Original air date: November 7, 2001
I had every intention of being super on the ball last week because I was off work and write up a bunch of blog posts. I did nothing. I'm sorry. Well, I did paint my bedroom finally, I only had those cans of paint for almost a year. I'm a professional procrastinator, what can I say? So, let's jump right into this episode because I've got some exciting news, Tobey is actually back in the flesh.
Dawson is holding out a gross spidery thing to his mother which terrifies her but he soothes her by telling her it's a hairball he fished from the clogged tub. Dawson, no one needs to see that, just say the clog is fixed, you weirdo. Gail is clearly done with having Dawson around and urges him to get out of the house and go see Joey since she's been calling every day for him. Dawson is sure more things need to be done but Gail assures him she's fine and to just go. Dawson looks like he does not want to call Joey.
Joey and Audrey are jogging, much to Audrey's surprise who assumed that when Joey went jogging, she was actually getting coffee. She needs a break and Joey has to back track to her. Joey then starts rattling off her plans for Dawson and her for the next day because she wants everything to be low key and not stressful. Audrey points out that low key usually means not over planning every second but Joey doesn't want Dawson to have to make decisions because they're stressful. I mean, movie and pizza night is pretty simple, so I don't see why she's stressing. Wilder rides up on a bike and starts quizzing Joey in the street which is just rude. Don't expect me to be able to pop quiz when I'm not in a class frame of mind...or even in a class frame of mind. Fuck pop quizzes. Anyway, he's mainly asking about some made up deceased writer named Rose Lazare whose husband passed away thus leaving her estate to Worthington. Wilder needs to categorize and log her estate to see if there are any unpublished manuscripts or short stories that they could publish and honestly, that's my nightmare. The thought of people rifling through my half finished ideas and stories just gives me anxiety but then, I would probably not leave my estate to a school.
Wilder wants Joey to be on his team of students to go through her estate to find said gems. Audrey accepts for Joey but Joey also wants to do it and seems excited. Good for her. Wilder is also throwing a party tomorrow night but that's when Joey's having her carefully planned, low key, pizza and movie night so she can't go to the party part. Wilder jokingly removes her from the team before telling her to bring Dawson to his party if they can make it. Audrey wants to transfer into his class because he's hot and I laugh.
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| I again need to say that I adore Ken Marino, I just can't take him seriously as a heartthrob, sexy professor type. |
Jen is hanging out with Charlie again and tries to invite him to see a play with her that's a requirement for her class. Charlie says he's working at the station and thus can't go. Jen is disappointed but not for long because they start to kiss and he invites her to come by after the play.
Pacey and his boss, Danny are trying to work on something that Pacey is not getting. You think it's an intense cooking lesson but nope, they're bouncing quarters into glasses. Pacey thinks Danny is awesome. Karen comes in and they try to hide what they're doing but she's not an idiot and calls them out and leaves but not before bouncing a quarter effortlessly into the glass herself. Ugh, I know they're trying to make her uppity but I absolutely get why she's super pissed at this Danny guy for very obviously running a bro kitchen. He can say she lacks passion all he wants but we all know it's because he only knows how to talk to men, right? Danny wishes Pacey luck with Karen but that he's seen better men try and fail and Pacey brings up that he has a yacht to woo her with. Danny asks to borrow the yacht to take his wife sailing and in exchange, give Pacey a night out. Pacey accepts excitedly.
Jack is hanging out with his new frat boy friends and they're discussing the hazing week. One guy thinks that if they can guess Polar Bear's real name they're in without the hazing. They all try to think of what his name is when Jack sees Tobey. He introduces him quickly and then they leave.
Jack does at least explain to Tobey what was going on with his friends and I am team Tobey here because frat stuff sounds like the worst. This came out around the time that frat houses were being exposed for being the worst fucking places to be so it makes sense that they include them but also shied away from what hazing/hell week was like in reality in exchange for just being servants. I don't know why but it feels very sanitized and a bit cowardly. Imagine what they could have said about frat life, especially from the queer perspective? Even if the show just wanted to avoid the ickyness of the topic, it feels like the show is trying to clean up frat images and thus enabling them to continue and be seen as harmless. I'm sure many are but there is some weird cult like clubs that go way too far. Though, I haven't heard much about frat houses lately...probably because they've been replaced by influencer houses.
