Dawson's Creek - 604 - Instant Karma!

 Original air date: October 16, 2002

Welcome back to the Creek, Dear Readers. After last episode's break from Dawson we actually start this episode up with him on the horror movie set. Todd hates everything and wants a smoke but Dawson refuses to light one for him because he promised to keep Todd from backsliding. They banter a bit before Todd asks about Natasha, the film's star. He also objectifies her by saying he wants a close up of her chest and the a/c pointed at her nipples to make them pop. I don't even know how to unpack how awful this is. Sure, Todd is supposed to be gross here, Dawson even sarcastically says "classy" in response to Todd's demands but like, this still feels gross. I feel like we're supposed to assume some things about Natasha because she's willing to show her boobs for a horror film directed by this sleaze. Really, this shows me how grossly misogynist Hollywood is and how much pressure a new-ish actress like Natasha would be under to show off her boobs only to have her whole image be slandered by having shown her boobs. It's a very double-edged sword in such a male dominated field. Show us your tits/how could you have shown us your tits, slut? I'm already sympathizing with Natasha here and I haven't even met her. It doesn't help that Todd refers to her as a "crazy diva actress" who will tell him her thoughts on the movie while he pretends like her opinion matters. Wow. Dawson says that Phil the PA is picking her up at the airport but no he isn't because Todd fired him. He acts like she's a diva actress who's going to flip out on them but honestly, I'd be pissed too if I was expecting a ride but had to sit around an airport for an hour waiting for someone to show up. So far, I'm #TeamNatasha and I want justice for her.

You smile now, Dawson but just you wait. 
Karma is coming to bite you in the ass

Joey is reading a book at work because I guess it's dead and she's allowed to? Or Joey is a terrible employee both of which I can buy at this point. The book is On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Eddie ribs her for not having even finished the book when the paper is due on Monday. Joey is really showing herself to not be that great of a student this year. It's weird. I can't blast her too much because I procrastinate all the damn time and always did fine. Eddie asks for Joey's opinion on the book and she thinks it sucks. He looks a bit taken aback but doesn't say what he found objectionable about her assessment which annoys Joey. Honestly, same. Don't be all "hmm" about my opinion with a smug look but say nothing. Explain yourself, if you're so smart. Joey calls him out on this and he has the audacity to get on her case about being angry. I mean, she is but he's kind of annoying her? Why is this a thing so many guys do? They pester, pester, pester and then act all shocked pikachu when a girl finally gets pissed and act like it's her being unreasonable. I hate it. He thinks she's angry because of a guy which pisses Joey off more but before she can really get into it, Eddie answers a phone call placing a delivery order. Their convo is done for now.

Pacey is at work at the office when he gets a phone call. It's Audrey and she's upset that he's late. Pacey has to study though and doesn't think he'll make it out. Audrey is upset because he's always studying and is starting to forget what sex is like. Pacey promises that he will come over tomorrow and they will have an all night sex fest. I don't know why this convo nauseates me, but it does. Audrey agrees and tells him to be studious and boring and he tells her he loves her to which she doesn't respond, I have to note. Has she ever said she loves Pacey? This relationship feels so forced and try-hard, I think that's why the conversation about wicked sex nauseates me. It doesn't ring true because I don't feel anything from these two being together. 

We go to Audrey's side of the conversation and she's at Hell's Kitchen with Jen and Jack. She wants to go home since Pacey won't come out but Jen is insistent that they go to the party. Jack is also keen to go home though since Kate & Leopold is on and he thinks Hugh Jackman is hot. That movie is weird and yet oddly appealing for exactly that reason so I can't fault Jack in the slightest. Jen demands that they all go out and have some actual fun since she worked hard all week and Audrey and Jack begrudgingly agree to go.

Dawson runs through the airport looking for Natasha and finds her sitting on some chairs, waiting impatiently. She snarks at him about how she totally didn't mind waiting for an hour and her ass isn't totally numb. The show is trying to signify to us that she's "bitchy" and "difficult" and let me be perfectly clear here. I am still on her side. Put yourself in Natasha's shoes, she is a professional actress working on a Hollywood movie. She has flown from LA to Boston, and is probably tired and grumpy already, I know I hate travelling. You get there and no one is there to pick you up. You don't know where you're going so you're stuck, for longer in an airport, feeling gross and not ready to work. Then the guy who you dated over the summer and dumped you over the phone is the one to come and get you an hour later, as if you didn't already feel like an afterthought. I'm sorry, #TeamNatasha and don't you dare sigh like you're put upon, Dawson..

