Dawson's Creek - 615 - Castaways

 Original air date: February 12, 2003

First of all, I'm sorry for the delay. I had a week of vacation in a place where internet use was limited and I just wanted to relax with the kiddos but I'm back, refreshed and ready to dive into the best thing this season has to offer. If our season 6 opener was a big event for those bizarre D/J shippers out there, THIS was a mega huge event for us thirsting Pacephine shippers. It's a Valentine's special gift that we had to wait almost 2 goddamn years for. I kept thinking how Pacey looked at Joey all last season meant they were getting back together but nope, they paired him with Audrey. Then Joey sleeps with Dawson and that all falls apart. Audrey and Pacey break up but Joey's already with Eddie for some reason and it's just, they're right there. Everyone wants Pacey and Joey together and the writers just refused to acknowledge this because their notes say that Joey and Dawson are supposedly end game. It's frustrating but then, then last episode happened and hope peeked out from behind the corner, cautiously optimistic. I braced myself for disappointment but the next episode, a special event episode not only sets my hope sailing but is an episode solely dedicated to Pacey and Joey. Let us all give a big thanks to Gina Fattore for blessing us with this gift in the middle of an abysmal season and let's get right to this.

I will say, that this episode doesn't start off great for Pacey as he has brought Joey as his date to a horrible fancy work dinner thing and is flirting with some other girl right in front of Joey. Joey is, for some reason, fishing under the table for her shoes which, I guess she just kicked off her feet immediately after sitting down? I mean, high heels hurt so I can't blame Joey for noping out when no one could see her feet but girl, slide them off carefully so you know where they are. I guess, to be fair to Joey, she could have done that and accidentally kicked them, which is why she's now panicking and trying to find them? Anyway, she's looking under the table when she sees the woman's hand on Pacey's leg and she bumps her head on the table in surprise. This gets Pacey's attention and he excuses himself to ask what Joey is doing. She asks him what the woman's hand is doing on his leg when she has a boyfriend. Pacey asks her what she wants and Joey says she wants to go home and tells him to just get the girls number so they can do that. Pacey says that this is an important networking event but like, Pacey you're very clearly more interested in getting a girl's number here so don't pretend this is business. Joey learns that the woman thinks she's Pacey's sister and threatens to give him the tongue kissing of his life in front of this woman if they don't leave now. Pacey asks for 5 more minutes and Joey agrees.

Pacey turns back to the woman who is very clearly interested and also understands that Joey is not his sister and she has no problem with that since she wants to get with Pacey despite the fact that she has a boyfriend. They arrange to meet back at the restaurant in an hour after they ditch their current dates so they can go back to her place. Pacey is very adamant that he's not with Joey at all which I mention only to maybe nitpick a little bit when we get a bit further into the episode. Just a little, there will be caveats. Pacey is finally ready to go and urges Joey out the door while she's desperately grabbing her shoe. I will point out this one thing, I love how TV and movies always make us think that if you're hunched together and other characters are out of frame, no one above it can hear you. It's like 2 year old logic being used on us. Out of sight, they no longer exist and magically can't hear anything the main characters are saying. Like the girl wasn't supposed to hear Pacey and Joey bickering right next to her and Joey wasn't supposed to hear Pacey and the girl making hook up plans. It's a magical camera frame. 

If no one else is in the frame, they can't hear us.
Those are the rules, Pacey!

