Episode One - pilot episode

In this episode, we are introduced to each of the main characters (Dawson Leery, Joey Potter, Pacey Witter and Jen Lindley). They are 15 and are starting high school in a few days. Jen has just moved from New York to stay with her grandparents while her grandfather is very ill. Dawson takes an immediate like to her, which upsets Joey. We find out he is a film-buff, especially of Steven Spielberg. He is making a movie of his own, which he plans to enter into the Boston Film Festival - however, he is denied admittance to Mr. Gold's film class because he is only a sophomore. We also find out his mother and father have a very active sex life, Dawson suspects his mother is having an affair, and Jen's grandmother is very into going to Church, which Jen is totally against.
Meanwhile, Pacey meets Tamara in the video shop where he and Dawson work part time. He is captivated by her - and then he discovers she is his new English teacher. However, this doesn't seem to bother Tamara after a while, and she and Pacey end up doing mouth-to-mouth down at the docks.
Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen go to see a movie (because Pacey wants to see Tamara - note, this is before the kiss.). Joey gets really bitchy towards Jen, and Dawson is really angry. They realise that because they are getting older it is becoming more difficult to tell each other everything. Although Joey has slept over at Dawson's every Saturday night since they were 7, she decides she can no longer do this. At the end, Joey tells Dawson that she has to go because they simply cant tell each other everything any more. Dawson tells her to stop talking nonsense, whereby she asks him straight out how often he "walks his dog". Dawson is extremely uncomfortable about this, and Joey leaves, really upset. However, he shouts the answer out of his window to her.
Oh, and just then, Joey spots Dawson's mother kissing someone else.

My favourite quotes:

Pacey: Man, video woman is my new English teacher, okay? You, me, the movies tonight. We are stalking a faculty member.

As a part of Dawson's film, Joey has to kiss Pacey, which she is extremely unhappy about. Dawson decides the best way to solve this would be to kill her off earlier than planned, and have Jen step in as Joey's cousin. When they try it out, Dawson gets jealous of the kiss between Pacey and Jen, and so cuts the kiss altogether. Meanwhile, he manages to sneak into the film class by having study periods during the same time as film class. The film class are also making a movie for the festival - which Dawson takes an immediate dislike to, especially as it is about football and stars Cliff, who is a jock.
There is a school dance which Dawson decides to invite Jen to. Unfortunately, someone else has got there first - Cliff. He eventually decides to go anyway, and drags Joey along with him.
Pacey confronts Tamara about where their relationship is going after the "open-mouthed kiss" on the docks the previous night, which she denies having any knowledge of. He ends up going to the dance with Dawson and Joey because Tamara will be there.
At the dance, Dawson makes a complete fool of himself by trying to take over from Cliff with Jen during a dance. Pacey gets nowhere with Tamara - she keeps insisting nothing can happen because it's wrong. Later on, he runs into her at the docks again, and, yep, they do some mouth-to-mouth again. Meanwhile, Dawson sees Jen and they resolve the differences.

My favourite quotes

(At the dance)
Dawson: We lost her.
Joey: Maybe she's with your brain.

(On kissing technique)
Dawson's father: The first time I kissed your mother...
Dawson: .... and don't get too detailed....

Dawson manages to get himself further into Mr. Gold's film class by having great suggestions for the boring football film, and therefore becomes a very small part of the film team. It turns out Jen has been given a cheerleading part by Cliff, so Dawson is happy about that.
Joey meets a guy on a boat called Anderson, and tells him her name is Deborah Carson (after Deborah Carr who was in a romantic film she and Dawson were watching). She also tells him she lives in New York and comes from a rich family. They go sailing, and have fun, but she won't let him kiss her. She is waitressing in her sister's restaurant as a favour when he comes by, so she tries to disguise the fact that she does in fact live in Capeside and not New York. Surprisingly, Jen helps her. That night, Anderson tells her he has to go the next day, but he might see her in New York. She tells him hurridly that she's more of an East side girl, and enjoys Boulet (?) better. They kiss and he gives her his phone number. Later on, she finds out that Boulet is in fact not in the East, and was also closed. Two years ago.
Meanwhile, Dawson and Jen go to the ruins to film part of his movie. It is a really romantic place, and Dawson attempts to film their first kiss - until Jen realises what he is doing. They have a big conversation about how Dawson has built this kiss up and now he'll be disappointed, etc. They hear a car coming, and run to hide, leaving the camera and TV where they are. In the shadows where they are hiding, they have their first kiss, which is much more romantic s Dawson hadn't planned it all out.
And Pacey and Tamara? Well, Pacey decides he'll use his failing grades to get Tamara to tutor him. At their first tutorial, Tamara says if he does so much work, he'll get a reward. He does the work - but Tamara wasn't really expecting it, and so there's no reward. Pacey tells her it's okay for them to be together there, there's no-one about. Tamara decides to shock Pacey - she tells him there's no time, and he must strip so they can have sex for the first time on her desk. She stops suddenly when she realises what she was about to do. Pacey later confronts her about walking home with Mr. Gold, to which she (again) replies that nothing can happen between them. However, it is them who disturb Dawson and Jen at the ruins - and Dawson catches their "tutorial" on tape!

