The All-Nighter

Post-breakup hell for Joey and Dawson in this episode. As Mr. Peterson's dreaded mid-term draws near, everyone's favorite Capesiders bond for an all-night study session at the home of one of Capeside's more affluent womanizers. This guy Chris is a sleaze and a half in my book. I mean, that whole scene between him and Dawson ("When that light's off, that means I'm inside with Jen...lowering both our purity levels...") gag. But Jen doesn't seem to mind, what with her own little "master plan."

Anyway, the way it begins is (*deep breath*) Mr. Peterson has scheduled a study session for his class, but unfortunately, he comes down with some sort of disease which incapacitates him. Chris, Mr. Sleazoid himself, thinks that an all-night study session might be just what he needs to get Jen into the sack with him. In order to keep some semblance of respectability, he also invites Pacey and Andie (the former who is only accepting to laze in the lap of someone else's luxury), who in turn invite Joey and Dawson. Oops. This is not exactly what they had in mind when they broke up.

Despite Andie's attempts to create a real environment for learning, things fall apart pretty quickly. The six of them (well, seven if you count Chris' eavesdropping little sister Dina) get distraced by a "Purity Quiz" in a magazine of Andie's. They take the test and Andie scores the highest and (surprise, surprise) Chris scores the lowest! Okay, who was surprised by that? Ah, but just when you thought things were going okay for Pacey and Andie, as a result of the quiz, Andie finds out about Pacey's affair with his teacher (Tamara Jacobs). She gets upset and leaves the room, while the rest of the group kind of breaks up and starts doing their own thing.

Dawson and Chris have the aforementioned talk about Jen's um, level of experience and what Chris intends to do with it, while Jen and Joey have a little talk of their own. Nothing really major there, but Pacey is after Ms. McPhee, trying to make things up with her. He gives her the "love all of me or none of me" talk and then Dawson warns Jen about Chris' little agenda. But what makes Dawson think Jen doesn't know what she's doing? Jen asks him that as she saunters off to the hot tub for a little soak with the sleaze. After she is gone, Dawson is ambushed by Dina, who has a developed a cute infatuation for Dawson. She has read all of the answer sheets from the purity test and offers to let Dawson see Joey's. But this paper has a toll. the price? A kiss. Dawson refuses of course and she shouts to him that Joey has been in love...twice. Who is the other time? It's all Dawson can think of.

Jen and Chris continue their little dance around sex and they do end up doing it, so we know he got what he wanted. Ick. Dawson pesters Joey about her answer and she takes off, well sort of. Dina comes along again, and Dawson, still feeling the anger about Joey, really bites her head off about the whole kiss deal. After Dina runs off crying, Dawson turns to find Joey staring at him with a shocked expression on her face because of his outburst. So she goes up to comfort Dina and we learn Joey's insights on growing up. A very sweet scene it is.

Uh-oh. the next time we see any of them, it's (*gasp*) morning! No studying has been done! What are they to do? No worries, Pacey has got it all figured out. He is, after all, "a professional crammer." It is actually amazing how much cramming they get done in that short time span. As a reward, Pacey leads them all into a dip in the pool, after which he and Andie semi-makeup. She doesn't forgive him ("It's a no") but they do make up.

And Joey and Dawson come to terms with their current relationship. They decide to just take it slow and we discover who the "other love" of Joey's life was. It was...Dawson! Yep, both times. First as her friend and then as her boyfriend.

Back in the land of academics, it appears that Mr. Peterson is still suffering and so they go out on the football field and...sleep. Hey, after frying their brains for a night they deserve it. Back to guide