Dawson's Creek - 501 - The Bostonians

 Original air date: October 10, 2001

We did it, baby! We made it to 2021 and to the first season of the college years of Dawson's Creek. Now, I'm going to admit something to you all. In its first run, I never saw the college years. I was so pissed off with season 4 that I just had no interest in continuing. Look, I could understand breaking up Pacey and Joey but give a girl a minute to heal before showing me a Dawson/Joey kiss. Christ. I actually picked it up a few years later when the reruns were airing on Super Station in the morning. I'd watch it before school started and bask in the days of yesteryear and then discovered the college years then. I think college years get a bad rap on teen shows with most writing them off as just terrible but honestly? I don't remember hating the college years for this show at all. I do remember liking and laughing at how absurd the stories were but I have to admit something to you all, after having just watched this episode again for the first time in like a decade. I actually really liked it? I liked the vibe it went for, I liked the characters relationships with one another. I liked the new setting. I really liked Audrey. Usually, I hate added characters but she's fun and spirited and most importantly, calls Joey out on her snobbishness. I'm actually excited to talk about this episode and that hasn't happened in a while.

Right away I notice the distinct shift as we open with Joey. There is no first day of college, they are just right in there already because we join them in October, when the first episode aired. Now, I know that last season technically opened with her and Pacey too but that made more sense to me as we left off season three with them. This strikes me as different than that because it's not just a stinger to reintroduce us, it launches us into the whole point of the episode and the whole episode basically centers around Joey accepting her new life at college and letting go of the past. So, we join her in a scene that very much reminds me of one of my favourite movies, The Sure Thing (people who know me are groaning but no I will never shut up about this movie), where a teacher is reading a student's work aloud to the class, in this show's case, it's Joey's paper. It's a short sort of story about her stupid kiss with Dawson at the end of last season. She's describing it in very flowery terms and also, can we take a moment to appreciate that her professor is Vinnie Van Lowe and that in this show, he's a "hunky professor"? 

Private eyes, Joey Potter! I'm watching you!

I can't. Ken Marino is too goofy to me now to be considered in this way, not that he's not attractive. It's just funny to me. In this show, he's Professor Wilder and he asks the class what they thought of Joey's story to which one guy calls it "incredibly banal" which is delightfully harsh. What is with this theme of college people being overly harsh with Joey and her tastes/work? Remember in season 3 when people trashed her favourite book? It's always so needlessly over the top and mean. I don't think I ever encountered people that were like this in college, especially in writing class. Mostly, even when criticizing people wanted to help and would make good suggestions. Another girl piped up saying she loved it and called it brilliant and described it as "Joyce Carol-Oates meets Judy Blume". It's been a long time since I read Judy Blume and I've never read Joyce Carol-Oates so I can't say if this is accurate at all but it just sounds like way too overblown of praise for school writing. I don't know that anyone in my writing class ever described anyone's writing as brilliant. No one was that forthcoming with praise. But this is Joey's Creek now, you will praise her while we vilify those who seek to tear her down with hate. Class is over and Professor Wilder tells her that she's obviously a writer while giving her back her paper with a big "C" on it. Ouch. 

