"The Election"
While Dawson impatiently waits, Jen reads
the finished script for his next movie. Unfortunately for Dawson,
Jen's review is not exactly what he wanted to hear. She claims that
his script lacks an edge that comes from his tendency to overanalyze
and think like somebody much older than fifteen years of age.
The next morning at school, Andie asks Joey to
be her running mate for sophomore class president. Not wanting to hurt
Andie's chances with her own family history, Joey declines the offer.
Andie then tells Pacey that he's going to be her campaign manager.
They bump into Abby and Chris, who are also running for student council,
same position. Jen tries to get Dawson to recapture the naivete of
his youth by convincing him to cut class with her. Dawson, however,
can't go through with it. After school, Gale calls Mitch over to the
house to fix the dishwasher. The faulty repairs leave them both soaked.
Caught up in the moment, Mitch and Gale proceed to make love right on
the kitchen table... just as Dawson enters the house. Seeing his parents
in the kitchen, Dawson quietly leaves. Later, Abby and Chris enter the
Ice House, while Joey tries to figure out why Jack constantly changes
the topic whenever his personal life comes up in their conversations.
Abby overhears their conversation about student council, and she rips Joey
for thinking she can win despite the fact that her father is an imprisoned
convict. Fed up with her insults, Joey dumps a pitcher of water over
Abby's head, then tells Jack that she'll join Andie in the campaign.
Andie refuses to listen to Joey's suggestions
that they strike back at Abby and Chris with the same negative tactics.
Meanwhile, Jen offers to act as Dawson's "regression sponsor" in hopes of
giving him the experiences he needs to reach his audience. She orders
him to steal lipstick, but Dawson isn't quite ready to take the next
step. At school, the candidates for sophomore class president hold a
debate in the gym. The three candidates are Andie, Abby, and Kenny.
Towards the end of the debate, Abby reveals Andie's family history to
the entire sophomore class. Unable to cope, Andie leaves the podium and
runs out of the gym. Joey runs into Jack outside, who is looking for
his sister. She tries to apologize for grilling Jack on his personal
life, but he does not want to do talk about it with Joey. Back inside,
Pacey finds Andie hiding inside one of the girls' restrooms. He tries to
comfort Andie and assure her that the whole situation will blow over in
no time. Just as she seems calmed down, Andie hurls a book at the mirror,
shattering it, then leaves the restroom. Dawson stops by Mitch's place
on his way home and confesses that he saw what happened in the kitchen.
Dawson believes that his parents are getting back together, but Mitch
clarifies that their tryst in the kitchen was merely a slip. At Jen's
house, Dawson finally admits that he needs a new outlook on life in order
to better his script-writing. Jack, meanwhile, suggests to Andie that
she should start taking her medication again, seeing how her mood swings
are getting more intense. Andie insists that she's fine, but Jack doesn't
believe her. After getting Dawson to TP a house for the very first time,
Jen brings him to the creek for a skinny dip. Dawson resists at first,
but soon gives in when Jen strips off her clothes and dives in first.
Taking Jen's initiative on acting impulsively, Dawson kisses Jen.
She quickly pulls away, telling Dawson that she doesn't want to mess
things up now that they're finally good friends again.
The student council candidates make their final
statements over the school's PA system. After Abby and Chris finish,
Andie finds that she can't deal and is left speechless. She leaves, and
Joey follows her out. Taking things into his own hands, Pacey tricks
Abby into voicing her real intentions as sophomore class president in
front of the live microphone. As the entire school listens, Abby reveals
how she's only using Chris for the popularity vote, as well as her honest
opinions about her fellow students. With both Andie and Abby out of the
running, Kenny celebrates early. Later that night, Dawson finds a stack
of divorce papers in the kitchen, and Gale confirms the news. Jack finds
Joey at the Ice House just as she is closing it up. He apologizes for
shutting her out. Joey assures him that she can identify with what he's
going through, and they walk home hand in hand. Taking Jack's advice,
Andie takes her pills out of the medicine cabinet and swallows a couple.
Dawson walks over to Jen's house for help in sorting out his feelings.
He doesn't know if he should deal with his parent's impending divorce
by thinking it through rationally, or just letting his emotions go.
Dawson then rests his head on Jen's shoulder, letting his tears pour out.
Written by Darin Goldberg & Shelley Meals
Directed by Patrick Norris
Originally Aired Wednesday, December 16, 1998 8pm/7pm C
The WB Television Network
Synopsis Written By
Alan Hufana