Dawson's Creek - 607 - Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell

 Original air date: November 6, 2002

We're back in Boston to examine the aftermath of the Halloween shenanigans. Dawson and Natasha got together and possibly got murdered, Eddie and Joey are maybe something, Jen is pursuing CJ, Jack likes David, and Pacey and Audrey broke up. Let's find out what happens next.

We open the episode with Joey and Eddie on friendlier terms than normal but he's still a condescending dick to her. She's leaving Hell's Kitchen to go to campus and Eddie tells her to just say she's going to Heston's class. She says she misses his snark in class and how he opposed her views but I only remember him doing that once and then once where he stood up for her. I guess we were supposed to assume they sparred in class often but it never really registered with me because more of the focus was on them together at the bar than in class. Anyway, she asks him if he's going home for the holidays but he won't say so she asks where he's from and again, he's cagey and won't say. He throws the question back at her and she answers to which he mocks her? I really, really hate this guy. He basically still thinks of her as a rich girl which I think we're supposed to think is funny because that's not who Joey is but instead I'm enraged because a) who is he to assume her station in life? b) would that make her a worse person if she did have money? c) I hate smug assholes who think they know how ALL women think because of their own preconceived notions from the very wrong media they consume or a few bad interactions. I just really hate Eddie and he's grating on my nerves so much this rewatch. Did I find this behaviour ok in my teens? I think this was just the culture I grew up in because oof, the early 2000s were rough. All content was geared towards frat bro types, Girls Gone Wild was a huge thing, slut shaming was at an all time high and let's not forget the mainstreaming of pick up artists. There were actual reality shows that hyped PUAs as if they aren't all sad losers that no one should aspire to be. Oh bro, you scored with 100s of women, most of whom don't remember or were not in a state to fully consent? That's not the win you think it is. I'm sorry, I went off on a rant but my point is that the early 2000s were fucking rough to be an already self-conscious teen. 

Jen and Jack are getting to their seats in Professor Freeman's class and talking about their respective love lives. Jack is excited about David but doesn't want to jinx it. I also want to add that they had this coffee date and I still don't think Jack got the scoop but maybe he got all he needed from the fact that CJ said he wasn't interested? Still weird. Jen laments how hard CJ is to figure out and Jack does encourage her to drop it and I get that he wants to spare her feelings since she's clearly very into him and probably doesn't want to shatter her confidence by saying he's not into her. It still feels a bit hard how easily he backs off when she invites herself to sit with him and David at lunch because she hopes CJ will be there. I know it's hard to be the bearer of bad news but it really is better to just tell her and spare her from embarrassment. He jokes that she should bring Grams along too and she says she might. Freeman then makes the shocking announcement that he's going to be leaving the school after finals because he secured a visitation to Chicago. I have no idea what that means but I'm guessing it means he's going to prof there temporarily? Jen and Jack are both shocked by this news. I gotta say, if they wanted us to be sad about this news, they did a really bad job in making this guy likable. Like, oh no the professor who inappropriately hit on Jack and then gave him a shitty grade when he refused is leaving? Oh no, anyway...

Joey comes into the dorm to find Audrey with her whole closet emptied on the bed. She's frustrated that she can't find any sex clothes and is angry that Pacey robbed her of them? I don't get what she's implying here, is she saying that she stopped buying and got rid of her sexier clothes since she was settling down with Pacey or is she literally implying he stole them? Either way is odd, they weren't dating that long, were they? It certainly didn't feel that long. Audrey confirms when she admits to Joey that she dumped Pacey "four months too late" which means maybe they were dating that long or 5 months at most. That's really not that long. Joey is shocked to hear this news and Audrey gives her attitude about not keeping up with her. Joey apologizes for not being around but says she should have pulled her aside and told her. Audrey says it's too little too late and she's done talking about it all anyway. Things are not looking good for these friends. 