Then we cut to the inferior credits that might actually be getting rectified soon since Paula Cole is in talks with Sony to fix this travesty and reinstate I Don't Want to Wait! Yes, I'm biased. I'm sorry Jan Arden, I'm a terrible Canadian but I love the rest of your work; this theme song just isn't working for me. Anyway, after credits we dive right back in with Joey as she confronts Professor Wilder about her poor grade. She asks if there's a way she can improve her grade and he tells her that absolutely she can, if she rewrites it. She wonders how she can do that and girl, do you know how many times I rewrote my first book? How many different ways it went and how many different ways characters met? I mean, I'm making it sound like hundreds and it definitely wasn't that many but it was several at least. I had unfinished drafts, half-written ones, completely started from scratch, hated the way a scene went and rewrote it wholesale. Part of being a writer is rewriting everything you write to make it better. I don't understand that she doesn't understand how to rewrite a story. Then again, she didn't get very helpful advice other that "it was banal" and "it was brilliant" so I can see where she'd be confused about how to fix it. Professor Wilder asks if this boy exists in reality and Joey confirms that he does and that he's coming to visit this weekend. Wilder thinks this is perfect because then she can fix her story. Joey is still clueless how to fix it because no one is telling her what is actually wrong with it and this is a super valid point. Wilder tells her that she ended the story where it should have began. I kind of disagree with that because tons of stories end on that final kiss. Now she could definitely expand on that idea, get more into what the kiss meant to her or their relationship but that's not been finished yet because it hasn't been finished in this episode. See the symmetry?

We next cut to Joey again, do you see why this feels like Joey's Creek? We haven't seen any of the other characters yet, usually they alternate scene changes with new characters but this time, it's just all Joey. She does get a call as she runs though and it's Dawson. He's calling from California to give her the bad news that he was offered an internship and thus can't make it out for the weekend. Joey is super disappointed but congratulates him all the same. They banter a bit about whether they really wanted to see each other and I'm over it. Moving on.

Now we find Dawson arriving at a studio lot, it's a big moment. He's supposedly made it, we've supposedly been rooting for him and his filmmaking dream for four seasons and he's finally here. Eh, good for him. The gate guard gets him checked in and lets him know where to go before asking Dawson if he's nervous. Dawson tries to lie and says he isn't at first before stammering when the guard gives him "orly" face and admits that he is. The guard then warns him not to get lost in there.

Next we finally get to Jack and Jen, the MVPs of this show. Jack mentions how hot college guys are but Jen warns him not to touch because she likes Tobey. Oh, so they did try to continue the relationship between them...off screen. I'm now curious if he pops in briefly or is also dumped off screen. I legitimately can't remember. The college years were just a fog of nonsense moments to me and the one great episode of Pacey and Joey trapped in a department store together. Back on topic, Jack laments being in a long distance relationship because it's lonely while Jen spits the truth that having no relationship is way lonelier. AGREED. I side eye Jack a bit for telling her that she's more fun with a guy because that's rude. She's an awesome person always but he's just teasing and wants to see her happy. A football flies over to them and Jack catches it which catches the eye of the dude who comes to get it. He invites them to a frat party and Jack readily agrees to attend, urging Jen to go too so she can meet someone.

Back at Worthington, Joey is working in her room when her roommate walks in. Hello, Busy Philips. The first time I watched this season, I did not realize that the new roommate was played by her and I was pumped. Kim Kelly is now Joey's friend and it's so funny to me because the very first scene from Freaks and Geeks pretty directly makes fun of shows like Dawson's Creek. Like, yeah she didn't write it but just going from a show that was the anti teen drama to the quintessential teen drama is some full circle stuff. Plus, her character, Audrey is great. She's coming in to ask Joey to get the fuck out so she can get her fuck on. Joey is not pleased because she's been sexiled to the library way too much already and it's only October. Audrey begs Joey and promises to make herself scarce when her beau comes in to town. Joey tells her the news that Dawson isn't coming and Audrey cements herself as my favourite forever for calling him by the wrong name:

Queen!

Further cementing her status as awesome, Audrey picks up on the fact that Joey is upset and immediately says she'll get rid of her hookup if she needs her. That's what friends do but Joey is a snobby biotch who rejects female friendships because she's got some weird chip on her shoulder or something. She's going to see the Wilder instead and Audrey critiques her clothes because he's so hot. I can't stop giggling at this, I'm sorry. Again, I love Ken Marino but he's such a doof that to play him as this desired professor is hilarious to me. Anyway, Joey's plans are thwarted when she finds a line up of girls waiting to see Wilder and decides not to bother waiting. Ok, I'm highly amused because it's Ken Marino and the concept of him being desired this much is funny to  me but also, I'm a bit enraged at the not like other girls bs going on in this scene. I'm sorry, but they're painting it like all the girls are just mindless drones hoping to hit on their professor in college and I don't doubt that this can happen to a lesser extent but this implies that women are a hive mind who all go after the same guy at once and that just rarely happens, in my experience. I also have issue with the power dynamics in relationships with this and that it's portrayed as the younger person pursuing this but I've gone on and on about this before and we've got a lot of episode left to cover so, moving on.