My favourite quotes

(About Anderson)
Dawson: Who is that guy?
Joey: Who....?
Pacey: Uh, the guy who was breaking your neck.

(About movies being just fantasy)
Dawson:... You could be Deborah Carr.
Joey: Mmm, sand in my crotch. Heaven.

Dawson and Joey find the video that Dawson accidently taped of Pacey and Tamara. They recognise her but they don't know who the guy is... just someone with "Throbbing neck muscles", as Joey puts it. They tell Pacey and Jen, and Pacey freaks out. He tells Dawson he wants to see the tape, and Dawson says that's fine. Hoever, he can't wait and so he goes to Dawson's room and starts fiddling about with the videos. Dawson doesn't see what the problem is - he knew Pacey had the hots for Tamara, but didn't know it was this bad. Pacey tells him that it was him who was with her, and Dawson doesn't know what to say. Pacey takes the tape and leaves.
Meanwhile, Dawson and Jen are going very well. She goes with him to Dawson's mother's studio to help him with the film editing, and there they see his mother and Bob together. Dawson is in shock. Jen tells him that if he ever wants to talk about it, then she'd like to be the one. He goes to Joey instead, but realises he's made a mistake when he finds out that she knew about Bob all along. He decides their friendship is over, and turns to Jen instead. When he tells her they should be honest about themselves, she tells him why she was sent from New York to help her Grandmother - because she was caught having sex on her parents bed. Dawson is upset at this, too, but tries not to let it show. Unfortunately, he does.
Pacey becomes jealous when he sees Tamara and Mr. Gold spending so much time together. He confronts her about it, only to find out that in his "extensive research" he missed the fact that Mr. Gold is actually gay.
Dawson decides to tell his father about his mother's affair, but he ends up wishing him happy anniversary instead.

My favourite quotes

Pacey: Well do you like him, or do you like me?
Tamara: You know you're very disarming when you start sounding your age.

Jen: I need some advice.
Joey: And what field do you consider me an expert in?
Jen: Dawson Leery.
Joey: You know, I'm sorta busy here, these receipts and locking up. Maybe we could, uh, do this another time?
Jen: I told him I wasn't a virgin.
Joey: I think I have a minute.

A hurricane is about to hit Capeside.
Dawson's father decides to invite Jen and her grandmother over to ride out the storm, and Joey, Bessie and Bodie join in too. Bessie and Bodie are arguing about whether the baby should be circumsised, and Joey comments that they don't even know what sex the baby is yet. Mrs. Ryan (Jen's gran) retorts with they don't even know whether it will be black or white, which annoys both Bessie and Bodie, although they try not to let it show too much.
Dawson is still upset with his mother for cheating on his father, and catches her on the phone to him. He tells her he has a new award for her - t comes in the shape of an A and she has to stitch it right across he front. He takes his anger at his mother out on Jen, because he is still upset at her revelations about not being a virgin. Joey hears their argument accidentally, and tries to persuade them to work it out, which they do.
Meanwhile, Pacey is helping his brother put up flags and 'no swimming' signs on the beach. His brother is a Deputy, and Pacey annoys him by telling him it's okay if he's gay - which Doug claims is not the case. They come across Tamara's house, which Doug decides to help secure. Doug and Pacey end up staying the night with Tamara because she is afraid of storms. They play the "if" game, which comprises of asking questions beginning with "If you could...", which Doug claims will let them get to know each other better. Pacey votes for Monopoly, which he claims has a point. While Doug is outside, Pacey tells Tamara that Doug is gay. When, later, Doug asks Tamara out on a date, she tells him that she knows he is gay. Doug puts a gun to Pacey's head to make him tell her he is not. Tamara is scared stiff.
Dawson decides to finally tell his father that his mother is having an affair with Bob. However, his mum gets there first. Dawson's father stormna about the kitchen before sitting out in the car in the pelting rain. When Gail joins him, he tells her that while he chose to love her once, he now chooses to hate her, and throws her out of the car.
The next day, Pacey and Doug leave Tamara's, and Doug repeats his request for a date. She tells him she is already seeing someone else, but obviously doesn't tell him who. Pacey later returns to Tamara's, and asks her if she could do anything different, what would it be? She returns the question and he tells her he wishes he was older, so that he could publically declare his love for her.
Gail tells Mitch she has no reason for what she did, except that she wants everything back the way it was. It doesn't look like that's likely to happen.
At the end, Joey and Dawson play "Jaws" in his cupboard like they did when they were little.

