Reviews

Having just finished watching the entire series, I really believe this is one of the episodes that will come to mind whenever I think about Dawson's Creek. It works so well and it's just such a powerful piece of television.

The plot is very simple. On this episode, the gang gets stuck in detention for various reasons. The penitence serves as way for them to release all the anger and insecurity they've been keeping inside throughout this season. There is a lot of catharsis here, especially in the scenes involving Joey (Katie Holmes). Kudos to Abby (Monica Keena) as well for being the perfect instigator of all the truth and emotions that pours out of this episode.

What makes these 45 minutes works so well for me is because it's a great example of a bottle episode. Really, it does everything right. All of the characters are very relatable and there is a lot of development here. The best part is that we get to see an early glimpse of their dynamic together - which in my opinion was still yet to be explored in earlier episodes.

Also, there is a reference to Breakfast Club that really got me laughing. It's something that Kevin Williamson likes to do and it makes this show so self-aware.

The last scene has a very obvious (but still pungent) visual message. We see Dawson and Jen working through their relationship while Joey is crying at the middle of the frame in the background. It perfectly encapsulates the tension we feel between those three characters and the biggest obstacle in Dawson's current relationship: his best friend in the world.

Adolescence is a weird and complicated time of a person's life. This episode depicts it beautifully. I give it a 8, which in my ratings book for teen drama is: amazing.

This is my very first review because I feel like I have to say something about this show. Don't get me wrong, I really like it and I think that the first four seasons are highly entertaining - which is remarkable for any show that debuted so long ago, especially a teen drama.

However, I do feel that by season four the writers had already achieved what they were aiming for. A message had already been conveyed, one that spoke about the harshness of being a teenager and the necessity of moving on from things that you held dear in your childhood in order to go on with your life. It was an edgy show that presented difficult choices and was not afraid of depicting its characters in moments of weakness which every damn teenager can relate to.

By now, six long seasons in, the situations faced by the characters seems too redundant. For instance, why does this show feels constant urge to depict a given character having a relationship with someone much older in a position of power? Really, at this point, the same situation was experienced by Pacey, Joey and Jack. Whatever it is that the writers are trying to say with this, we get it. There is no need to keep involving those poor teenagers in the same situation over and over again. It has become awfully difficult to watch this situation replay itself.

Another character that has been very hard to watch is Joey. This may prove to be an unpopular opinion, but I really don't think that this character has much more to be explored. At least not so much in order to make the whole show revolve basically around her. We get it, Katie Holmes showed a lot of potential in her early years as an actress (it is in fact a shame that her career didn't go much further) and the problem has nothing to do with her but with the script. To have her being involved with another bad boy type is just plain lazy writing. It has even become formulaic at this point and I can show it:

1) Joey meets a guy and then hates him at first glance because he treated her badly (it is usually a horrible situation that would have no excuse in real life especially with someone that you don't even know); 2) The guy has a very out of the blue "redemption arc" in which the audience is supposed to sympathize with him. Joey starts seeing him with different eyes, always learning not to judge to quickly; 3) Joey and the guy start a unexciting flirtation/relationship that would be completely dysfunctional in real life.

Hey, I know that TV shows and movies in general don't have to follow the logic of real life, but to watch those kind of relationships evolve in 2021 is really dull. That is the reason why I can't understand why Joey is overshadowing Dawson in these later seasons. Sure, he was a little annoying until season two but I don't think he deserved this. Plus, James Van der Beek does a really good job with the character despite having almost no voice (but that's actually better than hear him yelling all the time in season one and two). His interpretation reminds me a lot of Daniel Radcliffe's in the Harry Potter series - there's nothing really special about his acting skills (at least not in display here), but he has charisma and pretty much nails the role of a teenage boy. And his character arc is so good that I think that it should be explored better with more screen time. Dawson is really running after his dreams and this is very inspiring and a great example for young audiences despite this show's writing having him doing things that are so unbelievably out of character like boasting to his ex about having sex with Joey (really?!).

And yes, I also think that the whole Dawson/Joey "will they won't they" has already run its course. This is yet another example of how this show has not much to say at this point. It is a great example of creativity being shadowed by the network's need to have more and episodes. To end with season four would have done great justice to this show and perhaps made it age so much better.

The only character who is still undeniably good is of course Pacey. Not much to say here, Joshua Jackson is just outstanding. I'm even tempted to say that if they wanted more seasons after the fourth year, why not just make a spin off based on his character? That could be fun to watch.

Overall, I'm just slightly disappointed. I do intend to finish this show completely aware that I will never reclaim the time that I'll spent on it or my youth. It has been an overall entertaining experience. I give this episode a 4, which in my rating book is: meh.