Joey goes outside, only to find Wilder climbing out his window to escape the hordes of women who want him and I feel like this is a "wallet is too small for my $50s" thing for a lot of guys. Also, funny story but something super similar happened to me in my college but not because we thought our prof was hot. He gave us this insanely difficult to understand final project that was worth a fuck ton of our grade and we all kept going to get help from him until he didn't show up one day and so we all flocked to his office. Some people had seen him there and the secretary said he was in his office so we waited there for him. After about half an hour we started asking the secretary if he was coming out and she went to check, he'd bailed out the back so as not to deal with us. 2 people managed to complete the assignment out of 25-30 people and thus they had to manipulate the curve so that everyone passed. I think I got a C. So, this absolutely happens but usually it's because the teacher is a lazy coward who doesn't want to deal with legitimate questions because his assignment sucked. 

Joey kind of teases Wilder about the girls swooning over him and he mentions having a wife and kids at home which is something I didn't remember but am now even more grossed out by the storyline I know is coming. She asks him about her story and he tells her that nothing happened which she admits is because nothing happened after the big kiss of last season because they went their separate ways. What a lazy writer she is. Like, what story is she trying to tell here? It's totally a writer thing to insert your own experiences into things but there has to be a reason and it's usually in service of a bigger story or gets tweaked and repurposed to fit the story you're telling. Did Joey just literally write fluffy poetic words about just kissing Dawson in his room and then nothing? I think I might be siding with Alex, the kid at the beginning who dissed her story. Wilder thinks the same thing and tells her that she copped out of making a choice in her writing. So, at least she knows what she needs to do now?

Dawson is at an office when a woman comes up to him and gives him kisses on the cheeks while asking him if she saw him at some places I've never heard of. She brings him into a meeting room and immediately starts bombarding him with this idea for a 7th Heaven movie which confuses Dawson. She then calls him David and then comes to the realization that Dawson is not the writer she's looking for but in fact, the intern. The actress looked familiar but I couldn't place her until she made this kind of annoyed face at Dawson and then it hit me. Whitney from Bring It On! Holy shit! So many familiar faces this episode and we've got more coming up. I love this.

I wish she'd do this to Dawson too

Joey is hanging out with Jen and Jack and honestly, if this show were just about these three in Boston, I'd be happy. I mean, with Pacey too obviously and that's exactly who they're talking about. They're all trying to guess where he is but Joey just hopes he's happy wherever he is and then thinks that she should get going since her room might be free by now. Jack asks if she'll come to the party but Joey is reluctant. Jen explains that a cute boy asked him and Joey rolls her eyes in an affectionate way before leaving and Jack gives Jen a look. 

Back at the film set, Dawson walks in to find a pretentious film director, Todd, yelling at his crew and the minute he speaks, I hate him already. I just loathe this type of character, the genius who's angry and yells at people a lot. Hate this with a passion. Rude does not mean smart or superior. It feels like they watched the success of American Idol and were like, people like rude British people that stomp on people's dreams, let's do that but with movies because Dawson! I'm bored but Dawson is happy because he's told to read the script he was supposed to give to Todd and give him notes so he just scored a dream gig for an intern.

