Previously on Dawson's Creek
I can't tell you how much
I've missed this, Joey. - Me too.
I mean, granted,
you know, it's only for a school project, but,
it just feels good to be making movies again
thought you were talking about us, you and me.
How long did you think it was going to be
before some guy comes along and is interested in her?
And when that happens, what are you going to do?
When I walk through that door,
and I say hello to this guy,
I'm not just going to be telling the world
that I'm gay, I’m actually going to be gay.
What happened? I didn't even go in.
When it comes right down to it,
I'm just not brave enough to walk through the door.
And what happened there is proof positive
that the good Lord doesn't take lightly
to those who dabble in the black arts.
Nice entrance.
Dawson, isn't there a limit on the number of times
a person can watch their own movie?
I've gotta be prepared.
We've got a Q&A session after the screening.
Oh, the screening.
How Sundance.
Let's not blow this completely
out of proportion, shall we?
What's the matter?
Nothing.
Could it be...
What?
Dawson Leery, the gifted, young,
self-motivated auteur,
Capeside's own Spielbergian wunderkind be nervous?
Yeah.
Yeah, of course I am.
I mean, it's, you know...
It's one thing to be a big fish
in a small pond, that is, Capeside--
But entirely another to swim in the talent pool
with hundreds of your egocentric competitors.
Exactly.
And thank you for that gut-wrenching visual.
Now, I may be a little biased here because...
Well, let's face it, I am one of the stars of your movie,
but it's really good.
And look at it this way,
I mean, for better or worse,
this experience will only take you one step closer
to realizing your dreams.
Besides, you don't have to spend an entire weekend
with a complete stranger.
That is kind of cruel and unusual.
Yeah, well, I signed up for the college tour.
They pair you off with one of the students.
So...those are the rules.
Are you nervous?
Yeah.
But...in a good way.
I mean...I know we're just visiting, but...
This trip kind of gives me hope.
That maybe one day I will make it outta here.
Hey, Joey.
It's never once crossed my mind
that you wouldn't make it outta here.
It's easy for you to say, Dawson.
Come on, Joey, stick with the original impulse.
Look at this weekend as an adventure.
All right? I mean, this is--this is our first foray
into the real world.
You know, this weekend could be a glimpse
into the rest of our lives.
Or it...
It could be the weekend when all of our hopes and dreams
just come crashing down around us.
I mean, forcing us to withdraw from mainstream society
and spend the rest of our days as these cynical,
embittered shadows of our former selves.
It's just a thought.
I feel like Richard Dreyfuss
in Close Encounters of the Third Kind,
you know, the director's cut where he finally
boards the mother ship and mingles with the aliens?
News flash, Dawson.
We are the aliens.
What, uh, what's goin' on there, sis?
These students enjoy the distinction of attending
America's finest college!
Founded in 1626, it was named after a British colonist
who ended up donating his entire collection of books.
The original faculty, teaching in the colonial wilderness,
could hardly have imagined that over the next 3 centuries,
it would become known throughout the world
as a premier center for teaching and research!
Maybe you should write for the catalog, Andie.
Oh, it is the catalog, Dawson.
I think she sent away for it when she was about 9.
Uh, class of 2005, baby. Early admissions.
I am going to ace this interview.
Well, I guess I better go meet my roommate,
uh, A.J. Moller.
Joey, you are gonna have a blast.
I took a junior tour last year.
As a sophomore? Early bird gets into college.
What are you doing, Jack?
Uh...just hang out, I guess.
Do the tourist thing.
Well, it is about that time.
Yup. Yeah.
Hmm. I am so psyched.
Me, too. Me, too.
Dare I say gulp?
Ok. Bye!
Bye.
L-double e-r-y.
First name? Dawson.
Movie, please.
Which category?
Comedy or Drama?
Documentary. Well, actually, more of a--
Date of birth?
Uh, 3-14-83.
Uh, favorite director?
Spielberg.
You're kidding.
As a matter of fact, no.
Steven Spielberg.
Undoubtedly a gifted filmmaker,
but I mean, come on. Where's the edge?
Edge is...fleeting.
Heart lasts forever.
Say cheese.
Sign here and here.
