u/CadeFitnessGuy

If you already love the finale, that is awesome and I am glad the show closed for you in an impactful way. It didn't for me, which I will explain. I just posted about the series finale a few weeks ago, so I won't repeat any of the stuff I said before. The reason I am posting about it again is because after giving it a fresh watch last night I pinpointed my main annoyance.

My Thoughts:

- I absolutely DESPISE the tone of the two-parter. I think making it about Jen dying was an enormous mistake that took a silly plot device and altered the entire course of the send-off.

- In my opinion making the atmosphere somber ruined what should have been a celebration of the show and their individual character journeys. I am sure KW and GF wrote it to give them all a reason to make important decisions, but why would they when Jen, by her own admission, was the outsider of the group.

- Jen in a wheelchair gives a 'movie of the week' vibe that feels cheap and something my grandma would watch. Yes, 'real life' and 'bad things' can happen in a finale, but it seemed like low hanging fruit.

- Dawson is my favorite character (I know that is extremely rare on this message board), so it pains me to say this, but was not a fan of JVDB's performance in the finale. He is way too stoic and quiet. He has finally 'achieved his dreams' and he acts like he could not care less. They give an explanation along the lines of he is not sure how to feel but it is immediately buried by another conversation.

- The reason I bring up Dawson's mood in the finale is because there is almost no enthusiasm given to the idea of him and Joey ending up together. I am a Dawson/Joey guy and even I thought to myself, if he doesn't care, why should I?

- Whose idea was it to have Pacey cheating with a married woman and getting his ass kicked? It was such a waste of precious minutes in a finale, not to mention an eye sore (pun intended) of him strolling around with two black eyes during important interactions. I guess the point is that old habits die hard and he needed Joey to re-enter his life, but we as the audience are already aware that she was always his true north anyway.

- There is absolutely ZERO suspense as to who Joey will end up with, so the two-parter just kind of treads water until they can show her and Pacey sitting on the couch together at the end.

- By the way, I feel bad for Gale. Her first husband dies and Jen collapses at the wedding to her second husband. Talk about a bad omen. Mrs. Leery can't catch a break I guess. Back to you BBBBob (she puts too much emphasis on her B's).

- Lastly, Dawson and Pacey should have had more of a 'brothers' feel given everything their relationship endured, instead they just kind of tolerate each other in doses. The finale is well-intentioned and I am fine with P&J together but the tone is too depressing and where each person ends up feels more convenient than earned.

Anyway, my two cents. I'll go touch grass now.

Just finished rewatching Season 6 so I thought I'd recap with my thoughts. Obviously my opinions alone, I respect everyone's differing viewpoints. My Joey rant is at the bottom if this is too long and you want to skip.

Thoughts:

- For the longest time I thought S5 & S6 were similar in quality, but watching them back to back for the first time in forever made me realize I was wrong. S5 isn't good, but it is much more focused and at least attempts some commentary. It's not successful but it tries.

- Season 6 is a meandering mess held together by duct tape. It is lazy, uninspired, and the apathy from cast and crew permeates from the screen. I should mention despite this feeling I still love the show overall and always will.

- If I had to describe S6 in one word it would be.... boring. Boring, boring, boring. The show was completely out of ideas, and the ones they use are so few and far between each one goes on way too long. Jen and Jack are almost non-existent, with Jack in particularly missing entire stretches of the season. Seeing Jen and CJ just sitting there in a crisis call center isn't exactly riveting entertainment either.

- So many of the plots are just reheated from previous seasons. Instead of a professor liking Joey a professor likes Jack. Instead of Joey singing with a band, Audrey sings with a band. Joey even waits tables again like the Ice House days. (I will say I liked the Hell's Kitchen set)

- Emma is the most pointless addition to a cast I have ever seen and is so invisible I literally forgot she left the show halfway through. Nothing against the actress but I couldn't tell you a thing about her character other than her saying British catchphrases like "bollocks!" "bloody wanker" and "mum."

- One of the few positives is I thought both holiday episodes were solid (Castaways and Capeside Redemption as well). S6 is most successful oddly at breakups. Pacey and Audrey's venomous parting and Dawson and Natasha's relationship end both feel realistic and things the characters would say. Audrey pointing out Pacey didn't even have the energy to fight back made sense and even Joey saying she can't kiss Eddie because she doesn't want to go to California with him was grounded in reality.