More to the point, Tobey's visit is a complete surprise to Jack and at the worst possible time so, you know, the writing's on the wall here. At least they had the decency to bring the actor back for a good dumping. Henry was just written off via an email, but we all know it's because he was on the run from the law because he killed another woman, right? Yes, I'm still getting in digs about Henry being a serial killer because he was the worst. Back to the point, Jack promises that while his hell week is going to be busy, he's going to make time to see Tobey.
Joey is frantically cleaning her room while Audrey paints her nails. She nopes out the second Dawson gets there because wouldn't anyone? I tease, she's giving them space because she's actually a great roommate and Joey is kind of uppity and snobbish about Audrey. Joey babbles a lot about how she's doing because she's clearly uncomfortable just saying she's doing good when she knows Dawson isn't doing good. She hands him a book about dealing with a parent's death because she would have liked if someone gave it to her. I don't know that I would like getting something like that, myself but she's trying. Dawson thanks her but looks unimpressed. Joey then points out all the movies she has that they can watch and while Dawson questions if that's all they'll be doing all day, he readily agrees to make her feel better. I'm going to make a small confession even though I feel dirty saying it but I kind of feel for Dawson here. Joey is a lot to deal with when you just want to be in your own feelings. I get that she's trying but she is coming off really try hard to the point that Dawson has to manage her feelings by agreeing to something he isn't into just to get her to stop fretting over him. That's not fair. I would hate it if my friends did that to me but I know they wouldn't because they're awesome.
Jen is trying to convince Pacey to see the Shakespeare play with her when Tobey comes in looking for Jack. He no-showed the restaurant they were supposed to meet at and Tobey thought he might have misunderstood where to meet but nope, Jack is just being an asshole. Jen calls Jack out on this and is clearly upset he's joined a frat. Tobey thinks Jack is just happy and he's an adorable little puppy that desperately wants Jack to be who he sees him as which makes me sad. To punctuate my heartache for this character, he happily heads back to the restaurant worried that Jack is now waiting on him and wondering where he is.
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| So young, so sweet, so honestly naive |
Back in Joey's room, they're still watching movies as Joey looks worriedly at Dawson, clearly desperate for him to be enjoying himself. She offers him more pizza and coke which he politely declines before a car accident happens in the movie they're watching. Joey springs to frantically shut it off and apologizes profusely for being so insensitive. She has the good sense to at least acknowledge that she's making this about her and forcing Dawson to make her feel better and then laments that she should have listened to Audrey and gone out. Dawson wants to go out so she tells him about the party that Wilder is throwing. Dawson agrees and they head out.
Jen and Pacey are walking to the play, I guess and he's gushing about his job and that he likes Karen and his boss is super cool. Jen then spots Charlie in a restaurant with a girl and looks crushed. Jen wants to charge in, guns blazing, but Pacey convinces her to calm down and go see the play first. Jen is reluctant because he told her he was working and he's clearly not working. I have to agree with Jen but I also agree that she needs to calm down before confronting him.
Tobey and Jack have finally met up at the restaurant but neither look particularly happy or like they're having a good time. Jack has the gall to be upset with Tobey for being upset and like, no, if you're the one who stood up the other, you do not get to be mad at your partner for being angry. They are right to be mad at you. Jack even says something gross about Tobey acting like a girlfriend which is so offensive and misogynistic that it makes me dislike Jack a lot. Is Jack the new bad guy? He may be. We'll see how he progresses. Jack apologizes for the remark and they sort of make up until Jack gets a call from his frat bros. Tobey says he can bail and Jack can't even mask his enthusiasm to bail even a little bit and doesn't even give Tobey a kiss when he leaves. Ouch.
