Dawson's Creek: Something Wild (5.11)

I think most of us can relate to that desire to jump out of your own skin, to play around with what you think are your own conventions as a person, and try and find new corners to your personality. In Something Wild, it's very much what Joey decides she wants to do. Instead of getting all angsty over it, Joey uses Dawson and Jen's relationship as a kind of impetus for self-improvement, assuming that she needs to become a little wilder in order to be perceived as something other than sort of safe and unassuming. So she parties and rocks out with a band in a bar and makes out with bad boys. It's all ridiculous, but creates undeniable resonance. That doesn't excuse how cringe-worthy it is to see Katie Holmes jumping around and singing I Want You to Want Me with that horribly thin voice she has. Gah. It just goes on and on, and as much as I adore her, I really wish Katie would just stick to the acting. She's always seemed to want to be a jack of all trades, and it's like: stop, girl.

Anyway, it's easy to support her in principal. But Charlie? Really? Did Chad Michael Murray have a holding deal with the WB at this point? Because that's the only possible explanation for why he insists on sticking around. And she actually makes out with him! And there's flirting! Gah. He's a huge jerk, Josephine! Run away fast already! Just not into the arms of Professor Molester, okay? Damn, she's having the worst taste in men this year. Ugh.

Elsewhere, the show seems to be righting the wrongs that plagued Pacey at the start of the season, essentially remaking his flirtatious relationship with dearly-departed waitress Karen, only with Audrey as his new co-worker. I really like these two together. Both are self-deprecating and brutally honest, as well as sharing enough mutual parental baggage to fill the Grand Canyon. Joshua Jackson and Busy Philipps are also performers who have natural chemistry with everyone they share the screen with, so it makes sense to toss them together as a couple.

Back in Capeside, Jen and Gale conspire to set Dawson back on track. It's fine as a story, but I'm pretty eager to see Dawson break out of this funk he's been in lately. As a side note, it's a little strange hearing Dawson say things like, "I'm an eighteen year-old who just lost his virginity, you'll be surprised at what I'd do", or "How about some wake-up sex?", and be all sexual with Jen. It's kind of ick. Heh.

Something Wild is light and unassuming as an episode, mostly dealing with carefree enthusiasm and characters having fun. It's arguably a little too light on drama, and the whole Joey/Charlie thing makes me want to set my face on fire... but it's cool. Yadda. B

Credits
Guest stars Ken Marino (Professor David Wilder); Busy Philipps (Audrey Liddell); Chad Michael Murray (Charlie Todd); Nina Repeta (Bessie Potter); Ian Kahn (Danny Brecher); Mary-Margaret Humes (Gale Leery)
Writer Jeffrey Stepakoff Director Michael Lange