Dawson's Creek - 423 - Coda

 Original air date: May 23, 2001

So, here we are at the end of the worst year of our lives and also at the end of what I deem the most boring season of Dawson's Creek. I can't say it's the worst because those are the college years but at least they are entertaining about their badness. Seriously, I can't wait and what a perfect time to close out this season. Hope you are all going to manage to have some type of fun on Christmas, even if we can't be around our loved ones (that live externally from us) at least it's just this year and we can move forward with the promise of 2021 being...hopefully a bit better. 

We open the episode with Dawson and Joey watching the movie he made in the very first episode of this series. Dawson thinks it's crap which takes away from my fun of calling it crap but you know what, Dawson? At least it wasn't your Blair Witch knock off or a bitter break up movie about how Joey tore your heart out. Plus Pacey is the star, so that makes it your best work in my eyes. Joey reminds him that it somehow won him a prize and money and Dawson complains that he then wasted it to make the aforementioned bitter break up piece which he lovingly calls "self-indulgent piece of crap." Look, Dawson, if you're going to keep doing my job for me, we are going to have to have some words. 

Dawson wonders how they got here, already going off to college and he's not even got the summer to process it because he signed up for the summer program which starts the day after tomorrow. Joey tells him he should be packing but Dawson is in too much denial to do that right now. He asks her if she's heard from Pacey but he's been incommunicado. She laments getting involved with him in the first place because it just wasn't going to work, no matter how charming he was. This makes me sad, they are perfect together and you will never convince me otherwise. Anyway, Dawson hates that it's all coming to an end but Joey says that everything comes to an end. This is reading a lot like a series finale right now, with the callbacks to season one and the talk of ending. It's odd because they seemed pretty certain they were following them to college what with setting up Worthington and Boston so much this season.

The remaining gang, Dawson, Joey, Jack, and Jen are all hanging out at The Ruins. Remember The Ruins? Where Dawson tried to film himself kissing Jen but ended up filming Pacey being assaulted by his teacher? Good times. Anyway, they're chatting about summer jobs and Joey's just like...yeah some of us have been working this whole time, lazy asses. Dawson offers them jobs at Leery's Fresh Fish but none of them seem interested because he's the worst and having to work around Gail and Mitch sounds like a nightmare. Jack then pipes up with a Would you rather? question because that's what they've been playing. They don't like it and Joey pipes up with her own that involves mocking French people for smelling bad. Is that racist or just xenophobic? Either way, I've got my eye on you, Joey. Dawson comes up with his own and everyone is so grossed out. He finds out it's six o'clock and he was supposed to meet his dad an hour ago so he dips while confirming going with the gang to the movies later. 

Season 1 nostalgia vibes

Mitch and Dawson are at the computer store because Mitch is buying him a laptop for school. He's done all the research and knows exactly which one he's buying for him but Dawson just wants a Mac. Look, is it petulant that Dawson is spitting in the face of his father's generosity by asking for the most expensive computer? Yes. At the same time, at this point in history, if you were going into any type of graphics work, the Mac was the superior machine. Now they are literally just a luxury item that looks cool while a lot of less expensive machines can actually do the same stuff now but back then? Yeah, Dawson is pretty justified in wanting a Mac for film school. Especially with being in film because Final Cut worked great on Mac and was the superior editing software at the time. At least, in my experience. I'm sure there are computer nerds that would completely school me in this line of thinking, I'm just sullying myself by saying that I kind of side with Dawson here even if I hate how rude he's being about it. Mitch is no better and pulls a baby tantrum and just gets Dawson the computer he wanted to get him anyway, despite the fact that Dawson didn't want it. Dawson, you could probably sell it and use some of the money to upgrade to a Mac when you get to California, just saying. 

Jen and Jack get to Grams' house, only to find the fridge completely empty. She's been packing everything up diligently since it's their last night in the house. Jen offers to stay home with her to hang out together but Grams insists she go out with Dawson on his last night but offers to have tea with her when she gets back.

Mitch and Dawson get home to find Joey and Gail talking in the front yard. Mitch wants to go set up the lap top but Dawson goes up to Joey and is like, let's bounce. Mitch then has a complete meltdown and calls Dawson selfish for wanting to go out with his friends. Dude, he's a teenager. Mitch commands him to stay for dinner but Dawson refuses so Mitch storms off inside. Gail tells him to go because she's normal and him and Joey awkwardly go to the movies. I felt bad for Joey in that scene, it is so awkward being a third wheel in a weird family fight.

