Dawson's Creek - Finale - All Good Things...

 Original air date: May 14, 2003

Ok, so I was absolutely certain in my little brain that the Dawson's Creek finale materialized suddenly way past the end of the series run. Not a long time but for some reason, I thought that it was a few months between and it was some extra special summer special. Folks, it aired the very next week after the last episode of season 6. I don't know why I lionized it in my head like that but I think it's because I gave up watching Dawson's Creek in its original run during season 5, I might not have even gotten that far because I have a distinct memory that when I caught the reruns on Super Station, being absolutely floored and shocked that after season 4, instead of starting at the pilot again, there was new episodes. This was when I was in university or college which would have been 2004/2005. So I think what happened was, I gave up on the series, heard that there was a finale, watched the finale and that was that. In other words, good news! Season 6 is not relevant to watching this series finale. Audrey doesn't show up at all, she gets a brief mention that I probably wrote off at the time but other than that? You're good to go. There is literally no reason to watch season 6. Just watch S1-S4, Castaways as a cute little one off and then skip right to the finale. It can be done. I did it and that's why I assumed that this finale came as an after thought to the rest of the series. It was honestly more fun the way I originally did it. It's like...Season 5 and 6 were these cool little bonus seasons divorced from the show. Anyway, let's get into it already because I have lots of thoughts about this episode already.

We open on two teens talking very dramatically in a bedroom. Their names are Sam and Colby. Colby is grilling Sam about her feelings towards Petey. Sam swears she only likes him as a friend. Colby asks if she likes Petey as a friend the way she likes him as a friend. Sam confirms and Colby says he was afraid of that and if you can't tell, this is Dawson's revisionist version of what happened between he, Joey, and Pacey and I call the largest of bull shit on this. What in the revisionist hell? I guess I can give a pass to Kevin because he had left the show before the third season and I'm sure he didn't watch beyond the Eve stuff he didn't like so he probably thinks it went down like this but I'm here to tell him and all the other writers on the show DAWSON AND JOEY WERE BARELY TALKING WHEN SHE AND PACEY FELL FOR EACH OTHER. He only started showing an interest in rekindling things with Joey when she'd already caught feelings for Pacey and then he pulled an ultimatum on her when he found out he didn't have a shot. She didn't dick him around, she didn't have an interest in him at that point. I'm like two minutes into this finale and I'm already mad, so let's move on. We pull out of this insipid reconstructed view of how Dawson is the poor innocent victim of Joey's indecisiveness to see that Joey is watching this on the tv and is somehow moved by it and not pissed that it didn't happen that way. A guy says thank god that's over and we see that Joey is living with some dollar store John Travolta. 

Tell me you don't see it

It's actually Jeremy Sisto and fun fact about him is he's Elton in Clueless (you know, rollin' with the homies..), and remember when I compared a scene in the fifth season with Wrong Turn? Yep, he's in Wrong Turn too. He gets arrowed to death. I actually liked him in that movie and was sad to see his character go but here, I'm not a fan. He's pretty snobby. He's the voice of all those critics who said teens don't talk like they do on Dawson's Creek and like that's part of the charm. I love the way the characters talk. This show is escapist fantasy, not supposed to be super realistic but an idealized and dramatized version of what high school and growing up is like. I love it. Anyway, Joey is revealed to be an editor because she says that she's had to edit worse dialogue. Christopher is an author and says she edits his books so she exempts his books and they kiss. She stops him because she has work to do and he laments that he can't write because the show killed the last of his braincells. She asks him to give it a rest and says she has an emotional connection to the show that he wouldn't understand. This is meant to be a ha-ha moment because of course but like, they're living together. Why can't she say that she watches the show because her friend wrote and produced it? Why is that so hard to explain. She doesn't have to say it's about their lives but that she's supporting her friend. How has she not told him this? Joey is a very closed off person. He tells her that she sounds like Sam and she freaks out about sounding like her because Sam is based on Joey, get it?