This card'll get you into the flicks and...
You didn't fill out a synopsis.
Not enough room.
See, uh...
The film started out as a documentary
chronicling the history of this local island
rumored to be haunted, but--
Another Blair Witch Project.
Gotcha.
Good luck.
Next!
Excuse me-- - Shh!
I'm sorry, I--
Shh! J-J-Just a second.
Yes? What is it?
I'm looking for A.J. Moller.
Is this her room?
No. This is not her room.
She's supposed to be my roommate for the weekend junior tour.
Do you have any idea where I can find her?
Nope.
Heh.
Ok, well...
The number on my information card says room 381.
I'm certain it does.
And this is room 381.
You betcha.
And you can't tell me where to find A.J. Moller.
I didn't say that.
What I said was I don't know where you can find her.
Him I can point you directly to.
I'm A.J. Moller.
And that must make you...
Potter comma Joseph?
I guess our gender- ambiguous names
have fostered a precarious situation.
To say the least.
Before you start
crying and calling home,
I promise to give you one of the beds.
And I-If you're really nice,
I'll even leave the light on for you.
Huh. I'm not staying here.
I mean, this is not what I signed up for, ok?
I'm supposed to be spending the weekend with someone
who's going to show me what college is like,
tell me what to expect, someone...
With ovaries.
Yeah. Listen, Joe...
Uh...Joseph?
It's Josephine.
Joey.
Listen. This is what college is like.
Guys and girls living together, mostly in harmony.
I mean, at Columbia, they even have co-ed bathrooms.
And if you're not up for that,
maybe you should be visiting women's colleges instead.
No. Maybe you're right.
There's really no reason 2 people of the opposite sex
can't spend one night together in the same room.
That's my girl.
Now, if you don't mind,
biggum college boy have important paper to write.
Little high school girl take long walk around campus.
You're kicking me out?
You're kicking yourself out
so I can have 2 more hours
of unadulterated silence.
That's not-- - Careful!
Careful.
Say "fair" and you'll really be showing your age.
Oh, and, uh, Potter comma Joseph,
shut the door on your way out.
Otherwise I can hear those idiot econ majors
playing nerf basketball down the hall.
Hey. Whatcha got?
Uh...just a...you know,
a--a guide book to Boston.
Oh. Ok, tell me you're not going off in search
of Thoreau's butt print at Walden pond.
Heh heh. No, I hadn't planned on that.
Hey, you know what you should do?
I heard there's a great art museum around here.
You should go check it out.
Ok. Maybe I will.
Ok. Well, I gotta go. Bye!
See ya.
Hi. I'm Andie McPhee.
Spell the last name, please.
M-c-p-h-e-e.
Says here your appointment isn't until march.
Either there's something wrong with my calendar
or you've got a very long wait.
Well, Mrs...
Boyd-- - Call me Fran.
Great. Ok. Well,
my dad, Joseph McPhee, is an alumnus.
Class of 1972,
and he always said
if you want something badly enough,
make sure you're first in line.
A Daddy's girl, huh?
Me, too.
God rest his soul.
So, you think you can maybe squeeze me in?
Not a chance.
But, uh...I just want 5 minutes
with the Dean, that's all.
The thing is everyone else here has an appointment
today.
Oh.
Well, do you think something might open up?
Would you cancel your university interview at the last minute?
See my point?
Hey, the boat's here!
Man. Been there, seen that.
Where do you wanna go eat?
Uh, ladies and gentlemen,
if anyone has any...
Questions or comments,
uh, the filmmaker would be
glad to answer them for you.
M-Mr. Leery?
Uh, Dawson Leery, can you step up here, please?
Hi, um--oops. Heh.
Sorry. Heh.
Uh...I'm Dawson Leery.
Um...
D-D-Does anyone, uh...
Have any questions or...
Uh, yeah.
Yes.
Question. Where's the Joey chick?
She here? She is hot.
Um...
Dawson!
You all right? Yeah, fine.
These screenings, it can get pretty brutal
when the lights come up.
I can handle that, I mean, it...
So what if my movie's not hip enough
to arouse the interests of these pseudo intellectual
art house snobs? On the bright side,
at least no one threw things.