Dawson tries to make small talk but Natasha's not really having it. She asks for altoids and water which Dawson says are in the glove compartment. He asks her if she's nervous for her big scene and she explains to him slowly that the other actor isn't really going to strangle her and it's all just pretend. I know they're still trying to tell us she's a bitch but like, I laughed. I'm enjoying her shitting on Dawson, what can I say? She takes a swig from a tiny airport bottle of booze and Dawson worries about her drinking. Natasha says she can handle it. She asks him to pull over to a florist so she can get Todd some lilies but Dawson is worried about being late so she threatens him about showing up mad. This is the first time where she seems unreasonable but again, she is tormenting the douche that dumped her over the phone after he'd slept with another woman.

Tell me you would not be as pissed as her if you had to wait an hour
for a ride only for it to turn out to be the guy who dumped you over the phone
#JusticeforNatasha

Pacey is studying when Rich and some other losers come out and tell him that they're going clubbing and that he has to go with. Pacey tries to back out as he needs to study but Rich essentially threatens his job. Pacey wants to call Audrey and Rich teases him then tells him to call her later. So, Pacey doesn't do the right thing and follows the rest of these losers to go clubbing with them instead of his girlfriend and friends. 

Natasha and Dawson show up on set. She's clearly wasted and has started calling him Donald since Dawson is a stupid name. She hands Todd the lilies but he doesn't seem that excited to get them. She blames Donald's getting lost for her being late which is fairly true but it's also Todd's fault for firing the PA that was supposed to pick her up in the first place. Todd tells her to head off to wardrobe and then asks Dawson what's wrong with her. Dawson says she's tired. Todd says to get some coffee in her.

Dawson rushes after Natasha to help her to wardrobe but she is decidedly not interested in his help. She laments letting him touch her naked and is thankful that no one here knows they dated. This is the reveal that she's the woman he dumped Joey for so I spoiled you back there but I don't care because it honestly informs a lot of her behaviours and I didn't like that the show was trying to set her up as a mega bitch when Dawson is kind of the reason for her to be upset. She asks about the "old friend" he dumped her for and then laughs when she realizes that he got dumped already by her. Dawson apologizes for hurting her and understands if she hates him but she clarifies that she doesn't hate him, she just pities him. He wants to help her out but she tells him to go to hell instead. Honestly, same girl. #TeamNatasha.

We next see them filming a scene, or trying to as Natasha keeps blowing takes because she's drunk and giggly which is not the demeanor you want from a character who is supposed to be running for her life in terror. Todd confronts Dawson about her being drunk and he tries to lie at first before eventually admitting that she might be a bit drunk. He looks over at Natasha with a look of disappointment but my only thought is, he really may have just torched his first huge movie opportunity to get with Joey. Them getting together always results in one or both of their lives being worse. It's kind of funny.

Pacey comes out of a club with Rich and the other losers. Rich is impressed that Pacey turned down all the women that were flirting with him and doesn't think he could ever be so faithful to any girl. Pacey makes a comment that he thinks one of the girls might have been a guy and I cringe at the "joke" Did I mention that I hate this plotline? I really hate following people like this. I actually watched Wolf of Wall Street and while it was a well-made movie, I hated sitting through it. I hated watching these types of men and I hated knowing that even if the movie was trying to say that they were bad, it still glamourized them and men would still idolize morons like that. Torture, it's torture watching this. 

Audrey, Jen, and Jack are trying to remember where the big party is but are all clearly a bit tipsy already. Audrey suddenly remembers that it's near a big supermarket with a free aisle. Jen asks her what a free aisle is and Audrey explains the bulk food bins so Jen corrects her on what those are. They laugh as they walk and end up running right into Pacey and the losers just as Rich is saying they should hit up a strip club. Audrey is understandably upset and walks away so Pacey has to run after her. He tells her that the job is important to him but Audrey thinks he's just some smarmy stockbroker guy who only cares about his job. Pacey doesn't want to live on mac and cheese and ramen noodles his entire life and that he can't keep ignoring reality and pretending he doesn't have to work. He then says they can't all live in Audrey Land so that doesn't go well for him. He tries to apologize but Audrey doesn't want to hear it. She leaves with Jen and Jack and tells Pacey not to follow her. Rich tells Pacey to shake it off and I just want to punch him. Here's the thing, as much as Pacey is being a bit shitty right now and I hate this storyline but I understand it at the same time. 

