Dawson's Creek - 220 - Reunited

Original air date: May 12, 1999

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

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

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

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

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

Pillow fight of non-friendship!

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

Team Pandie forever!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The mysterious other guy

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

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

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

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

It's totally a romantic thriller, guys!

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

Did I not tell you shenanigans would ensue?

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

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

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

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

Cool as Icccce!

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

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

Thank you, Abby

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

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

Pictured: Andie McPhee

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

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

Exactly

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

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

Can we go back to the interesting storyline, please?

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

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

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

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

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

Bang up job, guys

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

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

have involved Pacey?

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

Uh, yeah...what Pacey said

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

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

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

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

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

But it's such a fun word to say

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

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

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

Awwwww!

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

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

Ba-dum TISH!

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