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It's not about getting it right... It's about knowing when it's wrong and doing something about it
—Andie to Pacey[src]

Andie McPhee is a principal character on Dawson's Creek. She is portrayed by Meredith Monroe.

Character[]

Andie McPhee is introduced as a somewhat high strung, but sweet and intelligent girl, with great academic ambitions and a very sociable nature. She is an enthusiastic and passionate person, and also possesses an innocent nature, although this innocence could also be a stuborn determination to keep some childhood joy in the face of the immense responsibility her parents have left her and Jack. Her drive can, at times, take on a 'tunnel vision' intensity and she can be a bit ruthless to the people around her. This is more likely due to the extreme pressure she and Jack are under from 1997-2000, after their brother Tim dies and the effect it has on the McPhee family.

Capeside[]

After her brother dies and her father moves the family to Capeside, Andie, in spite of great odds, is determined to maintain her academic status and sunny demeanor, refusing to let her mother's condition weigh on her outlook on the world. She has trouble reconciling with Jack's attitude toward their situation, as he faces the seriousness of it head on[1]. Meeting Pacey is a light for Andie, and she soon becomes friends with Joey, Jen[1] and Dawson[2] too. Andie quickly finds herself having feelings for Pacey, though she feels they may be unrequited.

First love[]

But Pacey starts to feel the same way and they begin a romance, in spite of Andie's wariness with letting Pacey become a part of her increasingly difficult home life[3][4]. Ever the ambitious student, Andie decides to run for student body president, inspiring Pacey to be her campaign manager and convincing Joey to be her running mate[5]. Abby Morgan's bullying and revealing Andie and Jack's family tragedy to the entire school has a great impact on Andie, as she's becoming more and more unraveled. At the behest of her brother, she begins taking medication again, despite not wanting to.

Feeling better following this episode, Andie and Pacey draw ever closer and Andie begins to consider sex. Even though she's nervous about experiencing her first time, she's also open to and excited about the experience[6]. Her insecurities following such a vulnerable moment get to her when she thinks everyone at the school knows and accuses Pacey of gossiping. This is mostly due to Pacey withdrawing from Andie, but she finds out it's because of how intense and strong his feelings for her are[7].

Mental illness[]

Andie's emotional well-being continues to deteriorate as she feels more and more overwhelmed with having to care for her mother and do well in school. She tries to push Pacey away as a result, but he insists on being there for her.[8] Andie spends some time with the other girls where she talks about the difficulties she faces openly.[9] When Jack opens up and starts living his truth, Andie reacts by shunning him at first as she just can't deal with any more public scrutiny[10], but she comes around thanks to Pacey and supports Jack by throwing out her father when he continues to harass Jack, strengthening their bond as a family.[11]

Andie starts seeing a therapist to help with her illness, and tries a 'night-of-fun' to ease her daily life.[12] She continues to be fragile, with Pacey increasingly worried for her and the sudden death of Abby Morgan[13] triggers a nervous breakdown as Andie begins seeing the spectre of her dead older brother, Tim.[14] Pacey and Jack manage to help her through the breakdown, but Andie is terrified and Jack calls in her father to help, who ultimately decides that Andie and her mother should both receive treatment.[15]

Recovery[]

Andie spends the summer in a facility receiving treatment and slowly, but surely gets better. She finds a close friendship with Mark, another patient at the facility, but they sleep together for comfort amidst the hardship Andie's going through.[16] Her return to Capeside prompts her break-up with Pacey when he tells her and, without Pacey, Andie starts to worry whether she will get sick again and wants to ensure her academic future as a way to feel safe. She does this by cheating on the PSATs, with a copy Eve gives Dawson, to secure a great score, and proceeds to make a clean, curt break with Pacey[17] and start dating an older guy, Joey's sexist boss. Joey tries to warn Andie about the true nature of Rob Logan, but Andie's dismissive of Joey's warnings as she's hellbent on following a plan to move on with her life, and insults Joey to try and get rid of her. Despite this, Joey crashes Andie's date with Rob as she won't leave Andie alone with him.[18]

When she throws herself into assistant directing a production of Barefoot in the Park at school, she has no idea what she's gotten herself into. The director is awful, and in spite of Andie's good ideas, he is condescending and dismissive. And to top it all off, he's dead set on casting Pacey in a lead role. Andie tries to get Pacey to quit, insisting the after school activity was "hers." But he doesn't quit, and ultimately, it is he who encourages her to stay on the project, when the director goes too far in his "gopher" treatment. Pacey lets her know she's needed to make this a good show, and the two begin to reprise their old banter. He won't take no for an answer when he tells Andie she's got to stay.[19]

Andie doesn't understand why Jack is miffed that Andie invited her old friend Kate from Providence, to come visit for the weekend, even though she's Jack's old girlfriend. Andie assures him everything will be fine…but when the pair learn that Kate is distraught over a recent breakup with a guy who turned out to be gay, Andie wonders if this was the best idea… When the gang arrives at Matt Caufield's bash, Andie and Joey back out, but the two girls are arrested anyway when the police arrive to break up the party. In jail, Andie urges Jack not to choose that moment to inform Kate of his sexuality, but he does so anyway, causing even more interesting drama in the jail cell.[20]