Thank god for small favors.
You are upset.
Wouldn't you be?
I'm sorry about what happened in there.
I really am. But...
In light of The Blair Witch project,
I don't know what you were thinking.
What?
Riding the coattails of some absurdly
successful cultural phenomenon is simply not gonna cut it.
Before you eviscerate my work any further,
why don't you at least tell me your name?
Nikki.
Nikki Green.
Nice to meet you, Nikki.
Take this Joey character, for example, I mean,
who is she and what does she mean to you?
Are--are you friends, lovers, what? Nothing was clear.
More troubling is that you didn't seem
to understand that that was the most
interesting part of your story.
Well, aren't you perceptive.
Don't patronize me.
I'm trying to give you an honest assessment here.
Well, excuse me, but it's not every day
that I'm subjected to an unsolicited
note session from a-- - Volunteer?
Paper pusher?
My position and altruism
invalidate my opinion.
Well, next time I'll pick
which wounds to lick more carefully.
Well?
You in or out?
Dawson.
Hey.
How'd the screening go?
Huh.
Come on, it couldn't have been that bad, could it?
It was an unmitigated disaster.
What do those hipper-than-thou
film brats know, anyway?
Maybe they're right.
Come on.
You don't mean that.
No, I--I've been thinking that...
You know...
Maybe the problem with having such a big dream is...
You never stop to question whether you actually
have the talent to back it up.
What if I--I just simply don't have what it takes
to be a great filmmaker?
Dawson...
I've been there from the beginning.
To most people, movies are just a way of passing time,
but I was there that day that they became something more to you,
the day you decided to pick up your parents' camcorder
and make a movie of your own.
The day that you said for the first time out loud
that you were going to be a filmmaker.
I've had the privilege of watching you take this dream
and make it a reality.
And you know what?
I'm really proud of you.
You!
Mm-hmm. How'd you get in here?
The janitor.
Don't worry. I didn't touch anything.
But I brought you dessert.
And I thought I'd seen it all.
Well, I thought I'd be here,
you know, on the off chance
that Dean Hargrove got back early. Then I could, you know.
You've got chutzpah, I'll say that much for you.
So...
Is he back yet?
He's a notoriously late luncher.
What's the matter?
Nothing.
Do you know how many kids I have?
7.
You know how many went to this university?
Zero.
It didn't seem to bother them much.
So you don't think I'm gonna get in.
Oh, I gave up a long time ago
tryin' to figure out who they're gonna accept.
So you had 7 kids.
2 are doctors... Um...
One's an investment banker, whatever that is.
The 3 girls are married,
and one didn't go to college.
Plays horn in a jazz band downtown.
Which do you think is happiest?
Ok. So what you're telling me is
avoid medical school and wall street,
don't get married,
and skip college.
What I'm saying is whether or not you attend
this distinguished university
will have little or nothing to do
with what kind of person you turn out to be.
Or whether you find fulfillment in your life.
Hmm.
Freshman English, huh?
You picked a good one to visit.
Don't tell me you're in this class.
Kinda.
Wanna sit?
Uh, no. I can't.
So I, uh...
I guess this professor's really late.
No, he's not coming.
They do that a lot.
Then some poor schmuck
undergraduate teaching assistant
has to come in and try to rally the troops
for what's known as discussion session!
Hi, guys!
Professor Taylor's at a semiotics conference in Seattle,
so you're stuck with me
again.
Now, we have a lot of visiting high schoolers in our midst today,
so I thought we'd take a break from our ongoing great books discussion,
and ask some of them what books they consider great.
How about you?
In the cheap seats. Brown-haired girl.
What's my favorite book?
You read, don't you?
Little Women.
Louisa May Alcott. Interesting.
You know, I haven't read that
since I was... 10 or so.
As far as I remember,
it's sort of a less successful version of Jane Eyre.
Something about a girl with a boy's name?
The girl's name is Jo.
She has 3 sisters, a mother, a father who's usually not around,
and when he is, he's very impractical
and he's not the greatest at providing the material things in life.
That's right.
They're poor, but they have each other.
And there's something to do with a boy next door.
Yeah, it's all coming back to me.
