"The Kiss"
Dawson and Joey finish the kiss they began at
the end of last season, and are immediately caught up in second thoughts.
Each of them worries about the other's regrets about the kiss, but as
Joey prepares to leave, Dawson comes to his senses and pulls her back.
After deciding to sleep on it before pursuing their future, they each
wake up the next morning, thrilled with what has become.
Not everyone is having the same relationship
luck though. Gale unsuccessfully tries to seduce Mitch, only to find
out later he's been consulting a divorce lawyer. And Pacey has his
heart set on Kristy, the school babe, after being inspired by Dawson's
newfound love. Instead, he runs into a cute new girl in town named Andie
in his dad's police car. In true Pacey form he poses as a cop milking
the moment for all it is worth. When Andie sees him at school later,
a rivalry is born. A tame fight proceeds, but Andie ends up calling
a truce by introducing Pacey to Kristy, who Andie happens to know.
He takes her up on it and manages to get a date with the cheerleader.
Dawson and Joey find themselves in that
awkward "start of a relationship" stage, and are still unsure as to the
best way to move forward. Joey has decided to stay home from France,
inspiring Dawson. Their anxiously awaited second kiss is interrupted
by Jen, who shares the unfortunate news of her Grandfather passing.
She's obviously upset, and Dawson goes after her.
Jen is filled with frustration and bitterness and Dawson has a hard
time trying to cheer her up. Grasping for something, Jen makes an effort
to rekindle her and Dawson's relationship, but Dawson convinces her to
keep it as a friendship. She knows that Dawson's feelings for Joey have
been building, and when Dawson leaves Jen for his and Joey's first date,
it only depresses her more.
Dawson picks Joey up in his boat and although
they flirt about heading to a motel, they end up only holding hands
instead of even kissing. Their date hits a wall when Jen crashes it,
joining them at the Rialto. Jen senses the tension and leaves as quickly
as she came, forcing Dawson to again go after her. In the lobby, an
emotional Jen reminisces about her and Dawson's first date in that same
place and frets over what Dawson and her ever had in the first place.
Dawson can't say anything right in her eyes, and when she storms out,
he goes back to Joey only to find her gone.
Pacey, meanwhile, watches the clock waiting
for his date with Kristy. She arrives and tells him she can't stay, her
boyfriend is in the car. Pacey is confused, but when Kristy tells him
she is proud of how brave he is to go on with his deadly heart disease,
he figures it out: Andie set him up. He plays along but isn't thrilled,
and later confronts Andie who laughs him off. Pacey regresses back into
his old self-esteem, but Andie cheers him up and they end on a good note.
After the movie at the Rialto, which is the last
one to be shown before the historic building is torn down, Jen runs into
her Grandmother. Jen is upset with the way her Grandmother is handling
their loss, but the two share a heart-to-heart talk that helps Jen come
in touch with her feelings. Grandma tells her of her first date at the
Rialto with Jen's Grandfather and Jen feels bad for all her harsh words,
finally seeing things through her Grandmother's eyes.
Dawson finds Joey on the docks and is relieved to see she is not mad.
They discuss their relationship and both know that they are in for a
difficult, complicated ride - but they're optimistic. Finally, for
the first time since Dawson's bedroom at the beginning of the episode,
they kiss. And Joey discovers that Bessie was right; The second kiss
is the best.
Written by Jon Harmon Feldman
Directed by David Semel
Originally Aired Wednesday, October 7, 1998 8pm/7pm C
The WB Television Network
Synopsis Written By
Lance Whinery