Dawson's Creek - 616 - That Was Then

 Original air date: March 26, 2003

I'm going to start us off this week by taking you back in time. The year is 2003, February 12, to be exact. The best episode of season 6 has dropped hinting at a grand reunion of one of the greatest teen ships in television history. Then nothing. For over a month. We are itching to find out if this was a one episode fluke or if the good ship Pacephine is once again setting sail into that glorious sunset. Can you imagine the anticipation? The impatience? The tension and question of waiting? 

They at least knew they had to write something in for us. Something to acknowledge that last episode was not some dream sequence we'd imagined up and so we open this episode with Pacey flicking through the channels only to get up and stare across the street at Hell's Kitchen, where Joey works. He gets a smile on his face, grabs his coat and goes, presumably to go find Joey but when he opens the door, she's already there. She's worried she picked a bad time because he's got his coat to go out but Pacey says what we're all thinking, that it's fate. Cosmic timing as he puts it, and he admits that he was going to see her. My heart is palpitating with joy. Pacey invites her inside and keeps offering her things but Joey wants him to stop being so polite. Joey then asks him if he regrets telling her and he says it depends on if she regretted hearing it but Joey says she can't regret hearing something that was in the back of her mind already. Excitement is building. Joey mentions regretting life as a general concept and then asks if he remembers the Choose Your Own Adventure books. She admits to cheating, she would read one chapter and if it didn't go her way, she'd start over and pick a different path. Pacey says everyone did that and yeah, I totally did too. Joey thinks it's not much of a way to live life and also unrealistic. She's right, life would be so easy if it were like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. Anytime something sucks starts happening, you just go back and choose something different. Joey is worried about history repeating itself but Pacey thinks they've grown and matured. I really want them together again but I'm actually really glad they're acknowledging that Joey would be a bit nervous. It's clear that she loved him deeply and I'm not convinced she stopped loving him but he was terrible to her at prom. That was traumatizing for her and it makes sense that while she wants a chance for them again, she'd be hesitant. Pacey acknowledges this too and hopes that they can start over with a clean slate, by which he means he doesn't want his past offenses to be held against him for forever and again, that is also fair. Pacey has grown a lot since then and it definitely wouldn't be fair to hold his past behaviour against him. However, I do think he needs to make up for it a bit before they jump into anything. They agree to think things over and it looks like they might kiss but they quickly break apart. Joey is about to leave but then suggests they do get pizza and we go into the credits. 

This is just teasing. How can she turn him down?

That's it. That's all we get because now they spend the whole episode apart. Are they back together? Are they thinking about it? Oh my god, you can't do this to me, I waited a month for a happy couple to emerge and they're just gonna think about it? Insane. You lot binging for the first time cannot have understood this pain. I mean, at least they gave us something but still. 

We cut to Heston talking to Joey about a hot date he scored and while this is better than a plot where Heston is hitting on or in love with Joey, this is still fucking weird. Who is this close with their professor? I know, she does babysit Harley but why is he talking to his student about how nervous he is for his date? That's just weird. Go get friends your own age, Heston. He's also not winning any favours with me by referring to the "fairer sex" as "evil" like what the fuck? He is also that typical dad cliché that refuses to acknowledge that his daughter is a person and not his own personal property that he can forbid from dating. He laments that Harley is not more like Joey because Joey is #NotLikeOtherGirls since she reads and stuff. I'm going to let you all know something, reading is something a lot of women do, it's actually pretty basic. The tricky thing is finding guys that like to read genre type fiction and you hold on tight to the ones that do because they're fun. Anyway, this whole weird friendly banter thing is because Joey is going to be babysitting this episode. Oh joy. 

Dawson, meanwhile, shows up at Capeside High and is greeted by Mr. Gold. If you'll recall, he was Dawson's high school film teacher and I think it's pretty neat that they brought him back for this. Dawson has been asked here to talk to Mr. Gold's film class so it's like he's coming full circle but he's worried that he's already a has-been. Mr. Gold says that his class is excited to hear him speak since they give him hope. Dawson says to prepare to talk to them, he watched all of his old movies and wondered why he didn't go to law school. I mean...I've been saying that for years, Dawson. Not the law school part because I don't think you're smart enough but the fact that your movies are bad? Hell yeah. Glad you finally realized it.