- Speaking of Eddie, I don't understand the hate he gets or Rich. They make Rich too much of a cartoon villain at the end but Pacey telling him off on Bourbon Street in New Orleans was a nice scene. Eddie should have never come back after the road trip, but before then I was fine with their dynamic. It was a logical progression to have a love interest to not be so enamored with Joey immediately. Yeah, Eddie is a jerk but that is kind of the point. He is a moody writer that Joey needed to experience to realize sometimes what you leave behind is what shapes your future more than your present.

- Other positives: Todd is one of the few characters that injects energy into the season, and I am glad they had him return near the end. I also thought 'starting over' with a 'new' Joey and Pacey with Harley and Patrick was a good idea on paper but doesn't come to fruition on screen.

- I could fill a novel with how many storylines this season gives up on (the reporter as an example), but I think the biggest mistake they made was with Joey the second half of the season.

--JOEY RANT--

Obviously I am a fan of the character, but in my opinion the show did the cardinal sin of making Joey unlikable. The second half of episodes should be narrowing to a focused point, but instead she is wishy washy and irritating. The prime examples are when Pacey says he is willing to give up his current life and build a future with her and her response is to complain. Then Eddie wants to go on an adventure with her in Europe, something she has always dreamed of, and her response is to............... complain. Two guys from completely different walks of life vocalize their extreme interest in building a life with her and she acts like some brat that never thinks anything is good enough. To their credit they softened her slightly at the end.

Overall Season 6 proved the show's 'magic' was over and everyone was ready to move on. There is nothing wrong with that of course, but in my opinion makes this batch of episodes (and end of the show) feel empty.

To finish on a positive note however, it did make me smile seeing Dawson film the sea creature scene from S1E1, reminding viewers that nostalgia is the most complicated feeling of all.

What all did you think of this season?

Of all the characters, Pacey changed the most this season and my rant about it is at the end of this post.  I know this is TL:DR for most but stick with me.

My Season 5 thoughts after rewatch:

--  Still not a good season, but it has grown on me a little.  The tone is very different than the first 4 seasons, leaning much more into comedy (particularly Jen).  I am not sure if that is good or bad but it is different.

--  Dawson and Jen's relationship is the story that works the best, surprisingly.  Dating at this stage of their lives makes sense given the context.

--  Pacey and Karen have zero chemistry and his interest in her makes no sense (I'll explain further down).

--  This season lacked confidence in their vision.  They couldn't make up their minds what they wanted to do.  Is Elliot a love interest or not?  Is Charlie a villain or not?  Etc.

--  The pacing is all over the place.  Jen dumps Dawson because he is 'safe and boring,' which is fine because that is her character, but inexplicably he is fine with it in 5 minutes.  Then the next episode he gets with the film critic, and then the episode after that Dawson is obsessed with Joey again.  All these ideas are rushed together and nothing has time to breathe.

--  Audrey is the most insufferable character in the entire series, and the show seemed to think the louder and more irritating they made her the more people would think she was part of the group, which she is not.

--  The finale is my LEAST favorite of all 6 seasons.  Pacey on the airport intercom, really?  It was all way too cliche and lame.  After Joey and Pacey being in love with each other in the past, to see them interact like brother and sister is weird and depressing.  (And this is coming from a Dawson/Joey guy!)  

The only two things I liked from this episode are Dawson running into Todd, and Joey's acting at the gate is phenomenal when she says, "Go on Rain Man, your life awaits."

---- PACEY RANT ----

To be clear, I still like Josh Jackson's performance this season, but his character is nothing like the other 4 seasons.  Every woman he has interest in is completely against his previous actions.  He is a good person and doesn't respect Karen cheating with Brecher, and then literally after expressing his disappointment in her he likes her, what?  Pacey multiple times in the past vocalizes how he doesn't care for rich people, but has a fling with Melanie (though I do like Jennifer Morrison in her brief appearances).  He has a one night stand with some random girl at Civilization, he makes out with his new boss Alex despite having a girlfriend, and so on.

In short, they make Pacey like this womanizing hypocrite.  But by far the worst is Pacey and Audrey's relationship, which is the most painful thing in all of S5.  In 3, they spend an entire SEASON establishing Pacey's love and care for Joey.  It is shown over and over through his actions, rather than just explaining to the audience.  It is the exact opposite here.  When asked why he likes Audrey he says, "because she says things other people don't."  Wow, cool, that's it?