Pacey and Jen sit down to watch the play and he sees that they're going to be watching Othello. He asks for the Cliff's Notes version and Jen explains that it's about a man who thinks his wife is cheating so he kills her and then kills himself. Then she gets up and leaves so Pacey follows her. Important thing to note, Iago was feeding into this narrative and I don't think his wife was actually cheating? My memory is rusty, so Jen best be prepared to have egg on her face.
Jen storms into the restaurant with Pacey trying his best to stop her. She ignores him and marches right up to Charlie's table. She then takes a chair from another table so she can sit down with them, notices they're drinking coffee with whipped cream on top and then dumps it into his lap. Damn, that could seriously burn but Jen does say she hopes it's iced coffee. I bet they added that line in because Charlie doesn't react like he's burned at all, doesn't even get up from his chair. She spoons some more whipped cream onto his lap when Charlie finally introduces her to the girl he's sitting with. It's Elise Todd, his sister. Jen tries to apologize while Pacey laughs in "I told you so."
As if I didn't already hate Jack's attitude, his frat boy friends try to ramp it up with them saying their girlfriends are the same way, always nagging at them for spending too much time with the bros. They honestly sound like the worst, most grossest people and all their significant others deserve better. One guy complained that his girlfriend wondered what the hell they keep doing when they run off for their bros and he's just like "can't tell you, because you're not my bro. Honesty is for my bros and bros before hos, right?" That is not a direct quote but really, it's not far off the mark either and I hate it and every single character in this frat boy plot. They suck. They tell him that Tobey only came to visit to check up on him and advise him to "dump the chump" (that is a direct quote) and take his pick of the litter here. Bold move for the show to make us sympathize with the love interest and not the main character that we have to follow but here we are.
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| I hate it so much and want it to stop |
Dawson is at the party but looking completely miserable and panicked. A girl tries to talk to him and he asks where she got her water bottle. She offers him hers and he takes it immediately to start guzzling. She tries to strike up a conversation but he asks her if it's extremely hot in the room. She offers to open a window and he does but then leaves her to find Joey. He tells Joey they have to go and when Wilder comes up and she tries to introduce him, he snaps at her that they have to go now. Joey has to apologize for him but leaves. He tells her that he couldn't be in that house for another second and that he gets these panicky feelings every so often. She tells him it's allowed but he clearly doesn't really want to talk about it and makes excuses like that the house was way too hot. Joey suggests that he might be coming down with the flu and he agrees with that and asks to go back to the dorms. I'd be annoyed but Dawson diffused my anger by at least acknowledging that he wanted to go out and apologizing for making her leave so suddenly. There, I was nice to Dawson twice this episode. I think that's a record.
Jen is apologizing profusely to Charlie but defends herself by saying that he told her he was working but she found him here with a girl she didn't know. Charlie explains that his shift got cancelled and that he would have called but he knew she was at the play. Then his sister called and told him she had big news, the news is that she's engaged which is why he was holding her hand earlier, he was looking at her ring. Jen apologizes again and offers to wash his pants, then offers to do his laundry for a month. They make up but Charlie tells her that she has to learn to trust him. She agrees.
Jack tries to apologize to Tobey but he's had enough. He doesn't even care what he and his frat bros were up to, he cares that Jack could so easily brush him off for his new friends. Jack accuses him of being a jealous boyfriend but Tobey just wants Jack to consider him, and make him feel like he matters more than a bunch of bros he just met. Jack wants to make a social life here and is finally accepted by a group of guys who know he's gay and don't care so he can just be himself around them. Which has to hurt because Tobey just liked hanging out with Jack too. Tobey walks out on Jack because he realizes that he's not longer top priority for him.
At work, Pacey flirts with Karen some more and is in a generally good mood until a woman named Emily comes in looking for Danny. She looks sick as hell but Danny isn't there yet. She says he forgot his wallet at home again, hands it to Pacey and tells him that Danny talks about him all the time and how he must be his new favourite. She leaves and Pacey now has to process that he leant his yacht to Danny to cheat on his wife. Lots of cheating going on this episode.