They are now driving home and Joey asks why they sped past their turn off. Pacey says that they're making a pit stop. Look, this is the most contrived thing ever but I'm fully allowing it because I want my Pacey/Joey episode, ok? Because he could have easily driven her home and stopped for condoms on the way back to the restaurant. Spoilers, he's buying condoms, btw. Joey is not pleased about this detour either because she just wants to be home in bed. Honestly, same. Pacey doesn't tell Joey he's getting condoms, even though she seemed aware he was making plans with that girl. Pacey tells her that the urgent thing he needs is laundry detergent. They pull up to a complete nostalgia trip for me because it's a K-mart. I think they still exist in the States but they were wiped out of existence in Canada, or at least in my city decades ago. Which makes me feel very old but whatever. Joey gets out of the car and Pacey is like, you don't have to come. Joey says she's absolutely not waiting in a dark parking lot for him and she also has some business to take care of in the ladies room. They begin their trek to the store and Joey asks why he parked so far away. Pacey lets us know that he spent a good chunk of money getting Dawson's house scraped off his car and he doesn't want to chance leaving it near people. I love Pacey but this love that people have for cars over the comfort of the people they supposedly care about is weird. It's not funny, it's kind of sad. When they get to the doors, they find them locked. The store is closing but just then a security guard comes out to see off some customers and gets distracted by some kids playing with carts in the parking lot. Pacey quickly grabs the door before it can close and lets himself and Joey in. They separate to go about their business.

Pacey goes to the condom section and is looking over his choices when an employee comes up to him to let him know the store is closing. The employee weirdly hangs around him as he makes his choice of Trojans and then tells him "very nice" to Pacey's discomfort. He walks to the front of the store with them but quickly hides them in his pocket when he sees Joey approach. She needs him to do her a favour. He asks if it can wait but it can't and Joey asks him why he wasn't in laundry so Pacey quickly agrees to help her to change the subject. 

The emergency, it turns out is that the girls bathroom is out of service and Joey didn't want to use the boy's bathroom without Pacey guarding because she didn't want another guy in there with her. We can laugh but honestly, she's right to be a bit worried about that. It's late, the store is closing, I'd want my friend there too. Pacey bugs her about it and says that no one would go in there anyway since no one is here and the store is closing in 5 minutes. The lights then begin to shut off because oops, they are the only two people left in the store. 

They rush to the doors but are locked in. They can see the security guard and other employees going to their cars and bang on the door to catch their attention but it's no use. They're all leaving and no one notices them. Pacey thinks it will be ok because they'll see the car but Joey points out that he parked super far away. Pacey then blames her bladder on their conundrum. Joey is freaking out because everyone is leaving and they're trapped and she has an entire book to read by tomorrow's class. Look, I get it because I procrastinate too but damn Joey, maybe try reading your books before they're due? Like, most teachers don't assign a book to read and give you only one day. An entire book? You didn't crack it once in the allotted time and read a bit of it? That seems to be a you problem Miss Potter. The two decide to think logically and go try different doors and phones.

Please help us! This season sucks!

All the doors seem to be locked and Joey tried the phones at the cash register but they're not real phones. They are only intercoms. Pacey asks if she brought her cell phone and she did but she left it in his car. They both get the realization that they could find payphones. Ok, anyone actually reading this that was born after the advent of cell phones, a payphone used to be a public phone that you plugged change into to use. They were everywhere. They have since vanished since everyone, or at least a large majority of the population now have cell phones. They find the payphones somewhere at the back of the store, usually they were at the front though, near the main doors for people to call for taxis or other rides home. Joey calls the police station but they don't really take her call that seriously since they're not in any danger. Pacey suggests they call 9-1-1 but Joey points out that they're not in an emergency. They're locked into a big indoor space with plenty of food and water. Pacey thinks it is since she has to be home to read her book. Joey calls him out on not caring about getting her home on time before and we all know that he just wants to get back to the restaurant for his hook up. He asks her what book she's reading and she tells him it's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Pacey balks that she's paying $35,000 a year to be told to read that when she could read it on her own time. I kind of agree but I don't know US English classes. Maybe that is an important book? She is sent to a voicemail message and hands the phone over to Pacey. Joey gets cold and asks for his coat and after a bit of bickering he hands it over. She asks if he brought gloves. He didn't but is interrupted when someone answers only to put him on hold again. Joey looks in his coat pocket and finds the condoms. Oops. She is not pleased with him and asks if it's for the girl from the party. She acts aghast that he was on a date with her but wants to hook up with some other girl but a) she was his pretend date and knew that and b) she seemed to be completely aware that he was hitting on and getting hit on by that woman so I don't understand why it was a shock to her that he'd bought or was trying to buy condoms. Though, I suppose it's fair to say she assumed he'd get her number but not be so brazen as to shove her off and immediately go sleep with the woman that night? 