We next cut to Jen, Jack, and David in the cafeteria and I just want to first gush about how much I like this and wish hanging out on campus was more of a focus of this show? I know, I'm in the minority but I really like this show best when it's centered around these guys hanging out together in school settings. Jen makes a comment about how Jack's apartment looks like the one from My Two Dads and says she thinks it's the spiral staircase which leads me to Google. Google gave me nothing but a very tiny picture that does have a spiral staircase but I'll be damned if I can figure out if the apartments are the same or not. It certainly could have been an inspiration hence why the writers have plugged it here.

You be the judge
Though it doesn't look like the staircase goes as high

David is not here for pop culture references though and asks Jack if he wants to hang out tonight. Jen is envious that it was so easy for them to arrange a date but suggests they go see Audrey and her band play so that they can then ask CJ to join them in an innocent group outing. Jack jokes about just clubbing CJ on the head and bringing him with but David is cool with the idea of inviting CJ. David does finally divulge the mystery with CJ. He doesn't date. Huh. I don't know, with David's whole ominous warning about Jen dodging a bullet, I would have though it was something worse than this. He just doesn't date. David hints that there is a reason behind this that might be more interesting but then gets all shy about divulging info which is fair. If your friend told you this in confidence, you shouldn't then spill to everyone about it. Jen wants the deets but before they can get into it any further, CJ shows up. Jen invites him out to see the band, Jack reminding him that Audrey is the headliner, who he's met before. CJ agrees to go. Jen spots Freeman approaching and Jack quickly excuses himself to go talk to him. Freeman apologizes for interrupting him and his friends and dude, that was honestly your cue to back off. Still, Jack seems to be keeping things friendly and even says that he will try to make it to Freeman's thing tonight since it would mean a lot to Freeman for Jack to be there. I don't think it's appropriate for Freeman to say something like that to a student and I'm mad on David's behalf who seems like a really cool and chill character. 

I have super mixed feelings about this one scene because I hate Rich and the stock losers so very much but also I'm proud of Pacey for passing his series 7. Like yay, he's succeeding and he's so excited about getting to go to New Orleans. I want to enjoy that with him because this is a guy that never thought he'd be able to just do things like this. Travel and explore and while I liked it better when he was doing it on his own terms (with Joey and True Love) or even doing what he loves and travelling as a job (the yacht job) it's cool that he's getting to go on this business excursion on an airplane. This is a huge moment for him and I want to acknowledge how awesome and exciting that would be for Pacey. But it's couched in this douche bro vibe that was oh so prevalent in the 2000s that at one point felt normal but now makes me sick to revisit. See my earlier rant on this but like this attitude was everywhere, these guy behaviours were normalized and it just sucks to have this type of story on a show that is largely targeted towards young girls. It just sucks and it sucks even more that every girl's perfect boyfriend is going down this path. Pacey is fantasy and this kind of destroys it a bit. I'm still proud of him and I still love seeing him so happy and excited.

Look how happy he is, I can't hate this

After a commercial break we are in New Orleans with the stock bros and Pacey is chatting up an attractive woman. She seems very interested until he mentions that he was in New Orleans with his girlfriend over the summer. She's shocked and then even less impressed when he admits she dumped him. She ditches him and calls him Percy which is just rude. Rich comes over to be a slimeball and to perpetuate some douche bro myth that women enjoy going for assholes who are shit to them. No, that's not how that works. That's not how any of that works. Who the hell, man, woman, non binary, trans or otherwise, wants to hang out with someone who belittles them? I'd wager most would choose to be with someone like Pacey over Rich. The women throwing themselves on Rich? They're paid to, it's their job. That's why it seems like assholes get women. They usually have to pay for it. Or they're manipulative assholes who love bomb and then gradually drop the act when it feels like it's too late for their victim to leave. No. DO NOT BUY this narrative. I beg of you.