At Hell's Kitchen, Joey and Eddie are loading up his car with the delivery order he took earlier. He keeps making comments to her about how big the order is and it reminds me of Matthew Broderick commenting "that's a lot of fish" in the 90s Godzilla movie. My brain is weird, I'm sorry. Also, it just tells me he's trying to pester her still when she's giving clear signs she doesn't want to talk. He asks her how On the Road is coming along and she tells him flat out she doesn't want to talk but Eddie apparently must talk. He must tell her that he knows why she doesn't like a book he likes, he knows her own thoughts better and by god, he is going to tell her what she thinks. Do I sound annoyed? I am because I'm having flashbacks to a male friend of mine from college who used to do this exact same thing to me and it took me forever to realize how toxic that was. Early Joey would have told him off way more than just being a bit sarcastic with him. Eddie tells her that she hates this "beautiful book" that he likes because it must make her nervous. Or, and this is just a shot in the dark but maybe she just doesn't like the book? It didn't mesh with her? That's fine. Joey is offended that he's calling her boring but he clarifies that he just means safe. To prove him wrong, Joey brings up the fact that she bought a ticket to Paris but it's not really the win she thinks it is because she didn't go. Joey is done talking to this clown and wants to go back to the restaurant but conveniently, he needs her to go with, especially since the other girl has to cover the bar which Joey isn't qualified to do. 

At the party, Audrey is bumming everyone out with her complaints about how awful Pacey is acting lately. She apologizes for forgetting about the pact to have fun already but then launches into complaining about the lack of sex with Pacey. Jen nopes out of there, leaving poor Jack with Audrey. Jen gets a drink at the bar which doesn't faze me at all until I remember that Americans aren't actually allowed to drink until they're 21. That's so wild to me since most of their media about college depicts them all drinking so like, why bother with that law? Clearly no one wants to listen to it. I never noticed these mistakes because it always rang true to me since we're allowed to drink and purchase alcohol at 18. I was legally allowed to drink while in high school. Jen turns around with her drink and immediately bumps into CJ. She spills her beer on him too and then apologizes awkwardly while trying to mop him up. She then gets defensive about being caught with alcohol and goes on about how it's perfectly normal and they're at a party so he should expect drinking. He lets her go on and then asks if she thinks he's the lamest and most square person on Earth. Jen snarks that she's sure he's tons of fun and then leaves him. How she can leave when that man looks so goddamn perfect is beyond me. 

How can she resist him?

Jack is still listening to Audrey complain about how Pacey hasn't even tried to call her yet when he notices Professor Freeman enter the party. My hackles went up immediately. I do not like this at all. Jack bails on Audrey to go and talk to Freeman. Freeman is happy to see a familiar face and Jack is super excited but confused as to why he's here at a college party. Freeman explains that since he teaches a popular topic, sometimes he gets invites and yeah, sure. I think I remember people in my college becoming pretty tight with teachers and inviting them out but it feels really weird and inappropriate. I don't know, I don't think a teacher should be friends friends with students, friendly in the classroom, sure but not hang out outside of the school building friends. Jack thinks they should get beers together and Freeman readily agrees.

Joey and Eddie arrive at where they are delivering the food. There are lots of people and Joey very clearly recognizes where they are but she asks Eddie if they're delivering to a movie set. Eddie confirms saying it's for a slasher movie and Joey is mortified.

Audrey and Jen are playing quarters with a couple of guys and having a great time. Audrey finally gets a phone call from Pacey but she is unimpressed and very drunk. She tells him that she is such a rich dumb airhead and then she drops her phone in her beer. Jen and her giggle over the fact that she did this. Audrey then chugs her beer which starts to worry Jen a bit. She tells Audrey to stop but she downs the whole drink and wants to keep playing. Jen looks concerned.

Joey and Eddie finish setting up the food. She's anxious to get going and asks if they can leave but Eddie says they need to get paid first. Joey finds someone and asks how they can get paid and, of course she's told to talk to Dawson. Joey sees him and looks like she wants to be dead right now. Dawson is shocked to see her which is super fair considering she obliterated him over breaking up with someone for her. Joey says that she wouldn't have come if she'd known they were delivering to him. Dawson says it's fine but Joey says she wasn't apologizing and Dawson asks why she would in a very snarky way. Joey takes offense but before things can blow up into an all out fight between them, Todd and Natasha show up. Obviously, Todd recognizes Joey and says hi to her which clues Natasha in to who this is and she loses it. She yells at Dawson for having the nerve to bring Joey here after she gave him the best sex of his life. Dawson looks supremely awkward but Natasha says she's just quoting him and look I'm just going to let her say it:

Natasha: I'm just quoting you, Dawson. Sorry...you embarrassed? 'Cause I wouldn't want to embarrass Dawson leery, what with his chivalrous nature and oh-so-quiet dignity. See, Dawson's the kinda guy who'll walk a girl home, you know, help her over a rain puddle? Real gentleman. Then he'll sleep with her, tell her she's the best he ever had, and break up with her answering machine. So nice to meet you. I'll be in my trailer if you need me.