Andie and Jack help out at the Leery's new restaurant by bringing over the sign - which is currently still without a name since Gale has yet to select one. They hang around to test some not so impressive chowder. Ultimately Gale decides to name the restaurant Leery's Fresh Fish.[21]

Andie tells Dawson that Pacey will be sailing away soon, but Dawson does not let his feelings show. She invites him to the going-away party but he turns her down. Later, at the party, as the gang commiserates, Andie jokingly invites the others to join her in a convent this summer. She's touched by Grams' story, and is supportive and excited as she travels with Grams so that Jen and Jack can catch Henry and Ethan. Later, she joins Jen and Jack in Dawson's room in a gesture of friendship to him.[22]

Senior year[]

Andie, having finished all her college applications, and anxious to know whether or not she got into Harvard, begins to focus on everyone around her, driving her brother crazy. Jack's had enough of being Andie's latest project and he tells her so. Alone with Jen and Joey, Andie laughs that she'll probably be working in PR in five years... that's what people like her end up doing. Later, she apologizes to Jack and promises to let up...and let him take his time.[23] Andie's thrilled to help Jack with his coaching. When Jack tells her about Caroline, she suggests he just tell her he's gay. But Jack's not ready. Andie tries to help by concocting a fake "girlfriend" for Jack, but finally Jack admits the truth. In spite of the results, Andie tells Jack he shouldn't quit - he's great with the kids and there's no reason he should have to hide who he is.[24]

Andie receives an early acceptance letter from Harvard[25], and Jack and Jen excitedly congratulate her. However, Andie seems nervous and unsure - decidedly opposite of how she expects to feel. Her dad is elated and they bond as a family with Jack. However, Andie thinks maybe her medication is clouding her ability to feel. She isn’t nervous, excited or scared. Jack suggests they celebrate at a rave Drue suggested.

Hanging out with Jen before the rave, Andie discovers Drue has given Jen some ecstasy. Incredibly curious, Andie begins to question Jen about the effects of the drug and Jen obliges. Arriving at the rave, Andie tells Jen that she secretly took the pill. As nobody else recognizes Andie’s state except for Drue, he whisks her off into the party and they begin to dance. Jen attempts to keep an eye on Andie yet continues to lose track of her. After eventually meeting up with the rest of the gang again, Andie is noticeably high and finds herself a little too honest with her words.

Andie joins Drue, Dawson and Gretchen in the rave’s bouncy castle where the ecstasy seems to hit a breaking point, Andie collapses and everyone rushes to her aid. She is immediately cared for by paramedics and rushed to the hospital. The gang follows, minus Jen and Drue. The ecstasy caused a very serious adverse reaction due to her current medication. After Andie is stabilized, everyone heads home except for Jack, Pacey and Mr. McPhee who stay by Andie’s side through the night. Now awake, Jack admits he’s angry with her and she cries.

I’m sorry. I know it was stupid. It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever done…I wanted to feel something, you know. Anything.
—Andie[src]

Andie is deeply apologetic, regretful and embarrassed. Mr. McPhee assures her their family can get through this as long as they keep communicating honestly as a family. She is surprised to see Pacey has remained at the hospital as well and apologizes to him for the things she said at the rave.[25]

407

Farewell

Andie worries that everyone will make fun of her when she goes back to school. She's upset when Pacey admits that everyone blames Jen for what happened, and she's determined to fix it. Later, Mr. McPhee suggests to Andie that she take the rest of the year off to spend time with her aunt in Italy. Andie ponders it, and asks Jack what he thinks. He can't believe she'd miss senior year. Finally, Andie asks Pacey what she should do, and tells him she needs a tiebreaker - Pacey tells her she's her own tie-breaker. Andie surprises everyone by inviting them individually to dinner - to say a tearful goodbye. She reminds everyone how rare it is to have friends like the ones this group has, as she tries to fix all of the shattered relationships in the group before her departure. Andie shares a final moment with Pacey.[26]

2008[]

624andie

Andie in series finale.

While her scenes were cut from the series finale, we see in deleted scenes that Andie has become a resident doctor. She checks on a gravely ill Jen and while reconnecting with Pacey, tells him Jen is not responding to the treatment and is dying.[27]

Romances[]

Pacey Witter

Main article: Andie and Pacey

Will Krudski

Main article: Will and Andie

Quotes[]

New people make me nervous. I never know what to say and then eventually I just clam up totally
—Andie to Pacey[src]

Trivia[]

  • Andie returned for two guest appearances in order to provide closure for her character and to support the ongoing storylines at the time:
    • In Season 4, when Andie returned to graduate.[28]
    • In Season 6, to say goodbye to Jen and to show where Andie was in 2008.[29]
  • Kevin Williamson disliked Andie's departure from the series:
"I wasn't thrilled with the way Andie left the show because I really loved that character when she first came on. And by the time she left, everyone hated her. I didn't think the audience needed to turn against her the way they did. That's why I wanted to bring her back for the series finale"[30]

Andie's website[]

Andie's Postcards

Photos[]

Andie McPhee/Gallery

Notes and references[]

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