The 2012 Summer Re-Watch: Dawson's Creek "Be Careful What You Wish For" Review

Dawson Leery played the role of generally affable and good guy during last week's dramatic two-part saga about Jack McPhee's sexuality. The character was downright likable, a fine example of how the main character of a teenage melodrama should be portrayed on a week-to-week basis. "Be Careful What You Wish For" disposes of the good-natured Dawson by the end of the teaser. Dawson's full of anxiety over his sixteenth birthday and worries about the lack of progress he's made in a year in any area of his life. Pacey advises Dawson to settle down. Dawson ignores him as he drones on about playing things right with Joey during the Jack saga. The admirable Dawson from the last two weeks truly had a personal agenda; so in essence, Dawson was exactly the same as he played the role of platonic friend. The games are over for Leery now: on the day which marks his sixteenth birthday, Dawson will win back the girl he lost ten episodes ago!

Dawson fails miserably, of course. Dawson and Joey take a walk around the docks where The Icehouse is located. He buys her a cup of roasted peanuts. The two talk about the past and the present. Dawson reminds Joey of his dedication to 'get back' what they lost after the school dance. Joey impressively dodges the innuendo and manages to remind Dawson that the light is and will remain red for the time being. Dawson doesn't throw his cup of roasted peanuts into the water and call Joey a harlot, but he succeeds in being cruel to her in a less dramatic way. Basically, he tells us she's stupid if she doesn't understand they're meant to be together. Two minutes before, when their conversation was friendly, Dawson praised snow for its hopeful quality. Before he storms off, he stresses to Joey to not expect snow on this day. Ah, Dawson, such a shitty friend.

The rejection Dawson receives is the topping on a lousy birthday for him. Mitch cooked him breakfast, which Dawson enjoyed, until Gail and Mitch went to the porch to scold each other about the things they do wrong. Dawson can't rely on his two friends, Pacey and Jen, because Pacey's involved in a life-changing romance with Andie, and Jen's always dating someone, which leaves Dawson alone. His parents' separation isolates him from them because he feels torn between both. Dawson lets his impressions and judgments bubble and boil in his head until they pour out of him in a drunken monologue at his surprise birthday party.
Dawson's friends and family care deeply about him. Their love for him is much better than the character deserves. After all, he's vindictive and manipulative. Dawson's comfortable killing a person with his words. Joey plans a surprise birthday party for her friend and soul mate. Joey actively questions the decision after her terrible walk with him. Why would Dawson want his party planned by someone he hates? Joey shakes her head, moves on, and finishes the preparations. Meanwhile, Pacey took Andie and Dawson out for a night until they needed to return for the party. Dawson, naturally, is miserable. Andie's not miserable because her doctor prescribed a night of imperfection. The trio goes to a bar. Andie teaches Dawson about the Id and how good it feels to ignore the Id and act out for a night, society and everything else be damned. So, the two friends drink coke and rums all night. Dawson and Andie sing a blues song about their pitiful and pathetic lives. The night couldn't have gone worse for Pacey. Alcohol gives Dawson an unhealthy dose of courage, but it's the kind of courage that motivates Dawson to insult every person who loves him and cares about him.

Leery Manor is full of family, friends and well-wishers. Upstairs, Jack is kissing Abby Morgan. Downstairs, Dawson bursts through the door, aware of the surprise awaiting him, and instantly climbs a table to dance on it. Joey intervenes and rushes him upstairs before his parents catch their sixteen year old son drunk. Dawson and Joey find Jack and Abby kissing. Dawson laughs and sings ANOTHER blues song about Jack. A brief aside: Dawson's a complete ass in "Be Careful What You Wish For" but Van Der Beek's performance has never been more enjoyable. The singing and general theatrics of drunk Dawson is one of the reasons "Be Careful What You Wish For" is a top seven episode of Dawson's Creek. What I'm about to write about is one of my favorite scenes in DC history. It is the quintessence of Dawson Leery. Gail innocently asks her son to blow out the candles on his cake and make a wish. Oh, Dawson makes a wish; he wishes for everyone in his life to not be the people they are presently. He calls out his mom for sleeping with her co-anchor; he calls out his dad for not getting a job; he calls out Pacey for being happy and living a life that's not worse than his own (yes really); he calls out Jen for being a whore with a revolving door of boyfriends; he calls out his Joey for needing to find herself, looks for her around the kitchen, makes fun of her choice again, forcefully kisses her, and then winds up with his face buried in cake.

Dawson's full of remorse and regret later, praying to no one in particular except Andie, who's puking into a toilet behind him, that he'll have friends when he wakes in the morning. Dawson WILL have friends in the morning because he's a fictional character and the team of writers didn't see Dawson how their audience saw him. Anyone would tell Dawson to piss off in actual, day-to-day life, because it's not worth wasting time on someone who constantly looks down on and belittles you. Dawson sobs about his loneliness to Joey. Joey doesn't tell Dawson he hurt her because he conditioned her to feel like the guilty party, especially after their break-up. Dawson whines about Joey leaving him for Jack. Joey reiterates her reason to experience life without Dawson, how she needed to find out where she began and ended without him, and Jack happened to be part of this experience.

The ending of "Be Careful What You Wish For" is a low moment for the series. Considering what came before, it should not have ended with Joey telling a suddenly asleep Dawson that she loves him too, nor should the scene have been completed by an image of falling snow, which is the symbol of hope for Dawson. Of course, the character needs hope, because he thinks his life is complete shit, which is why he acted out. Mitch and Gail acknowledge Dawson's not mature enough to handle a new car. Dawson's not mature enough to handle romance, though--this aspect of the character's never explored. Notably, the episode ends as Dawson wants. He has Joey, he just doesn't know it. Thankfully, six episodes remain for Dawson and Joey to re-figure things out again.

Other Thoughts:
-Abby tests Jack's sexuality as they wait for Dawson to arrive. They kissed because Jack felt drawn by what she said to him about human sexuality. Simply, she helped him feel less alone. Jack explains the kiss as meaning nothing to Joey, who witnessed it, by explaining how Abby affected him with her words. Jack admits his biggest fear now: being alone. Joey understands and forgives. The story is well done.

-Jen and Ty broke up. I thought the two broke up last episode. Nothing about this arc worked. It is best to move on and forget about it. The show will.

-It's worth noting Andie's not medicated. Her night was wild and uninhibited, and her first drunken thoughts were about her messed up family. Something's going to give real soon.

-Heidi Ferrer wrote the script, her lone credit of the series. David Semel directed it.

UP NEXT: "Psychic Friends"--A movie studio executive gives Dawson's film a scathing review; a psychic tells Joey and Andie stuff. Watch it on Netflix, Streampix, or YouTube.

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