Classic TV Episodes--Dawson's Creek--"Capeside Revisited"

The inclusion of the Dawson's Creek episode "Capeside Revisited" might ruin whatever small credibility exists for the Classic TV Episode feature. Now, I doubt that I have any credibility anyway; however, should I have any credibility, it will disappear because of my decision to include "Capeside Revisited." It's the third episode of the awful fifth season (also known as the College Years: Year 1). Large chunks of the episode are terrible such as Jack's pledge to the fraternity as well Jen and Chad Michael Murray's sexual antics. But the episode features a delightfully comical episode that isn't supposed to be delightfully comical at all.

Just yesterday, Funnyordie.com posted a video with James Van Der Beek having some fun with the Dawson Crying Face GIF. In July, the same website posted a video featuring Joshua Jackson's attempt to have a Pacey-Con in San Diego during the week of comic con. Jackson claimed that Pacey Witter is the greatest character in the history of television. While Pacey could win a tournament of 64 for Greatest Character, some other characters exist elsewhere that are better than Pacey Witter. But, remember, that nobody wants to be Dawson Leery and no one would mind being Pacey Witter which, in itself, is reason enough to celebrate Pacey Con.

If two prominent actors in Dawson's Creek recognize the unintentional comedy of the show seven years after the series ended then all is fair game in Dawson's Creek. The website Television Without Pity were the pioneers of the Dawson's Creek snark, and the first to have fun with the crying face and The Ice Cream Cone of Doom. In fact, the Ice Cream Cone of Doom is the lone reason "Capeside Revisted" earns a place in the prestigious Classic TV Episodes feature, along with the ridiculous foreshadowing of Mitch Leery's demise.

Now, the following episode (titled "The Long Goodbye") is a moving piece of television as it shows Dawson trying to come to terms with the death of his father, and the episode removes itself from the Ice Cream Cone. "Capeside Revisited" is so ridiculous in its set-up to "The Long Goodbye" though.

Dawson leaves USC because he loves Josephine Potter so very much, and a phone call in which Joey tells him that she wants to move on past their nonsense makes Dawson hop on a plane to Boston to see her. Usually, one would remain in one's present location if he or she received a phone call in which their on/off again significant other essentially ended any possibility of a courtship in the foreseeable future. Dawson Leery's not like normal human beings. He's the type of guy who will attempt to kill his friend via a boat should he begin dating a girl he rejected several months ago. I assume that Dawson didn't bother to listen to the message Joey left, and instead thought "hey she called! That means she wants me!' and booked his ticket. Dawson's task in "Capeside Revisted" is to convince his parents to let him drop out of USC, pay for him to live in Boston (now that isn't explicity stated but Dawson has no job and I doubt Grams lets people live rent-free in her house) so that he can woo Joey Potter despite how wrong the two are for one another even though Kevin Williamson and every writer who ever worked on the show insist that Dawson and Joey are soulmates.

Predictably, the Leery parents have issues with their son's poor decision-making. Mitch bluntly states that Dawson worked hard, got into USC because his dream has always been to be a filmmaker and now Dawson changed his mind. Mitch doesn't understand the decision at all. Dawson more or less agrees with that summary but adds he's at a profound crossroad in his life. Father and son have differences in opinion for the first time in their life but Mitch consistently tells his son that he'll support him. Later, in the backyard of Leery Manor, Dawson tells his mother about how he longs to live a life without a plan. Yes, Leery's whole plan boils down to the fact that he's tired of having long-term goals. Gail somehow doesn't bite off her son's head. Actually, the show used this same plot on Andie in the fourth season. Andie grew tired of being the girl with the plan so she went to a rave, took ecstacy then left Capeside to spend several months studying in Italy. What a punishment. As Dawson whines about his outstanding life, the backyard's bathed in gorgeous sunshine and the creek looks magnificent. I wonder if the writers wanted the audience to sympathize with Dawson but his life is exceptionally good. His house is located in a sort of paradise. It's absolutely beautiful. Of course, Dawson's whining about his lack of risk-taking, and how he's always known what he wanted.

Let's not forget that Dawson knows exactly what he wants by moving to Boston. He wants Joey Potter. After all, as Audrey says, "[Joey] you're beautiful, and you don't know it. You're smart, and you don't believe it. You're the kind of girl guys never get over. Joey, you're the kind of girl that other girls get compared to." Of course, I disagree with this compliment because I've met far more fantastic girls than fictional Joey Potter but the writers always portrayed Joey as the second best woman in the world next to the Virgin Mary. Mitch knows his son well enough to figure out that Dawson wants to move back for Joey. And, of course, Mitch respects his son for wanting to follow his heart and blow an entire semester's worth of tuition. But Dawson is the idiot in this situation regardless of the writers' intention to portray Dawson as some sort of romantic hero.

Meanwhile, the set-up for the Ice Cream Cone unfolds as Mitch randomly declares how much he loves life, how blessed he is to have a wonderful, functional family. In Dawson's room, after another dead-end conversation with his son about USC, Mitch randomly tells Dawson to seize the moment because the moment disappears quickly and THAT'S LIFE. The only reason Stepakoff wrote those words for Mitch is because he knew Mitch would sing enthusiastically to "Drift Away" using his ice cream cone as a microphone, that one scoop of the ice cream would fly to the floor, that Mitch would make his own poor decision to pick up the scoop of ice cream, and that errant scoop of ice cream would cost Mitch his life.



Before the Ice Cream Cone enters Mitch's life, Mitch accepts Dawson's decision though he tells his son that his decision is a mistake and that he's disappointed in him for the first time in his life; however, he adds that he will always love and support his son. In the following episode, Dawson only remembers hearing the disappointed part and not the whole unconditional love bit. Dawson receives his closure courtesy of the local convienance store worker who tells Dawson how much Mitch respected his son's romantic side. Also, Mitch bought Dawson another 400 dollar plane ticket, which offended Dawson. Oh, Dawson Leery.

The A story merely exists to create tension between father and son before Mitch's death--an event that will shape Dawson's arc for the season. The arc's not very good, and everyone mostly forgets about Mitch. Dawson sees a therapist much but it's sex with Jen that heals his grief. Dawson finds some time to visit Mitch's grave later in the season to inform him that Jen took his virginity. It's not a heartwarming scene. Dawson achieves his dreams only through tremendous luck and barely any hard work. Also, Dawson never gets together with Joey during the fifth season. Dawson eventually blames Joey for Mitch's death, citing the cereal and milk he had that Mitch had to run out and replace at night but that horrific blame barely bothers Joey as the two lock lips at season's end. And no, the kiss doesn't lead anywhere for either character.

The B and C stories are relatively meaningless in the grand scheme of the show. Jen and Chad Michael Murray sit around and avoid sex so that Jen can learn facts about her lover's life while Joey and Pacey see each other for the first time since he went insane at prom and took off on a boat--this marks the first of three times the writers acknowledged the relationship between Pacey and Joey.

Nonetheless, "Capeside Revisted" is a classic for the Ice Cream Cone and I dare anyone to argue differently.

PHOTO CREDIT: asiancelebs.info.

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