I'm sorry but I detect no lies in what she said. We weren't privy to what their relationship was like before but I think she nailed his character. He's the kind of guy who acts like he's this nice guy who's super sweet but the minute you cross him, the minute you cease to fulfill his fantasy or needs, he'll drop you faster than a hot iron. We've seen this before, when he dumped Jen for not being a perfect pure virgin, when he got mad that Joey wanted to pursue her own passions instead of following him around aimlessly. When Pacey even dares to better himself in any way because Dawson can't then use him to feel better about himself. Dawson sucks and he's not good to the people around him most of the time. Natasha is not wrong. I went easy on him last year because he was actually kind of improving but in the long run, my hatred of Dawson will always reign supreme. Natasha storms off dramatically and Joey stares awkwardly before also leaving. Todd just stares in bewilderment before smirking at Dawson who looks like he wants to die. I mean, you really brought that on yourself, Dawson.

Back at the party, Jack and Freeman are discussing their favourite Simpson's episodes. This takes me back because in 2002, I was still very much into that show and Sunday nights were Simpson's night for me. I think it's still going on and that bewilders me. I just have no interest in new episodes, I don't think I could connect with them as they exist now. They are so rooted in 90s culture for me. Jack can't believe he's having this convo with his professor when he barely even knew his professor's names last year. Freeman thinks Jack is very talented and enjoyed his last paper. Then he gets super confessional about his wife being pregnant and he's such a man baby that he freaked out and came to a college party to escape the reality of his life. He feels ridiculous being here but Jack assures him he's not when we all know that he is very ridiculous. 

At the strip club, Pacey is still trying in vain to get hold of Audrey but her phone is drowned so she's not answering. Rich finds Pacey and tells him that he shouldn't be sad because of strippers and I just have to say...why is it that a lot of guys's dreams are to be rich and go to strip clubs? They're basically admitting that the only way they can successfully touch a boob is to pay for it. It's not the brag or win they think it is that women take their clothes off for them at a strip club because that's literally their job, you're paying them to do it. It's not impressive. I digress though so to recap properly, Rich tells him that there's no point in stressing over how much Pacey screwed up with Audrey because they both need time to cool down anyway so why not have fun. Pacey relents and agrees to ogle strippers. I hate it. 

Audrey is now alone of the couch with one of the guys they were playing quarters with before. She's clearly blitzed out of her mind and the guy kisses her. She has the mind to stop him but then goes with him when he suggests they go somewhere alone. Jen, meanwhile, is chatting with a different guy about how much she prefers the White Stripes because she has the best taste in music. She sees Audrey walking by with that guy and tries to say hello but realizes that Audrey is super out of it. Being the amazing friend that Jen is, she tries to get Audrey to not go with the guy but she does anyway. Jen goes to follow but the guy she was talking to blocks her. He wants to keep talking about music but it's clear, he's blocking her so his friend can score with a super drunk girl. That's terrifying but Jen is a BAMF and she stands her ground, demanding to go check on her friend. Jen threatens to separate this boy from his genitals if he doesn't let her through when CJ comes up to ask what's going on. The guy tries to appeal to CJ's guyness by saying Jen is just some crazy psycho chick but CJ isn't buying it and says if Jen's lying, there won't be an issue with them checking it out and shoves the guy aside.

My reaction exactly when CJ stepped up and called
bullshit on frat douche calling Jen crazy

It gets better though because Jen bursts into the room where Audrey is clearly not in a sound state of mind and Jen helps her stand. The guy tries to act threatening but CJ knocks him back and stands threateningly in front of the dude while telling the girls to leave. Jen quickly escorts Audrey out of danger as CJ blocks the dude and my god it's hot. It's hot because he doesn't go full violent, let me tell you. And it's hot because he let Jen take her friend to safety, he's just making sure the dude doesn't try anything. He's back up to Jen's badass good friend vibes and I love it. 

Todd approaches Dawson with an upset look on his face. He just came from Natasha's trailer and she's refusing to come out until he's gone. So, even though he actually likes Dawson, he has to fire him for the sake of his movie. He tells Dawson that maybe on his next film they can work together again but for now, he's got to go. Way to torch your entire career, Dawson. Chasing Joey really works out for you, doesn't it? I'm being mean, aren't I? Old habits die hard, I guess. I just don't know what he was expecting when he did all this, he handled it all super poorly. 

