Dawson's Creek - 508 - Hotel New Hampshire

 Original air date: November 28, 2001

I was once again really surprised by this week's episode. Not only is it still really solid but I end up liking Dawson and hating Jack. How did this happen, you ask? Well, let's get right to it.

The episode opens with Pacey and Dawson hanging out which is something we haven't seen in a long time. Dawson isn't sure what he wants to do, only that he doesn't want to go back to USC. Pacey thinks he should cut himself some slack and take his time to figure stuff out. They then talk about the restaurant and Karen but Pacey seems reluctant to trouble Dawson with this. Dawson looks a bit dejected that Pacey won't talk to him about normal stuff and while he thinks it's because no one wants to upset him since his father died, we all know it's because of the way Dawson acted towards him for like this whole series up to this point. Dawson was just the worst with listening to other people's problems and only wanted to talk about his own. And, while I want to hate him in this case, I do actually like that there is some growth here with Dawson wanting to help his friends. They've very rarely shown this side of him, opting instead to have characters say what a great friend he is while showing Dawson to be a whiny brat. Dawson even says that he's sure Pacey will figure out a way to help the girl. 

Jen and Joey are studying together and I love this. One of the biggest things I love about the college years are these moments where they let everyone be friends again. Or in Jen and Joey's case, friends for like the first time. Joey needed girl bonding time and so did Jen so I love that they are getting to talk but...they are talking about the guys so make of that what you will. Joey is wondering about the frat party she's been asked to go to with Jack but Jen has been very distant from Jack since he joined the frat and warns Joey that the night will probably not be that great. Joey then asks how Dawson is doing and Jen is a bit taken aback that Joey is asking her of all people. Jen does assure Joey that he's doing much better and Joey says that she's happy that Jen is there for him. She's clearly upset that Dawson didn't want to confide in her through this tough time.

Jack is with the frat bros planning this formal party thing. It's weird to me that a bunch of frat bros want to throw a formal but whatever. They all need dates? Again, this is sounding like a college prom and it's weird because the point of a party at college is to meet people there. But this is a set up to have them hound Jack to bring some of the girls he knows from Worthington and Jack says he knows the perfect candidate and I already hate where this is going. 

Pacey walks up to Karen, full of confidence and his usual charm and asks her out one last time, telling her she needs a break from her relationship and that he's fine just taking her out as a friend. She hesitates but ultimately, who could say no to this face? Of course she says yes.

Who's got two thumbs and is full of charm?
This guy.

Dawson is talking with his therapist about his friends' reluctance to talk to him about anything because they're worried about breaking him. He knows they mean well but it makes it hard for him to move on from his father's death, which this episode helpfully tells us was two months ago. His therapist, Rachel, asks him if he's told his friends about this and he admits that he hasn't. She changes topics and asks him about the film festival he won in New Hampshire. It's this weekend but he wasn't planning to go. She suggests he does go, to get out of town for a while and take one of his friends with him. She says he must know someone he wants to bring and Dawson gets a little smile on his face. I'm already hype.

Jen is at the radio station and they are really doing her musical tastes dirty by having her put on another generic pop song when she's supposed to be playing Ride by Liz Phair. So, yeah, I'm not holding out hope for next episode. Nora comes in and it's nice to see her and Jen actually did keep in touch until I realize that she's just here to inform us (via mutual complaining about Charlie) that she's been getting love letters from him to try to win her back while Jen has received nothing. This is not the most I'm going to hate Charlie, that's coming up later, but I still hate him. Jen tries to say that it doesn't bother her but we cut forward to her on a coffee shop couch sobbing beside Dawson. He is actually listening and there for her while she vents about wanting love letters and laments how she wasn't the girlfriend in the situation but just the floozie. Dawson laughs about her word usage which makes her laugh too. She apologizes for making him console her but he's fine with it because it's helping him. Jen doesn't want to be here because here is where she feels miserable so Dawson takes the opportunity to invite her to get out of town with him. She's game and they get ready to head off to Hooksett, New Hampshire. 

Audrey and Joey are getting ready to go to the formal event at Jack's frat house. Audrey is excited but nervous because even though blind dates are dangerous, Jack told her that her date, Eric, is hella cute. Aw, I miss when hella was in. It was so 2000s and I said it way too much and probably still say it way too much, thereby dating me but I don't care. I hella love it. Audrey wants to change but their dates arrive and she forgets about it, clearly ready to go out and have fun.