After the credits we see Dawson at the production office for The Creek. His assistant is rattling off things he needs to do. Apparently an actor was mumbling too much so they'll have to loop the dialogue to fix it. She also tells him masturbate isn't approved to air and suggests Walking the Dog but like, that was a huge thing in the pilot episode and it seems like they're way past that point that this shouldn't be news to him. She also informs him that he needs to inform an actor that he's going to come out and is apparently going to lose it. Uh, is that a dig at Kerr Smith? Did he lose it when Jack came out? I mean, I can see if it was sprung on you but like...seems like a mean bit of trivia to include. Dawson says he can't because he has to meet with the writers. We go into the writers' room where they're arguing over who Sam should choose to be with and we're informed that it's the end of the first season. Dawson, you are rushing things like crazy. One season and she's already choosing between these two? You blew your load too quickly if you want this picked up for multiple seasons. Also, why do they want a clearly defined ending for this now? The show was about growing up not all about who Sam would pick from the get go. There was some fun to be had outside of soulmates garbage. The writers continue to argue the one point because fuck Jen and Jack and Andie, right? Who cares about those characters other than most of the viewers of this show? They ask Dawson his opinion about breaking free from destiny and Dawson says that he thinks they're onto something and bails. Wow, good job Dawson. You came in while they were already talking, listened to them and gave them a non-answer to their one question before bailing again. That was a great two second meeting. You're such a professional and good showrunner. Can you tell that I'm being sarcastic here? Because I am using all of my sarcasm right now. His assistant tells him his suit is ready for the wedding and that a Rebecca called to confirm dinner. Dawson asks her to postpone dinner "again" and not to give him a look because he's a "nice guy"

Aw, look at Dawson doing my job for me.

Jack is driving down the road, presumably towards Capeside when a cop car turns its siren on and pulls him over. It's Dougie so, yes we're outside of Capeside. He's going to give Jack a ticket for going 40 in a 25 and I forget that this is the US and they're talking miles not kilometers because 25km is ridiculously slow for a road like that. Jack says he's running late for class and asks to be given leniency but Dougie is in no mood to be bribed, warning Jack that it's a serious offence. Jack apologizes and asks for a bit of compassion to which Dougie leans in and kisses Jack, agreeing to let him go with a warning. Folks, first time I saw this I thought it was such a cool callback to all those times Pacey suspected that Dougie was gay and now finally is. Seeing it now, I don't know that I like this at all. For starters, Doug softened a bit throughout the years but he's always going to be the maniac cop who pulled a gun on his little brother for embarrassing him. That's insane behaviour and I don't wish that type of a partner on Jack. Second, I already have a huge issue with how poorly those "tee hee Dougie is closeted gay" jokes aged and seeing this just...feels icky to me rather than good. I don't think Dougie as a character was explored well enough or the implication that he could be gay explored deep enough that this is a good payoff and not a bit of a mean continuation to that joke. I don't like it but this was the early 2000s so it's pretty progressive for that time. I still think that Jack deserves better though. It's clear Dougie is not fully out and is uncomfortable with showing affection in public which is sad because Jack already expressed his disinterest in being with someone who was closeted before.

We cut to the new and improved Ice House which is owned by Pacey. I love that they brought his cooking and restaurant skills back. This was a huge improvement over the mess that was season 6. His busboy is very much supposed to be like a mini Pacey, I can tell and we learn that Pacey has been running this place for about 6 months. A woman comes in saying she has his new menu designs for him to look at and Pacey eagerly goes to check those out. He tells Cory (mini Pacey) that he's going to be in his office but Cory has a smile on his face that says he knows exactly what Pacey is going to be doing. Cut to inside the office where he and the woman start making out and I let out a huge sigh. I hated this part in my first watch too because they will not let this "joke" about Pacey liking older women go. Also, she's married and it just doesn't seem like Pacey to be in that type of a situation. Especially with Season 5 context under my belt now. He was not into his boss cheating on his wife and I just can't imagine that he'd do this. This feels out of character. 

