Dawson's Creek: Kiss (1.3)

Even without Kevin Williamson on scripting duties, this is still very much about cinema and its negative effects on real people. Dawson spends most of the episode trying to pre-plan the perfect kiss with Jen, treating real life like a movie script. Joey, against her rationality, runs head-first into a movie romance, full of cute deceptions and doomed flirtation; while Pacey loses his virginity in the most ridiculously implausible way possible. It's all about fantasy, characters trying to mirror their own lives with the ones they see in the movies, and failing miserably.

I feel like I should have a little bubble each review dedicated to Dawson bashing. He's once again annoying here: getting a major break when he's allowed to work on the film class project, but spending his entire time there whining about the narrative improbabilities of Helmets of Glory. Yes, the movie is Lifetime-style hooey, but can't he just pipe down and enjoy the experience without acting like a brat? Similarly, he pretty much sets out to destroy Joey's little scheme with Anderson, repeatedly trying to scupper the whole thing while only Jen plays along. It's like he wants to prevent any shred of momentary happiness in her life. Ugh.

Joey's subplot is sweet, if plagued by tiny moments of ridiculous. Anderson is a total caricature of prep school dream-hunks, with the sensitive violin playing, Manhattan dinner dates and chaste wrestling on the beach. And it's alternately cute and sort of sad that Joey feels she has to pretend to be somebody else in order to interest him. Not only does she lie and tell him that she's also a rich kid, she wears make-up and dresses more feminine -- instead of just being herself. But it's all so relatable as a story, Joey becoming more engaging by the week.

Part of me doesn't understand why Jen is interested in Dawson, but I'm assuming he's radically different from the party animals she used to date and therein lies the attraction. She's infinitely more stable than him, though, so you just know problems await. Jen is mature and confident and in touch with her emotions, while Dawson is flailing around wildly in every corner of his life.

Pacey, once again, has little interaction with anybody else, which is unfortunate. He's still stuck in this creepy subplot with Tamara, and while I liked the moment when he realized that he's not at all that type of porno stud who can bang her on her desk, it's gross that they eventually went through with sex in the end, anyway. The whole 'hidden camera' thing was way too stupid for this show, but hopefully it means the story will be wrapping up sometime soon. It's the only subplot so far that really bothers me. B

Credits
Guest stars Nicole Nieth (Nellie Oleson); Obi Ndefo (Bodie Wells); Scott Foley (Cliff Elliot); Ian Bohen (Anderson Crawford); Leann Hunley (Tamara Jacobs)
Writer Rob Thomas Director Michael Uno