#306 - Secrets And Lies
I found this episode to be somewhat of a disappointment, mainly because a lot of the character interaction was disappointing, as the writers seemed to continue their quest to create contrived drama by presenting one of the main characters in a very unfavorable light. As is typical of Dawson’s Creek nowadays, though, it did have a few good moments that almost redeemed the show, but not quite.
I didn’t like the fact that the opening scene wasn’t in Dawson’s room, as yet another "hallowed tradition" of the show is discarded on the "all new" Dawson’s Creek. I also feel that this "Jen Lindley as iconoclast" routine is really getting tedious. It’s nice to see Dawson and Jen relate as friends though. I also missed seeing Jack on the show this episode, as I must say that he does make a very positive contribution to the show.
I thought that it was a bit far fetched that Joey and Bessie would be turning their "shack on the wrong side of the creek" into a bed and breakfast, instead of rebuilding the Ice House. I also thought it would be highly unlikely that any insurance company would cover the damage to the Ice House caused by the fire, as the arson that caused its destruction was a direct result of Mr. Potter’s criminal activities. Still, though, it was good to see Pacey helping Joey once again, and I’m encouraged by the way their friendship has developed.
I was happy to see Gail return, and I was happy to see Dawson not only escort her to the Homecoming Queen Gala, but also encourage her to rebuild her relationship with Mitch. I also thought that her reluctance to tell Dawson about the true reason that she left Philadelphia was understandable, and reflected a sad reality. I find it sadly touching in this overly youth oriented world that we live in that a woman in her late thirties or early forties could be considered "too old" to be a nightly news anchor.
I thought that Jen’s meeting with Constance Freckling showed a total initial lack of respect for the older woman’s position in the community and the high regard with which Miss Feckling held the honor of being Homecoming Queen. I was very touched, however, to see how much Henry understood what a sad and empty life that Miss Feckling had, and his words spoke volumes about what a nice and sensitive young man that he is. I was also glad to see that Jen could somewhat see past herself for once and understand, to a degree, the feelings of another person. I thought Henry’s scenes with Jen were very realistic, and I can well remember wearing my heart on my sleeve like that when I was his age. I do feel, however that Henry and Jen are completely mismatched, and that Jen was correct when she said that the difference in their ages and experience makes it implausible that they could ever get together. I was once again disheartened that Jen seems to totally disregard the way that Dawson had treated her when she made yet another world weary statement about how no one had ever treated her well. Statements like that make me wish that they would get to the core of why Jen is such a wounded soul, instead of wasting the considerable talent of Michelle Williams by milking this "ironically rebellious Jen" routine dry. I also feel that the writers need to give Jen’s character some true direction. I also thought that Jen’s manner of dress and supplying transvestites as the "entertainment" for the Homecoming Queen Gala was mildly amusing, but extremely unrealistic, and it reflects one further step in Dawson’s Creek’s departure from anything that even remotely resembles reality.
I really disliked almost every scene that Andie was in, and I really despised how she tried to maneuver her way back into a relationship with Pacey by fabricating a story about an attempted sexual assault, and in the process shamelessly manipulated both Pacey and Joey. I was glad to see that Pacey ultimately rejected her advances, and Josh Jackson once again proved himself to be the best actor on the show in the scene where he tells her that they can’t get back together and that she’s "not the one." I was also touched to see Joey reach out to someone as a friend other than Dawson, and I thought that represented real growth on the part of her character. I am very disappointed, however, in the direction that the writers are taking Andie’s character, as they seem intent on making everyone hate her, for the sake of creating contrived drama. Andie McPhee is a clearly troubled young woman, and I think the writers are doing a very poor job in generating any sympathy for her character, as her tearful "confession" to Joey at the end of the show was simply not very convincing.
On a final note, I was disappointed to see the apparent development shown in next week’s preview between Pacey and Jen, as I feel it cheapens both characters, and the show itself. Unfortunately though, I’ve learned to expect to be disappointed with what was once my favorite television show, Dawson’s Creek.
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