Pacey is at work when he gets a call from someone. We don't hear who it is but it's not good news since Pacey asks what hospital they're at. We cut to him in the hospital where he finds Doug in the hallway. It's Pacey's father, he's had an exaggerated arrythmia as Doug tries to explain but is clearly a bit overwhelmed to find the words. Pacey is worried and demands to know what happened, if someone knows what's going on, and why their dad isn't in a private room. He's worried but he's not being kind or understanding to his brother here and Doug snaps because he's exhausted and been there all day and says they should just focus on the fact that their dad survived. 

Dawson doesn't so much as talk to the students as he does put on the movie that he made with Todd that went straight to DVD. Oops. He asks if they have any questions and there is one kid in the class who asks a bunch, he's clearly the Dawson. I'm going to get very annoyed with this kid very soon. He calls Dawson a sentimental realist and Mr. Gold confesses to having shown his students some of Dawson's early work. If I were Dawson, I'd be very embarrassed by this and I think he is. The kid keeps drilling in about how the movie went to cable and how it's not really his movie and then asks if he didn't go to film school. Dawson says he didn't which is kind of a lie. He went to 2 film schools, he just didn't finish either of them. I think it might have been interesting to see Dawson going to film school for longer but I guess they wanted to jump to his career which is ok but in reality, someone like Dawson needed to be grounded by school for a bit. Learn a few more techniques, though he does have the important part down pat, which is networking. Really, you need to create a network and get some ins if you want to make it in film. The kid, who's name is George, approaches Dawson after class because he's very much a Dawson and wants to show him the film he made. Dawson agreed and the kid thanks him and calls him Mr. Leery. Mr. Gold says he's been waiting for 6 years for Dawson to experience this and I feel like this is Mr. Gold getting revenge on Dawson for being such an annoying twat in his class and when he got George he was like...I'm going to call Dawson back here so he can appreciate how annoying a know it all who actually sucks is. That's my head canon anyway.

You know what I'd really like out of this episode? Some Pacey and Joey interaction but no, instead I'm stuck with Joey babysitting again. Why is it that at the most pivotal time in Pacey and Joey's would be romances, they're interrupted by annoying children? Anyway, she's trying to get Harley to do her homework but she's a teenager and doesn't want to. Joey leaves the room and the most annoying teenager comes tumbling out of her closet. It's Oliver. Ok, no he was Oliver on the OC and who he forever is in my brain but here, he is Patrick. He is supposed to be the new Pacey and I am appalled. I am aghast. I am offended. If this asshat is who Pacey was, I wouldn't like him as much as I do. More on this later because here he's just mildly annoying but he gets worse. He starts kissing Harley and that's when Joey walks in. Harley tries to say he's her study partner but Joey is not buying it.

 Pacey walks up to Doug in the waiting area with two cups of coffee and offers him one. Doug tells him their dad was moved and Pacey confirms that he knows because he got him a private room. Doug snarks about how he's throwing money at the problem but Pacey apologizes for how he spoke to Doug before. He was worried about their dad and Doug says he was too because he was there when their dad collapsed. They both talk about how they never saw their dad weak, ever in their lives.

Joey has sat Harley and Patrick down at the dinner table and snarks to Patrick to help her with her American Lit class since he's her study partner. Patrick admits that he's not in the class to Joey's non-shock. Patrick then begins to start flirting with Joey in front of Harley. Do you see where I'm getting at being pissed that this is who the show thinks is our "New Pacey"? Pacey would never. Joey rebuffs him and tells them that they're going to actually study for the rest of the night.

This weenie could never be Pacey

Back at the hospital, Pacey is making a phone call at the pay phone. We hear Joey's voice come on the phone but it's her answering machine. Doug comes up to him saying that they can see their father and he hangs up before leaving a message. They enter the room together and we find out that Mr. Witter has been talking non-stop to the doctors about how proud he is of Pacey, much to Doug's annoyance. The doctor also says only one kid at a time so Pacey offers to leave but Mr. Witter wants him to stay, essentially casting Doug out. Doug looks hurt and look, I don't actually feel bad for Doug here. Like, I get it, he's worried too and that's valid but he's been terrible to Pacey. He's constantly been the favourite before this and shamed Pacey for being a screw up. This one time, their dad picks Pacey first and I just can't be mad at this. I understand his hurt but I guess I don't care that much. The dad and Pacey make small talk and Pacey just looks so excited to have his dad's approval. It's sad and tragic. I may be disappointed at the lack of Pacey/Joey but I can't be too mad because I love it when this show takes the time to explore Pacey's home life. 

