Dawson's Creek - 416 - Mind Games

Original air date: February 28, 2001

So, I watched this episode and got mad again. It truly is the end times for our little Pacephine ship of True Love. The writing is on the wall and I hate it but also, I didn't realize how badly Joey behaved and I think I'm understanding the upcoming Prom episode a lot better now because either I missed these episodes or just forgot what they did for this relationship. Let's jump right in to this thing.

The episode opens on our favourite couple being lovey with each other and trying to plan another night of passionate hugging. Unfortunately, they are not finding any way to have time alone and this entire scene is already negated for me by the fact that Joey lied last episode and I hate it. My fun with this couple is already dying and I didn't expect that to happen until the infamous prom episode in which I remember being shocked that it happened at all. Was I really so blind as a teen?

They just look so cute, I want to pretend nothing is wrong

Anyway, Drew comes in and acts like a jackass, as per usual. He apparently is in charge of picking all the yearbook awards which is really stupid but it's basically because this guy, this horribly boring and stupid guy is so obsessed with the love triangle that he had no way of knowing about but somehow does and uses all of his time to mess with them specifically, posts the results while announcing only one category. Class couple, of which he has chosen Joey and Dawson because he's an ass who's job it is to torment specifically Joey...for reasons. (My big theory, though the show hasn't really quite addressed this) is that he has a crush on Joey and wants to break up her perfect relationship because he's a bitter NiceGuy much like Dawson is. He's basically taken the Dawson as villain role for this season because the writers want drama but they realized that they'd made their main character a villain in this story and therefore wanted to shift the role onto someone else. Imagine how much more sense it would make for Dawson to have done this? They really missed an opportunity in not just fully leaning into his villainy. I mean, he's not the main character anymore anyway and he definitely isn't next season which should have basically been called Joey's College instead of Dawson's Creek. I digress though. 

Joey is hella pissed and threatens Drew but what the hell does he care? What can she really do to him? Pacey weirdly nopes out of the scene? Like the writers clearly wanted this to just be between Joey and Pacey but it comes off as really awkward. Joey is threatening this guy about what he wrote and he's just like "you've got this covered so I'mma just go to class. Byeeeeee!" It would have made more sense if he'd left before shit even went down but they obviously wanted him to hear the class couple announcement for added drama. This could've been easily fixed with him noticing the posting afterwards but it's not like they can go back and fix a decades old show now so I'm really just ranting over nothing. Sorry.

Anyway, Dawson saunters along and comments that he thought the whole thing was funny because obviously they're not a couple and tells Joey that Drew is obviously trying to get a rise out of them. Drew squirrels away. End scene.

Meanwhile, Pacey is trying to convince Gretchen to spend the night drinking with their brother Dougie at his house, and maybe she could crash there or something since drinking and driving is a no-no. Gretchen quickly catches on to the fact that he and Joey have done it and want to do it again. Pacey denies but then relents and asks her not to tell anyone since he's an awesome boyfriend and trying to appeal to Joey's wish. Gretchen was a high school girl once (see the writers do kind of get it, they just choose to make Joey the worst and I don't get it) and that she won't tell a soul and will fail to come home that night. She's a good sister, she even offers to stay at their awful parents if Dougie won't have her...but Pacey owes her, naturally.

Jen is at her therapist appointment and they seem to be talking quite well together this session but that looming possibility of Jen having a crush on him seems ever more present and I don't like where this is going. I remember liking this plotline, what the hell? Apparently it's going to take forever for the relevant character development with Jen takes place and I'm sad. Also, it's revealed that she finds it easier to be friends with guys then girls because girls suck and this feels even more like an old guy writing their dream girl. "no see, she isn't like other girls. She thinks girly things are stupid...she's basically a guy I can fuck! B-but nohomo because bewbs!!" To be honest, with the things we have already learned about Jen's background, it would make more sense for her to not be able to trust men as much as women. 