Joey goes back in her dorm with her hand covering her eyes and slowly peeks to make sure Audrey is alone. She is on her bed listening to awful music way too loud. In fairness, she was originally listening to Weezer and they are awesome but they've replaced it with some nameless song that I hate. The replaced songs on shows is some garbage and I wish it wouldn't happen, it really does ruin the experience.  Audrey asks Joey if she's ever had an orgasm because she thought she had but now she's questioning it since hooking up with college guys. Joey is affronted by the question because they are nearly strangers and Audrey protests because they're roommates. Yeah, Joey, you guys have been living together for over a month, I don't think you qualify as near strangers anymore. Audrey then says she worries about Joey not getting a proper college experience. Joey protests that she just wants to get a proper education but Audrey's like, duh you can do both? She points out that Joey is shutting herself off completely and seems afraid to let go of the past, facts. Joey pissily tells Audrey that she doesn't know her that well and Audrey's like, bitch who's fault is that? I added the bitch but it was there in spirit and Audrey is the bomb, you guys. I adore her more than I thought I would.

Jen is walking down some docks with two drinks in her hand and it's revealed that Pacey is, in fact, in Boston! Yay! He asks what the gang think and she informs him where they think he is, Bora Bora and that he's gone Kurtz (Apocalypse Now reference) when she threw out the real answer that no one seemed to believe. Pacey asks about Joey and Jen tells him she just wants him happy and then encourages him to come out with them. Pacey declines and Jen presses him, saying that they all get together for Sunday dinner with Grams and that is the sweetest thing. I hope Pacey accepts but until then, they just hug. Pacey wants her to keep his being here a secret and I'm sure that's going to go super well.

Joey walks into her room to find Jen and Jack on her bed chatting and laughing with Audrey. Joey is surprised and a little annoyed that they're getting along so well. Audrey mentions thinking Jack is cute but her excitement is deflated when they tell her he's gay and is even more crushed that both of them have kissed him and she never will. She goes off to the bathroom in distress. Jack asks Joey if she's ready to go and says that Audrey is coming too because they like her. Joey is shocked by this because she's kind of a snob? Like Jack and Jen just met her and see how bubbly and friendly and fun she is while Joey has lived with her for one month and still considers her a stranger because she has her stick up her butt about how much action Audrey gets. While I'll admit that it's annoying to be kicked out of your personal space so that your roommate can bang, I'm still going to have to call Joey a snob for refusing to learn anything about Audrey up until this point.

Todd comes up to ask Dawson about the script. Dawson tells him it's just as bad as he feared and that there's a monkey in it. Todd is repulsed but admits he'll do it anyway because Drew Barrymore is attached. Dawson is incredulous but Todd has no time for this. He's British. And an asshole. He asks Dawson what he wants to do and Dawson tells him he wants to be a director. Todd asks what he's doing about it and when Dawson tells him, he says film school is for pussies. So, Dawson tells him he made a documentary about Mr. Brooks and offers to show it to him but Todd gives that a hard pass. He sees Dawson is disappointed and reasons with him that it's probably bad and if it isn't bad, he'd then be jealous that an 18 year old is better than him and that doesn't help him at all. How bad is this guy that I hate him even though he's being a dick to Dawson? I should love him but he's just so gratingly pretentious. He's got that Russel Brand type voice and I really don't like Russel Brand. 

At the big frat party, Audrey wastes no time just living her life by jumping on stage with the band and singing. Does she belong there? Probably not but damnit, she's gonna do it because she is our Queen now. I don't make the rules. Joey turns around only to bump into a guy who then falls all over himself complimenting her in a very cute-ish way that borders on creepy. Like, this guy kind of sells it even though he blurts out what seat she sits in and what she does with her hair when taking notes. Joey seems kind of into this but catches herself and rejects him politely and you know this guy is good people because he takes her no thanks and walks away just as politely. Here's how the writers handled Jen's first interaction with a boy at college: he invites her up to his room to check out her stereo collection. Jen snarks that he's probably got a bitchin black light up there too and he's shocked that she knew. She then tells him she's not going to go because she doesn't want to sleep with him and the guy is all, I could change your mind, gross. She rejects him again and this definitely kicks off the Joey attracts the bestest guys or changes the bad guys because she's sooooo perfect while Jen attracts the losers story arc of the rest of this show and I hate it. You'll see what I mean and it's a really blatant Madonna/Whore thing that grosses me out about this whole show and never seemed as apparent as it does in these seasons.