We cut to a classroom where a jock is reading out a poem about liking a guy, mirroring the famous episode where Jack does the same, thus outing him. Everyone snickers and Jack asks the guy if there's a problem. The jock complains that it's a gay poem and Jack quips that he wasn't aware poems had a sexual orientation. Jen peeks in just in time to see Jack give a lecture about how Whitman was fired for expressing his opinions but still loved his country or something and then asks the students to write their own poem about their own fears. Unlike his horrible teacher, he tells them up front that they're going to be reading them aloud to the class and that they are expected to give each other the respect and courtesy they didn't show to Whitman. Class act, Jack. Jen comes in with a baby and we learn that Jack is her godfather, naturally. Jen tells him he's a good teacher and Jack quips that good teachers are just students trying to erase the bad memories of their own school years. Jen asks if he can erase her bad memories and he jokes that it would require a lifetime in a nunnery which feels unnecessarily mean. Are we seriously still slut shaming Jen? After all these years? Jen even looks hurt by the comment. Speaking of her reaction to that cutting remark, I have to say that even though I will always hate Jen's storyline in this finale and what happens to her, Michelle Williams brings it. She understood the assignment and she took it head on, going for that extra credit work because I noted that her voice is rather quiet and meek in these scenes which is setting up the eventual reveal. Michelle Williams was always going to go on to win Oscars. She invests in her characters and I love her for it. Jack and Jen make plans to meet up after his secret dinner with Dougie after he briefly complains about having to hide the relationship.

Dawson arrives home to his mom who is happy to see him. She says he looks great but he thinks he's aged 10 years in 9 months. Gail asks how the show is going and he says its good but they shoot the finale next week and he still doesn't have an ending. It's about this point that I realize that Kevin Williamson is Dawson and this is why his writers are debating who Sam will choose, Petey or Colby after their first season and how he doesn't have an ending yet. Kevin was asked to write this somewhere near the end of season 6. They didn't always know he was going to write this finale for them so I feel like Dawson's whole thing with being a showrunner and trying to come up with an ending is coming completely from Kevin's experience writing this even if it doesn't make sense that Dawson would be worrying about an ending for season 1 when they should be figuring out a cliffhanger to bring the audience back. I don't know why it took me so long to realize this. I never claimed to be smart. Lily comes bounding down the stairs, excited to see her big brother. I think she's supposed to be about 7 here but looks 10. Anyway, she says she got Annie Hall on DVD and wants to watch it with Dawson. This is supposed to show that she's got that filmmaker spirit, like her brother but I just don't buy it. I would have bought it so much more if she'd said something like Hook, sharing their love of Stephen Spielberg or hell ET. I may hate ET but that would have been a good callback to season 1 and also a more believable movie for a young kid to want to watch. Dawson goes to his bedroom where he finds a picture of he and Joey together and looks thoughtful. 

Ok, now I have to say something about what's coming next. This is the best reunion scene ever but it always felt like there was a scene missing. Turns out there was, it's a scene where Joey and Dawson run into each other at a gas station which probably happened before the scene I just described. We find out Joey wasn't expected to come but that she changed her plans to come out. It's also the most awkward scene ever and if you see it, you will never believe that they ever considered ending this series off with Dawson and Joey. I think what James was going for was shock and awkwardness because he's so overwhelmed by seeing his soulmate again but what is actually there is Dawson looking like he'd rather be anywhere other than with Joey and her being very uncomfortable too. 

Dawson admits that he got her numerous emails and never responded 

because...they're super soulmates guys.

