- In a world where the people who raise you end up letting you down, it's an honour and a privilege to have you guys to turn to
- —Dawson to the gang
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is the 8th episode of Season 3 of Dawson's Creek.
Synopsis[]
A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY THANKSGIVING – When Jen's (Michelle Williams) mom (guest star Mel Harris, "thirtysomething") unexpectedly arrives in Capeside on Thanksgiving morning, Dawson (James Van Der Beek) confronts her about her secret past, and makes a decision to help bridge the gap between the estranged mother and daughter. Meanwhile, Jen continues to pursue a new type of friendship with Pacey (Joshua Jackson), and Mitch (John Wesley Shipp) and Gale (Mary-Margaret Humes) make known the future of the Leery family.[1]
Starring[]
- James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery
- Katie Holmes as Joey Potter
- Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley
- Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter
- Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee
- Meredith Monroe as Andie McPhee
- 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
- Mel Harris as Helen Lindley[2]
Capeside Cookbook[]
- Created by Jack McPhee. Archived from the official Dawson's Creek website
Ever since Grams discovered the Internet, she's been bugging me to create a Capeside Cookbook, saying "what a wonderful thing it would be for the young and old in Capeside to contribute their family recipes to share with the community!" Since Mrs. Ryan has been kind enough to let me live at her house, I thought I'd give her a little Thanksgiving treat. So I've asked everyone to include what they'll be preparing for Thanksgiving dinner this year:
- Dawson Leery's Mashed Potatoes
- Jack McPhee's Braised Celery
- Joey Potter's Curry Turnips
- Grams' Cran-Apple Crisp
- Jen Lindley's Thanksgiving Rolls
- Mitch Leery's Cornbread Stuffing with Oysters & Pecans
- Gale Leery's Pumpkin Pie
- Andie McPhee's Apple Pie
- Pacey Witter's Cranberry Sauce
Quotes[]
- Well, wake up and smell the sanctimony, Mom
- —Pacey when Jen tells him her mom's secret
- When you come to see your parents as human beings with their own problems it's, oddly, kind of liberating. When you realize they're way more messed up than you are, it's not worth your time or energy to go on despising them for it
- —Pacey consoling Jen about her mother
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- After Dawson confronts her, Jen's mother reveals that she got pregnant and gave up the child for adoption. She does not tell Jen that the baby was Eve.
BROADCAST
- The episode was watched by 4.05 million people upon its original airing on the WB.[3]
PRODUCTION NOTES
- This episode was rewritten last minute after a storyline involving Jen and Pacey hooking up in the school bathroom was rejected by the network (The WB) and the actors. Although Ferrer retains credit, writers Kapinos, Fattore and Berlanti wrote the new script in one night. Kapinos describes the episode as a "personal career low."[4]
Films[]
- WATCHED
- —
- REFERENCED
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Music[]
- beginner's luck | ARIEL'S WORM
- pacey + jen holiday shopping
- america | BREE SHARP[5]
- dawson and gale in the kitchen
- better than anyone | MARY BETH MAZIARZ
- jen & grams at the docks; andie and joey on the porch
- 17 again | EURYTHMICS[6]
- everyone arrives
- getting over you | JANIS IAN[7]
- everyone saying grace
- that i would be good | ALANIS MORISSETTE
- pacey comforts jen
Photos[]
Videos[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" official synopsis archived from The WB on dawsons-creek.com
- ↑ First appearance on the series of Jen's mother and Grams' daughter, Helen Lindley
- ↑ Ratings Ryan — Dawson's Creek (WB): Ratings Recap
- ↑ "Freaks, Gleeks, and Dawson's Creek: How Seven Teen Shows Transformed Television." Glassman, Thea (June 2023)
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Time Capsule" by Leslie Nuss
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Good Life" by Mary Beth Maziarz
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Fly Me Back" by Brenda Weiler