We’ve made it to season three! What a ride it has been.
Buckle up, because it’s another doozy…We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. At the same time, it feels like absolutely nothing changes.
Joey and Dawson haven’t spoken after their breakup in season two…and it’s awkward. Dawson is now smitten with the “hot girl” from the bus, whose name he later learns is Eve.
Pacey and Joey drive together to the retreat where Andie has been getting help/treatment. Andie reveals that she slept with someone while she was there and Pacey is heartbroken, which breaks the trust and ultimately leads to their breakup.
Things are still rocky with Dawson’s parents. His mom has been in Philadelphia for work but decides to come back to Capeside.
The Escape from Witch Island episode is EXCELLENT. Dawson is working on a project and decides to make his own spin on Blair Witch Project. I just thought it was very fitting for the time. We get to see the main crew trying to survive a crazy ghost tale and freaky things happening as a team, all while navigating their own drama with the relationships and friendships at stake.
Thanksgiving in Capeside wouldn’t be complete without a little soapy drama, right? Jen’s mom comes to town and admits that Eve, who has been hanging around with Dawson, is actually her half sister. She and her mom have a true heart to heart about why she sent her away, the unhappiness she’s felt in the marriage and Jen admits that she’s happy where she is.
The Four to Tango episode has to be one of my top episodes for the series so far. Pacey and Jen have worked out a sort of ‘friends with benefits’ deal, even though they haven’t actually done anything besides make out. It doesn’t work out, ultimately, and Joey and Pacey make a deal of their own. She’ll tutor him while he struggles with school and he’ll be her dance partner, so she has a shot at getting a scholarship through a dance competition. Dawson and Jen do some investigative work and discover that Joey and Pacey have been spending more time together, and follow them to their dance lessons.
Pacey is actually the guy I expected Dawson to be before watching the series. You think Dawson is the good guy, but really, he’s just a self-righteous dude that wants things to go his way.
Jack has been connecting with more guys for dates and trying to figure out what that actually looks like for him.
The gang does a college visit — Dawson, Joey, Jack and Andie — which opens their worlds up to what is possible for them. Joey meets a college guy she starts talking to and it gives them a glimpse at their life to come.
Jen and Jack have become besties, which is a duo I didn’t know we needed. She needs someone to balance her wild ideas out and he needs someone to pull him out of his shell more.
Joey’s family opens a bed and breakfast, but it’s been more of a struggle than they thought it would be. Pacey decides to take it upon himself to help out when he finds out a travel writer is nearby and invites him to stay at the b&b. Joey panics because she’s afraid he’ll see all that’s wrong with it, but it ends up being the perfect opportunity for them to set their differences aside, work together and make a positive impression on this writer.
Pacey seems to find his way into the arts, landing the lead role in the school play. Everyone is going to be there to support him, except the one person he’s started developing feelings for - Joey. She’s going on a date with college guy, AJ, that she’s been talking to. Pacey does his best to convince her to come, at least to the after party, and she says she’ll see what she can do. During her date, she tells AJ that she has somewhere to be and shows up at the after party which brightens Pacey’s day.
Joey has a chance to show off her artwork at the school and paints a mural on one of the walls, with a couple of others. When Pacey realizes it’s punk/jock Matt Caufield, he wants to stand up for her and make him pay. They bring it to the town meeting/school board and it gets messy. But, it continues to prove how serious he is about Joey…Even Dawson doesn’t think it’s worth sticking his neck out for.
When Joey gets another job and is working for a jerky guy who constantly hits on her but she turns him down. When Andie agrees to go with him on a date, Joey tries to warn her and even crashes their date to let her know it isn’t a good idea. It’s messy, but is also one of those plots that helps Andie move forward from Pacey and their nasty breakup.
Pacey and Joey start sort of…sneaking around, spending more time together. This is where things get so annoying. Joey turns into a bit of a Dawson. Pacey has been clear about his feelings for her and his intentions. And she just can’t seem to choose. Andie, while she starts talking to/seeing another friend of Dawson’s, admits that she still has feelings for Pacey - Dawson eventually finds out and is not on board with it at all. Pacey doesn’t understand why Joey
The chemistry between Joey and Pacey (Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes) is just delightful. There’s a more natural progression with them that we get to see - the enemies to lovers. They aren’t as careful or delicate with one another, they aren’t afraid to have more honest conversations. I have to say for them acting like Pacey is just the ‘jokester’ who doesn’t care as much as the others, he has a good head on his shoulders and seems to be more emotionally mature than Dawson and Joey. Man, they are quite the pair.
Dawson’s mom ends up opening a restaurant, Leery’s Fresh Fish (also apparently known as the Fresh Fish Sidewalk Cafe and Eatery). It becomes a more central spot for the group, as they begin working there.
Dawson’s parents end up getting remarried - I still think it’s strange that Joey is the Maid of Honor and Dawson is the Best Man. I guess that’s what you get for a teen drama in the 90s/early 00s.
Jen has started seeing a younger guy, and she has really fallen for him. What’s even more surprising is how much her grams is actually supportive of it and drives her several hours away to meet up with him so she can declare her feelings and not leave things unfinished.
Pacey has been working on a boat, which has become his pride and joy and with all the drama between him, Joey and Dawson, he decides he’s going to take a sailing trip all summer to get away from it all.
Jack has seen a lot of character development — He actually finds a guy that he’s into, and has his first real heartbreak. It also manages to bring he and his dad closer to one another, and they’d never had a good one before. Jack and Andie’s dad really makes more of an effort with them.
Honestly, Grams might just be my favorite character on this show. She’s a real one…She’s also just the most level-headed out of everyone.
Dawson and Joey have it out during the Anti-Prom. He’s still not over her, and it becomes this sort of tug-o-war with him and Pacey fighting over Joey. It’s a real love triangle once again…Joey goes back and forth, weighing her options. Eventually, she does choose Pacey and runs down to the dock to meet him just in time and goes with him on his trip.
Let’s talk about THAT MEME/GIF:
I’ve seen this floating around the internet for years and have even used it for conversations on multiple occasions. But, seeing it in the context of the scene was even better than I could have imagined.
sigh
I’m sure there’s so much more I’ve missed, but these are the general ideas. Another dramatic ending, and wondering what season four will hold.
PUSHING PLAY…NOW | STAY TUNED!
That’s all for now,