I want you to know this exists because this next scene right here is how you reunite old flames. Pacey is working at the Ice House when he spots Joey arriving outside. His face lights up when he sees her, a big grin spreading across his face. He rushes to the front. She comes in asking for him and he sweeps her off her feet in a giant bear hug. She giggles and smiles, he tells her she's a sight for sore eyes. He also informs us that he didn't think she was coming. Joey says it's a long story but I'm not sure if we find out what changed her mind, definitely not this episode, if at all. Joey is amazed that he owns the place but Pacey admits that the bank and several family members own parts of it too. He offers her dinner and can't help himself but to give her another hug. She looks so comfortable in his embrace but it's interrupted by Dawson watching them with jealous eyes because he knows he's incapable of expressing anything other than awkwardness and mild discomfort as emotions. She lets go of Pacey guiltily because she knows she loves Pacey but that her friend won't let her be happy with him because he's a jealous twat. 

Later that evening the entire gang have shown up to hang out at the Ice House. There is much hugging and happiness. Pacey announces that the bar is open for everyone which is nice but man, you are trying to get rid of debt not create more. Drunk Joey, though not as drunk as in Clean and Sober, still seems to love bringing up how she painted Jack in the nude and he sprang a boner. Jack says it wasn't meant to be and he jokes that Dawson would have killed him for stealing his soul mate. I mean...even characters on this show know that Dawson is a toxic shit and they're still friends with him. Crazy. Jack asks about Audrey (there's the mention I was talking about) and Joey tells us that she's singing back up for John Mayer. Remember when John Mayer would've been seen as a cool artist for Audrey to sing for? In reality, he was probably taking advantage of her because John Mayer is a piece of shit. She also says Audrey is dating someone who she calls the anti-Pacey because he's boring and sweet and hold the fuck up. I am offended on Pacey's behalf here because one of Audrey's biggest complaints about Pacey was that he was boring because he didn't want to go out and dance and party all the time. And also, Pacey is the sweetest and I will not have the writers on this show tell me that he's not when they keep showing him being sweet. It's like the whole soulmates thing, they want us to believe Dawson and Joey are soulmates by telling us rather than showing us. I ask you, where are they soulmates? How? They keep using this word and I don't think it means what they think it means. Pacey is also affronted so Joey thanks him for reopening the Ice House because she missed it. Pacey makes a quip about her father burning it down which is a bit mean. Dawson thinks he's in a sitcom and raises his hands in the air saying "I couldn't write this stuff if I tried!" while looking bored af. If James wasn't already checked out this season, he is beyond done here. Jen asks if Dawson remembers when she de-virginized him and this is seen as the height of inappropriate which I can't figure out why because so far they've all been sharing extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate member-berries with each other. Jack scoops Jen up to carry her out but she can't help but make things more awkward by asking if they remember when her boyfriend knocked her up and left her to raise a baby by herself. Did CJ do this? My gut is that it's CJ because he sucked but I think I remember them saying it was just some rando we never met. Poor Jen. Jack tries to exit but she insists he let her say one last thing and it's good he did because she kind of saves face by saying that they are the best friends she's ever had in her life and she loves them. Everyone gives her kind of pitying looks though and I just want to protect Jen right now because she's the best.

I want nothing but the best for Jen
#Justice4Jen

With Jack and Jen gone, Pacey asks that Dawson and Joey leave too so he can clean up. He offers Dawson and Joey a ride home but Joey says she'll walk. Dawson offers him a ride home but she doubles down on the walking, which is legit. She gives them both a hug and leaves. Dawson helps clean up but it's Pacey who waxes poetic about how amazing Joey is. It's funny that they always have Pacey going on about how great Joey is while Dawson listens like we're supposed to view it as Dawson thinking of it too and not that we would root for the guy openly expressing his enormous feelings for the girl he loves. It's just funny. They did this in the first season too and it just cemented my rooting for Pacey because he always saw Joey as special whereas Dawson, her supposed soulmate was too stupid to realize how pretty she was. Pacey says that the girl he cast to play Joey doesn't hold a candle and Dawson agrees but says he nailed the casting for the Pacey stand in. Pacey asks if Dawson is happy but Dawson doesn't really know how to answer that. He asks Pacey if he is but Pacey jokes that he'd be miserable if he was happy. He tells Dawson to head out since it's not his job to clean the restaurant and they say their goodbyes until  the wedding. 