At Hell's Kitchen, Joey and Eddie are bantering about Heston's class and their Sam/Diane dynamic. Joey points out that his analogy doesn't work because Sam probably made more money than Diane. I'm inclined to agree if he was a pro-baller who then bought a bar to which a broke Diane had to work at as a waitress. Owners make more money. Eddie says that he makes more money than her Worthington classmates who don't have to work but that doesn't put them in the same class either. Is he still being a shit because he thinks Joey is rich? Because I hate it and why the hell does he think she needs to work at a bar? Although, these type of guys will always find some work around in their head to make sure women are exactly who they think they are, ie: she's only working here to slum it or attract a man. It's just boring. Audrey comes up to them and demands a shot and is basically being a bit loud and obnoxious. She slaps money on the bar to pay for several guys' drinks and goes to hang out with them. Eddie asks how much her parents had to pay to get her into Worthington which is rude and Joey calls him out on it. He whines about working a double and having to work with Sam, unrelated to the Sam from Cheers. Joey promises to hang out with him again after she strokes Audrey's ego a bit and goes to find Audrey in the crowd. 

Jack shows up to the book signing which is disappointing but here we are. Freeman sees him and they awkwardly exchange pleasantries and about his class. Jack admits that he loved the class and was always riveted and notices Freeman staring into his eyes so he switches the subject to Freeman's wife. Freeman admits that she's not going to move to Chicago with him. He doesn't want to get into the details but asks Jack why he came and if he has any place to be. I'm disappointed to report that Jack lies and says he has time so Freeman offers to introduce him around.

At Hell's Kitchen, Jen apologizes for Jack being late but David doesn't mind because he's cool and chill. He offers to go get drinks but neither CJ or Jen are interested. CJ asks how Audrey is doing and Jen says she's great but they see her take a shot and party so she amends it to a solid good. Jen is usually so perceptive so it's disappointing that she's not registering an issue. CJ points out that she looks depressed but Jen doesn't see it. CJ says it's easy to look not depressed when you're doing your best not to feel it. 

At the bar, David gets a call from Jack who apologizes for not being there yet. David is super cool and chill and asks if he's on the way. Jack admits that he's not because he got sucked into an "academic schmooze-fest" but that he'll be right there once he says a few more things. David is way too nice about this and says he'll be fine with CJ and Jen. 

Rich is hitting on some poor unsuspecting woman and tanking hard. Pacey swoops in to try to diffuse or maybe just insult Rich a bit either of which I'll accept. Rich gets turned down by the woman, Denise and he leaves in a huff. Pacey apologizes for Rich's behaviour but Denise is pleased that Rich left behind his more attractive and likable friend. They start to flirt.

Joey approaches Eddie again. They banter-flirt and Joey asks if he wants to hang out after he's done work but before she can finish her thought, a very drunken Audrey slams a beer bottle on the counter and asks for another one. Eddie tells her flat out, no. Joey looks a little uncomfortable with the exchange but, to my shock, she sides with Audrey and says he should just give her one more because she's nervous and it's like. Joey, girl, you see how drunk she is already, right? Eddie is literally supposed to cut someone off and probably should have done it sooner. Plus, technically he shouldn't have been serving any of them since they're underage which is so weird to me. They're college age, why can't they buy a drink? It always takes me aback because this looks so normal and then one of them points out that they're underage and I'm like, oh right. It's made even weirder when Joey reaffirms that this is a college bar so like, how does that work? How do people in the States run college bars when technically, people in their first two years of college can't legally buy a drink? How are there college bars? You guys are weird. Land of the free, my ass. Anyway, Audrey insults Eddie for not serving her and then turns to Joey to ask her for a drink to which Joey also refuses, unimpressed with Audrey for insulting Eddie. Emma comes over to gather up Audrey for warm ups because the show is about to start. Eddie is pissed but says nothing so Joey snottily says that she's not Audrey's keeper. Eddie isn't taking any more crap though and tells her that it's worse because Joey is Audrey's friend. News to us, since they've barely hung out together this season.

