5th Season
2001-2002
#1 The Bostonians
#2 Lost Weekend
#3 Capeside Revisited
#4 The Long Goodbye
#5 Use Your Disillusion
#6 High Anxiety
#7 Text, Lies and Videotape
#8 Hotel New Hampshire
 		#9 Four Scary Stories
#10 Appetite for Destruction
#11 Something Wild
#12 Sleeping Arrangements
#13 Something Wilder
#14 Guerilla Filmmaking
#15 Downtown Crossing
#16 In a Lonely Place
 		#17 Highway to Hell
#18 Cigarette Burns
#19 100 Light Years from Home
#20 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
#21 After Hours
#22 The Abby
#23 Swan Song
Other Seasons
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

#1 The Bostonians: Aired Wednesday, October 10, 2001

The whole gang is in college, Dawson in Los Angeles, Jack and Jen together in Boston, and Joey at another school, Worthington, in Boston. Dawson gets an internship at a movie studio which prevents him from visiting Joey that weekend as he had originally planned. When Dawson stands up to the pompous director he's interning for, he gets fired. Joey writes a story for class about her last kiss with Dawson, but she can't figure out what the kiss meant. Joey has trouble opening up to her fun-loving roommate, Audrey, when Audrey worries that Joey is stuck in the past. On Audrey's advice, Joey bids Dawson farewell on his answering machine. Jack, Jen, Joey and Audrey go to a fraternity party. Jack is being courted to join the fraternity, although he doesn't really see himself as a frat guy. Jen meets the cute bass-player of the band at the fraternity party, Charlie. Pacey is hiding in plain sight at the docks in Boston and only Jen knows he's there. Dawson surprises Joey by showing up after he gets fired.

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#2 The Lost Weekend: Aired Wednesday, October 17, 2001

After spending a lovely weekend with Joey, Dawson checks his messages and is horrified to hear Joey's slightly drunken goodbye message. Before they can really talk about what it means, Joey rushes off to drop her writing class and Audrey whisks Dawson off on a tour of campus. Joey spends the day duking it out with her writing teacher who tries to convince her not to drop the class and succeeds in doing so. Audrey makes Dawson think about staying in Boston for Joey. Joey rushes to the airport at the end of the day to say goodbye to Dawson, and at the last minute they decide to give "them" a chance and Dawson doesn't get on the plane. Jen spends an enjoyable evening in bed with Charlie after discovering him at the college radio station. Pacey has been dating his summer boss's niece, a rich blonde law-student named Melanie. Now that his summer job is over, Pacey takes a job at a Boston restaurant with some urging from his brother.

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#3 Capeside Revisited: Aired Wednesday, October 24, 2001

Joey spots Pacey at the restuarant and stresses about seeing him. Audrey convinces Joey to go find Pacey and the ex-lovers end up having a nice friendly conversation on Pacey's boat. Dawson goes back to Capeside to tell his parents that he's dropping out of USC and moving to Boston. Dawson's parents, particularly his father, are disappointed, and think he's making a bad decision, but remind him that they love him. Pacey spars with a waitress at the restaurant, Karen, and later finds out that she wanted his job. Jen wants to get to know Charlie better and tries to find something they have in common other than great sex. She finally gets Charlie to admit that he's near-sighted and hates wearing his glasses. The fraternity Sigma Epsilon asks Jack to pledge, and Jack is pleasantly surprised but wary when he tells them he's gay and they tell him they already knew and that why they want him. After a helpful talk with Grams, Jack happily accepts the pledge. After Dawsons returns to Boston, Dawson's father is eating an ice-cream cone and driving in Capeside when he gets into an accident.

