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Here's what I wrote about this episode when it aired:
I thought that this was one of the most emotionally powerful episodes of Dawson’s Creek that I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch, as a heartbreaking type of reality hit home for both Pacey and Gretchen in scenes that were so sad to watch, and as Jen Lindley broke through years of pain and self destruction and realized a shocking truth which had sent her on a downward spiral, and had tragically affected her in ways, like Dr. Frost had said, that “she couldn’t even begin to fathom.”
I liked Dawson and Gretchen’s conversation in the beginning of the episode, and how she was able to inspire the always overly analytical and introspective Dawson to live for the moment and do something, as he phrased it so well, “epic, and romantic, and crazy, and perfect.” I really loved the affection that Dawson and Gretchen showed each other in this episode, and I thought it was amusing to see Dawson taken in by a seemingly friendly old man who, after Dawson helped him repair his truck after Dawson and Gretchen got a flat tire, dropped them like a hot potato when he found out that they didn’t have any money. I really loved seeing Dawson and Gretchen’s romantic interlude by the sea, but I couldn’t believe that at the moment of ultimate romance between a couple that I’ve come to love dearly, that Dawson would mention Joey, because not only was it tactless of him to do that, it seemed to indicate a sad reality for both Gretchen, and, ultimately, for Dawson, that Dawson really isn’t over Joey. I couldn’t believe that at a moment where he had a possible opportunity to make love to a young woman that loves him and has treated him with the utmost of tenderness and respect, that Dawson would say that he envisioned that his and Joey’s “first time” would be with each other, because Joey’s moved on, and up to recently, I thought that Dawson had moved on as well, but it seems that he hasn’t, which will sadden some people, and elate some other people, because when it comes right down to it, it seems that Dawson’s heart is in conflict with his head, because for every logical reason, Dawson should give all of his heart to Gretchen, because she’s the one who loves him, and who’s been there for him, and not Joey, but as Dawson said once, “How do you explain the things you love? You don’t, you just do.” I think that Gretchen was right to stop Dawson from making love with her, and my heart broke for both Dawson and Gretchen because she realized that despite his words to the contrary, Dawson still loved Joey, and a part of his heart was still with her, and he still couldn’t quite let her go. I also thought that Gretchen was right when she told Dawson that when they make love, it shouldn’t be because Dawson had something to prove to himself, but because they loved each other, and because they were prepared to show each other what that really meant. To me, though, I now feel that moment will never come, as the tears streamed down Gretchen’s face as she sat besides a sleeping Dawson, because it seems that at least on Dawson’s side, Drue’s comment that Dawson and Joey’s romantic relationship had wounded Dawson’s psyche and doomed all his future relationships seemed incredibly prophetic, and that saddens me immensely, because as much as I loved Dawson and Joey together, I’d hate to see Dawson deny himself the chance for happiness with a truly wonderful person, by clinging on to the “ghost” of someone, and something, that he only had for a fleeting moment. At this point, I say again,
Dawson needs to let Joey go, before he ruins something really wonderful in his life.
My heart really broke for Pacey in this episode, as harsh reality set in for him, and he was forced to remain behind to take a test for a junior class while everyone else was enjoying “Senior Ditch Day.” People can argue all they want that Pacey had put himself in this present predicament, but I still felt bad for him, and I hope that someday he’ll find the strength within himself to persevere and become a success in whatever he sets his mind to do. As someone who’s going through a rough time in my life myself right now, I simply can not sit in judgment of a young man who’s going through a rough time in his life. I liked seeing Pacey and Drue bond a bit, but I couldn’t understand why the bar owner suddenly got so hostile with Drue and Pacey, and started closely questioning Pacey when he had initially welcomed them with open arms, but I guess the whole purpose of that scene was to set up the confrontation scene with Doug and Pacey, which I found to be a emotionally riveting scene as Pacey cried out in anguish and anger over how his life was turning out, and Doug’s embrace of Pacey was heart wrenching.
I absolutely loved Joey and Jen’s scenes in this episode, and it was so heartwarming to see them finally truly bond as friends. I really enjoyed seeing the wonder on Joey’s face as Jen showed her around New York, and I was touched that Joey stayed with Jen when Jen revealed that she wasn’t in New York to go see an admissions person at NYU, but to see her father, and Joey’s advice to Jen about confronting her father was heartfelt and true. I thought that Michelle’s performance in this episode was absolutely heartbreaking, as she first related to Joey how much she had loved her father as a child, and as she later confronted her father about her witnessing his sleeping with a neighbor of hers that Jen had adored, and how, at that moment, he took her innocence away from her forever. I really disliked Mr. Lindley from the moment I met him, but I did enjoy hearing his romantic narrative of New York, which was obviously meant to represent a metaphor for either Dawson and Joey’s romantic relationship, or Pacey and Joey’s romantic relationship (I lean towards the former,
) but no matter how you want to interpret it, it was a lovely description of what love is. As a side note, I thought that Katie Holmes looked breathtakingly lovely in this scene, and her eyes were nothing short of mesmerizing. I thought that the final confrontation scene between Jen and her father was heartbreaking but ultimately liberating for Jen, as she realized that she didn’t need to forgive her father or to extract a confession from him, but she needed to forgive herself, and in the final scene with Dr. Frost which brought tears to my eyes, she realized that she had the strength to do so.
Bravo, Jen. One scene that also brought tears to my eyes was watching Joey anxiously await Jen’s arrival at Grand Central Station, and then embrace Jen when she saw her. A lot of us have been waiting for a scene like that between these two wonderful characters since Season One, so it was so wonderful to see Joey and Jen finally cross that emotional threshold and become true friends.
Overall, I think this was the best episode of Dawson’s Creek that I’ve watched this season, with bravura acting performances all around, and I hope that the writers and producers can match the standard they set tonight in future episodes.