Dawson's Creek - 507 - Text, Lies and Videotape

 Original air date: November 21, 2001

Hey, we're back in Capeside and I'm so excited. Coming back to the Creek is like coming home to a big comfy blanket and a mug of hot chocolate. It's comfort is what I'm saying. I also just really liked this episode, I don't know how it happened but I ended up rooting for a couple that I never thought I would again but they made it kind of make sense? I guess I'll explain as we go, let's get to it.

We start the episode on Dawson and Jen. She is waiting with him to go to his therapy session. I was disappointed with the message of last season where she quit just when she'd unearthed something really important and complicated from her past but they seem to be trying to rectify that with her here. She is encouraging Dawson to go and telling him how much therapy helped her. She tells him that she felt Frost office was very stark and uncomfortable but predicts that Dawson's therapist, Rachel Weir, will be chill and have a spider plant in the window. Dawson is worried about blathering about his life to a stranger on the couch and Jen tells him it's better than blathering to no one on the radio. This is where we learn that Jen has somehow landed herself a job at the radio station where Charlie worked. Dawson tells her that he listens and it's honestly refreshing to see him supportive of one of his friends' interests. He also thanks her for being here with him and I am shocked. Is this a new Dawson? We'll see.

At the dorms, Audrey is pushing a guy out the door because she only wanted to use him to borrow his video recorder. Remember when that was a separate and exclusively expensive piece of equipment and now practically everyone has the ability to record video from their phone? Crazy how fast that happened. Audrey wants to record an audition tape for Real World Ibiza but Joey wants to get herself ready for that Rose Lazare project Wilder recruited her for the last episode. She's nervous about being prepared but Audrey is more concerned about what she should wear because Wilder is hot. I won't keep harping on that but I did giggle when she said it. That being said, I don't really like this storyline. Sure, it's legal but it feels icky and there is a huge power imbalance with a relationship like this. Case in point, Joey is already insecure about her lack of intelligence compared to even the juniors and seniors in the group, let alone Wilder. That's super dangerous to not feel in the same mental league as your partner. He would hold so much control over her and don't even pretend that he wouldn't realize and abuse that. Even if he seems nice, in the case of an argument, he could out talk her in a second and make her second guess herself as "acting immature" when he thought she was "more mature than this" to get his way. So, yeah, not a fan of Audrey pushing Joey to pursue Wilder or that he's really into her and she should be flattered and not grossed out by it. I don't want my teachers hitting on me. 

Love you, Audrey, but maybe don't push Joey to get into a
relationship with someone who has power over her grades and future?

Brecher and Pacey are talking about the anniversary party that is happening at the restaurant. Karen comes in to tell him that a guy named Rob called who is their supplier, I think. Brecher launches into a story about how he used to stay late to unpack the deliveries this guy sent and ship back the stuff that was bad so that the guy would start sending better stuff. He and Karen reminisce about these days so Pacey, being a bit of a dick, comments that it must have been hell on a marriage to stay late so often which makes Karen go quiet. Pacey asks if his wife is coming to the event but Brecher says she can't make it.

Dawson is in for therapy and sees a spider plant on the window sill so he chuckles to himself. Rachel asks him what he finds funny. He explains that his friend guessed what she'd be like and gestures to her plant. They move on to talking about his panic attacks which he thinks are his way of dealing with his father's death. Rachel asks if anything else in his life is different and he admits that he dropped out of school and that he's helping his mom care for his sister. He wonders if he's lying to himself and Rachel tells him that the brain isn't really equipped to deal with sudden deaths and that a few lies might happen but the only real problem is when he starts believing that the lies are true. 

At the book meeting, the students and Wilder are discussing a series of letters they found at Rose's house. They are all trying to decide what they mean and who they were written to. Some of them think they indicate she was into other women but other's doubt that. This...is honestly my nightmare. Not that I'm interesting in any way but just thinking about anyone going through my personal things and reading them for discussions feels like a violation. I'm sure Rose was ok with that considering she left her estate to the college but it's a no from me because the thought creeps me out too much. Anyway, Wilder wants them all to come to the next meeting with ideas on who her pen pal is, so this is what Joey's going to be up to for the episode.

Karen and Pacey are talking and she brings up Melanie, the girl from the first episode that we haven't seen for a while. Pacey says she has a busy schedule but doesn't actually say they broke up and yet Karen wants to set him up with some of her hot friends. Pacey isn't interested but she keeps insisting so he snaps at her. When she questions him, he confronts her about her own boyfriend who he mysteriously has never seen and asks if he'll be at the party. She says her boyfriend is too busy to attend. Pacey keeps pressing until finally making it clear that he knows exactly who her mystery boyfriend is. She gets defensive but he tells her that he had to lie to the guy's wife for her and it didn't feel good. She tells him to stay out of it.