Jen and Jack are in her room at the Potter B&B. He's changing the baby's diaper. He finds a pill bottle in her bag and asks what it is. Jen says it's for her Grams. Jack is surprised she's still on painkillers because she looks like she's in good health and Jen says that looks can be deceiving. Hint two. He asks her if she's scared of raising a baby which is a fair question given her meltdown and we get a bit of parenting propaganda from Jen. She says that parenting is wonderful and while she can't program a TiVo, she can raise a child. That's nice. Not fully accurate but nice. I'm also a mom and while I love my little kiddos, I don't think I would say that parenting is wonderful or that it's easier than programming a TiVo. It's so fucking hard some days and the stress of bringing them up with decent food, clothes, morals, and without traumas gives you a constant existential dread that somehow, someway, you are fucking them up somehow and it will all be your fault can really depress you. Things don't get fixed or magically get better or happier with children. That's not to say happy moments don't exist, I just wish we were more honest with each other about what it means to parent instead of pushing this "parenting is the best thing ever!" narrative on people. Honestly, the whole overly positive thing only makes people who parent feel shittier that it doesn't feel like magic and rainbows for them all the time. I'd imagine that it's hard for Jen a lot of the time and that's fine, it doesn't mean you love your kids any less to admit that it's hard. Jack laments how he's back in the suburbs but really he's just upset that he's back in the closet because of Doug. Jen says that he's scared and just needs time and Jack thinks motherhood has made her even more wise and sage, like a superhero. She asks him to be her boy wonder and it's just so sweet to see these two interact again. I missed them in most of season 6. 

Dawson is in his room, trying to work on an ending when he hears something outside of his window. Joey tumbles into his room, not quite as graceful as she used to be climbing through his window. She says she was walking around and just ended up at his place but it was too late to ring the bell so she climbed up to his room because his light was on. She asks if he was sleeping but Dawson is happy she came. He wants to know about her and New York and everything but Joey just says that it really did hurt coming in through the window.

Pacey is locking up his restaurant for the night when a guy shows up behind him. It's the husband of menu lady. Pacey offers him a free punch because he deserves it but then other guys start showing up and Pacey realizes this is going to get bad. Dear Readers, the first time I watched this episode, I got so scared. You have no idea. The hype around this episode was all about how there was going to be a wedding and that one of our beloved characters would die. The stress I felt as Pacey is approached and beaten up by these guys, you have no idea. They go hard on him. Two guys holding him while the husband punches him repeatedly and then we just fade out.

To make things worse, we fade back into more Dawson and Joey. We find out that Joey met Christopher when she was assigned to proof his book which was before she was promoted to junior editor. So, she's a junior editor living in New York now. Must be nice. She says that they bickered and argued so much that they started dating and again, I ask how they wrote all this in without knowing they were going to end things with her and Pacey together. Anyway, Dawson asks if they're serious and Joey says they're at this place where it's either is or it isn't. She asks about him and if he has anything going on in his life. Dawson says that he's 100% committed to his show and I call BS. Are you seriously going to pull that shit again? What about that Rebecca girl that your assistant gave you the side eye for stringing along? Dawson complains but Joey tells him that dreams come true, they don't come easy. She says a famous person said it but I don't know who. Dawson says he's just tired so Joey takes it as her cue to leave but Dawson insists he just meant in general. She says she should still go because they have the wedding tomorrow. He offers to drive her home but is too sleepy so says that they should just stay and sleepover in his bed. Joey says why not and they awkwardly get in bed to sleep just like the old days.