And she's not done taking licks tonight

To make matters worse, Audrey starts singing with the band but starts to get shrieky and destructive. She messes with the sound equipment, which pisses the rest of the band off, kicks the microphone stand, hops up on the bar and kicks drinks off and turns the beer taps on and even tosses glass out into the crowd where it shatters right near Jen, David, and CJ. Everyone is unimpressed and Eddie is now left with a huge mess to clean up. It's too bad because Audrey actually sounds good singing Blondie's One Way or Another, much better than she did singing California Dreaming but this song is her train wreck performance. It's a shame.

We cut to Audrey puking in the bathroom as Joey holds her hair back. When Audrey's done, Joey tries to ask her what's going on but Audrey is not in a sharing mood and snaps at Joey about never having been drunk. Joey says she has and that it was usually because she was feeling awful about something and asks if Audrey feels bad about something but Audrey just tells her she's holier than thou. Then she says Joey's never had a fun day in her life apart from singing and accuses her of imitating her. Honestly, I always agreed with this but since they cut most of Audrey's singing prior to Joey's singing arc, this makes less sense. I mean, it's still implied that Audrey sang and is definitely the reason Joey got up the courage to sing herself  but it's just funny that they cut most of it. Joey thinks they should talk in the morning but Audrey is sick of things being so sterile. I never liked this rant of hers that Joey and her friends are all wholesome and stuff, this feels like the writers using criticism against the show as a shot at the characters but I always hated that criticism too. This show isn't wholesome, it's just a show designed to have its conflicts wrapped up each week because that's how most serialized drama works. Especially back in the day where if you miss an episode, you're screwed and may never see it unless you catch that specific one on reruns. She also accuses Joey of being a shit friend who didn't even know she'd dumped her boyfriend and Joey says she apologized for that. Audrey doesn't care though because she doesn't want to be judged by someone who dropped out of her life and didn't even notice she was depressed until she upset her boyfriend from "southie". Joey replies that Eddie isn't her boyfriend which is not the thing she should have focused on in that sentence and Audrey calls her out on that and leaves.

Jack comes out of the book signing with Freeman and they're talking about class again and how Jack's observation about sexuality in good guys sparked something in him. It is very clear that Freeman wants to bone Jack and it's also really inappropriate even if he's not going to be Jack's professor for much longer. Jack says that it's sad that Freeman felt he had to hide part of himself from his students when he's so well liked but is glad he figured himself out and that's why he wanted to support him. Freeman shoots his shot by saying he wished he'd noticed and understood himself sooner and that he'd noticed Jack sooner and wonders if it's too late. He leans in for a kiss but Jack stops him, realizing finally that he's made David, who actually noticed him and the timing is right with, wait all night. He leaves Freeman by himself and I cheer. Definite right call.

Back at Hell's Kitchen, CJ, Jen, and David are actually helping to clean up the bar. Jen admits that CJ was right about Audrey and CJ confesses that he used to be the same way. He used alcohol as a way to drown out his depression to the point where he felt jittery if he wasn't drunk before lunch. Jen encourages him by saying he managed to kick that behaviour which he should be proud of. CJ then tells her that he had a Dawson moment where he told everyone at a party what he really thought of them and alienated the one person he cared about. Which is why he doesn't date anymore. I mean, that should probably be more the reason he doesn't drink anymore but I get that he might be scared to hurt someone else in case he relapses. Jen tells him not to be so hard on himself but CJ says she doesn't know much about him. He doesn't know much about her either. The gall of saying that to Jen when she's literally been through it.

Pacey and Denise are making out and making their way to his hotel room. Pacey fumbles for his key but Denise is all business, grabbing his crotch and then reaching into his pocket to retrieve the key. Pacey is a little stunned but they continue making out as they go inside his room.