The guy from earlier approaches Jack but not to hit on him, rather he wants Jack to rush their fraternity. Don't do it, Jack. Only the worst people join fraternities and if they're not the worst, they definitely get turned into the worst. Save yourself! Did Joshua Jackson teach you nothing from The Skulls? The guy points to Jack and some dude walks up and takes Jack's picture with a polaroid.

Back at the big movie set, Dawson has been downgraded to getting coffee but manages to trip, spilling everything. Todd berates him in front of everyone because again, he's their Simon Cowell. Asshole British people were big at this time, ok? Dawson mutters screw you but backs down when Todd asks him what he said. Todd then tells him to keep his comments to himself and walks off to be an asshole to someone else when Dawson launches into a big momentous speech and I just have to post the whole thing because I need to dissect some stuff and I'm going to number the things I want to talk about, ok?

Dawson: Todd? (1)What I said was 'screw you'. You should be ashamed of yourself, Man. (2)And not because you treat people badly, cause a lot of people do that. You should be ashamed of yourself because you have an amazing privilege and you don't even take it seriously. You get to make movies. You get to do this for a living and you don't even appreciate it. (3)This movie is probably going to suck. I know that, you know that, and the entire crew knows that. And your next movie is probably gonna suck too. Somebody gave you the keys to the kingdom and you're blowing it. I feel sorry for you. (4)If I ever get here, I'm gonna do things a lot differently. (5)(people begin to clap for him)

1) Honestly, this is pretty badass. Good for you, Dawson. This is your one glowing accolade this episode. You're doing great, sweetie. Don't blow it.

2) You blew it already. Very telling that he's not mad that this guy is an arrogant jackass and treats his crewmembers like trash because other people do that so it's what? Normal? He should absolutely be ashamed of himself for treating the people the way he does. Asshole directors really should just stop being revered. I don't care how great their movies are. Like The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, they're great movies but Stanley Kubrick is an asshole and the crew and actors should not have to be treated like crap to give us these movies. That's not a sacrifice that should have to happen in the name of supposed "genius". Genius doesn't mean you get to be a shit, call people out on this stuff. 

3) Big words coming from the guy that ripped off The Blair Witch Project and directed a vanity project to drag the girlfriend who dumped him. 

4) Yeah, when Dawson gets here he's just going to make Dawson's Creek. Just you wait!

5) When everyone started clapping, I laughed so damn hard. You have no idea. That is the biggest tell that something you're watching or reading about is fiction. When the big huge stunt ends in "and then they all clapped for me" and I like to pretend that if Dawson's Creek is just the show that Dawson makes by the end of this very series, that this never happened and is just his way of glorifying himself. "Yeah, I totally called that director out and then everyone clapped for me, guys! Guys? I swear, they all clapped...guys? Just...just put it in the script." 

Ah, that was fun. Anyway, Todd fires him. 

At the frat party, Joey is sitting by herself when Audrey finds her. She wants her to do live karaoke with her because it's so much fun but Joey's not in the mood. Audrey immediately asks her if she's ok because she's the best added character since Andie. Joey tells Audrey that she was right about her being stuck in the past and that as much as she loves this city, there's still a part of her that's still hung up on the boy that only sees her as a friend. Hold up, girl. We left that territory way back in season 1. Dude's been trying to win you back for ever now and you think he sees you as a friend? You chose Pacey over him. I don't get Joey sometimes, you guys.

