Synopsis of Failing Down


Written by Capt. Monty

Pacey learns from Mr. Leery that he is must re-take his three of his 11th grade classes again after school, in addition to taking his 12th grade classes; otherwise he won't graduate this year. He failed those subjects and apparently "forgot" to look at his report card before leaving with Joey last summer. Pacey falls into another inferiority complex and doesn't tell Joey anything, of course.

Dawson's friendship with Pacey's sister continues to grow. They shop together and she grills him about his questionable music tastes, even though she in all her coolness and drugged stupidity likes Grateful Dead. Dawson gives another listen to the Dead, and I don't remember if he appreciated it more. I tend to zone out during James VDB's scenes.

Jen checks her e-mails constantly for a word from that piece of crap Henry. He's now going to boarding school, and thinks he's a Backstreet Boy with the girls, so he doesn't have time for an old hag like Jen. He sends an e-mail, not to Jen, but to Jack. Did I mention he's a piece of crap? Jack eventually tells Jen and she feels like crap, even though she's not the crap. Very crappy. Thankfully we don't and won't see Poofy Lips Henry ever again.

In probably the most insipid storyline of the episode, Joey gets a job at a posh restaurant/hotel full of cliched, snobby rich trash. Joey is worried about getting the job because of her own disgruntled white trash situation. Andie, in all her wisdom, tells Joey to "drop names," in other words, Joey should pretend to know really important rich people. What Miss Dementia McPhee doesn't seem to realize is that rich people don't get slave labor jobs at posh restaurants/hotels. Joey follows Andie's advice. Why? Why does Joey even bother, considering her known disdain for the upper trash? Because we need to humiliate Miss Potter even more so when she leaves Capeside to get a thankless, no-paying, artsy job in NYC, it will be be oh-so cathartic and emotional. Anyway, Joey drops a name of a person who's not even in town, she is almost caught in a lie, but the son of the lady who hired her saves Joey's ass, and teaches her that all rich people are not bad. UGH! STOP IT!

Mind is messed up. Must regain control. Okay, Mr. Leery tells Dawson that he should help out Pacey. Dawson doesn't wanna! 'Cause Dawson is moving on, man! He's listening to the Dead and John Lennon and taking photography and hanging out with a pretentious older woman and I just can't believe how deep he's being!! He eventually cracks because he's a softy and tells Joey that Pacey needs help with school. Joey erupts and gets mad at Pacey for not saying anything. The episode ends with a conversation on the boat at night between them where once again, in a repeat of the Andie/Pacey relationship, Pacey feels his woman is too good for him and he doesn't want to feel like he needs to be fixed. Joey promises that she'll help him through the schoolwork. Blah-blah, Pacey cries, they hug. They have sex.

No, they don't. Ah-ha-ha. *cough*

Comments: the Pacey/Joey and Jack/Jen parts were the best of the episode. The rest was pure junk. Pure junk! Thank you.


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