212 - Uncharted Waters
Pacey is playing darts in Dawson’s room. Dawson is trying to add some complexity to his characters. He’s taking notes from “The Great Santini”; classic father-son relationship: Father thinks son is a total screw up. They’ll see plenty of that on their fishing trip this weekend. They ask each other if they respect their fathers, but none gives a straight answer. Pacey decides that if he can hit the bulls-eye, they are in for a great weekend. He does it. “Best two out of three.” “Absolutely.”
Dawson and Pacey are tiding their bikes, when Pacey’s dad pulls up in his cop-car. He tells Dawson to come back from LA when he’s older and visit Pacey at his burger flipping job. He jokes around about tomorrow’s fishing tournament and tells him to keep Pacey out of trouble. Pacey isn’t happy with the burger comment.
Dawson is telling Joey about all the things that are going wrong with the movie. He says Jen has it all under control. He lets her know he’s not comparing her to Jen. He loved working with her on the last movie. Jen invites Joey to be on a report that Gale is doing on local teenage girls.
Mitch and Dawson arrive on the boat. Pacey has to tell Dawson something. He’s sorry. Just then Jack come running up to the boat with all his things.
Jen, Joey, Abby, and Andie are at Dawson’s house with Gale and the camera man. Gale knows this is going to be a fun day!
Dawson asks Jack why he came. How could he leave Joey alone this weekend, ‘cause right about now, some guy is gonna come along and steal her right from under his nose.
Gale’s forum isn’t gong well. Nobody’s talking. Gale says they should make it a little less formal. Get to know each other better. Make it a girls night. Abby hopes this won’t take all night. Andie and Abby trade insults.
John Witter tells everyone what they’re jobs are. Pacey’s left out to do the dirty work. Pacey says “this sucks” under his breath. Jack doesn’t look to sea worthy.
Abby wants to go on a field trip to Dawson’s room. They all follow after her.
Jack tells Dawson that he didn’t steal Joey. If Dawson has any respect for Joey, Dawson better respect him.
Jen and Joey trap Abby in Dawson’s closet. Andie finds tucked behind “Jaws”, “Good Will Humping”. They all go over to see.
John almost gets a fish, but the pole breaks. He yells at Pacey for not having a new pole ready. Pacey tells Dawson that Andie told him to bring Jack. Dawson doesn’t know why he didn’t warn him. “Screw you, Dawson. Not all of us can be perfection.”
Joey, Andie, Jen, and Abby watch in disgust and amazement as they watch the movie. Abby points out that “Your aware that where this tape begins, Dawson finished?” “Finished what?”, Andie asks. “Shaking hands with the unemployed.” “Boxing the bald headed bishop.” “Test firing the missile.” They make a joke that this could be Jen in a few years. She doesn’t find it funny. Gale comes in, and Andie turns the TV off. Andie says it’s a film on human anatomy for school. Abby has morals, so says it’s a porno of that pervert Dawson. Gale makes them leave Dawson’s room. Joey and Jen argue over their relationship. Joey feels Jen is replacing her intentionally.
The guys stop at a tavern. Pacey is upset with Dawson for criticizing his own father. Jack explains how Mr. Witter has placed Dawson so high that Pacey can never live up to.
Abby is taking over the discussion and saying how everyone of these girls are insecure. She can’t even speak her mind anymore. “I make a cancer joke and Joey gets upset. I make a crazy joke and Andie gets upset. Or, you make a crack about ho-bags and Jen starts humping the couch.” Gale asks Abby to leave. “What kind of journalist are you? Oh, I know, a trashy on that sleeps around.”
Dawson tells his dad he should be out trying to get employment. He wants Dawson to respect him.
Pacey’s drunk dad challenges him to a game of darts. It comes down to the last shot. His father stares him in the eye. Pacey intentionally throws in to loose. After the game, Pacey takes the last shot out of the board and throws it again. This time it’s a bulls-eye
With Abby gone, the girls open up to their insecurities.
Jack tells Dawson he hasn’t had a father-son weekend in a long time. Jack tells how his father left them. “I know how that feels.” “Dawson. Your dad moved up the street. My father’s gone. Try to put that into perspective.”
Pacey’s dad passes out on the beach. Pacey has a father-son talk with himself. He ends up crying over how his dad doesn’t love him. “You’re supposed to love me, you son of a bitch!”
Jack has a big fish on his line. He lets Pacey take over. Pacey reels in the big one.
Gale thanks Joey. Gale says how Joey is her surrogate daughter.
Andie leaves the Leery house to fins Abby sitting on a chair under a blanket. Abby explains how she creates drama. Abby’s mom shows up and Abby asks her if the needs a ride She accepts.
Joey and Jen apologize to each other. They respect each other. Pacey and his dad celebrate winning the tournament. He gives Pacey the trophy and tells him to enjoy the moment. “You probably won’t have many more like it.” Dawson says there are people who respect him. One of them is him, and another is probably sitting at home having a perky coronary in anticipation of his arrival from the sea.
Mitch drives Dawson home. Dawson tells him that he respects him. Mitch just about goes inside the house with him. He remembers then, and turns around and drives away.