Ok, so Little Women.
Perennial American classic, yes.
But great book?
Worthy of inclusion in the literary canon?
What do we think, people?
No way. This book is completely anti-feminist in spirit.
I concur.
I mean, the heroine supposedly burns with this artistic genius,
but ultimately she gives up all of her dreams,
gets married, and starts popping out babies.
Alcott's a minor writer.
Most of what she wrote, she wrote purely for money.
And what's the lesson here?
That we can't say a book is great
simply because we identify with the hero or heroine.
Joey, wait.
Why, so you can sic one of your little overeducated minions on me?
Try again.
Admittedly we were a little harsh.
I concur.
You said you wanted the college experience.
Don't be so glib.
What you did in there was insensitive.
You hardly know me, A.J.
Maybe I am just some naive little high school girl,
but I was actually looking forward to getting a taste
of the fun part of the college experience,
not just that mean, bitter part.
Do you spend so much time staring at that iBook
that you've forgotten that part even existed?
I'm sorry.
How about we start over?
Give me a chance to show you
what college is really all about.
What do you say?
Whoa.
Shh.
You got any idea who shot this?
Shh. Quiet!
It's on another level is what I think.
Hey, man, keep it down.
Shh.
Let's get this gifted young filmmaker up here, shall we?
Dawson.
Hey.
I need a sugar fix after all stressful experiences.
Finally.
Stressful? Come on, that was a love fest.
Don't sound so overjoyed.
Don't be falsely modest.
If it had been the other way around,
I would have enjoyed your success.
So you're not only a better filmmaker than I am,
you're a better person.
Look. Can we start over again?
Yeah. Let's.
So, what did you think of my film?
Really. Constructive criticism only, please.
I, uh, I thought your film
was technically accomplished.
"Technically accomplished."
That sounds like a nice dismount off the balance beam.
Well, it's better than derivative...
Or unclear or not understanding your own material.
Ok, maybe I was a little insensitive in my comments.
I'm sorry.
Duly noted.
Now, you never mentioned before
that you were entered in this film festival.
Why not?
I don't lead with my chin, Dawson.
You can get hurt that way.
Yeah, you can.
Well, um, you seemed to really knock them dead.
Congratulations.
I think I'm gonna write about her.
For your application essay?
Who was the one person who influenced you the most and why?
You should.
Might help you organize your thoughts about her.
I remember one day,
it was about 6 months after the accident,
I found her by the creek.
She was just sitting in the water,
her blouse was soaking wet, and...
Her hair was plastered in strands across her face.
It's like she didn't know where to go or what to do.
I don't think I'll forget that image as long as I live.
Do you mind if I lay a dose of truth on you?
Sure. After I spilled my deepest, darkest secrets, why not?
One--always wear sensible shoes.
If your feet are killing you, you can't think straight.
Ok, and 2?
Let yourself off the hook for things over which you have no control.
Just because your mother couldn't get past your brother's death
doesn't mean you have to beat yourself up
for making peace with it.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't be sticking my big nose in.
No, no, I was just thinking something.
Maybe when your mom starts to lose her mind,
you sort of do, too, you know,
as a way of trying to understand what she's going through.
This is so weird. I mean, incredible, even,
that I am sitting here in Cambridge with--
A 60-year-old career secretary.
Well, one thing I learned a long time ago--
life can surprise you in a thousand different ways.
You know, as much as I appreciate
your willingness to spend time with me,
I gotta ask, where are we going?
You'll see.
What is this place?
Rare book and manuscript library.
Well, are we supposed to be in here?
What's the matter? You afraid the library police
are gonna come snatch us up?
I wanted to show you something here.
What?
Have a seat.
This.
Little Women?
Not quite.
The book we know today as Little Women
was originally published in 2 separate volumes.
This is just the first.
It's Louisa may Alcott’s very own copy.
Go ahead, open it. Carefully.
Let's see what this favorite book of yours has to offer.
This is the part where Jo and Meg
go to Mrs. Gardiner's party.
"Jo saw a big red-headed youth approaching her corner,
"and fearing he meant to engage her,
"she slipped into a curtained recess.
She found herself face-to-face with the Laurence boy."