Joey goes to the bar to help Eddie clean up but he's in no mood to talk to her either and I do get it. I understand his anger and annoyance but something bugs me about how he and even she is framing what happened. He keeps saying that her friends (plural) trashed the place but like no they didn't. Audrey trashed the place, the rest of her friends didn't. Audrey was sloshed drunk, the rest of her friends barely drank. So, I get that he's pissed but he's making it seem like they were all a wild bunch who didn't care about trashing the place when that's just not what happened. He chews her out, calling her friends elite when she really mostly hangs out with people that go to Boston Bay. Audrey is the only true elite among them and says that you can learn a lot about someone by the friends they keep. He wanted her to stand up for him (which she absolutely should have in that instance) and then says that they should stop pretending there's anything more than mild flirting between them. Joey is stunned and not having a good go of things this episode. 

Pacey is still making out with Denise who is getting more than a little frustrated. She wants him to just get on with it which is not a usual thing a girl would say, especially if she had the chance to be with Pacey. I mean, come on. Eventually she basically just tells him, she's not paid for the night so they need to just get it done and Pacey realizes he didn't score. He's been given a prostitute. He apologizes for wasting her time but he can't go through with it and he quickly leaves to confront Rich.

Jen and CJ are talking and she's worried about David hanging out by himself. She's not sure what's up with Jack but says she's going to kick his butt. CJ says David is very patient. Jen tells CJ she's glad he came out tonight because she worried he wouldn't want to. CJ gets a bit frustrated at this because just because he doesn't drink, doesn't mean he doesn't socialize. I'm with him on this. I don't drink much and it's nothing to do with thinking I'm better or whatever, I just genuinely am not much for alcohol. I drink sometimes but it's not my first choice of drink regularly. You get odd looks when you don't partake and people think you're lame and it's just really dumb. Drink or don't drink, who the fuck cares? Just don't overdo it and you're good. Jen tells him that he should change his mind about himself, just like he told her to do and goes in for the kiss but is rejected. Lot of rejection this episode. CJ assures her that it's nothing to do with her because she's beautiful and great but he can't. He gets her a cab but Jen is clearly hurt and brushes past him into the cab so he can't help her in. Completely understandable, no one wants pity help.

Michelle totally nails the embarrassment of this moment
She goes all hunched shoulders and fake "totally fine"
smile even though she's dying inside. She's great.

CJ watches her go and then sees Audrey sitting on a curb by herself. He goes over to her and sits down. She's on the defensive though saying she only had a few puffs from her cigarette. CJ doesn't care if she smokes which relieves her because everyone has been bugging her about what she does. I don't know if that's really true, I think most everyone had a problem with your excessive drinking and destruction of property tonight but sure, everyone else was being unreasonable. That being said, everyone should have noticed way before that she was depressed and maybe stopped this before it happened. CJ asks if it makes her feel better to drink and Audrey says it makes her feel nothing which is ideal. CJ asks how long she'll keep it up for but she doesn't know. She tells him he doesn't have to sit with her but he says that if he didn't want to, he would have walked away a while ago. Audrey doesn't want to talk and he says that's fine so they'll just sit. I now remember what happens and I'm not here for it but we'll save that for next episode.

Pacey finds Rich and the other stock bros and yells at him for tricking him. Rich doesn't care and another stock bro giggles that "Witter stuffed a wh*re" which neither I nor Pacey takes well. Pacey tells him to keep running his mouth and his night will end. Rich then mocks Pacey for not having sex with the prostitute and then brags about how much she cost. Pacey calls him out for only caring about money and how pathetic it is that he buys his friends and women and women for his friends. It's good that he's calling Rich out but I know this isn't the end of this plot, when it really should be. Pacey and Rich get into a bit of a scuffle but the stock bros pull them apart. Pacey goes off by himself because he's pissed and Rich and the stock bros skulk off while Rich grandstands about how fighting the good fight is lame or something. I don't know, I hate him and everything he stands for. 

Jack finds David just as he's leaving the bar and apologizes for ditching him. David is, say it with me, super cool and chill about it all. He recognizes that Jack might have baggage and tells him to do what he needs to do to figure it out. Jack says he did, then amends it to that he didn't need to. David is cool with that and they walk off together. David tells him he missed a hell of a night and Jack asks if it will be hard to top to which David jokes that he's presumptuous to think they're going out again but clearly they will be.