I get another nostalgia reminder when Dawson and Jen check in only to have the girl behind the desk tell Dawson that he's "wicked cute". Remember wicked everything? There was a brief moment when it was in but I think it was mostly a US east coast thing. Anyway, she loves Dawson's movie about AI Brooks and is impressed he beat out their local film nerd. A guy behind the desk isn't impressed by their local celebrity and drops the r-word which feels super icky these days to be reminded of how casually that insult was thrown around but yeah, it was around a lot and I'm glad we've moved past that as a society. Dawson and Jen head to their room to discover that they've been given the honeymoon suite. They both laugh and joke about being girlfriend and boyfriend and it's honestly hella cute. Oop, there I go dropping my old lingo again. But it is hella cute. 

Meanwhile, Jack, Joey, Audrey, and Eric have arrived at the party. Joey is impressed with how nice everything looks and Eric is being quite the gentleman, offering to take their coats. Everything seems to be fine until Joey mentions that she should call Jen to invite her down and Jack drops the intel that she and Dawson went away for the weekend together.

Joey is not pleased.

Pacey and Karen are finishing up their meal together and Pacey is super happy with how the date is going. Karen agrees with some light teasing about his lobster bib and Pacey smoothly moves the convo over to telling her that she deserves better than Brecher and should be with someone who will love her back just as hard as she loves them. I don't know how Karen is not just spreading her legs at the table, goddamn. This man is too charming and it's not fair that he's fictional.

Jen and Dawson have just come out of a movie and Dawson is confused how he won top prize when the movie they just saw was so good. Jen tells him to knock off the self-deprecation or she'll dump him and they laugh a bit before being confronted by the local celebrity mentioned earlier, Oliver. Oliver is pissed that Dawson won over him and tells him his film better be good because he doesn't like being beat out by a Hollywood slickster. He then notices Jen and blusters that she's really pretty before scurrying off awkwardly. Jen starts to laugh and asks who would argue. No one, Jen. No one. Oliver may be weird but he speaks only truth.

Pacey is walking Karen home and still dripping with charm. He compliments her a lot and she tells him not to go too crazy and ruin their friendly evening but he jokes that they should just go crazy and compliment each other. He gives her a whole bunch of compliments and Karen just says she had a really great time, which he takes. He tells her that it was nice seeing her have a good time and leans in to give her a kiss on the cheek but she turns into it and kisses him fully on the lips. They then make their way inside and it's very clear that sexy times are afoot before fading to black.

After the screening for Dawson's movie, an announcer gets up and talks about how good it is but that he was also moved by the letter that accompanied it. We hear about how Mitch said that his son's work couldn't be ignored and it's a sweet moment so I'm not even going to bring up Dawson's usual lack of creativity in the filmmaking field and just let this stand. Dawson gets up and explains how Mitch got him into movies and if it weren't for his dad, he wouldn't be here today. He then also thanks his girlfriend, Jen. She laughs and blushes as everyone applauds. Oh no, I'm super liking this ship. Why are they working so well together all of a sudden? I love this rapport. Good job on the writers for making this work so well.

Audrey and Eric are sitting outside together but it's clear that Audrey is not enjoying herself. Eric is talking her ear off about his fitness routine and when he tries to put his arm around her, she puts a stop to that. Annoyed, Eric goes inside to confront Jack. He's mad that Jack lied to him because Audrey is "all tease and no please". I am already throwing up in my mouth a little but feel absolute betrayal when Jack insists that Audrey is no prude but is in fact super easy and if he plays his cards right, she'll hook up with him for sure. But uh oh, Joey heard everything.

Joey not only not pleased,
she is PISSED

Pacey is in post-coital bliss but in a confusing turn of events, Karen immediately regrets her decision and just how? She even tells Pacey that he's not worth what she's risking and I'm just like, how is Brecher that good? It does not compute, pick Pacey, Karen! But she doesn't and Pacey realizes that she just used him as a way to get back at Brecher. He leaves and my heart breaks for him.

Oliver compliments Dawson about his movie and is impressed someone else has heard of AI Brooks. He should be really jealous that Dawson was friends with the guy then. Oliver asks about USC but Dawson admits to dropping out because the scene wasn't for him. Oliver then brings up his film and arts school in Boston that he goes to and tells him to check it out. Jen comes up and before Dawson can correct Oliver that they're not boyfriend and girlfriend, he gets a look on his face that says, oh, I think I want her to be my girlfriend though. It's kind of adorable. Oliver says she's still really pretty when she pays him a compliment about his movie and then he says Dawson is lucky because they make a cute couple. Jen jokes with Dawson about how lucky he is and yeah, I definitely ship this. So help me, I ship a Dawson relationship. 