Joey and Dawson are saying goodbye and he tells her that she really did make him feel better. She looks relieved and happy but when he leaves, she finds the book she gave him laying on her bed. He dissed her present. That's rude, I would have taken it with me and just left it unread on my bookshelf. That's better, right? At least they'd think they helped? Yeah, ok I'm not that much better.
Jen is waiting with Tobey for his cab to come. Tobey keeps looking anxiously back at the house but Jen tells him that she doesn't think Jack is going to come. Ugh, my heart is breaking for Tobey and I didn't even like him that much. He was just fine and I knew he wouldn't last but this is an oof ending for him. Tobey laments the stupid feeling that he hoped Jack would come to his senses and charge out of the house to him. Jen reckons it's movies and tv that have made us believe that stuff like that can happen, and that tiny bit of hope in your heart. She says that Jack will regret this someday but Tobey thinks that something you tell yourself to make yourself feel better when the truth is that someone always gets hurt worse in a breakup and this time, it's him. Ooof. Jen gives him a hug as his cab pulls up and Tobey looks one last time for Jack and says that he really thought he'd come. Unfortunately for Tobey, it's closing time on their relationship and while he doesn't have to go home, he can't stay here. Bye Tobey, I'm sorry your heart got crushed because Jack joined a weird frat bro cult.
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| Looks like Tobey is going to have to get a grip on himself I hear it feels good (I'm sorry, I had to bring this back, it's my last chance!) |
Pacey is working at the restaurant when Danny finally comes in. He cheerfully tells him that his boat keys are in his drawer and that his wife had a fantastic time. Pacey acknowledges his boss but is clearly viewing him in a much different light.
Jack is stoked to finally be a frat boy but Jen is not here for his crap because he sucks. Jack gets offended and lashes out while Jen tries to champion Tobey until it becomes clear that Jack is also talking about their friendship. He wants to get out and meet new people and doesn't want the burden of the older people in his life getting hurt about it. Ok, I officially hate Jack now because he's breaking up with his best friend and soul mate right now which is crushing me worse than the way he hurt Tobey. Jen looks crushed too and goes to meet up with Charlie.
Jen goes to Charlie's dorm with a basket of food and an "I'm sorry" balloon when she sees a girl come out of his room. She ducks behind a wall and looks around the corner to see Charlie pin her against the wall and kiss her. So we can definitely rule out relative this time. Jen just got her heart crushed twice in a row and I hate all of it.
Audrey is ready to go on their jog but Joey is still sitting on her bed. Joey doesn't feel unhappy though, she feels happy and relieved which makes her feel guilty because she thinks she shouldn't feel this way when Dawson leaves. Honestly, it's how most of us feel Joey, you're just finally realizing how much he sucks, it's ok. We're all here for you. He's the worst. Audrey notices that Dawson didn't take her book and Joey says it was stupid of her to get it anyway because it probably wouldn't help him. Audrey asks why she got the book and it's because Joey was worried about botching what she wanted to say but didn't want to put it in an email or write a letter so she got this book and wrote an inscription in it so he would know how she really feels and now he'll never read it. Oof, I know that feeling of pouring your heart and soul into a note to someone and then realizing they will never see or read it and it's just sitting there in an uncomfortable limbo. It sucks, is what I'm saying. Audrey agrees and suggests that they skip the jog and go straight for the ice caps. Joey is happy with this and wants to go change. Audrey then reads the inscription, which we get to hear in voice over from Joey.
Dear Dawson, when something like this happens, you wanna reach out and grab the people around you, the ones who matter the most. The ones you take for granted all the time. And you want to take those people and hold onto them as tight as you can, tell them how precious they are to you, how knowing them makes your life better every single day that you're living it. Because when something like this happens, you realize how awful it would be if they didn't know, if they weren't aware of the profound effect they've had on your life. So, I want to take this moment to tell you that I love you, Dawson, and I'm here for you... now, forever, and every day in between. Love, Joey.
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