Audrey then confesses that she has her own high school love that she left behind for the very reason that long distance just doesn't seem to work and that even though she'll always love him, she wanted to be free to explore and have fun. Joey agrees with this and they have finally bonded. Yay. 

Joey has so taken Audrey's advice that she's shut herself in a loud bathroom, instead of just staying outside to make the call and has called Dawson to leave him this brutal break up message. Like, she's not trying to be brutal but she's saying what a great time she's having but how it's kind of not great and that's his fault. Then she tells him about the guy who hit on her but she rejected because of him but she like clearly sounds like she regrets it and then she tells him that she has to cut the cord and say goodbye to him. Like, yikes girl. I hate Dawson but that was brutal. She asks him to call her back which is just the cherry on top. Girl, you already dumped him and kicked him in the balls, why would he want to call you back? This is going to be messy and I am here for this drama. Already, I'm way more invested in what's happening in this season than I was in season 4.

Jen is sitting outside when none other than the early 2000s heartthrob himself, Chad Michael Murray walks up to her. She tells him no before he even begins to talk which is honestly a very smart move. Stick with that, Lindley. Honestly, this is the first thing I ever saw him in and because of what a douche he was, I've hated him in everything he's been in since, so he was never a heartthrob to me. I just know he was a big deal to other girls. He gives her a big spiel about how he's not like the guys Jen describes but that he's with the band and he thought she was cute and cool and really wanted to talk to her. His big speech wins her over and she gives him her name. Jack walks up as Charlie is leaving and sees Jen is smitten with a big goofy smile on her face. Of course, he teases her lovingly.

I can't blame her for smiling though, he is nice looking and he was sweet
But it's a ruse! He's the same guy that called Rory, Mary on Gilmore Girls!

Dawson sees the security guard from earlier who asks him how his first day was. Dawson informs him it's his last day since he was fired. They talk a little bit about where they're from and the guy says he's from Boston which Dawson says is where all his friends are right now. The guard asks why he's not with them and Dawson says because movies were the dream but that it's not holding up to reality. The guard offers to call him a cab.

Back at Gram's house, Jack and Joey are needling Jen for details about the guy she just met. Jen finally gives in and says his name is Charlie and they both agree he sounds cute. Grams comes down and they all apologize for waking her but she waves them off and asks how their party was because she's just awesome like that. How did she go from being the worst person in Capeside to one of the best parental figures the show has to offer? I'm here for it. I love her transformation. They fill Grams in on Charlie and Grams is happy for Jen because it's about time she get out there. 

Joey drags herself back to the dorms and to her room when, oops. The guy who hit on her at the frat is coming out of her room, presumably having slept with Audrey. So much for her new adventure, I guess. Joey falls into bed when a knock sounds on the door. She tries to get Audrey to get the door but she won't move so Joey finally gives in and opens the door to Dawson. She gives him a big happy hug but then quickly gets oh shit face as we fade to black. Ohhh, shit is going to get so messy and, once again, I am here for it.

The first episode back has been a very pleasant surprise with the college years starting off fairly strong. I like the new environment they're in, I like their new friend dynamic, Dawson is kind of boring but that's always a problem for me, to be honest. I love that Pacey is back and can't wait for him to feature more but most of all, we got some interesting drama back. Joey wanting to break free from her past, Pacey being back but wanting to keep it a secret, Jen meeting a cute new guy (it had potential until everything got effed), Dawson being away from the gang, Joey dumping his ass once again but leaving it on a voice mail only to find he's come to her dorm. Plus all of the new and yet familiar faces. We got some spice in this episode. Also, Audrey is a great addition. I remembered her being annoying but I don't know, I like her this time around and I like her energy. Maybe it was because she (spoilers) ends up dating Pacey which kept him away from Joey which upset my shipper heart but I think I'm going to like her a lot more this time around. I honestly can't wait for the next episode and it's been a long time since I felt that way. So stay tuned for The Lost Weekend and let's find out where this drama leads!