Dawson's Creek "Show Me Love' Season 3

 Pacey - Wow, Dawson Leery couldn't have scripted this one any better. 

Joey - What do you mean? 

Pacey - Don't you get it? No matter what I do, he wins. If I drop out, he wins. If I stay in the race, I'm forced into direct competition with the guy. And, if I actually win, I don't beat him - I beat you. So, guess who really wins, there?

Joey - Well, maybe you could talk to him. Try to work it out.

Pacey - Yeah, we tried that. He doesn't really wanna talk to me, right now. And when he does, it's not entirely civil. 

Joey - Could you try again, Pacey, please?

Pacey - Yeah, if that's what you want. If that's all that you want?

Joey - It's all that I want. 

Pacey - Okay. Okay, that what I'll do.

Joey - Thank you, Pacey.

Pacey - Yeah. Hey, Potter! Nice talking to ya. 

- Show Me Love, Episode 21 Season 3 

I have to vent about this episode for a minute - or longer. And what better place to do that than my own blog, started for just such moments?

This episode pisses me off, to no end. 

The way EVERYBODY turns on Pacey, except for Will, is complete and utter bull. 

Let's start with Joey. Normally I love Joey. She is USUALLY the character I relate to the second most, after Pacey. But here, in this episode - I border on disliking her with a fiery passion. She spent the whole last episode making out with Pacey and promising to talk to Dawson about her and Pacey's feelings for each other. Which she never does - by the way. When Dawson finds out from Jen and gives Joey an ultimatum - in his true, narcissistic fashion - him or Pacey, she chooses Dawson. 

In this episode - after crybaby Dawson enters the Regatta with a boat that is NOT EVEN HIS (!!!!) - Joey has the nerve to ask Pacey to drop out. Pacey, who has already been screwed over by her and Dawson and their entire friend group! Pacey, who entered the race a month ago, with his own boat! 

Then you have Mitch - which, okay, I get that he is Dawson's dad, but be an adult Mitch! He just encouraged Pacey, not 9 episodes ago, to face his feelings for Joey. To do something about them. When Pacey finally does and it back fires in his face - not just by said girl, but by Pacey's best friend who is also Mitch's son - suddenly Mitch is all like 'Oh, we can't support Pacey, anymore.' No offense to John Wesley-Shipp, whom I love, but screw you Mitch! 

Then there is Jack - who, under Andie's encouragement, allows Dawson to enter his Dad's boat in the race. KNOWING FULL WELL THAT DAWSON IS ONLY DOING IT TO SHOW UP PACEY!! Come on, Jack! Get a spine! To make it worse, Jack helps Dawson as part of his racing team. Despite the fact that Dawson treated Jack terribly and Pacey was his friend from the beginning. From one Queer to another, this is NOT how we do this, my friend. 

Then there is Dawson - narcissistic, cry baby Dawson! So caught up in himself and the script that he has written for his own life, that when ANYONE goes off script, he has to throw a temper tantrum. DUDE! Pacey has been your best friend as long as Joey has. He has put up with a lot of crap from you over the years. Yeah, I get that you were hurt and whatever. But, after two weeks, you should be able to be ready to talk to him about it and move past it. You're willing to forgive Joey and rebuild your friendship with her. Oh, but Pacey is not your 'soulmate' so it's okay to keep hating him. Honey, this how catty girls handle things - proving once and for all that you are a little bitch. 

I do give Gale credit for not defending Dawson or his behavior. But I would have love to have seen her stand up for Pacey, better. 

And credit to Andie for showing up - not until the end, mind you - and reaching out to offer Pacey comfort and friendship. 

Then there is sweet Will - Pacey's childhood friend who is in town visiting Pacey. Only Will stands by Pacey's side and supports him and is there for him. I really would have loved to see Will stay a bit longer, because Pacey really needs a true friend - something Dawson never was and Joey turned away from being. 

Now, don't get it wrong - I am not saying that Pacey is Mr. Innocent in what went down in The Longest Day, because he is not. He handled things in a les than stellar manner. He should have been upfront with Dawson from the beginning. But he did NOT deserve the whole group turning on him and treating him like he murdered the town pet or something. He did try to set it right, only to get spit on - metaphorically. And he sure as hell did not deserve the vitriol and hate that Dawson spewed at him.

But my sweet guy is so used to being torn down and abused and made to feel worthless, that all of this just emphasized what he already believed about himself. 

And OMG, he deserves so much better! 

Originally posted on May 16, 2023

UPDATE - I have been Team Pacey since 1998 and I will be Team Pacey for all of eternity. Pacey Witter is sarcastic and funny and sweet and broken and a romantic and sexy. Absolutely everything I have ever wanted in a character. Belonging to a very small group of the 'perfect character'. A group that only includes 2 others - Chandler Bing and Stiles Stilinksi. As much as I love Dawsons Creek, it is a very difficult show for me to watch. The narcissism of Dawson is all too familiar and triggers my very sensitive PTSD. And Pacey goes through hell, over and over. Maybe I should start writing FanFic, again. Then I could tell the stories I've always wanted for my favorite characters. Interesting thought... 

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