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#4 The Long Goodbye: Aired Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Dawson's father dies in a car accident. Dawson tries to be strong for his mother. Dawson's friends each try to find their own way to comfort him. Pacey isn't sure that Dawson will want to see him, but ends up coming through as a good friend anyway. Oddly enough, it's a store clerk in Capeside that ends up giving Dawson some of the comfort he needs, assuring Dawson that the night he died, his father was bragging about his son. Joey is sad when Dawson doesn't lean on her like she expects him to. Everyone remembers a special moment that they shared with Mitch Leery.

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#5 Use Your Disillusion: Aired Wednesday, November 7, 2001

Dawson goes to visit Joey for the weekend and things are awkward and strained between them. Joey tries too hard to be the comforting friend and Dawson has a panic attack. Pacey sees his boss, Danny, as a possible mentor, but begins to suspect that Danny may be cheating on his wife. Pacey continues to pursue the prickly Karen. Tobey surprises Jack by coming to visit for the weekend, but his timing is bad. Jack is wrapped up in hell week, rushing his fraternity, and tries to split his time between his frat and his boyfriend. Tobey feels like he's not Jack's priority, and Jack finally admits to Tobey that he's right, Tobey isn't. Jen scolds Jack and Jack explains that he feels like it's time to move on and experience new things. Jen is embarassed when she sees Charlie with another woman and lashes out at him for cheating on her, only to find out the woman is Charlie's sister. The next day, however, Jen goes to Charlie's room with an apology basket of flowers and a balloon, only to catch him bidding a passionate farewell to a woman who is definitely not his sister.

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#6 High Anxiety: Aired Wednesday, November 14, 2001

Audrey's mother comes to visit, and when she begins tearing her daughter apart, Joey comes to her roommate's defense. Jen teams up with Charlie's other woman and they get revenge on their mutual boyfriend. Dawson comes to town to visit a psychiatrist for his anxiety attacks, but instead he goes to a fraternity party with Jack and gets wasted. When Dawson finally does make an appearance at the party Pacey is throwing at his boat, he drunkenly suggests to Joey that it's her fault his father is dead. Pacey figures out that his boss, Danny, is actually cheating on his wife with Karen, the waitress. Dawson apologizes to Joey and tells her how much he had hoped this would be the time for them. They share a tender kiss.

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#7 Text, Lies and Videotape: Aired Wednesday, November 21, 2001

With support from Jen, Dawson finally sees the therapist in Boston. Dawson realizes that he doesn't want to go back to USC no matter how much he wants to honor his father's wishes. Dawson is disappointed when he realizes his father hadn't yet included Lily in his will, but also finds out that he won a film festival in New Hampshire that his father entered him in. Pacey tells Karen that he knows about her and Danny. Although Karen originally lashes out at Pacey for judging her, he ends up being a supportive friend when Karen has to watch Danny and his wife dancing and kissing at a party. Joey is intimidated by all the upperclassmen that are on Professor Wilder's archive project, but pleased when Audrey's audition tape for The Real World inspires her with a brilliant hypothesis. Joey is frustrated when everyone assumes she's working on the project just to spend more time with the charming Professor Wilder.

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#8 Hotel New Hampshire: Aired Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Jen finds out that Charlie has been trying to win back Nora, his other girlfriend. Joey comes to grips with the fact that Dawson is leaning on Jen instead of her. Friendship and support between Dawson and Jen turn to passionate romance when the two go to New Hampshire together to attend the film festival that Dawson won. Dawson has happy memories of his father when he realizes that he won the festival in part due to a glowing letter that his father wrote. Dawson earns the admiration of everyone there, particularly a quirky young film maker by the name of Oliver Chirchick, who attends a visual arts school in Boston. Joey is angry with Jack when she realizes that he invited her and Audrey to a formal at his fraternity only because he promised a frat brother that Audrey was easy. Pacey takes Karen out on a date and they spend a passionate night together that ends with her quitting the restaurant and all the men in her life.

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#9 Four Scary Stories: Aired Wednesday, December 12, 2001

The gang recounts scary stories. Joey tells about how she was almost attacked in the library. Jack tells about meeting a gay brother in his fraternity from the 1960s. Pacey tells about how he was driving Karen home and they were chased and almost run off the road by a mysterious car. Grams tells the story of Jen being haunted while working late by herself at the radio station.

