- Joseph McPhee – You are not gay!
- Jack – Yes, I am! I see the way you look at me and I know you know
...That Is the Question is the 15th episode of Season 2 of Dawson's Creek.
Synopsis[]
THE TRUTH AND ITS CONSEQUENCES – On Dawson's (James Van Der Beek) advice, Joey (Katie Holmes) attempts to heal the wounds of her new romance with Jack (Kerr Smith) left shattered by rumor and innuendo, but when Jack confronts his innermost secrets, their lives and everyone's close to them will never be the same again. Meanwhile, for the first time in his life, Pacey (Joshua Jackson) stands up for what he believes in when he takes on an abusive teacher, but the consequences of his convictions are more than he could have imagined.[1][2]
Summary[]
Nearing the end of his suspension, Pacey holes himself up in Dawson's bedroom, watching Jerry Maguire over and over. After Dawson delivers Pacey's latest homework assignments, he advises Pacey to call and apologize to Andie, whom he hasn't spoken to since that night on the docks.
At Capeside High, Jen invites Dawson to join her and Ty for a night at the club. Dawson extends the same invitation to Joey, but she turns it down. Dawson then suggests that Joey arrange a romantic evening to spend with Jack. Back in class, Pacey gets his graded poetry assignment back from Mr. Peterson. Unfortunately, that grade is none other than an "F". At lunch, Pacey shows his grade to Dawson while watching Andie, who is sitting at a table by herself. Joey informs Jack that she'll be cooking a dinner just for the two of them. After deliberating for a while, Pacey joins Andie at her table. However, both Pacey and Andie expect apologies from each other. With the argument going nowhere, Andie gets up and leaves the cafeteria. Jack catches up with her outside, where they learn that they have both been called down to Mr. Milo's office. Waiting in the office is Jack and Andie's long-gone father. Andie embraces him immediately, but Jack keeps his distance. Jack calls Joey to cancel their dinner plans, seeing how his father has arranged for a dinner of their own. After hanging up, Joey decides to make the best of her night and takes Dawson up on his offer. At the club, Ty surprises Jen again by joining the blues band on the piano for a set. While Jen, Dawson, and Joey watch and listen, they share a few laughs over their less-than-ideal romantic situations. Later, during a slow dance, Joey admits that she doesn't know Jack half as much as she knows Dawson, including the ability to read the other's eyes. As they continue their dance, Ty expresses his confusion over Joey's relationship with Jack. Jen listens in shock as Ty rips the entire homosexual way of life. After they leave the club, Ty hangs around Jen's house for a bite to eat. Jen and Ty continue their debate over the morality of homosexuality, which Grams overhears while washing the dishes. Having heard enough, Grams aids her granddaughter in shutting Ty up and teaching him what's best for Jack at this moment.
Meanwhile, Mr. McPhee treats his children to dinner at an elegant restaurant. Andie rambles on and on about what's been going on in her life since their father left, but Jack keeps quiet throughout the dinner. Finally, Mr. McPhee asks Jack if there's any truth to the rumor that he's gay. Instead of answering the question, Jack asks his dad if his being gay would be a problem. Without hesitating, Mr. McPhee tells Jack that the last thing their family needs is another problem. After dinner, Andie talks to Jack in her bedroom about how she needs their father to stay and make everything in their family right again. Jack disagrees, knowing full well that their father has no intentions of staying.
The next morning, Mr. McPhee packs up and starts to head back to Providence. Andie tries to convince him to stay a little longer, but Jack tells his dad to forget about coming back. Angered by his son's insolence, Mr. McPhee opens to door to leave. However, Jack slams the door shut, demanding his father to ask him again if he's gay. As Andie and her dad listen, Jack confesses that he's been lying to himself about his sexual orientation for years. Knowing that his father would count on him to carry on the family name after Tim died, Jack tried to bury the truth about himself. Unable to keep it locked inside any longer, Jack breaks down into tears. As Andie cries and tries to comfort her brother, Mr. McPhee orders his children to stop their crying. Furious, Andie repeats her brother's request, telling their father to leave and never come back. Afterwards, at school, Jack finds Joey and makes plans to have their dinner later that night. Ty charms Jen into continuing their relationship by admitting his own flaws. Pacey, meanwhile, finally apologizes to Andie. After Andie accepts and delivers her own apology, she happily kisses Pacey.