Even more egregious, Joey is somehow fine with the previous love of her life being intimate with her roommate.  There is literally a part where Pacey and Audrey are discussing how they can get Joey to leave their dorm room so they can have sex.  We went from "I remember everything" and "ask me to stay" to, I can't wait for my ex-girlfriend to leave so we can bang.  It is so preposterous no matter how much people grow and change in life.

Btw, as much as I hate Audrey, if I have to see Oliver widen his eyes and creepily stare at Jen one more time I am going to throw my TV remote at the screen.

Anyway, I'm taking my dog for a walk now and listen to Joey sing on my iPhone.  "I want you, to want me...."

Just my opinions of course.  Everyone loves/hates different things.  Countdown from #5 to the #1 DUMBEST idea the show had:

5-  Portraying 'Mid' Jacobs and Pacey's relationship in a sympathetic light

This storyline has never offended me or anything, but instead of Miss Jacobs and Pacey's affair being shown as an older woman taking advantage of a teenager, it is presented more as a forbidden romance.  I get it, no one wants to watch a teen series about a predator seducing underage boys, but by the end of their courtship no one has really learned anything.  They both move on because they were caught, not because of some great ethical clarity.  The moral of the story is make sure no one in a bathroom stall overhears you talk about sex I guess?  When I rewatch the series I always tune out and start playing Candy Crush on my phone for this story the most (is there anything more stressful than only having 2 moves left?)

The only good thing about this arc is when Pacey and Tamara are having a conversation in bed and Pacey is reading a magazine about 'Sharks' while she is grading papers, lmao.

4-  Dedicating 2 episodes to Joey's mural

Probably the most 'after school special' type episodes the series ever had (and there were numerous).  Oh no!  The big bad bully desecrated Joey's beloved wall painting!  Not only are both of these entries boring as hell, they heavily feature Principal Green for some reason.  I have nothing against the character, but Season 3 had some bizarre obsession with the Capeside principal.  If he's not discussing Andie being on a disciplinary committee, or encouraging Joey with her grades, or recruiting Dawson for film projects for the school or whatever, this dude is the most hands on faculty member in history.  He is so overly invested in the lives of the main cast I half expected him to be in the opening credits laughing with everyone sitting on the steps as it says 'Created By Kevin Williamson.'    

The only good thing about this storyline is Joey looks cute wearing a bandana when she is painting.

3-  Joey wearing a wire to send her father back to prison

First of all, find something you love in life as much as Mr. Potter loves dealing drugs.  He's out of prison for 5 minutes and already in tune with the marijuana and cocaine market.  I guess all those ideas he had to improve the Ice House Bessie can put through a paper shredder.  Not only is this storyline stupid, it changes the show from a teen drama to Law & Order: Capeside when Joey wears a wire to record her father's confession.  It is such a ridiculously preposterous premise that doesn't fit the show at all and is immediately dropped (correctly I might add) in Season 3 Episode 1.

2-  Having both Andie and Mrs. McPhee be crazy

Certainly not making fun of people dealing with mental health, but in the show it is so over the top in how it is portrayed.  It is established Jack and Andie's mom can't even take care of herself and just wanders to the market repeatedly to buy groceries (as a positive the pantry is always full of food I guess), and Andie is seeing ghosts of her brother and Abby, breaking mirrors, and being completely unhinged at a moment's notice.  Who is running this f***king household?  Who is paying the bills?  Aren't Andie and Jack 16?  Their vague explanation is when Mr. McPhee shows up every few episodes wearing a sweater to tell Jack he isn't gay and Andie that he'll 'get her the help she needs'.

1-  Killing Dawson's dad

The single dumbest idea this show ever had, in my opinion.  I know it was written because the actor wanted to leave, and thankfully it was near the end of the series when half the audience had already checked out, but it is when the show officially died, no pun intended.  The incident is completely unmotivated and comes out of nowhere, but the most egregious thing is how it happens.  Dropping an ice cream cone, really?  I guess slipping on a banana peel instead was too classy for the writers.  The ENTIRE show Mr. Leery is giving Dawson measured advice on how to be smart and avoid bad situations and then does the exact opposite himself.  What was Mitch's plan exactly picking up the ice cream scoop off of the dirty car mat?  Was he still going to eat it or something?  5 second rule I guess.  (I'm typing this as I am eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream, omfg this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is SO good).  As if it wasn't bad enough, now Capeside High School will have to find a new football coach :(

Anyway, those are my 5 stupidest things the show ever did.  If you made it this far and are thinking to yourself "who cares about any of this" the answer is I do.  I sit in an empty room and throw a tennis ball against the wall and wonder how I can fix teen drama shows that ended 23 years ago.  Some people go to bed worrying about important things like war, world hunger and crime.  I go to bed annoyed about things like Bessie always giving bad advice or how everyone always says Bodie is some master chef even though it seems like all he ever makes are pancakes for some reason.