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#10 Appetite for Destruction: Aired Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Pacey cooks everyone a dinner at Grams's house. Dawson and Jen return to Boston from New Hampshire just in time to get busted kissing by all their friends. Everyone quickly realizes that Dawson and Jen slept together and everyone has an opinion about it. Though Joey tries to pretend she's okay with everything, she's obviously upset about this development. The old friends, plus Audrey, realize how they've drifted apart but how lucky they are to still have each other.

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#11 Something Wild: Aired Wednesday, January 16, 2002

Danny gives Pacey a promotion. Pacey is even more shocked when his father gives him a car and says he's proud of him. Audrey gets a job waitressing at Danny's restaurant. Joey finds out she got all A's for the first semester and gives Professor Wilder a hug. Dawson takes Jen back to Capeside to see his mom and the two women in his life end up ganging up on him to get his life together and move to Boston. Audrey, Joey and Pacey go out partying in Boston over break. Charlie hits on Joey and Joey blows him off because of how he treated Jen, but later Joey lets loose, sings a song with the band, and gives Charlie a kiss. Then she blows him off again. Pacey and Audrey share some secrets.

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#12 Sleeping Arrangements: Aired Wednesday, January 23, 2002

Jen and Dawson have some growing pains in their relationship when they're more or less living together at Grams's. Jen talks on the radio about how men are unreliable and Dawson assures her that he's not. Pacey thinks he's been offered the opportunity of a lifetime when he gets an invitation to sail around the Greek Islands, but ultimately decides he's made a good life for himself in Boston and decides to stick around. Pacey has a fling with his old flame from last summer. Audrey works at the restaurant and becomes closer friends with Pacey. Joey gets closer to Professor Wilder and goes out on a date with Elliot, the boy she met at a party at the beginning the year who she thought slept with Audrey but in fact didn't. Jack moves into his fraternity house but is disappointed when one of his new fraternity brothers, Eric, doesn't want to room with him because he's gay.

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#13 Something Wilder: Aired Wednesday, January 30, 2002

Pacey wonders what's wrong with Jack when he finds out that his old friend is on academic probation and is violently fighting with his fraternity brothers. Dawson starts film school and gets talked into directing Oliver's film. Jen's love advice radio show goes downhill now that she's happy and in love, but when Dawson gets wrapped up in Oliver and starts ignoring her for an evening she gets her edge back. Joey agrees to go out on a real date with Elliot but then cancels when Professor Wilder plans a celebratory dinner for the same night now that they've finished their archival project. Joey ends up sharing a momentary kiss with Professor Wilder.

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#14 Guerilla Filmmaking: Aired Wednesday, February 6, 2002

Dawson is filming Oliver's movie with Oliver and Audrey in the lead roles, but at the last minute he re-casts Oliver's part with sexy Charlie. Jen has trouble not killing Charlie, but Charlie is perfect for the role. While practicing her lines with Pacey, Audrey ends up kissing her roommate's ex-boyfriend. Both Pacey and Audrey are horrified until Joey figures out what's going on and says she's happy for them. Dawson figures out a better and happier ending for the movie that is bolstered by some helpful weather. Jack is trying to smooth things over with his fraternity brothers, and while he's hanging out with his roommate Eric, Eric comes close to coming out to Jack and almost kisses him. An insecure Eric then tells the other brothers that Jack tried to kiss him, and when the brothers believe him, Jack leaves the fraternity, disgusted.