Dawson and his mother are waiting for their lawyer to show up. She asks him about therapy but he gives a vague answer about it being fine. She asks him what she thought about USC but before they can really get into it, the lawyer arrives. Apparently, Lily was never listed as a recipient of the living trust. He says there are ways around it but their difficult. He suggests they look around the house for it. Now, I'm a big dumb-dumb but is this really a big deal that she doesn't have access to the trust? Can the new owner of the trust, Gail not give her access to it? Can Dawson not give her money? I don't understand why this is a big deal or if it's actually a big legal deal. I should give this episode to Legal Eagle or someone like that to decode this for me because I don't get it. It's probably a big deal but it just seems like Gail should be able to file for these things now as she's the new owner but I'm no legal expert so who knows?

Wilder asks Joey about the Rose Lazare project and if she finds it boring since she had pointed out that most of Rose's letters were uninteresting. Joey explains her thoughts that the other letters felt stiff and formal, like she was being graded. Wilder asks if someone couldn't be at ease with someone who is grading them and Joey says that no you can't or at least shouldn't be. Wilder seems chastened and I say, back up off of the teenager, Wilder. She may legally be an adult but she is not and should not be in your dating pool. She is your student and has clearly pointed that out. (Yes I know where this is going and I hate it). Joey doesn't think they are love letters but more to a friend since she thinks you can't be totally honest with someone you're sexually attracted to. I don't know if I agree with her insights here and honestly, if she's saying that you can't be fully honest with your partner at 18, Wilder should not see her as viable dating material but we all know that people who go for barely legal teenagers aren't too bothered by their lack of maturity so, yeah. He tells her to focus on the friends angle and then quizzes her on where people make their most lasting friendships, and instructs her not to say high school. I feel personally attacked because here's me with not one friend remaining from college but is still great friends with her high school friend and a tight knit group of internet friends as well. Oops. Where's your god now, Wilder?? 

I'm still failing to see why all of the girls at this
college are falling over themselves for this guy

Dawson is rummaging around the house, looking in any bit of paper and drawers he can find. Gail tells him to stop looking because he's scaring her a bit. She tries to tell him it's just a technicality and that it doesn't really matter and Dawson asks her if she found the paper. She says she did, in page 63 of the Stephen King novel on his nightstand. Unsigned. Gail isn't surprised because Mitch was not good at details. He was, however, a Constant Reader and I kind of respect that he used an important legal document over dog-earing his pages like a heathen. Man knew his priorities. 

Joey is looking through the college library when she spots the girl from their book group, Cassandra at a table with the yearbook she's looking for. Joey sits across from her and asks if she can have the book. Cassandra is very friendly and compliments Joey for having the same thought as her. Then she mentions that it's all just an excuse to be near Wilder. I...hate that this show thinks the only reason a woman would want to be part of this project is to bone the professor. Please, let's stop this narrative. Not everyone is attracted to the same type of person.

Karen goes to Pacey's boat to apologize. Pacey admits that he wasn't great either but Karen insists that he was put in the middle of something which wasn't fair and that when she got called out on it, she got judgmental and defensive which also wasn't fair. She says that Pacey reminds her of Brecher which Pacey does not take well because she just compared him to a man that would cheat on his wife and yeah, Pacey would never. Rude. Karen explains that they didn't start things off cheating because his wife walked out on him. She thought he spent too much time at the restaurant and while she was right, Karen points out that the restaurant, Civilization, would have folded without him. He kept it alive and now it's thriving because his idealism is infectious and that's what she and Brecher see in Pacey. Pacey invites her inside but she turns him down and they call it a night. 

Jen asks Dawson how his therapy went and he really enjoyed it and his therapist. He says she wants to see him three times a week. My god, the privilege these characters have that they are seen that often...or the money they have. I mean, Dawson's family is clearly loaded so I'm sure he's ok. Jen is happy about this because it means she'll see him more often but notices that he's upset about something. Dawson explains about the whole will thing and Jen also agrees that it's not a big deal. I really don't know what point they're trying to make with this but it seems like Dawson is upset with his dad but afraid to express that he's upset with his dad? I mean, it's kind of pointless to be mad because he's dead but the will just doesn't seem like a big issue to me. Jen encourages him to acknowledge his disappointment in his father because that's what therapy is for. 

Joey is watching Audrey's different audition tapes that she's made. Joey really needs to go but Audrey insists on playing one more. It seems like she's doing a confessional about her life experiences with her mother and how she's afraid of turning out like her and Joey gets a happy idea face. Audrey is confused and Joey stammers that this is the tape she should use because it's the real her. Before she leaves Joey says that Audrey is nothing like her mother and then rushes off.