They do start talking about her past and this part is honestly kind of hard to write about after having just discovered this abomination of a backstory for Marion from Indiana Jones by Spielberg and Lucas which is all kinds of gross and honestly...I'm starting to wonder if that was why Jen was conceived this way. Look, we already know that Jen had sex when she was 12 years old while drunk. I always assumed it was with one of her friend but I think it goes to a darker place which is all kinds of fucked up. I really hope that the writers weren't just thinking of this as just an interesting backstory idea. I do think that they tried to explore it more here which is something they really failed to do the first time they brought it up but it still smacks of something really gross. Losing your virginity at a super young age while drunk and possibly with an older man is not an interesting backstory for shock value, it is incredibly tragic and scarring and happens all too often in real life. The fact that guys sit around and spitball these kinds of ideas as "wouldn't it be edgy and interesting if she were only 11 or 12 when she had sex with this guy" is a disgusting and monstrous view. Especially since it highlights some very clear misunderstandings male writers have about women that leads to the kinds of toxic thoughts that Spielberg and Lucas had. 

Jen: Right. Um, girls suck. [Laughs] I mean, it's like they get a lobotomy the day they hit puberty. I mean, one day, you're all milling around F.A.O. Schwartz in the rainbow brite section. The next day, somebody gets breasts and... After that, it's all about getting boys to like you, and whoever dies thinnest wins.

Ah...no? Not at all. You want to know what else? This episode was written by a woman. I'm floored that she could have gotten this completely wrong or maybe she was still in her "I'm not like other girls" phase because some people do fail to grow out of that part of themselves but still this is a bad message and I'm not letting it slide just because it was written by a woman. Maybe she had some bad experiences in highschool, I don't know but I can count on my one finger the times I had a crush on the same guy as one of my friends. Yes, I said the one finger, it happened once. Literally once. Usually my friend would tell me who they were crushing on and I'd internally be like "really? ok." and support them because that's what friends do. I hate this narrative that all girls just fight over all guys, any guy, just so long as they get one and prevent another girl from obtaining said guy. It's such a nasty view of relationships both romantically and platonic to think that girls can't be friends once they start liking boys is absurd. I'm starting to seriously question why I liked this storyline because while it does give Jen some depth, I don't know that the show is dealing with it well, especially since they are kind of showing her having a crush on her therapist which again is really gross considering she lost her virginity when she was 12 and drunk but also...to an older guy. We don't find that out yet but let's just see where this goes. 

At the restaurant, Dawson finds Gretchen who is desperately waiting for relief since a waitress called in sick. She finds out that Gail will not be coming in because she is heading out of town with Mitch and Gretchen is only learning about this now despite the fact that she works at the restaurant and should have a heads up? Anyway, she's mad that Dawson didn't tell her because she's his girlfriend and his house is now parentally vacant for the weekend. Dawson...I feel like there might be a strong case for Dawson being on the ACE spectrum because he just doesn't think about sex. I remember this being a thing with him and Joey dating too, he seems really ambivalent towards the idea and it never occurred to him to even try at having sex while his parents were out of town. I want to be super clear that I am not shaming Dawson for this, I just find it interesting that he's usually played as pretty sexless which I think the writers were trying to do as a "soulmates holding out for each other" thing but in this case reads way more like he just doesn't think about sex. That would be pretty cool for them to explore but they're not going to and it will just be played as him holding out for Joey. But anyway, Gretchen has found her place to be tonight which for her is far more appealing than Doug's or her parents so good for her. 

Joey comes over to Pacey's where they begin to make out and banter because that's what they do. She suddenly asks when Gretchen will be home and Pacey happily states that she's going to be out the whole night. Joey gets a little mortified and asks if she knows which Pacey confirms. Joey is a little embarrassed but says she'll get over it which is legit because it's always a little embarrassing when your SO's family finds out you're having sex but, of course, the show is pushing the narrative that Joey doesn't want Dawson to find out. Blah. Pacey even wants to make sure it isn't a problem and will do anything to make her feel better so just prepare to have your heart broken guys.

Jack and Jen are hanging out at a coffee shop and he mentions that she must like therapy since she's going three times a week. I'm just going to chalk this up to a small town thing because my experience with mental health is that you don't get to decide you want or need to go more often unless you have money, which I suppose Grams could have a lot of money being a nurse but that much? I don't know. I don't think the writers quite get how expensive private practice therapy can be and how big a privilege it would be to be able to go that many times a week, both monetarily and time wise. Jack quickly cottons on to the fact that Jen has lured him to this coffee shop because her therapist's office is across the street and they are stalking him. I don't like where this is going. Jen complains that Dr. Frost knows everything about her while she knows nothing about him. I'm going to have to ask her a Dr. Frost classic of "why is that important to you?" Because really, what does it matter? That's kind of how therapy works. You're there for you, not to get to know your doctor. Anyway, Frost comes out of the office and Jen urges Jack to help her stalk him so this is going to be an awkward bit of this storyline. Whee.