We come back after a fade out to Dawson and Joey standing at the altar. I don't know if they were intending to keep the wedding vague and undefined for this fake out scene but it didn't trick me into believing the wedding was actually theirs, it just confused me until I guessed it was a dream. I mean, they were just talking about her relationship with Christopher. There's been tons of talk of them not seeing each other for a while. I don't know why they thought this would be a good fake out, other than as a teaser in the trailer when they said the finale would involve a wedding. Anyway, it's obviously a dream and it ends with Joey and Dawson being replaced by the Sam and Colby actors and Dawson yelling "cut" as he wakes up. He finds a note from Joey beside him because she ditched him while he slept again. 

Jack and Doug are running together. Doug says he got them plans for a weekend away but Jack is less than thrilled and finally tells him that he wants them to just hang out as a couple in Capeside. He reveals that Pacey knows and is happier for them but Doug thinks it's because Pacey gets the last laugh. Jack says it's because Pacey loves him and I'm happy that someone is sticking up for Pacey as a character. I mean, I get why Doug would feel that way, it's just nice that Jack knows that Pacey has matured beyond that point. Doug gets defensive and says that not everyone was a f*g at 15. Both Jack and I are stunned that he said that. I'm shocked it was allowed on a show like this, to be honest. Jack points out that the difference between them is that Doug was a f*g at 15 but that he hasn't stopped hating himself for it. Woof. Tough scene. Honestly, I know that Doug is struggling with his identity but I still say that Jack deserves better than this. Yikes.

We cut to the actual wedding and it's Gail who's getting married to some guy. Just some dude. Wouldn't it be funny if she ended up marrying Back to you, Bob? I mean, I know Dawson wouldn't be happy for her but I would be amused and that's all that counts. At the reception, we see that Pacey is ok and here but he's wearing sunglasses. Jen is off in the corner taking a pill when Pacey comes up, asking her what she's taking. Jen tells him it's for her anxiety and he asks if she can share. He takes off the shades to reveal his black eyes. Jen expresses her concern. We see the menu lady is at the wedding too and clearly wants Pacey to keep banging her but he's beyond not interested now. 

Cut to a bit later and he and Joey are dancing. Joey asks him to tell her how he got the shiner but he just says that mistakes were made. He changes the subject by telling her he has so much fun when she's around. Jen and Dawson then wonder over and Jen asks if they can switch partners because Dawson won't let her lead. Joey and Dawson dance awkwardly together and he asks why she bailed. Joey rambles that she had to get ready and that the deja vu of it all got to her so she needed to bail. Dawson gloats about how he knows that she's nervous because she rambles when she's nervous and is happy that he makes her nervous. I get what they're going for here but in this case, I don't get the impression that she's nervous because she still likes him but rather that she's nervous because he still expects her to be as into him as he is into her and she isn't and knows that he'll be a little piss-baby about it. Jen comes back, asking to change partners again because Pacey won't stop stepping on her feet. Josh is such a good actor because we all know that this is implausible that he would suck at dancing since he took dance lessons with Joey, so he blames his new shows and even Joey isn't buying that excuse. It's adorable, their little exchange about his new shoes. She knows what's up and is in on it because she wants to be dancing with Pacey. As they dance together, Joey notices the woman watching them and says they have an audience. She says that he's still breaking hearts and he says, her heart but his jaw and Joey kind of clues into where the shiner came from. Pacey asks if she can help him out and she asks him how and he dips her while kissing her.

I'm sorry, were we actually thinking she'd end up with Dawson after this??