We get a brief glimpse of Pacey in paradise. He's working when someone tells him to take a break. Pacey wants to make a phone call first and the guy lends him a cellphone then invites him to drinks afterward. Pacey dials a number but the line just keeps ringing so he hangs up.

Please don't go, Pacey! Don't leave us with Dawson!
(Also, he looks so good here and it's making me extra sad that with the
college years comes goatee Pacey. It looks so bad.)

Jack and Dawson are talking about his impending departure but, of course, the conversation turns to his having to say good bye to Joey. Dawson doesn't want to think about it but Jack insists he should because if he doesn't acknowledge how big the moment is, he'll end up regretting it later. Dawson doesn't want ot sit next to him at the movies because he's bumming him out. Jack then asks if he thought about staying the summer to spend it with Joey and Dawson has thought of that and is annoyed that he can't stop thinking about it.

Jen and Joey are also chatting and, of course, it's about Dawson. This is why I hate their relationship. Everyone was so chill about her and Pacey but any time there is a hint of her and Dawson suddenly everyone and their mothers are invested in whether they will get together and how much they mean to each other, it's so in your face that it's aggravating. Anyway, they have a little moment where Jen brings up the "I like your hair colour, what number is that?" question from Bitchy!Joey in the pilot. Ah, good times, I hated her so much then but now she's actually good. I'm going to hate her again soon enough though. Jen assures Joey that she doesn't hate her for that comment and Joey admits to feeling terrible about having the power to have Dawson stay because she doesn't want that much power. Jen thinks everyone has the ability to change someone's life but the question is whether or not you use the power. 

The boys meet up with them just as they get to the ticket booth. I've never understood this because Dawson was with Joey and Jen was with Jack...how did they then split off into different pairs? Did they go to dinner and then for some reason take different routes to the movies? I don't get it.

After watching American Graffiti (yet another reference to season 1) the gang stand outside the theatre awkwardly trying to decide what they want to do. Eventually, they land on just going home and since Dawson and Jen live next door and Jack left his car at Jen's, that means Joey gets walked home first so no alone time with Dawson for her.

Mitch and Gail are looking over photos to use when Mitch mentions how stubborn he thinks Dawson is while Gail is just like, "hello there pot!" Mitch doesn't get what she means so she has to spell out how similar they are and how stubborn he is. 

The gang have made it to Joey's and they say their goodbyes but Dawson offers to walk her right to the porch to get a bit of alone time. Alone-ish time. They have an awkward conversation by her door about his going to LA and being able to see Spielberg. Dawson is more of a Soderbergh guy now though but we all know that's bullshit. You don't have a framed picture of Soderbergh by your bed, Dawson. We see you and your creepy Spielberg fetish. Anyway, they say goodbye and hug and that's it.

They get to Grams' house and Jen and Jack present Dawson with a gift, a cellphone. That's extremely generous but they mention that they could only afford 5 minutes of airtime and I remember that this is before I owned a cell phone and the phones were actually cheap but they hosed you by charging you exorbitant amounts of money per minute you used it. Insane. Now we just tether ourselves to one company for two years, paying off an overly expensive phone where at the end, we still owe money on it but want to upgrade to a new phone and they cycle repeats itself and now they charge us exorbitant amounts for internet data usage. Ah, greedy corporations. Never change. But actually do, because you all suck. 

Eventually, Jen and Dawson are left alone and they have a little talk about how Grams used to scare them as children. How far she's come, now Grams is like the mother figure to all the Capeside children. Dawson asks if Jen has five minutes but then Grams comes out so whatever Dawson wanted to say or ask in those five minutes, we may never learn. Jen watches him go to his own house.

Dawson walks into the kitchen to find a brand new Mac laptop on the table. Mitch walks in and says that it may not be practical but it looks cool. They make up and Mitch admits that he's scared to let him go. Then he asks Dawson how saying goodbye to Joey went and he admits it was underwhelming. Mitch tells him it ain't over til it's over and Dawson criticizes his poor advice.

Jen and Grams are enjoying tea together and chatting about the future. Jack pops by because he didn't like the thought of them being alone in the house on their last night. Really, I think Jack was just lonely because Andie is in Italy and his father is technically around but not because of tragic circumstances with the actor. It's perfect that these three are together though and Grams even gives him cookies. Jen is surprised Grams isn't sad about leaving the house but she's actually excited. Grams didn't always live in the house, her and Gramps actually lived in a loft above his law offices. She tells a little story about how they'd sleep up on the roof on hot summer nights and listen to the music drifting over the creek. They planned to buy a summer house and live in it year round, but then she said they were always cold in the winter.