Joey rips into Jack about how he talked about Audrey and he tries to throw back that she talked about her like that too. Joey says it was before she knew her and she wasn't out pimping her out to the highest bidder. Jack claims that he feels at home in this frat and that Joey just doesn't know them all but she doesn't care to know them after the way they talked about Audrey and I don't blame her. Jack actually tells her that she's exaggerating which is a huge gaslighting move that I do not like at all and I feel betrayed by Jack. So does Joey, she leaves the party immediately. 

Dawson and Jen are talking in their hotel room and he thanks her for being there for him through all of this. Jen thinks it's the least she could do for him since he restores her faith in the opposite sex. Um, not sure if I agree with that sentiment but ok. Dawson is confused and they reminisce about their past failed relationship and wonder why it didn't work out. Jen thinks it's because he was in love with Joey but Dawson is pretty sure she wasn't physically attracted to him. She's confused but Dawson thinks she thought he was safe. She then kisses him and pulls away a bit, thinking she went too far but Dawson pulls her back on and it's clear that it's about to go dooowwwwn. 

We fade up from the non-commercial break and they are lying in bed post-coitus and happy. Dawson is impressed that his first time was every bit the fantasy and that she was too. She corrects him and says they were both the fantasy and he agrees and they cuddle together. I am really into this pairing. 

Pacey goes to quit and Brecher already knows about the Karen situation. Pacey calls him out for putting him in the middle of their stupid drama and asks if he thought about Karen at all. Brecher says he did and that Pacey doesn't understand but does apologize for putting him in the middle of it. Pacey says he still quits and Brecher says that Karen beat him to it. He offers Pacey a job there if he still wants it and we cut out.

Joey returns to her dorm room to find Jack and Audrey talking. Audrey assures her that she's fine and was just putting Jack through a grueling apology. She's already forgiven him but tells him not to do it again. She leaves Jack and Joey alone and tells her to go easy on him. Uh, I don't think she should, to be honest but that's just me. Jack says that he can't defend the way he acted but that it's hard bringing two groups of friends together and Joey admits that it's probably harder when the old friends are quick to judge. Um, no Joey was not quick to judge. They were acting gross, full stop. The culture of guys treating girls as if they are objects to be conquered is super gross. Like, have casual sex if that's what you like but the way those guys were just expecting women to put out for nothing is super, super gross. No one owes you their body because you talked at them for a bit and were maybe polite at one point. I hate that this is being glossed over and that Joey is saying that she needs to learn to be less extreme if he needs the frat in his life. Like, no she doesn't need to put up with his gross behaviour though? He can be in a frat and not treat his friends like shit? That's a possibility? It was not Joey that needed to compromise here and I hate that Jack gets away with essentially saying he could get his friends to sleep with his other friends super easily. Blech, I hate this. It's very obvious that a guy wrote this. 

Pacey finds Karen on a bench outside the restaurant and sits with her. She apologizes for what she said to him and he tries to convince her to stay but alas, this show shies away from colour so leave us, Karen must. I actually thought Karen was a neat character and I think she had good chemistry with Pacey. I'm genuinely confused as to why they are writing her out like this. She convinces him to stay because Brecher seems to like him and Pacey is good in the kitchen. They say goodbye to each other and that's the last we'll see of Karen Torres. I think . I'm pretty sure. I don't remember her coming back and that's honestly sad.

Back at the hotel, Jen wants to talk. She's freaked out about how last night went because she doesn't want it to ruin their friendship. Dawson understands her fear and promises that she won't lose his friendship. He says that sex may change things but opines that it could change for the better. Jen says that she's in and wishes they could stay here. He says they should, at least a couple more days. They are in the honeymoon suite after all. 

Come on, admit it.
This is hella cute

We fade out on me liking Dawson fucking Leery. I am shook. What the hell just happened? I liked Dawson and hated Jack this episode. Don't even get me started on how easy Jack got off for the way he behaved. I'm sorry but promising a guy that he will absolutely get laid by your friend behind her back is really gross and kind of dangerous for Audrey. Imagine if she had to, after Jack assured Eric that Audrey was easy, reject him again? How much more angry would he get? How frustrated would he be? Would he have taken that out on Jack or Audrey, do you think? Would he have taken her no as an answer? I mean, Jack assured him she wanted it, after all. And we all know that men believe what other men say over what a woman says about her own wants. It's not a good look.

Can Jack be saved? I certainly hope so but next episode is a break from the overarching narrative in favour of some scary stories. Four Scary Stories, to be exact. I can't wait but also I'm scared about what they'll replace the song with. Something boring again, I'm sure. Stay tuned, folks!