Dawson and George are watching his film and it's just finishing it up. Dawson is silent and then sighs to which George throws a hissy fit. They may have gotten New!Pacey wrong but they have nailed New!Dawson. Dawson finally tells him that there are things that he could work on but the stuff you can't teach is there to which George thinks his film is flawless, no notes. That's not what he said but you can keep thinking that. George then tells the biggest lie I can imagine, that Dawson's film Creek Daze was actually good and not at all a self-indulgent piece of crap meant to paint Joey as some sort of villain that murdered his inner NiceGuy or some junk. You're sitting in a theatre seat of lies, George. Dawson tells him to stay in school, keep his nose clean, and not to do sports in lieu of "don't do drugs" which, damn it I thought was kind of funny. You get one from me this episode, Dawson. 

Now this weenie is absolutely the new Dawson.
Right down to pouting because his movie didn't
receive universal praise right out the gate

Pacey and his dad continue to talk and he mentions how this medical stuff is Pacey's mom's fault because she got a new cook book all about bacon or something. Sure, dude. It's not your own choices, must be your wife. He also keeps harping on how much Pacey makes and how he should be in the office and I really hate that his dad is equating money with success like this. If Pacey had stayed a cook, would his dad be proud of him? It's kind of sad, really. His dad acknowledges how much he fucked up raising Pacey and that even with all that, Pacey still turned out to be one of the good guys. I love that his dad acknowledges this but Pacey has always been one of the good guys. The money is not what makes him good. The dad says he should have told him that more and Pacey gives him a pass by saying that he might not have been listening. Pacey, you don't have to go easy on your dad. I get it but that man has been the shittiest dad to you.

Patrick and Harley are now in the living room, working as Joey reads. Patrick is still trying to flirt with Harley and she tells him to just leave since she's trying to write and she's obviously upset that he's flirting with her babysitter. She's also mad at Joey for being "Helen" the face that launched a thousand ships. Patrick and her argue about their relationship where he acts like a complete ass about how they're not boyfriend and girlfriend. She then points out that he didn't agree to go to the dance with her until someone else said no and he says he was keeping his options open. Ok, Pacey was in love with Joey and NEVER would have done this to her. You cannot tell me that THIS is who they think is New!Pacey. He's horrendous. Every time he talks, I'm appalled. Harley storms off and I don't blame her.

Pacey comes out to tell Doug that he can see their dad. Doug gets all uppity and asks if their dad even asked to see him. Pacey says that this isn't a competition, it's just visiting someone in a hospital who's been through a serious medical incident. Doug is pissed though because he thinks Pacey has just swooped in with his money and is fooling everyone. Pacey asks if he was just supposed to stay in Boston and cut a cheque for them or if he was supposed to just stay the family failure. Pacey points out that he came to Capeside to visit him and their father and he thought it was a good thing to show that no matter how his dad treated him, he wasn't going to hold a grudge. Doug is too petulant to hear that this is bigger than his weird jealousy right now and tells Pacey he can have it all because he totally doesn't care and he storms off. 

Joey is trying to get Harley out of her room while Patrick is super unhelpful. He is still hitting on Joey and here is where I really think they thought they were making him like Pacey, you see he's into "older women" get it? Like Pacey getting raped by Ms. Jacobs? That was just Pacey being into older women and Patrick also wants someone older and more mature and no. A world of no. Pacey liking Ms. Jacobs was not a flaw, he had a harmless crush that she manipulated. The only one who did something wrong in that instance was Ms. Jacobs. Joey is doing exactly what Ms. Jacobs should have done, shoot it the fuck down. She tells Patrick to get lost, stop talking about her and figure out some way to get Harley back even if he doesn't deserve her. Joey says he reminds her of someone she knows and that is probably the most insulting thing I have ever heard her say about someone. Holy cow. Do I want her and Pacey together or does he deserve better? I'm torn because I love them together but I'm aghast that this prick would remind Joey of Pacey. Did Pacey tease Joey? Yes. Did Pacey tease Joey, lead her on, put her as second when he realized he had feelings for her? NO. I feel like the writers forgot season 3 happened. 