Jen and CJ get Audrey to her dorm room. Jen tells CJ to go because she wants to stay with Audrey so CJ obliges. Jen tries to help Audrey but Audrey isn't having it. She tells Jen to get out so Jen follows fairly quickly behind CJ and finds him outside, shocked he's still there despite him leaving maybe a minute before her. But he's also kind of waiting around because he was worried. What a sweetheart. Jen apologizes for being rude to him earlier and confesses that what happened to Audrey tonight has happened to her a few times before and it was hard for her to see someone else going through it. She thinks that CJ thinks she's a mess but he doesn't. CJ tells her that what happened tonight wasn't her fault and what happened in her past is over and has clearly made her more empathetic and compassionate which he thinks is not such a bad thing. Jen says it's not true but CJ assures her it is, she just has to believe it. Hi, I think I've found my new crush. 

Dawson finds Joey on the movie set and brings her a cheque. Natasha is getting make up done and is clearly watching and listening in on them. Dawson tells her that he's heading back to California since he doesn't work on the set anymore. Joey feels bad but Dawson says that things happen. Eddie is now also watching this exchange from the car. Dawson asks her if things would have been different between them if they hadn't slept together but Joey doesn't know because things never seem to go right between them. She thinks that it might be for the best this way so that they can move on from each other. Dawson looks crushed and Joey leaves. Natasha has a sad and contemplative look on her face.

Freeman has now given Jack a ride home which also raises my hackles. Are we seriously trying another teacher/student story? Of course we are. Freeman says he's confused because he's married and his wife is pregnant and he went to a college party hoping to run into a specific student. Red flag. Massive red flag, run Jack. Jack is shocked and Freeman tells him to think about it but in the mean time, he'll just keep teaching his class. Ugh, that was extremely uncool of this teacher. He's basically propositioning a student to have an affair with him. Gross. Hate this storyline.

Pacey is at Audrey's dorm and she answers the door. He tries to apologize but she's not saying anything. He asks her what he's supposed to say and tries to apologize again but Audrey interrupts him and just asks him to come in and hold her tonight. Pacey says he can do that and they go to her bed and snuggle.

Dawson is about to leave the set when Natasha finds him and tells him not to go. She got him his job back and apologizes for acting crazy. She shouldn't have to apologize, it was justified anger. She says she freaked when she saw Joey and she probably freaked so much because she was drunk but she was drunk because she knew she'd be seeing him and she was really hurt. She liked Dawson a lot and he basically just used her and then dumped her over answering machine. That's harsh, man. Dawson apologizes for that but Natasha says she got him his job back because he saw his face when watching Joey leave and realized that she hurt him more than he hurt Natasha. Agree to disagree there. Still, Natasha makes it clear that he did hurt her a lot. Then she tells him to come inside or Todd might fire him again.

Eddie tries to talk to Joey about Dawson but she says that he's no one, just an old friend. Burn. This ship is dead in the water, did people really think they were going to end up together after this? Yikes. Eddie apologizes for prying and tries to explain himself but Joey interrupts him to ask him why he likes On the Road so much. Eddie agrees with her assessment but says that the first time he read it, he was just so blown away by how crazy and disjointed it was and how free the characters were. They really lived and he wants to be like them. Joey then kisses him which feels super out of nowhere considering she really didn't seem to like him all that much. He's taken aback too and asks what's up. Joey says she's following her impulses but he tells her she's not, she's just mad and trying to get over Dawson with him. He's not opposed to her kissing him if she wants to but not to get over someone else. She's gong to have to deal with her feelings first. Joey looks stunned. Eddie offers her a ride home and goes to grab his coat while Joey is still trying to process this. I feel like this is copying the much better Willow/Oz interaction and Eddie could never. Sorry. He can't know anything about Joey and Dawson. It made way more sense with Oz because he was part of the group, he was aware of Willow's friendship/crush on Xander so when he knew she found out Xander had sex with Faith and now she's trying to jump him, he knew that was not coming from a good place. It felt way more genuine than this interaction. 

That was actually a fairly solid episode. Wish we got more with Jen and CJ because those two are the most likable and interesting at this point. I do like that we got some closure for Dawson and Joey and Natasha got her say. Hey, interesting side note/useless trivia: Eddie and Natasha don't have any scenes together here but they eventually go on to play a couple on a sitcom, Rules of Engagement. Yes, I watched Rules of Engagement because I recognized them from Dawson's Creek.

Bianca was also Carver in Bring It On
I love useless trivia, sue me
(Please don't sue me)

Neat. So, I'm pretty bored with this season but I will slog through for the train wreck that is to come and to see more CJ and Jen. Also, I cannot wait for the Pacey/Joey episode, that one can't come fast enough. Until then, we're going to have to slog through the next episode, The Imposters.