Joey has just finished lighting the candles when Jack arrives. Before Joey starts to set up the food, Jack sits her down and tells her the truth about the poem and himself. Not wanting to lose her as a friend, Jack reaches out and holds Joey's hand while she tries to process everything she's just been told. Later, Joey climbs up the ladder and crawls into Dawson's bedroom. Without saying a word, Joey collapses onto Dawson's chest and lets her tears flow. Dawson can only lie there and keep his best friend company when she needs it the most.[3]Starring[]
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Quotes[]
- Here I am, single, sandwiched in between two women who both dumped me
- —Dawson to Jen and Joey
- You're the only son I have now, Jack. You don't have Tim to hide behind anymore. People notice you now
- —Joseph McPhee
- If Jack is gay, he does not need your judgement, young man. The Lord above will be the one to judge him, as He will all of us. What he needs from you, from me, from everyone else in this world is love and tolerance. If anything, that boy must feel scared and alone, and he will need the understanding of his fellow man to help him through this. Let's save judgement for someone much more experienced than you
- —Grams to Ty
- Pacey, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now... Thank you
- —Jack
- Respect is not commanded through fear; it's earned through compassion
- —Pacey
- I place this unfair burden on people so they can... save me from myself. But I realise that I don't need a knight in shining armor
- —Andie apologising to Pacey
- When I wrote that poem... it clicked something inside of me that has been quiet for so long
- —Jack telling Joey
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second part of a two-part storyline of the character Jack McPhee telling his family that he is gay.[4]
- Pacey researches the state bylaws to have Mr. Peterson reprimanded for his reprehensible conduct.
- Jenifer Kruskamp performs calling you by BOB TELSON, queen bee by BARBRA STREISAND and a sunday kind of love by BELLE, LEONARD, RHODES & PRIMA.
BROADCAST
- The episode was watched by 5.93 million people upon its original airing on the WB.[5]
Films[]
- WATCHED
- Jerry Maguire (1996)
- REFERENCED
Music[]
- tell me | AUDRA & ALAYNA[6]
- dawson meets jen and ty
- waterfall | THE DIN PEDALS[7]
- jack calls joey
- where are you tonight? | THE DEVLINS[8]
- dawson walks joey home
- reckless | THE DEVLINS[9]
- jack and joey
- intimacy | THE CORRS[10]
- jen and ty talk
- wait for the way | BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN
- andie hugs jack; dawson consoles joey
Dawson's Trash[]
- From the interactive site "Dawson's Desktop". Pacey is suspended and tries to write an e-mail to Andie on Dawson's laptop
- To: AMcphee
- From: PWitter
- Andie,
- All right. Here it is, the Pacey Witter apology. Though, technically, I think you should apologize to me for not standing by me through all this. OK probably not the best approach
- To: AMcphee
- From: PWitter
- OK can we just call a truce? Maybe if we just kind of extracted "right" and "wrong" from the equation, we could just declare neutrality and progress with our relationship. I want you in my life and this week without you sucked...
- very classy, Witter. This week without you sucked???
- Never mind.
Photos[]
- screenshots
Videos[]
Media[]
- GLAAD and GLSEN praise Dawson's Creek (GLAAD and GLSEN • FEB 18, 1999)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ The episode placed in the 2018 EW Dawson's Creek: The 12 best episodes (April 2018)
- ↑ "...That is the Question" official synopsis archived from The WB on dawsons-creek.com
- ↑ ...That is the Question - Official Summary
- ↑ Greg Berlanti, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ And ‘Brothers & Sisters’ Executive Producer, Talks TV Gay Characters (October 2013)
- ↑ Ratings Ryan — Dawson's Creek (WB): Ratings Recap
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Light Up" by Moxie
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "I'm All Right (Help Me)" by Michael Brandmeier
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Spark" by Reed Foehl
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "How Am I Gonna Get Down" by Reed Foehl
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Forgiven" by Deb Talan