My favourite quotes

Gail: I guess I f-…this is really f-…every sentence that comes to mind ends with the f-word.
Joey: Well don't hold back on my account, I've heard it.
Gail: I'm an adult Joey, I'm supposed to set an example.
Joey: I'd stick to the f-word if I were you.

Doug: Did you tell her I'm gay?
Tamara: No, I guessed it. When I lived in New York, I lived on Christopher Street. I have good "gay-dar."

This episode begins with Pacey trying to talk Tamara into going on a date with him, like other normal couples do. She tells him that it's sweet, but hardly practical - a whole number of people could see them together. Pacey tells her it doesn't have to be in Capeside, and almost manages to persuade her into going to Province with him.
Later, he is talking to Dawson about it in the boy's toilets. He checks under the doors to make sure no-one is listening... after all, it's not exactly legal. Unfortunately, Pacey manages to miss someone sitting with his feet up...
Jen catches Dawson outside, and explains that there's a weird "Pacey" rumour going about, and it doen't just involve him. Dawson realises what has happened, and asks Jen not to tell anyone. Too late - it's already going around the whole school.
Dawson attempts to talk to Pacey about it. He is, naturally, very upset - his only faint hope is that it doesn't reach Tamara. He goes to her house to see her, but it's too late, she's already heard. She is very angry with him, and tells him that she's got an idea what they should do like other couples do - break up. Meanwhile, Bessie is only days away from giving birth. Joey is getting uptight about it, and Bodie tells her it will all be over in a week. He leaves for an interview - just minutes before Joey happens upon Bessie trying to get to the hospital. She's in labour.
Once they realise the only way of getting help is at Dawson's, they make a beeline for his house. Dawson phones for an ambulance, but it will take over an hour to get there. Joey and Dawson realise the only help can come in the form of a nurse - and Jen's gran is the only accessible one. Joey fetches her, asking her to put aside all her prejudices for Bessie and Bodie because they are in urgent need. Bessie is really annoyed with Joey for doing this, but she comes to a compromise with Mrs. Ryan over their attitude towards each other.
Pacey, on the other hand, isn't getting on so great. He meets Doug, who is totally unsupportive of Pacey, and doesn't believe there is any truth in the rumour at all. The school board and magistrate hold a trial to decide whether Tamara should be banned from teaching due to her affair with Pacey. However, just as she is about to be made to confess, Pacey enters and denies the whole thing. After the trial, Doug tells Tamara he is really sorry on behalf of Pacey, and that Pacey has always been the family joke - always getting into trouble. Tamara tells him that Doug must be very proud - of the mature, honest young man Pacey has turned out to be. Doug is very taken aback.
At Dawson's, Jen realises that Bessie is losing a lot of blood. Mrs. Ryan is annoyed with her for alarming Bessie, and asks for Jen to put her attitude aside and help her get the baby out before Bessie loses any more blood. Joey suddenly runs out of the room, and Dawson follows her. It turns out Joey sees a lot of her mother in Bessie - and she's really worried about her. Dawson tells her that Bessie needs her to be there right now, and they go back inside just as Besiie is about to give birth. Bessie can't find the energy to push the baby out - but Joey takes her hand, and Bessie manages.
Pacey approaches Tamara's house, and sees her sitting on the steps outside. He tells her he is really sorry, and that it will never happen again. She says she'll make sure of that - because she's leaving Capeside. Pacey is taken aback. She tells him that their ending was inevitable, and Pacey asks for a goodbye kiss. She says that maybe he can handle it, but she doesn't think she can. She hugs him for the last time, and he leaves.
Bodie and Bessie are sitting in Dawson's living room with the new baby, Alexander. Joey enters, and they have a family moment together.
Meanwhile, Pacey visits Tamara's one last time, and sees her through the window. He says goodbye to her, and sets off back down the beach.