Pacey doesn't want to have this conversation and Joey can't understand why he doesn't want to talk about sex with her. He thinks that the reason they've been able to maintain their friendship post their romance is because they don't talk about sex. He even pretends she doesn't have it at all which is a bit ridiculous. Joey thinks it's absurd that they don't share a big aspect of their lives with each other but Pacey thinks that it's best not to and then moves on to how not upset she was that he was hitting on another girl. So the argument is shifting and Joey is confused because she can't figure out if he's upset because she's upset about finding the condoms or that he's upset that she's not upset enough. All of us Pacephine shippers know exactly what he's talking about because we've seen the looks, we've been rooting for this for forever and yeah, he is upset that she's not in the least bit pressed who he sleeps with because it means he's burning a torch for someone who has clearly let hers burn out. Joey is confused because, if you'll recall, Pacey is the one that dumped her so I guess she figured he didn't care about her at all which is why she moved on. Pacey wished that she would have been sad for maybe a month or two which he thinks is reasonable since he's not asking for the lifetime that she's devoted to being sad about Dawson. Joey does not take this well and tells Pacey that he and Dawson should argue over stats and decide who won and leave her out of it. Good for her. Pacey says it's not about Dawson and him, he's talking about Joey and him. Joey says there is no she and him and you can see the hurt on his face. The phone rings and Joey asks if they're going to finish their argument but Pacey says if they had a thousand years, they'd probably never finish. He answers the phone and it's basically the police saying that they're SOL since they're not in danger.

After a commercial break cut, our two leads are pacing alone through different sections of the store. Joey is browsing the book section while Pacey is browsing through electronics. He finds the video cameras and looks like he gets an idea. Joey has surrounded herself in books as she searches for the one she needs. She comes across Bridget Jones' Diary and also gets an idea face because that was turned into a movie and so was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. She heads to the DVD section and finds the movie but when she hears Pacey's voice over the intercom calling her to electronics, she puts it back on the shelf and walks to that section.

When she gets there, the tvs are all on and Pacey appears on the screen. He gives a heart felt apology and offers her a truce. They should make the best of this situation and leave the past in the past. He suggest they get more comfortable, he's picked her out a snuggly pair of pjs and slippers, and he offers up to her the chance to make him do something he really doesn't want to do. He thinks it's only right since she was doing something she didn't want to do for him and that's how they got into this mess in the first place. He then steps out from the aisle and Joey says right away that she knows what she wants him to do. Without even changing into the PJs, Joey marches off with purpose as Pacey struggles to keep up. Finally they get to the razor aisle and let me tell you, I cheered the first time I watched this and I cheered now because YES! Thank you, Joey! The funny thing is, Joshua Jackson with a beard is fine af but Pacey with a beard just doesn't feel like Pacey. That may not make sense to anyone but me but that's just how it is. Pacey agrees but says he isn't going down without a fight and then runs away. Joey chases after him. There is a brief montage of cute chasing hijinks until Joey gets an idea and knocks over an auto display. She pretends to be injured and even though Pacey is sure it's fake, he goes over to check on her because he's a gentleman. He even brings her bandaids per her request. She then jumps out at him with a can of shaving cream and threatens to spray his suit if he doesn't cooperate. I love this. I can see why Josh has fond memories of this episode. It's just so cozy, intimate and fun.

That thing is coming off your face whether you like it or not, Pacey
The fans demand it.

