Dawson's Creek: Capeside Revisited (5.3)

Capeside Revisited goes a long way in rectifying the wrongs of last episode. When it comes to Dawson, the script successfully decides to separate him from Joey, meaning his decision to stick around in Boston is explored without the weight of romantic possibilities and instead with a little more perspective. Mitch easily shifts into audience surrogate mode, yelling at his son for abandoning an incredible opportunity to pursue something that it's debatable even exists anymore, or that will even work out long-term based on what happened several years ago. It helps open up the story, and almost makes his decision play a little better. When everything Dawson does is guided by Joey, it inevitably leads to trouble. But his faith here was easier to take, particularly with that lingering feeling of doubt.

I have no idea what the show was trying to do with that ending, though, with Mitch eating ice cream while driving, having a scoop tumble off the top of the cone, Mitch leaning down to pick it up (who is he, Homer Simpson?) and then getting plowed into by an oncoming vehicle. Um... okay. So long, dude. It feels needlessly bleak, especially since the Leery's aren't regulars anymore and we'll doubtlessly not see a ton of post-death fallout. It's all a little strange, so strange that it even sparked its own urban legend back in the day, John Wesley Shipp getting fired after the affair he was having with James Van Der Beek went south. Heh. So silly. But, I don't know, weirdness.

Joey also had a better week, reuniting with Pacey and being remarkably adult about the whole thing. I know, again with the love triangle flip-flopping, but it was clear as day that Joey and Pacey have an easier time of things than Joey and Dawson. Every time the latter two get together, codependency and babbling commences, but Joey and Pacey are just cool and fun. There isn't even a verbal acknowledgement of their past or anything, they're just two confident people able to hang out and banter, even with their checkered history. Aww.

Jen and Charlie's subplot continued to be a little dull (thinking about it, Jen's been stuck in these kinds of drab storylines for at least two seasons now), but there was some fun here and there, the two of them trying to work out whether or not their relationship is anything deeper than physical, comparing tastes in music and pop culture, and seeing where it leads. Blah. I'm still not totally feeling it, but it's not exactly boring me or anything.

Jack was actually the surprise here. Not because he did anything particularly interesting, but more that his story didn't result in traditional Jack gay-bashing. Even he seems surprised when the frat he's been hanging out at offers him membership and seem to not care that he's gay. Sure, there's some back-and-forth with Jack wondering if he's only there to fill a quota, but at least the story didn't resolve itself with the show's usual bouts of violence or antagonism.

Nothing is really jumping out at us this season, everybody still going through the motions somewhat, but Capeside Revisited at least didn't get bogged down by acts of insanity and character assassination like last week. And that's enough to make it pretty successful. C+

Credits
Guest stars John Wesley Shipp (Mitch Leery); Busy Philipps (Audrey Liddell); Chad Michael Murray (Charlie Todd); Lourdes Benedicto (Karen Torres); Ian Kahn (Danny Brecher); Mary-Margaret Humes (Gale Leery)
Writer Jeffrey Stepakoff Director Michael Lange