Speaking of Pacey, he's slipped back into the hospital room where Doug and their father are sitting together in relative silence. Pacey asks if he can stop by in the morning to see him before he heads back to Boston and then says he'll see Doug back at the house. Doug is still being a butt. Mr. Witter thanks Pacey for getting him the room but Pacey tells him that Doug got it for him. Doug smiles in appreciation and is it just me or does this not feel like the correct resolution? To me, Doug was completely the one in the wrong but I guess it is nice that Pacey tried to give Doug the spotlight back since it meant so much to him. I just don't think Doug really deserves it.

The third weenie of this episode. Petulant baby crying because
he's not getting all the attention after his dad had a mild heart attack. #ACAB

We're back with Joey and Harley and I have to say that I absolutely hate the resolution to this story too. Joey says that she'd never go after Harley's boyfriend but Harley is upset that he went after Joey. This is good that she's placing the anger and blame on Patrick but Joey's advice? Hot damn is it garbage. She tells him that he wasn't really flirting with her, he was just doing what guys do, testing the limits. I'm sorry, what in the gaslighting fuck? I will say this though, her advice gets slightly better when Harley asks if things were this hard for her in high school. Joey says hindsight is always 20/20 and problems that seem huge back then seem silly when you get older which is very true. She's also spot on when she says that fear motivates a lot of our decisions in our teens and that the way she got over that was learning to take a deep breath and forgive herself for yesterday's mistakes. She then goes on to say that she will probably go to school tomorrow and want to punch Patrick in the face but that he may just say something nice to her and she should give him a chance and hear it and I don't know if I can get behind this. Men really need to learn to try harder if they want a relationship, it shouldn't be up to the woman to put up with his shittiness because at least he's not shittier. That's not cool. Joey then urges Harley to finish her work before Heston/Hetson gets home. I haven't touched on the name thing but sometimes I swear to go they're calling him Heston and other times it sounds like Hetson. I think the credits on IMDb list it as Hetson but what the hell? Does anyone else have this issue or is it just me and my shitty ears?

Pacey pulls up to the Leery household and is about to knock on the door when Dawson comes home and asks what he's doing there. Pacey says he was in town and wanted to check in with Gail to see how the repairs are doing and Dawson almost looks taken aback by this kindness but everyone who isn't Dawson knows Pacey is thoughtful and nice. He does thank him for checking in though. Dawson asks how Pacey is and Pacey tells him about his dad and how he wasn't ready for that which made him think of Dawson. It also made him feel like he wanted to curl up into a ball and be a kid again so someone else could handle it. Dawson understands that and it seems like they are mending some part of their friendship. I'm in this weird position where I don't think Dawson deserves this at all but it seems to make Pacey happy and I'm all for Pacey being happy. Dawson mentions going back to high school to talk to Mr. Gold's film class and they question when they became sirs to the young ones and what happened in their lives to bring them here. Dawson says that now that he has enough distance to actually make a good film about the loves of his life (questionable), he doesn't have the money to make them. Pacey says that money is kind of his thing and they should talk but Dawson says that people like Pacey prey on people like him in a kind of joking way but I hate it because I know where it's going. More reworks to make Dawson the good guy and Pacey the bad guy. Dawson invites Pacey in for coffee and to talk and Pacey says he'd love that. 

Even my Dawson hating heart was warmed a bit by
them being friendly to each other

Joey gets home to her dorm and crashes on her bed. She stares at the ceiling for a bit and then dials a number on her phone. Pacey's voice comes on but it's his voice message. Joey does leave a message for him though. She doesn't have an answer for him and she thinks that the problem is trying to find an answer alone. She is hoping they can try it together and she says that she's not going to look at him and think of what happened, she's going to look at him and think of all the things that could. My little heart soars with happiness at this little teasing end and while I may not have gotten exactly what I wanted out of this episode, it's still got some solid stuff in it. I can definitely do without the next gen teens and the insult that is Patrick but the rest was decent. I may not have liked how the Pacey and Doug feud was ended but who knows? More could come from it and I think it does. My memory of everything past Castaways is extremely foggy. The only thing I really remember is Dawson remaking his goddamn Creek Daze movie again and recruiting the annoying new teens to play their younger selves. I also remember how the whole series ended because at that point in the og run, that was all I cared about and was watching for. Anyway, I liked the patching of the Pacey/Dawson relationship even if I know it's going to fall apart again and I liked Joey reflecting on her past choices. I like small character moments where they come to an understanding of how they were and how they could be going forward. Our next episode, I think really gets into a Pacey and Joey pairing and I also think it's all we really get but let's just take it one episode at a time. Sex and Violence is up next.