We next find them in a bathroom. Pacey is getting ready to shave and Joey emerges from the stalls dressed in her newly acquired PJs. Pacey really doesn't want to shave that monstrosity off his face and asks if she wants to back out of the deal. Joey is very sure and says it will grow back if he wants it so bad, but adds that it shouldn't. Agreed. She asks what the big deal is and Pacey says that it's like when ball players don't change their socks when they're on a winning streak. Joey asks if he thinks he's on a winning streak because of his beard and Pacey says he does. Joey gives up because she sees how important it is and says she just wanted to see his face again. Pacey asks if it's really that easy and Joey says it is but that he does need to change his socks because gross. The fact that Joey hates the beard but immediately sees how much it means to Pacey and doesn't force him to shave it, is so fucking sweet even though I was so disappointed the first time I saw this. It's weird to both be moved and let down at the same time. Fear not though because the episode is not yet done.

We cut to Pacey and Joey playing battleship and she's just lost. Pacey suggests another board game but Joey wants to ask him if he's happy. Really happy not superficial happy. He asks if she is and Joey thinks that for once she is, even though nothing really spectacular is happening for her right now, she feels like she's different and now ready for change. Pacey says he's happy because he has a nice car but Joey asks him for a real answer. Pacey says he has everything he could ever want in life right now, except for one thing. She asks what that is but we don't get his answer even though all of the Pacephine shippers know exactly what that one thing is.

We next find them in the store's restaurant and Pacey is getting nachos since Joey apparently nixed his build your own sundae idea. Joey thinks it's too cold for ice cream but I am Pacey who says it's never too cold for ice cream. I live in the Great White North and I have ice cream in the middle of -40C winter because I love it so much. Joey teases him about not letting her shave his beard and he asks if this is what she thinks letting the issue die means. Joey says that they've already established that the theme of their evening is picking at old scabs. She then asks for more soda and Pacey mentions that he may have missed his true calling. Joey asks if it's "jerk" and Pacey agrees only for Joey to say she meant the soda. For the life of me, I don't get this reference. Is there a soda in the States called Jerk? Never heard of it so I agree with Pacey that her joke wasn't funny. Pacey mentions raiding the candy aisle but Joey is a good girl who couldn't possibly eat candy late at night because you'll rot your teeth. That's such an old expression that sounds so funny coming out of someone so young. Pacey points out that they're in a Kmart and can brush their teeth afterwards. Pacey likes the idea of living where everything is available and thinks he might never leave. Joey suddenly remembers her homework and then tells him to bring popcorn.

We cut to them watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in the electronics department. Joey is confused because she thought the story was about the American Dream. Pacey asks what's more American than rampant paranoia and gas guzzling caddies. Honestly, he's not wrong. Joey asks what she's supposed to say when Heston puts her on the spot and Pacey tells her to throw "post-modernism" and "subjectivity" into the same sentence and she'll be fine. Joey thinks this is why Pacey is so good at his job and he tells her not to mock his source of income. Pacey is bored of sitting around and wants to do something active but Joey says they will not be biking or rollerblading through the store so this is totally not the movie Career Opportunities.

You get a cookie if you've heard of this movie,
2 if you've actually seen it

Pacey has another idea though and we cut to Joey rolling him in an office chair and promising this won't hurt. We see a table set up with a bowl of water, shaving cream and a razor and folks, I cheered yet again the first time I watched this and now because they weren't just teasing, this was going to happen!! She gives him a last opportunity to bail but he points out she told him not to talk so she gets annoyed and starts cutting his goatee with scissors. Then she grabs the shaving cream and starts to gingerly put it on him. He tells her not to be shy and she splats it over his mouth. He laughs, trying not to open his mouth because shaving cream. Finally, after all the teasing, she starts to shave his face. There's a cute moment where she accidentally nicks his skin and she apologizes, kisses her finger, and taps it onto the cut. Then finally, we have our Pacey back and Joey says hello chin. Pacey says he was never really gone but Joey says that it kind of felt like he was gone. They stare deeply into each others eyes and then, he kisses her.

I swoon every time.