Gretchen comes back to her place to pick up a few things so she can stay overnight where ever and Pacey is trying to order a pizza from a place where the people only speak Portuguese, for comedic(?) purposes. All I can think about is that Simpson's meme with Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers, "A Portuguese Pizza Place? In this small town? With this many white bred people?" You get the idea. It's a little weird that this show is using this as some kind of joke and why would you want to order from a place where they can't understand you and you don't know what type of pizza you're getting? Logic, there is none here. 

Joey pulls Gretchen aside while Pacey is ordering and begs her to keep her mouth shut about the sleeping with Pacey thing. Gretchen is way ahead of her and in complete agreement on not telling anyone but she warns Joey that the truth is not hard to guess because she looks happy. Pacey comes back in the room and informs them that pizza is on the way but what's on it will be a surprise and then asks Gretchen where she's going. She answers that she's going to Dawson's place which earns a shock face beat from Joey.

Jack and Jen have followed Frost to a bookstore where Jen wants to know what he's looking at. Jack informs her that he's looking at Interview With the Vampire which means he's gay. Jen says that straight people read Anne Rice which yeah, that's true but Jack insists that it's very gay. I mean, yeah Lestat is super gay I'll give him that. Jen asks him where he learned so much about being gay and he replies Sex and the City. Ummmm, I thought Jack was a not all gays gay because if he finds Toby an insufferable in your face gay, I don't know how he tolerates the gay representation on Sex and the City. 

Stanford was the most stereotypical gay

While trying to avoid Frost, Jen ends up bumping into them and acting super awkward. Frost, for his part is very polite and introduces himself to Jack as her friend, in case she was nervous about calling him her therapist. He's definitely keeping things professional which gives me hope that this doesn't end up going somewhere bad that I'm forgetting about. She asks for some recommendations to make conversation and Frost recommends a book of poetry by a woman who Jen pretends to like but refers to them as a guy so she's busted. The poet is apparently doing a reading in a nearby town or whatever and Frost invites her to check her out. Jack pokes fun at Jen for pretending to like poetry.

Pacey and Joey are enjoying some pizza together when Joey rambles about how she's sure Gretchen is just stopping by Dawson's and then going to Doug's and that just because Mitch and Gail are out of town, doesn't mean anything is going to happen. Pacey jokes about how she must be right because the alternative is too horrifying to contemplate (facts) but then asks Joey if she actually cares. They do a back and forth about not caring but Joey quickly changes the subject because she doesn't want to ruin the mood after they've already waited 2 weeks for the chance to do it again. 

At Dawson's house, he and Gretchen have just finished a movie and are discussing it and this has nothing to do with anything but I have to share this description they give:

Gretchen: Come on. It was sweet. I mean, look, she loved the guy so much she made the same mistakes all over again. And she got to sleep with the motorcycle guy. 

Dawson: Yeah, but all that crap about her and Nic Cage being soul mates? Come on. Jim Carrey was good, though.

Look, I know that they are just bullshitting and this movie does not exist but, I mean, can it please exist? Because I would unapologetically watch and probably love whatever the hell this thing is. Nic Cage and Jim Carrey with sex and motorcycles? It sounds bonkers in the best way. I don't even care that the joke is that Dawson is talking about how unbelievable soulmates are when haha he and Joey are soulmates. Ok, I care a bit in that it's lame and stupid and I hate it but that movie sounds glorious and I wish I could watch it.

Gretchen rifles in her bag for the next movie and pulls out a nightshirt and a toothbrush which causes Dawson to question her on this. They go back and forth about whether she should stay the night. Again, Dawson seems really uncomfortable about the idea of sex and kind of like the idea of having her over didn't even cross his mind. It's a little odd considering I don't think the writers are intending it this way, I think they just want to plant the seeds of Dawson and Joey being the ones while not being ready to cut Gretchen loose yet.