Dawson is in his bedroom when the phone rings and he picks it up. Pacey is on the other line. He wasn't trying to phone Joey, but Dawson. You have no idea the disappointment I felt at this scene. I mean, I get it, I guess they never really got a true friendship fixing moment but still. Dawson urges him to call Joey but Pacey isn't at a place where he's ready for that yet. Dawson offers to relay a message but Pacey prefers if he doesn't say anything to her at all which is a gut punch for me. Pacey actually called because he wanted to tell Dawson that he regretted not saying goodbye to him because his friendship meant so much. Dawson is glad he called because he wanted to tell Pacey how proud he is of him. This feels more like a father/son moment but whatever, Pacey is happy. I am not.

Dawson is packing but ultimately gets up to head out and runs into Joey who has come to help him pack. They go back inside to his room but instead of helping him pack, they are watching ET because that's what they watched in the pilot, you see. I'm wondering what time of night it is and how the fuck he's not packed for his plane trip tomorrow. Seriously, it was 6 at the beginning of the episode, then he went to a computer store to pick out a laptop with Mitch, then he met up with Joey where they then walked around or maybe went for dinner and then saw a movie. Then they walked home after that. He then had a chat with his dad and now they've just finished another movie. It's got to be after midnight, right? 

Anyway, now Dawson wants help with packing but Joey wants to talk about where they'll be in the future and dreams up a scenario where he's dating some really pretty girl that she'll hate, you know like with Jen? They start asking each other questions and we learn that Dawson's most embarrassing moment was making out with Eve in front of the whole school. SHHH! You're not supposed to speak her name, Dawson. SHE NEVER HAPPENED! Joey's most embarrassing moment is when she offered to have sex with him and he turned her down cold to which Dawson wants to make that moment his biggest regret. I mean, yeah, had he not turned her down we may never have gotten Pacephine. You made the right choice, Dawson. For us, not you. Dawson realizes that he's the only one out of the friends who is still a virgin. Joey teases him a bit but hey, some of us just don't find the right people in high school. I don't really get this whole "have sex in high school or you suck" mentality but, I mean, while I was in it I definitely had those feelings too. There's so much pressure and it's worse as a girl because you're pressured both to have it or you're labelled a prude but then to not have it or you'll be labelled a slut. It's all gross and shitty. Have sex when you're ready and with the person you want to have sex with, as long as they want you too, of course.

Joey admits that she wants Dawson to stay but then tells him to forget she said it. She doesn't want him to give up his dreams but she wanted to let him know that she does wish he could. Dawson admits he really wants to stay but that he knows he needs to leave and move on and grow up. It's all good but then Joey asks him what his life altering moment was and Dawson says he doesn't know but that it could very well be this moment right here. They then lean in and kiss and we pan out so that we, the audience, are peeping toms staring at their silhouettes kissing in the window. It's a call back to the season 1 finale which again makes this episode feel very much like a series finale but I'm pretty sure it was always going to continue. Then I remembered something.

Season 1 finale callback, I think they framed it the exact same way too
Say goodnight, not goodbye

Way back when this show aired on a network called The WB. But then there was some thing where they bought UPN and kind of merged with them? They decided to retool and their safest best was keeping Buffy on, hence the need to bring her back from the dead since the season 5 finale was definitely designed to be a series finale. I think Dawson's Creek and Veronica Mars were both in danger of just being dropped in the merger so maybe they weren't sure they'd actually come back? Either way, I can see why they'd structure it like this as it is saying good bye to their high school era and harkens them starting something fresh and new. Well...definitely different, we'll say. 

I've got to say, I didn't much care for this episode and if it was the finale, I'd be pissed at the utter lack of Pacey and the fact that they didn't give him and Joey a scene at all AND had the gall to try and reboot Dawson and Joey. It felt unnecessary since, they'd be going off to college and they'd want to keep relationships open so they can have more fun with them in their college years. On the plus, we are finally putting a close out on the dullest season of Dawson's Creek and I couldn't be happier. Stay tuned and I'll put out my wrap-up of Dawson's Creek season 4 next week so we can start the New Year fresh with the completely new Joey's Creek! Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! and all that other good holiday cheer.