What show ideas did you all hate?          

Only my opinions of course, I know everyone has their favorites, that's cool!  #10 down to my #1 favorite.

#10-  Season 5/Episode 8:  Hotel New Hampshire

The only episode of seasons 5 and 6 to make my list.  Dawson and Jen go to a film festival he was entered in.

WHY I LIKE IT:  I think this is some of Michelle William's best acting of the series, particularly when she is comforting Dawson as he is getting emotional listening to the festival director talk about how his dad submitted his movie because of how much he believed in him.  Also, even though I have always been more of a Joey guy, Jen looks absolutely gorgeous in this episode.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  "Thank you so much for this award... and for receiving this film so warmly.  I dedicate this film to my dad. And I will remember him... every time I look at this.  So thank you.  And a very special thank you to my girlfriend, Jen Lindley."

#9-  Season 2/Episode 11:  Sex, She Wrote

Abby and Chris attempt to find out who slept together.

WHY I LIKE IT:  One of my favorite atmosphere episodes of the series with all the rain.  Clever to have the students learning about mysteries in class only to be in one themselves.  Good idea (in my opinion) to have Pacey behind writing the note as it makes his relationship with Andie progress in a more interesting way after the fact.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Joey:  "Well I had no idea I was so mysterious."  Dawson:  "You are definitely a mystery."  Joey:  "I like the way you see me."

#8-  Season 3/Episode 23:  True Love

Dawson tells Joey to go be with Pacey in the season finale.

WHY I LIKE IT:  In my opinion, every actor is phenomenal in this episode.  The exchange between Dawson and Pacey at his parent's wedding is fantastic.  Every character's mood in this one makes sense and is understandable.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Pacey:  "Things are never gonna be the same between us, are they?"  Dawson:  "No."

#7-  Season 4/Episode 23:  Coda

Dawson says goodbye to all his friends in Capeside before leaving for USC.

WHY I LIKE IT:  Reminds me of ending high school and leaving town myself.  The tone of this episode is perfect.  Dawson telling Pacey he is proud of him after an entire season of trying to rebuild their friendship is great.  This should have been the last episode of the entire series.  I know that is an unpopular opinion, but everyone's story has reached a logical conclusion and it bookends with season 1.  The one gripe I have with this one is although I am a Dawson/Joey guy, Joey having feelings for Dawson and kissing him at the end was way too rushed and forced since she and Pacey had just broken up just a few episodes earlier.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Joey:  "So what was yours by the way?"  Dawson:  "What was my what?"  Joey:  "Your all time life altering moment?"  Dawson:  "For all I know it could be this one right now.  Saying goodbye to you."

#6-  Season 3/Episode 20:  The Longest Day

Joey and Pacey confess to Dawson that they have feelings for each other.

WHY I LIKE IT:  Probably the most well thought out episode of the series, told from each character's perspective.  Realistic reactions from every character, including even Andie's.  Love, heartbreak, betrayal, etc.  The end of the episode really feels like it pushed forward the second half of the show.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Pacey:  "Me and Joey.  There's an us here now."

#5-  Season 2/Episode 13:  "His Leading Lady"

Dawson, Jack, Joey, Andie, Jen and Ty work on his film with Devon and Chris.

WHY I LIKE IT:  Good soundtrack.  I like almost every episode when Dawson is filming something because I used to with my friends growing up.  Dawson starting to respect Joey and Jack together is a nice moment at the end of the episode.  

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Dawson:  "You broke up with me!  Of course I haven't moved on!"

#4-  Season 2/Episode 7:  The All-Nighter

Dawson, Joey, Pacey, Jen and Andie go to Chris Wolfe's to study.

WHY I LIKE IT:  Great soundtrack.  Good use of the house, including the pool/hot tub, study area, pool table, etc.  Mixes a serious tone and comedic moments well.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Dawson:  "Joey, I wanna regret kissing you, but I can't. It was the smartest decision I've ever made."

#3-  Season 1/Episode 1:  Pilot

The first episode of the series.

WHY I LIKE IT:  I love Dawson's room.  I love the creek.  I love meeting each of them one at a time.  I like how the town is a 'character' in the show.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Dawson:  "Wit.  We like that around here."

