- Andie did more for my life in six months than you did in sixteen years you rotten son of a bitch
- —Pacey
Parental Discretion Advised is the finale and 22nd episode of Season 2 of Dawson's Creek.
Synopsis[]
A HEARTBREAKING SEASON FINALE – When Dawson (James Van Der Beek) discovers that Joey's (Katie Holmes) father (guest star Gareth Williams) is back to his drug-dealing ways, Dawson's decision of what's right for his friend over what's right for their friendship could tear her family apart and forever change his relationship with Joey. Meanwhile, for the first time in his life Pacey (Joshua Jackson) stands up to his father's (guest star John Finn) painful abuse; Grams (Mary Beth Peil) desperately tries to reconcile with Jen (Michelle Williams) and bring her home; and Gale (Mary-Margaret Humes) struggles over her desire to keep her family together.[1]
Summary[]
While watching "The Age of Innocence" in his room with Joey, Dawson stops the tape, and complains about love stories that end in unrequited love. Joey disagrees with him, saying that stories that lack a happy ending only show how strong love is when it goes on without ever being realized. This outlook on life worries Dawson, who questions Joey about her own love life, but she comforts him by assuring him that they will get "the happy ending."
The next morning, Dawson asks his mother in a roundabout way how to approach Joey about her dad dealing drugs again. After offering some 'fatherly' advice, Gale drops a bombshell: she tells Dawson that she is in fact going to Philadelphia to take the network job. Still a bit shaken from the news, Dawson picks up Joey and runs into Mr. Potter, who offers the Icehouse as a 'study haven' for the gang to study for finals in. Reluctantly accepting the invitation, Dawson accusingly asks Mr. Potter if he is "still legal." Over at Capeside High, Grams catches Jack and Jen walking into class, and begs Jen to come back home and start over. Jen refuses, saying that she has a home with Jack. Just after, Officer Witter drops Pacey off in front of the school. While he is getting out, Pacey overhears that The Capeside PD is staking out Mr. Potter and The Icehouse.
After school, Dawson stops by the Icehouse and, taking the advice of his mother, confronts Mr. Potter about dealing cocaine in the Icehouse. He recommends to Mr. Potter that, for the sake of Joey, he stop dealing cocaine immediately. Later that night, as Dawson, Joey, Jen, Jack and Pacey study for finals, Officer Witter stops by and questions Mr. Potter about some old friends that have been seen around The Icehouse. Concerned, Joey interrupts, but she is comforted by her father, who convinces Joey that everything is okay.
While Jen and Jack argue about Jen moving back in with Grams, and Pacey and Officer Witter argue about Pacey's recent performance on his final exams, a Molotov Cocktail flies through the stockroom window, and The Icehouse is set ablaze. Stuck in the back office, Mr. Potter tries to flush the cocaine down the toilet, while a screaming Joey is carried out the front door to safety. A dauntless Dawson and Officer Witter crash through the fire, and pull Mr. Potter from the blaze, and out onto the waterfront.
In the aftermath of the fire, Dawson pleads with Mr. Potter to confess, but his pleas are silenced when Joey appears. Meanwhile, Officer Witter suspects foul play, but Pacey stands up for Mr. Potter. When Officer Witter ridicules Pacey for his views, then belittles his relationship with Andie, Pacey lets loose and punches his father, knocking him off balance. He tells his father that Mr. Potter, even if he is involved in the Icehouse arson, Mr. Potter is still ten times the father that he is.
Dawson's parents advise him that he must tell the police everything he knows, but he hesitates, and tells them that he has one more option. Later that night he meets with Joey and tells her everything. She begs him not to go to the police, but Dawson is determined to do the right thing. The next day, they meet with Officer Witter, who asks Joey to help him catch the people who started the fire. Joey is reluctant to help, and when Joey and Dawson are left alone to talk about it, Joey tells Dawson that his resolution to always do the right thing is tearing her family apart, but it is also tearing them apart. Back by the creek, Gale reveals to Mitch that she has finally decided on taking the network job in Philadelphia, and that she wants Dawson to spend the summer there as an intern.
