rule! lol they definately give me goosebumps watching them together and they just sooo absolutely have something. maybe it's just pacey...lol, no jk. they have chemistry and they know how to keep me watching. Dawson DID have his chance, Joey begged him back several times and he kept saying NO NO NO so i think he should really GET OVER IT. i'm soooo happy Joey just said "i think i'm in love with you" ahhhh! :)
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For the fans who think head cannon rules over all, CJMAXP offers: This episode ended for me at 8:15 right after Pacey and Joey had a big fight. Then I will pretend that Joey and Dawson spent the summer in love.
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