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You wanna know why I didn't go to France?
—Joey to Dawson

The Kiss is the first episode of Season 2 of Dawson's Creek.

Synopsis[]

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? – After the moment of truth when Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) seal their passions with a kiss, tensions mount as the two are plagued with doubts and questions as to where to take the relationship, with Joey's impending trip to France and Dawson's lingering feelings for Jen (Michelle Williams). Meanwhile, Jen has difficulty understanding Grams' (Mary Beth Peil) reaction to her grandfather's death, Pacey (Joshua Jackson) clashes with new Capeside High arrival Andie McPhee (new cast member Meredith Monroe, the television series "Dangerous Minds"), and Mitch (John Wesley Shipp) and Gale (Mary-Margaret Humes) struggle to bring trust back into their marriage.[1]

Summary[]

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 Grams is handling their loss, but the two share a heart-to-heart talk that helps Jen come in touch with her feelings. Grams 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.[2]

Starring[]

James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery
Katie Holmes as Joey Potter
Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley
Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter
Mary-Margaret Humes as Gale Leery
John Wesley Shipp as Mitch Leery
Mary Beth Peil as Evelyn Ryan
Nina Repeta as Bessie Potter
Special Guest Star
Meredith Monroe as Andie McPhee
Guest Starring
Ali Larter as Kristy Livingstone
Co-Starring
Juliet Cesario as Assistant
Liesl Ehardt as Cheerleader

Pacey's 'mantra'[]

There once was a girl name of Kristy
The thought of her nude makes me misty
A night on the town, we'll both go get down
By the end of the date she'll have kissed me

Quotes[]

He was never as handsome as that night
—Grams to Jen about her first date with Gramps
Most women, they prefer that first kiss. But I'm partial to the second one
—Bessie to Joey
I was the girl whose sole purpose was to allow you figure to out who you were really in love with
—Jen to Dawson

Locations[]

Trivia[]

  • Joey doesn't go to France because she didn't want to run away from her problems in Capeside, and because of Dawson.
  • Grams tells Jen that she and Mr. Ryan were married for 43 years. They had their first date at the Rialto - the same as Dawson and Jen and Dawson and Joey (in this episode).

BEHIND THE SCENES

BROADCAST

  • The season 2 premiere was watched by 7.93 million viewers in the United States, the third largest in the show's history.[4][5]

Films[]

WATCHED
The Last Picture Show (1971)
REFERENCED

Music[]

say goodnight | BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN
the kiss
out of my head | FASTBALL
the morning after
birds of a feather | PHISH
pacey and his new hair
swallow | NOWHERE BLOSSOMS
pacey and andie collide
london rain | HEATHER NOVA[6]
dawson + joey's date
have a little faith in me | JOHN HIATT
the swings

Photos[]

screenshots

Videos[]

Notes and References[]

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