"Don't mind me. Stay, if you like."
"Shan't I disturb you?"
"Not a bit. I only came here
"because I don't know many people
and felt rather strange at first, you know."
"So did I.
Don't go away, please, UN-unless you'd rather."
"The boy sat down again and looked at his boots.
How's your cat, Miss March?"
"Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence,
but I ain't Miss March. I'm only Jo."
My mom used to read this to me.
That's why she named me Josephine.
It was her favorite book.
Was?
She passed away.
Sorry to hear that.
I guess that's why I read it
and reread it.
'Cause when I do it's...
It's like she's with me.
So it's like a friend, the book.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Well, you can never have too many friends,
Potter comma Joseph.
So, Miss A.J. Moller,
what is your favorite book?
Some ponderous Tome by Herodotus?
Are you ready for this?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Well that sounds rather infantile.
Entirely.
But like all the best things in life,
simple, sweet, magical.
How you doing? What can I get you?
Good. Uh--uh, um, I guess a, uh--
My guess is he can't handle much more than a beer.
Make that 2, please.
Oh, you don't have to do that. I-I'm--
It's ok. I wanted to.
Ok, thanks.
You're adorable.
You're shy, right? Let's just start all over, ok?
You're not adorable and I am not attracted to you.
Would you like to go somewhere else?
I mean, this really probably isn't your scene,
and we could just talk, ok?
Maybe, I don't know, get to know each other a little better
and then we--
Our second place finalist,
Windscape. David steiner.
And now, in first place,
the award goes to...
Tommy and Mo. Carl Michael Diggins.
Very nice, very nice.
Nikki.
What now?
Time to rub salt in the wound?
You were robbed.
Excuse me?
I saw every single film at the festival.
Yours was the best, hands down.
Let's dispense with the mock compassion, shall we?
Nothing mock about it, Nikki. It's a simple fact.
If it's ok with you, I'd like to be alone right now.
How can you be so upset about this?
Like your failure didn't affect you?
It did, but there's a difference
between what happened to me and what happened to you.
And what's that?
Well, I learned that I have to dig deeper
and reveal more of myself in my work
if I'm gonna make a film that's worth anything.
You learned that film festivals
don't necessarily reward the meritorious.
I wanted to win, Dawson.
Nikki.
Your film wasn't just technically brilliant, ok?
It was inspired.
It inspired me.
It made me remember why I got into film in the first place.
Not to win festivals, not for glory,
but to reach people.
And you did.
You made them laugh, you moved them.
No matter what happens to me,
I'm not gonna give up until I reach that goal.
You really liked my movie?
Yeah.
I really liked your movie.
Are we the first ones here?
Yeah, looks like it.
So did you get your interview?
Yeah, I did.
Not the one I expected, but maybe the one I needed.
Pray tell.
Oh, long story short,
I had this chance encounter
that yielded a little clarity.
What about you? Did you get what you came here for?
Yeah, I did, also in a most unexpected way.
Hmm. I think that's what screws us up the most.
What? It's like you get this picture
in your head of the way things should be,
and you end up closing yourself off
to some of the wonder and serendipity
of the actual experience.
Who was this chance encounter with, Deepak Chopra?
Yeah, something like that.
Are these taken?
Uh, yeah. Kind of saving them for some friends.
No problem. Say no more.
Actually, you know what? Um, it's cool.
You know, I don't even know if they're coming.
You sure?
Yeah, yeah, positive.
Do me a favor. Wake me up when we get to Capeside?
You're going to Capeside?
Yep.
Me, too.
Hey, Porter, is that decaf or caf?
Nikki, hey.
What are you doing here?
I'm doing the divorced kid shuffle.
Mom's a techie, she's been transferred to Chicago.
So I'm going to co-habitate with my dad.
I know the drill. My parents just got divorced.
Sucks, doesn't it?
Mm-hmm.
I mean, I guess, you know,
it's for the best and everything, you know.
It was a really long, drawn-out battle.
If it's for the best, then why do I still feel so lousy?
Yeah.
So, um, where does your father live?
Um, a place called Capeside.
You're kidding.
No, he's, uh, the high school principal there.
Wait a minute. Your father is Principal Green?