Gretchen does her best to get Dawson to open up and talk about sex so she admits her first time was when she was in high school and with her first boyfriend. They banter about how much Dawson hated her first boyfriend and what a douche he was. Dawson shares that he has never had sex before. She asks if he still has some thoughts on the topic and he launches into his history where he never thought to ask Jen and with Joey, he thought it was perfect but she wanted to wait and then they broke up. Yeah, Dawson usually manages to mess up his relationships before they get to the stage where sex becomes a topic but I do note that he only mentions Jen and Joey. Hmm, not going to bring up that boat blowy with Eve, huh?

To be fair, I think everyone wants to forget about this.
I'm sorry I keep reminding you.

Dawson, for some reason, blathers on about how relieved he was that Pacey and Joey hadn't had sex which is awkward and rude. Why are you bringing up your ex's relationship status to your current girlfriend and that you're relieved about it? Talk about mood killer. Dawson is really living up to his title of murderer of love, only in this case it would be more like a love suicide. Gretchen gets immediately sus because how could he know they haven't had sex yet? She asks how he knows and he tells her about asking Joey and her saying they hadn't. Gretchen looks unimpressed as we go into commercial break.

Coming back, Gretchen has shifted herself as far away on the couch as she can from Dawson and looks none too pleased. Dawson calls her out on it and she flips out and gets out of there as quickly as she can. He's confused but she doesn't want to talk and doesn't want him to ask her about it.

Joey is looking around the kitchen when Pacey walks in, asking her why she's up so early on a Saturday morning. She wants to make him breakfast and sends him off to buy the last few things she needs to make some pancakes. As Pacey is leaving, Dawson turns up looking for Gretchen. Pacey tries to tell him she's at Doug's and rush him off but Dawson is worried and wants him to call her now to make sure she got home ok. Of course, Joey's inside so awkwardness may ensue but Pacey relents and invites him inside. Joey overhears them and quickly ducks into the bathroom so they don't see her. Awkwardness avoided. For now...

Jen and Jack are at the poetry thing and Jack is just done with the whole thing. She says that Frost is just late and Jack, bless his heart, remarks that he was just making polite conversation in telling her to come and that he hopes that's the case. Jack has cottoned on to things and he wants to be sure Frost isn't going to a) take advantage of a patient and b) take advantage of a teenager for a double whammy of gross power dynamics. He has some poor opinions of therapy because of his family history which is understandable, if misguided, but then he adds that a psychiatrist who dates his patients isn't worth having around. Jack is a good friend. Jen denies her crush and Jack asks her what the hell they're doing there then. Fair.

Pacey confirms with Doug that Gretchen is at his place which satisfies Dawson. Dawson asks him to tell her that he stopped by then reconsiders and asks him to not tell her. Pacey realizes that Dawson is upset and because he's a good friend, asks if he and Gretchen had a fight and if he can say something to her on his behalf. Dawson tells him that they didn't have a fight but that he thinks Gretchen has just come to her senses and leaves. Pacey tells Joey he'll be right back.

Back at the poetry place, Jack is losing patience and urging Jen to leave. Jen protests but eventually relents. They get up to go but Frost shows up and sits next to her and Jen looks way too pleased about this for my comfort level. 

I really don't like where this is going

At a coffee shop, Dawson is sitting and feeling sorry for himself when Drew shows up to be an asshole. A really tiresome one. Dawson asks him to change the class couple result but Drew refuses because he is still bizarrely obsessed with their drama and is a Dawson / Joey shipper so we hate him the most. Just take a look at this sorry excuse for writing:

Drew: Oh, god, please. This whole friend dance that you guys do, as if you were actually over each other? As if you hadn't fatally wounded each other's psyches and doomed all your future relationships? I mean... I'm sorry. This is great stuff. It's what makes you and Joey far and away the more compelling couple.

All I hear when dialogue like this happens, is that the writer of this episode has a side and they want you to be on it. Sorry, Gina Fattore, I will never board your ship. Especially not when you are using the world's worst character to state your case. (I am speculating here, I have no way of knowing if Gina is into the Joey/Dawson relationship, I'm just being a bitch). And lol at the idea that Dawson and Joey are far more compelling. Far more boring, I say. I am salty today. Sorry.