After a break, we return to find Joey torn between clearly enjoying the kiss but also being very shocked about it. She asks what just happened and more specifically why he doesn't seem as surprised as she does by what happened. Pacey admits that he's been wanting to kiss her since he saw her in her dress that evening. Joey is shocked that he wanted to kiss her and I'll admit, here is my nitpick, I was too. I feel like we might have benefitted maybe a brief moment where Pacey looked at her longingly while Joey maybe brushed him off or said something that snapped him back to his reality of Joey not noticing him like that anymore and so he then notices the woman checking him out and goes for her instead. I know, we didn't have long for this episode but it might have helped. I mean, Pacephine shippers have been noticing the way he has been looking at her since season 5 so none of us were surprised by Pacey still having feelings for her but this is just my slight nitpick because at the beginning of the episode, he was clearly way interested in flirting with the woman at the party than with Joey. Joey does ask if he wanted to kiss her even when he was flirting with the other woman and Pacey says he did. She asks if this is a new feeling. Pacey says it's a feeling that's never really gone away and is always there like white noise. She asks if it freaks him out and he says it does and that he has been feeling more than friendly towards her lately. Joey asks if that's why he picked a fight with her and he agrees, explaining that being with her was the only thing in his life that truly made sense. She reminds him that they fought all the time when they were together which is sort of true but they were also amazing together. Joey is stunned and flattered and confused. Pacey asks if she wishes he hadn't said anything. Joey doesn't wish that but asks for some time to process. Pacey agrees because he's the best.

We next find them in a campground display. They're both in comfy clothes and getting into separate sleeping bags. Joey asks him if he knew that this was all a dream come true. Now it's his turn to be confused and they roll to face each other. Joey explains that when they were on the boat together, she used to dream that they'd be cast away somewhere. She describes a tropical island with white beaches and big stars overhead where the moon is always full. They'd not wear clothes and splash around all day. How did she have this fantasy and not have sex with him that entire trip? Like why? Stupid writers. Anyway, Pacey likes this dream and Joey admits that she was too embarrassed to tell him while they were on the trip. He thinks there are a thousand reasons why this wouldn't work out. Joey says they have one thing in the pro column and gets into his sleeping bag beside him. She tells him it doesn't mean what he thinks it means, that she's just cold and still thinking about it but she misses him. He misses her too and they kiss again.

Have I mentioned how much I love this episode?

After a brief break we come back to the lights being on in the store. The employee who hovered around Pacey the night before is now standing over them and not impressed but in a very stoner way. Like he's gonna be in trouble for this. Pacey wakes Joey up and they quickly gather their things. The employee sees Joey and having seen Pacey looking for condoms gets immediately shy and asks Pacey if she's his girlfriend. Joey tells him they're not, they just sleep together sometimes and leaves. The employee nods approvingly and in awe at Pacey. 

They chat at the checkout where the clerk is commenting on how most of the things they're buying are already opened. Joey freaks the cashier out by saying that she's going to write to the manager about this but then clarifies that she's going to tell the manager that the store is awesome. Pacey offers to pay, though Joey wants to pay him back, because he says that it's a small price to pay for a dream come true. Then our beautiful couple leave the store bantering back and forth about how she wants to drive his car before we fade to black.

This is a perfect episode and I will hear no slander about it. 10/10. One of my biggest complaints about this season and last has been the lack of Pacey and Joey moments and this episode full on served up all the missing moments into one beautiful episode. Not only do we get some quality time with our favourites but they are on the way to mending things between each other and getting back together. Sure, I know what's to come but I also know what's to come further along and I just want to be happy in this moment. I needed this. This was like a warm hug on a cold day. Comfort food. Josh and Katie truly brought it this episode too, it feels so effortless and real. It is truly the one truly bright spot this whole season and it remains so. The only thing I'm sad about is that there are more episodes to come and they are not going to be pretty. I think we get at least one episode where they're happy, maybe two but it will not be smooth sailing for the good ship Pacephine. Next episode is That Was Then.