Back at Gram's house, Jen unexpectedly shows up, bags in hand, to move back in. Her return is conditional one however, dependent on Grams accepting and supporting Jen instead of preaching to her. Not wanting to be alone anymore, Grams tearfully accepts, but Jen has one more condition: she doesn't want Jack to be alone anymore. She wants him to move in. Grams agrees.
Later that day, Officer Witter finds Pacey alone at the docks. Having spoken to Andie over the phone, he finally knows how much Pacey has grown over the last year. He apologizes to Pacey for not being the kind of father a son would be proud of, and in a final heartfelt moment, he hugs his son, telling him how proud he is of him.
Back at the Potter's Joey returns to ask her father for the truth. He admits that he had been dealing drugs, but only because he wanted to provide for his family. He reveals that he is scared and doesn't know what to do. Joey regretfully reveals a wire tap taped to her stomach, and tells him that she has already taken care of it. Mr. Potter quietly and willingly surrenders to the police outside, telling Joey not to be sorry. As he drives off, Joey spies Dawson standing in her lawn. Dawson tries to tell her that she did the right thing, but Joey doesn't agree. She tells Dawson that she hopes she can forgive her father for what he did, and that doesn't know if she'll be able to forgive herself for what she has done, but she knows that she will never forgive him. Telling him that she doesn't want to know him anymore, she leaves Dawson alone to comprehend the consequences of 'doing the right thing.'[2]Starring[]
- James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery
- Katie Holmes as Joey Potter
- Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter
- Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley
- Mary-Margaret Humes as Gale Leery
- John Wesley Shipp as Mitch Leery
- Mary Beth Peil as Grams
- Nina Repeta as Bessie Potter
- Special Guest Stars
- Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee
- John Finn as John Witter
- Gareth Williams as Mike Potter
- Co-Starring
- Richard K. Olsen as Mr. Milo
Quotes[]
- Even if Mr. Potter was involved in all this, he's still 10 times the father you ever were
- —Pacey
Locations[]
- Dawson's House
- Capeside High School
- The Icehouse
- Joey's House
- McPhee House
- Capeside Police Department
- Jen's House
Trivia[]
- Andie calls the Witter house and talks at length with Pacey's dad.
- She tells John Witter to give Pacey a hug and he does, consoling his heartbroken son.
- Jen goes to Grams for reconciliation, but ask that she allow Jack, who has no home, to move in with them, too.
- Joey tells Dawson that she likes love stories where people don't end up together but still love each other better; that they're more powerful.
- Joey wears a wire and confronts her dad about dealing drugs; her dad gets arrested again.
- Joey tells Dawson that she will never forgive him for what he has done as he told her that her dad was dealing again.
BROADCAST
- The season finale was watched by 6.32 million people upon its original airing on the WB.[3]
Films[]
- WATCHED
- The Age of Innocence (1993)
- REFERENCED
Music[]
- hit so hard | HOLE[4]
- grams seeks out jack and jen at school
- why i'm here | OLEANDER[5]
- pacey takes his final; dawson confronts mr. potter
- moon beneath my feet | KIM STOCKWOOD[8]
- jack confronts jen about her depression
- that I would be good | ALANIS MORISSETTE
- jen comes home — with jack
Photos[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ "Parental Discretion Advised" official synopsis archived from The WB on dawsons-creek.com
- ↑ Parental Discretion Advised - Official Summary
- ↑ Ratings Ryan — Dawson's Creek (WB): Ratings Recap
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "You Made It So" by Beth Thornley
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Can't Give Her Up" by Greg Tannen
- ↑ Featured on Songs from Dawson's Creek
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "Two Satellites" by Mary Beth Maziarz
- ↑ Replaced on DVD and streaming with "One Last Time" by Lauren Hart