Joey finds Gretchen on the front porch and asks her what's up but Gretchen is in no mood. She calls Joey out for lying to Dawson and how lying only creates more hurt, not less. Joey stands up for herself by telling Gretchen she wasn't here for when Dawson was the villain of the season who tried to murder love where it stood (Ok, I'm paraphrasing here) but Gretchen does not give a fuck. She wants Joey to tell the truth, if not for her or Dawson, then at least for Pacey. 

Pacey arrives to the awkward situation right on cue and Joey decides to get the hell out of Dodge as quickly as she can, making up an excuse about her sister needing her. Pacey is super confused and confronts Gretchen about what happened between them. She stays mum so he brings up her and Dawson but she's even less interested in talking about that with him. He starts to get the impression that whatever the fight between her and Dawson and her and Joey was, has something to do with him. She tells him he doesn't want to know so of course, he has to know. The more you try to deny something isn't about a person or that they don't want to know, the more they need to know. Without fail. After some more pestering, Gretchen caves and tells him that Dawson asked Joey point blank if they slept together and she told him they didn't. The look of hurt on Pacey's face is heartbreaking, probably because his heart is breaking. See what I mean about being pissed? I hate this for Pacey. 

Look how sad he looks...I volunteer to give him a hug

After the poetry session, Frost asks Jen what her favourite poem was but she obviously wasn't really listening and blusters for an answer. She lies and tells him the last one when the poet, Robin, shows up and puts her arm around Frost. It's obvious they're dating and after some awkward conversation, Frost and Robin head off to mingle leaving Jen and Jack alone. 

Dawson is in a school room working on a computer when Joey comes in. He's asked her to meet him there so he could apologize to her about asking her the sex question because it was personal and invasive of him. Hmm, is Dawson actually growing up? He also thinks he's sabotaging his relationship with Gretchen because he keeps obsessing over Joey. Which is super true and I already called him out for it in this very recap so our boy might well be growing up. He does get in another dig about not being able to get Joey which is uncool again but then he reveals what he's been working on. He's fixing the class couple ranking because Drew rigged the elections but then quit yearbook before they were printed so Dawson volunteered to finish so the rightful couple could take their place. Ok, fine Dawson you get another one from me. 

Jen confronts Frost about Robin, asking if she's his girlfriend. He doesn't answer it but remains polite. Jen calls him out for letting her make a fool of herself and he lets her know that he knew she was stalking him and that they should talk about it Tuesday at their next session. Jen wants to know what about and he tells her that it has to do with trust. She tells him that she can trust him and they agree to talk at the next session. Thank god, Frost doesn't seem to be a creep or being written as into her. I don't know if I could bear another adult/teen inappropriate relationship. 

Dawson confronts Gretchen by the pier and asks if she's breaking up with him. She's not and she tells him she appreciated his honesty and asks him to always be honest with her because trust is super important in a relationship. Way more important than sex. She doesn't tell him about the Joey/Pacey situation. Dawson is relieved and gives her a gift of a new toothbrush because apparently the one she left at his place was way too disgusting. Wow, that's rude especially considering he thought she was going to dump him and that was like her parting gift? I'm just picturing a petulant Dawson having just been dumped, holding out a toothbrush and screaming "Oh yeah? Well your breath stinks! Here's a new toothbrush, Stinky!!" and then running away in tears. Ah, I can dream. 

This is what I think that would look like. Enjoy.

We end the episode on Joey and Pacey walking through a field or something. They talk about their having sex and Joey wonders if they shouldn't have just done it on the boat when they were alone. Pacey says that they would have missed the scenery and Joey asks if he misses it, the time when they weren't having sex not the scenery. Pacey doesn't and asks if she does but she says she doesn't either. Pacey then asks her if she thinks what they're doing is wrong and tries to bring up the thing Gretchen told him but ends up staying quiet about it. They continue walking, hand in hand and I'm just sad now. This is not the content I need right now. 

Next time is Admissions and I'm not even going to pretend that it could be better because this is now the down slide before the big kerflooey at prom. It's all sad for our ship, so take a few shots for her. *cues The End by The Doors and takes a swig.* 

This is the end...my only friend, the end...*sobs*