My favourite quotes

Tamara: I'm 36 years old and I want to have children before it's too late. I mean I want to be their mother, not their girlfriend.

Joey: No time to talk Dawson, my sister's having her baby.
Dawson: Oh, congratulations.
Joey: On your lawn.

Episode Seven - "Breakfast Club"

Dawson and Joey are debating whether a girl is attracted to a guy more by romance, or a fast car and big biceps. Joey reckons guys are attracted to girls for totally superficial reasons, while Dawson egts the first hint that Pacey may infact be a bigger turn on than him.
Dawson's tension is taken out on Pacey during gym. After catching him tell Jen that Dawson's nickname is "Oompa Loompa" and Pacey showing off his basketball skills to the cheerleders, Dawson throws a basketball at Pacey's face, breaking his nose. The coach sends him to all-day Saturday detension.
Meanwhile, Jen is in class debating euthinasia. After telling the teacher that for someone dying in a hospital bed "Life isn't a gift, life's a bitch", she is put into all day detension, too.
While putting on a presentation, Joey is annoyed by Grant Bodine - "king of the school". His persistent questions and butting into the lunch queue in front of her take her over the edge, and she beats him up right in front of everyone else.
Saturday morning. Dawson and Jen walk into detension togather, and are surprised to find that Pacey is also there, very secretive about his reasons for being there. Suddenly they hear a voice - Abby Morgan is to spend the day in detension with them, which they are not pleased about. Joey walks in last - it's just like every other Saturday.
Soon, Abby is starting to get on everyone's nerves, asking them why they are in, and accusing them of being "violent offenders", while she herself tells them she is there because of a "little drug called ecstasy", an "orgy", and the boy's locker room. Dawson realises that the situation is just like the film "Breakfast Club". Abby suggests they play a game - Truth or Dare.
When Pacey won't answer Abby's question about why he is in detension, she dares him to kiss Jen, on the lips, for 10 seconds. Dawson watches in jealousy. After Joey refuses to answer Pacey's question about who she is in love with, Pacey dares her to kiss Dawson for 15 seconds. The kiss is really intense, and this time it's Jen who looks uncomfortable.
Just as everyone is starting to get really annoyed with Abby, Dawson dares them all to go on a jail-break. They play "Guess My Butt", at recommendation by Jen, and Dawson ends up yelling at Pacey again. Pacey suggests they finish their game of basketball.
In the gym, Dawson and Pacey are battling it out, with "encouraging" comments from Abby. She tells Joey and Jen what the rest of us knew already - that Joey is madly in love with Dawson. Suddenly, they realise that they are going to be missed in detention if they don't get back. They make a run for it - but have been caught.
They spend the next hour putting library cards back, while Abby sits and does nothing. They discover she is in for excessive tardies, and not her "ecstasy gangbang" after all.
With half an hour to go, Dawson finally gets the truth out of Pacey. He tells them of how he was caught "walking his dog" by the coach, and how this makes it "glaringly obvious" that he's no Sex God. Dawson realises there's no competition from Pacey for Jen, and Jen explains that Dawson is the only steady thing in her life. An upset Joey nearly tells Dawson of her feelings, but stops herself, realising that once she says these things, she can't ever take them back.
With Jen and Joey in tears and Dawson, Abby and Pacey close to it, they are finally told they can all go home.

My favourite quotes

Dawson: Ok Joey, first of all, girls are attracted to romance more than anything else.
Joey: Yuh, keep hope alive there.

Joey: What is this, some kind of surprise party?
Pacey: Oh yeah. Surprise! Break out the piñada.

Abby: Does anyone want a piece of gum?
Joey: Yeah.
Dawson: Yeah, actually.
Abby: Yeah, right!