She's still in the kiss right now...she's lucky she can still stand on two feet

Look at me, so easily forgetting how awful she was in season 6 already. I guess the finale is working its magic on me. That and Joshua is just too charismatic. Love Bites really, really killed my ship and I'm still not sure Joey is that deserving of being this sought after but goddamn do these two really sell it. I also still urge you guys to just not watch season 6 because this works a whole lot better without Joey and her huge Eddie mistake looming over it. Anyway, the woman storms off and Pacey thanks Joey but Joey is definitely extremely lost in how hot that kiss was. Suddenly we hear Dawson calling out Jen's name and we see that she's collapsed. Grams yells for someone to get her bag because Jen needs her pills but Pacey says that he just saw her take one. Grams looks absolutely deflated and urges them to get her an ambulance. Grams reveals that Jen is sick and that it's her heart. Then sobs because her baby Jen is dying. You know, I saw Michelle Williams give a speech recently where she brings up her relationship with Mary Beth Peil on this show and how close they were and it's performances like this that you just know they were close and it warms my heart that after all these years, Michelle still thinks of Mary Beth, her Grams. I love it even if this scene is killing me right now.

The whole gang is waiting at the hospital. Grams comes out and tries to downplay everything. She says that Jen will be fine and more embarrassed than anything when she wakes up. A doctor calls her away and Pacey asks Jack if he knew but he didn't. Pacey doesn't want to be alarmist but he points out that a heart condition isn't exactly not serious. Everyone looks worried. Grams comes back and tells them that Jen fainted due to a palpitation caused by her medication. She then urges them to go home because she needs to call Jen's mom.

Pacey is driving Dawson and Joey home. Joey is concerned because she doesn't think it's good. Dawson says that they shouldn't jump to conclusions and Pacey says that she's young and healthy. Dawson says they should just carry on with their usual selves and Pacey adds on with their sordid love triangle ways. Dawson laughs but Joey is not amused. She gets a call from Christopher so Dawson quips that the triangle has become a square. Pacey is impressed but Joey is again, not amused. 

Jack has stayed behind while Grams talked with the doctor. He's pacing and nervous. He looks up anxiously when Grams comes out and she's shocked to see he's still there but then completely breaks down and sobs in his arms so we know it's not good news. We cut to Jack going in to Jen's room where she's awake now. She asks what he's still doing there and he makes a joke about how he flirted with a nurse, Jen tries to get into banter about whether or not they're a male nurse and if they're cute but Jack isn't in the mood for their usual banter. He wants to know why she didn't tell her best friend what was going on with her. Jen says that she was pretending it didn't exist so it would go away, that she likes their banter, that she was scared and that she was an idiot. Jack asks her how bad it is. She reveals that she has pulmonary congestion, where her heart isn't getting blood pumped properly to it so it's backing up into her lungs, I'm not a doctor that's just how it sounds as she describes it. It sounds honestly like a horrifying way to go. Jack wants to do all the things to help, new meds, new specialists, all of that but Jen says she's already been to the best. She's going to die and she wants him to be there for her and to help her not screw it up. Oh god, I'm already tearing up and this isn't the most heartbreaking this is going to get. Prepare yourselves. Stock up on tissues because Michelle Williams was given a task to do and she is going to fucking bring her A game because she's a goddamn professional. She asks Jack to be with her and to tell her about the male nurse. He climbs into bed with her, sobbing as he tells her about Max who has a goatee. Jen quips that they can work on that and I laugh through my ugly tears. Don't do this to me, show. Don't tear apart the true soulmates like this. I wanted them to end up raising the baby together, maybe even as a throuple if Doug gets his shit together. Instead, I'm here bawling my eyes out.

Excuse me, I have something in my eye and there's someone
chopping onions over there, and um...allergies. Fuck it, these two are
just nailing this scene and I'm bawling my eyes out

We get a montage of scenes where each character gets the terrible news about Jen's fate. I hate to be petty at such a touching and sad moment but it's amusing to me that Jack took the time to go see Pacey and Joey in person to give them the news but Dawson gets a phone call. Fuck you, Dawson. What he does get is Joey showing up and they hug each other in sorrow as we fade to black. Now, here is where in the og run, we got a commercial break and continued on our sad journey to the end of this series but I'm going to cut this here because in syndication land, this is the end of the episode. Stay tuned for part two and trust me, do not come unprepared. You'll need tissues. Lots of them. My heart breaks thinking about the scene to come. Stay tuned.