At the restaurant, the party is going on and Pacey is working the kitchen. Brecher and Karen get close when Pacey sees his wife come in and loudly says hi to her. Brecher and Karen immediately stop and he goes over to his wife. They go off to dance and Karen looks dejected. Pacey tries to console her but she is not in the mood and storms off.

Dawson is talking with his therapist about his anger. She validates his anger and says it's justified but Dawson isn't sure being mad will help anything and that he doesn't have a right to be mad. Rachel points out that if Mitch were here, right now, he'd probably reveal that his anger at Dawson that night had more to do with him and his own expectations and dreams. She also points out that just because he died, doesn't mean he gets to win the argument which is valid. He may feel guilt over it but just because the worse happened, doesn't mean it's Dawson's fault or that his decision to leave college was any less right for him. Dawson isn't sure what to do and she encourages him to do what any other 18 year old has to do, figure out what they want. Dawson isn't so sure he knows but Rachel is confident he already knows what he wants to do.

Pacey tries to cheer Karen up by offering her a dance which she tries to resist but no one can escape Pacey's charm. She gives in but loses it when she sees Brecher and his wife kiss. She wants to confront him but Pacey stops her and asks what she would even say to him. She can't answer and meanwhile I'm sitting here like, Brecher who? Pacey is right there calling you the most jaw-droppingly beautiful girl in the room and I think you need to sort yourself out, Karen. Of course she's a Karen. 

The fact that she can ignore this man's charms is confusing to me

Joey arrives late to the meeting as Cassandra is explaining her theory that Rose was writing the letters to another writer. Joey agrees and Wilder asks for her own theory. Joey explains that she thinks that Rose was writing to a writer, herself. She thinks the letters were like a diary because of how personal they sound and that they never found them with any envelopes. Everyone is quiet and Joey thinks she's stepped in it but then Wilder says the silence is that everyone is asking themselves why they didn't think of that. Joey stays behind to help Wilder clean up and he's very impressed with her theory and thinks it's the best one. They banter about being insecure versus being comfortable with not knowing. Then Joey asks who Derrida is and they laugh as Wilder compares him to Darth Maul? Yeah, that didn't help. 

Next we see Jen working at the radio. She is DJing and gives a dedication to Dawson which is really sweet because Dawson is listening and they're flashbacking to the time they went skinny dipping together. The song is so fitting too except that this show's lack of securing music licenses completely ruins the moment. You see, the song she's supposed to play is Nightswimming by REM which is just the most beautiful song and fits perfectly with the moment they're flashing back to. Instead, they replace it with generic royalty free pop and it just sucks. I'm sorry to people watching this for the first time on streaming services but you are missing out on this show's surprisingly good soundtrack. Please, please, if you watch the episode, try to imagine this gorgeous song overtop of this scene instead of the garbage they replaced it with. I beg of you.

Audrey asks Joey if she really got the idea from her and if Wilder was super impressed. Joey thinks he was and Audrey makes innuendo about how impressed he was. Joey insists she's not interested and rolls over to go to sleep as her eyes flutter open, clearly pondering the idea. No, Joey. That will not be a healthy relationship, please don't.

Pacey goes to Karen's house with food from the party. She bemoans the fact that Brecher kissed his wife right in front of her, like she wasn't even there and comes to the realization that she has to dump him. Pacey is proud of her and they are about to sit down and eat dinner together when her phone rings and the answering machine picks up. It's Brecher and he's apologizing and claiming he loves her and she's clearly all for it so Pacey has to quietly slip out of the apartment, completely dejected. 

Dawson finds Gail reading by the fire place and sits down next to her. She tells him he has mail and he opens it to find out he's won a filmmaking contest that he never entered. Gail tells him that Mitch entered it for him and that while he didn't take care of little details, he always believed in Dawson. He quickly tells her that he's not going back to USC and she just says ok. He's confused but she tells him that she doesn't want him to go to a school he hates out of misguided desire to honour Mitch's memory. Dawson thinks Mitch really wanted him to go but she says that he just wasn't ready to let go of the dream and that he'd eventually come to terms with whatever Dawson decided was best. They reminisce about Mitch and say how much they miss him and we fade out to the two of them together in their grief.

This is actually sweet and I like it.

This was a super solid episode. I actually found myself not hating Dawson? And I'm also weirdly here for him and Jen to get together. They just seem to mesh well right now in a way that he and Joey weren't for me. It's kind of hilarious that he dropped out to be with Joey only to end up bonding stronger with Jen but I dig it. I'm very scared for the future of these seasons because they are very music heavy and I'm just scared that it's all been replaced. Like, Four Scary Stories is engrained in my brain mostly for the Jen segment that was sound tracked by a very famous song and it's honestly probably not going to be as cool without it. We'll get to that very soon but first up is Hotel New Hampshire in which Dawson and Jen travel together to New Hampshire and I can't wait. Until then, keep it real and get vaccinated.