#2-  Season 1/Episode 7:  Detention

Pacey, Joey, Jen and Dawson are in detention with Abby Morgan.

WHY I LIKE IT:  A good mid-season 'reset' for the characters in sort of a standalone episode.  I think this is probably the funniest of the series, and I like all the 80s references.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE EPISODE:  Pacey:  "No way.  Emilio Estevez, he was in those Ducks movies!  Those are classics.  So funny."

#1-  Season 2/Episode 2:  Crossroads

Dawson reads Joey's diary and forgets Pacey's birthday.

WHY I LIKE IT:  The music is fantastic in this episode on the DVD, not the updated music they use on streaming which completely butchers it.  Good dynamic of how friendships change between Dawson/Pacey when one of them enters into a relationship.  Joey and Dawson's first major argument, while cleverly introducing Jack, Dawson's foe in the future, in the background.  This episode is funny and realistic in how it portrays how we as people become selfish and only see our own problems when we are heavily involved in a situation.

That's it!  Solely my opinions of course.  What are your favorites?

I know a lot of people enjoyed it, so this is only my opinion of course. I have always been a ‘Dawson/Joey’ guy, but believe it or not, that is not how I am going to trash this series finale. I can live with Pacey and Joey ending up together, but this episode is lazy and insulting to Dawson in particular. Even for those that hate this character, it’s his name in the title, though I will admit seasons 5 and 6 became ‘Joey’s Creek’ (what the hell was that, by the way).

I am a huge Kevin Williamson fan, but the writing for the finale is too on the nose and lame. Wow, you mean the two gay guys we are most aware of in Capeside in Jack and Doug are in a relationship, what a coincidence! You mean Pacey and Joey ended up together after fans were hoarding message boards back in the day saying this should happen as the endgame? Convenient! Despite what you think of Dawson, his journey is front and center dating back to Season 1, and his closing is that he gets to meet his idol Steven Spielberg. Big whoop.

As if that’s not unimaginative enough, Dawson directs a show about his teenage experience of developing feelings for Joey, which they portray as sweet and charming, when in reality just makes him look like a wistful loser that can’t get over an ex. The most insulting part of everything that ruins the finale the most is they go on and on about how while Joey is in love with Pacey, her and Dawson are soulmates, like it isn’t some friend-zoned consolation prize. Instead of coming across as endearing like they intended, it makes Dawson look pathetic, alone and desperate. And if you think you can be madly in love with someone as Joey is, and simultaneously soulmates with someone else, go in to the next room if you are currently in a relationship and tell that to your significant other and see how well that works out for you.

For the second time, though I would have ended it with Dawson and Joey (or someone else entirely just to make it interesting), I am FINE with her being with Pacey to close the show. What is stupid though is that Dawson’s journey over the course of 128 episodes basically concludes with him saying he is going to meet a celebrity. It is lazy, dumb, and the most predictably uncreative idea that you would find in fan fiction.

Anyway, I am going to take my dog for a walk (a real dog, not early in the morning with Katie Couric Dawson style) because this episode annoys me so much.

This is a drinking game I created approved for ages 21 and over.

Take a shot whenever:

-- Jen mentions she's from New York

-- Henry does something borderline psychotic

-- Joey ends a conversation by saying Bessie needs help with Alexander

-- Eve attempts to be sexy but isn't

-- Mitch gets annoyed at Gale for not 'defining what their relationship is'

-- Gretchen tells Dawson the difference in their age gap doesn't bother her, only to be bothered by it in the very next scene

-- Someone is sanding 'True Love,' be it Pacey, Buzz or otherwise

-- All the main cast members are in the same class in school for some ridiculously contrived plot device where they separate into teams to argue with each other

Take a double shot whenever:

-- Mr. McPhee says that he is 'doing what's best for the family'

-- Deputy Doug runs into Pacey in town and exits the squad car for a chat

-- Jack gets uncomfortable about a gay lifestyle situation

-- Ms. Jacobs tells Pacey their affair needs to end, only for her to do something twice as reckless and scandalous with him in the very next scene

-- Grams uses old-fashioned lingo saying words like 'penance,' 'picture show,' or 'team colors'

-- A character sits on the end of a dock and another character walks down the dock and sits next to them

-- Principal Green's mustache looks phenomenal

-- Pacey is insecure about something while wearing that brown corduroy jacket

-- The Ice House or Leery's Fresh Fish is short staffed

-- Dawson walks alone with his hands in his pockets disillusioned with his film career

You'll be drunk in no time!