Do not tell me that you go to school there.
This is too weird.
What are the chances?
Wow, um-- so, Mr. Jordan is the film teacher,
and his film lab is actually really full.
I had to beg, borrow, and steal to get in,
but you know I think I have some pull with him.
I'm already in.
What?
We've been e-mailing each other.
He's been giving me this sort of private tutorial.
Ok.
I wasn't aware that he did that sort of thing.
You can handle a little friendly competition, can't you?
Bingham, Breely, and Buckingham?
It's a prep school.
Sounds more like a law firm.
Sometimes it feels like one.
But in the main, I'm just happy
to be out of claustrophobic Capeside.
So what brings you back?
Heartbreak.
I need a little parental TLC--
some chicken soup and the comfort of my childhood bed.
Long relationship?
2 years.
Feels like a divorce, I swear.
Not to mention that I see him every day at school.
It's like we're broken up but still living together.
What's the matter, I get under the gaydar?
That's what everyone says.
I'm the straightest gay guy they know.
What about you?
What about me?
Can people tell right away?
How can you tell?
I mean, is it that obvious?
Actually, yeah.
I mean, not in a raging queen way, but more in a...
More in a what way?
A babe in the woods newbie way.
Newbie?
Any sweet, inexperienced, young gay man
destined for a broken heart.
Make it sound so inviting.
Well, let's face it, most guys are clueless.
How do you mean?
You'll see.
Hey, what's your name anyway?
Jack. Jack McPhee.
Ethan. It's nice to meet you.
I hope I didn't keep you up all night.
You talked for 8 hours about Ulysses.
Yeah, I know. Sometimes it's hard
to get that teaching assistant stuff out of your head.
Especially when you're really passionate
about something, you know?
'Cause then your inner geek just runs wild.
So what about you, Joey Potter?
What are you passionate about?
What are you a geek for?
Mmm, I don't know.
Um, I wish I did, but...
But?
Well, for the past couple of years,
my life has kind of revolved around this boy.
How pathetic is that?
But you guys aren't together?
No.
Do you know what a manifold is?
It's a math thing, it's hard to explain.
But imagine yourself shrunk to the size of a pinpoint,
sitting on the surface of a doughnut.
Look around you, and it looks like
you're sitting on a flat disk, right?
But go down one dimension and sit on a curve,
and suddenly the stretch nearby
looks like a straight line.
You kind of lost me somewhere around the doughnut.
In other words, the way something appears from afar
might be quite different
from the way it appears to your nearsighted eye.
So in order for me to figure things out,
I should give myself some distance.
Take your face out of the iBook.
Would it be all right if I were to, you know,
phone you sometime?
It wouldn't suck.
Ok.
Do you have a pen?
Oh, yeah.
Do you have a piece of paper?
Um, no.
Bye.
Joey. Hey, this is, uh, Nikki. Nikki, Joey.
Hi. Nice to meet you.
She's going to our school.
Who's that?
My roommate.
Is it just me, or does the prospect of going to college
suddenly loom a lot larger?
I know what you mean.
Is it the light at the end of the tunnel,
or is it an oncoming semi?
Or is it both?
Well...it's definitely going to take some getting used to.
Huh...heh.
Do you ever have one of those moments where you just kinda realize
that the world has snuck up and completely blindsided you?
I've been thinking about a career in fast food.
Welcome to taco bell. Can I take your order?
It just kinda rolls off the tongue.
Dawson...everything in life is not just about winning.
I mean you have to find joy in the process.
You have to love what it is that you do.
Good point.
Which begs the question,
what life lessons did you stumble upon this weekend?
Well...
Well, college to me has always been
about getting the hell out of Capeside, right?
Right.
Now I'm thinking that it could be more than that.
I mean, it's scary, sure,
but...it's this world full with these deeply passionate people.
I mean, people who get excited about books and ideas and theories and...
It kind of excited me.
My suspicions have been confirmed.
What do you mean?
You are a really... Big geek.
So is it just me, or...
Does this room seem a lot smaller all of a sudden?
Really?
I was just kinda thinking it seemed...safe.
I'll see ya, Dawson.
I'll see ya, Joey.