We get a brief shot of Pacey sitting alone on Bourbon Street and contemplating his life choices. Then we segue to Joey's dorm where she wakes up to find Audrey's bed empty and unslept in. She doesn't have time to worry because someone knocks on her door. It's Eddie and he wants to return Audrey's wallet since she left it at the bar. Joey takes it and is about to slam the door in his face which ultimately would have been the best ending to this relationship but no, Eddie intervenes and apologizes for what he said last night. Joey asks him to clarify what part and he tells her the part about them not being a thing. The way he phrases it is that he would love to get to the point where he can resent her if she'd only give him the chance. I don't know, Joey, that sounds like a massive red flag to me. She is coming around though but does tell him that dancing around their thing is driving her nuts and wants to actually say what they mean. Eddie asks her what she'd say and she flat out says she wants them to go on a date together that isn't hindered by teenaged girls and drunken roommates. Eddie wants to get to know her and prove himself wrong. He thinks she represents everything he hates but that she might actually represent everything he needs. Uh, I don't know if that's the romantic sentiment you think it is but ok. Joey is buying it and they agree that it's a date. They shake hands and she watches him go as Orange Sky plays which takes me right back. It's been a while since I recognized a song from a scene like this and it made me nostalgic. I guess Orange Sky was cheap enough or Alexi Murdoch isn't well known enough to be expensive? I don't know but I appreciate hearing a song from Dawson's Creek's original run. It fits the scene even if I hate the idea of Joey and Eddie together.

You smile now but only heartache lies ahead for you

That was an entertaining episode filled with a lot of hard moments for our characters. I didn't like everything that happened but I don't have to, life is messy and I think this episode represents that in the college years. I'm sad that Pacey is going to lose himself further with the stock bros because it's a mentality that is so antithetical to him as a character. I'm sad Audrey is a train wreck because she was a fun character and though this is an interesting turn for her, I wish we understood her more. Like what happened on the trip exactly that made her depressed? Was Pacey pulling away even then? He definitely seemed done when they got back but it didn't make sense that she ditched her classes right off the bat. I'm very glad that Jack put a stop to Freeman and is going for David because he seems like the best option out of all his boyfriends so far. I really don't like where the Jen/CJ plot is headed because Jen deserves some happy and I don't like that he pulled away only to go for Audrey. As for Joey and Eddie, I have to say that it became super clear to me this episode that he's giving off major red flags that I didn't notice this early on in my first watch but am noticing a lot now. Did you notice that Eddie is often really mean to Joey and then does this heel turn where he's nice to her out of nowhere and it throws her off? It's a pattern that they've been in for a while now and I really don't like it. If this had been the intent, I don't think I'd mind it but they expected us to be rooting for this couple, so much so that in the future she chooses him over Pacey. Like, I'm sorry, what? You ask any girl or woman watching this show and most will choose Pacey over any guy this show could throw at you. I also don't buy that Joey would go for this, it weakens her as a character and again, if the intent was to show that even tough girls can get roped into abusive relationships, it would be commendable but they're not exploring that. They're just making Joey fall for this and it feels very wrong. So, heads up, if you're in a new relationship and your partner belittles you to the point that you feel like you've done something wrong and then they show up and pretend like nothing happened or that they suddenly super love you? Run. They are priming you to feel like you have to manage their emotions so that you act the way they want you to. 

That was heavy so let's end on a light note. I think it's very funny that the last episode ended on Dawson and Natasha getting axe murdered and then this episode didn't feature either of them at all so how much more confusing did that make the ending in its original run? I just picture everyone going wait, did Dawson really die? And literally none of the other characters cared or noticed. Unfortunately, he wasn't murdered and will be back in the next episode, Spiderwebs aka the No Doubt episode. I have been anxiously awaiting this one because it's terrible but will Netflix make it more terrible by not having any No Doubt episodes play? Time will tell.