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#15 Downtown Crossing: Aired Wednesday, February 13, 2002

On her way back to see Professor Wilder, Joey stops at an ATM and gets mugged by an oddly charming young man. Joey is horrified when her mugger is then hit by a car that speeds away, and calls an ambulance. Both Joey and her mugger are taken to the hospital. Joey meets the mugger's estranged wife and young daughter, and finds herself relating to the daughter of another career criminal. She urges the mugger's wife to let her daughter say goodbye to her critically injured father, and tries to get answers about her own father from the mugger who reaches out to her. The mugger dies with only Joey there with him, and Joey lies to his young daughter that her father saved Joey's life by pushing her out of the way of an oncoming car.

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#16 In a Lonely Place: Aired Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Audrey thinks she and Pacey shouldn't be together after Joey gets mugged on the night they have sex in his car. Jen and Audrey hang out with two cute band members when Jen is supposed to interview them for the radio station. Audrey realizes she might have something special in Pacey and Jen wonders if there's enough passion in her relationship with Dawson. Dawson spends time with Joey after she is mugged. Joey and Professor Wilder share one last kiss and decide that it would be best if they ended their blossoming romantic relationship. Pacey goes out to a gay bar with Jack and tries to charm a restaurant reviewer, but is surprised when he's not as attractive to other men as he thought he'd be.

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#17 Highway to Hell: Aired Wednesday, April 3, 2002

Charlie convinces Joey to come sing a gig on the road with his band. Pacey and Audrey go with them, and Audrey is upset when it seems like Pacey is being protective of Joey when Charlie hits on her. Audrey is touched when Pacey admits he actually has a problem with Charlie because Charlie and Audrey spent so much time kissing in Dawson's movie. Audrey urges Pacey to get his own apartment. Joey ends up sleeping – just sleeping – in a motel room with Charlie. Dawson and the rest of the gang go to Capeside for Lily's first birthday. Dawson has some trouble accepting his mother's new male friend. Jen decides she and Dawson really aren't right for each other and breaks up with him.

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#18 Cigarette Burns: Aired Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Dawson and Jen try to adjust to living in the same house without dating. Jen has more hope for the future when she finds out that Grams has a boyfriend. Joey begins to see Charlie in a new light after watching him in Dawson's movie. Oliver insists on screening the movie before Dawson is done editing it. Dawson shares a kiss with the film critic from the Boston Weekly, Amy Lloyd, that comes to review his movie. Pacey and Audrey try to define their relationship. Oliver hits on Jen.

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#19 100 Light Years from Home: Aired Wednesday, April 17, 2002

The whole gang, except Dawson, goes down to Audrey's parents' house in Florida for spring break. Audrey's ex-boyfriend from high school, an MTV VJ named Chris, shows up and invites them all to an MTV party. Audrey lies to Pacey that Chris is just an old friend. Pacey and Audrey fight, Audrey kisses Chris, and finally Pacey and Audrey admit how they feel about each other and decide they're really boyfriend and girlfriend. Jen gets a cold. Joey hangs out with Charlie and blows off Jen when Jen warns her off the playboy. Jack drinks too much and almost drowns in the pool. Jack admits that he regrets the decisions he's made since coming to college and wants to start over. Driving to New York with Oliver for a meeting, Dawson reminisces about his relationship with Joey and Oliver convinces Dawson to go to Florida and talk to Joey. Dawson is disappointed to find out Joey is with Charlie.

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#20 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart): Aired Wednesday, April 24, 2002

The restaurant Civilization is under new management, and Pacey's new boss Alex Pearl fires Audrey and promotes Pacey... and then surprises him with a kiss. Joey is enjoying her fling with Charlie, but is horrified when he talks about turning down going on tour with his band to stay in Boston with her. She dumps him and urges him to go on tour. Oliver sabotages his and Dawson's meeting with an agent, but Dawson manages to repair most of the damage.

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#21 After Hours: Aired Wednesday, May 1, 2002

Alex apologizes to Pacey for kissing him and offers to hire Audrey back. Audrey realizes that Alex has a thing for Pacey, but Pacey denies everything, including his own growing attraction to Alex. Audrey busts Alex and Pacey together late at night and storms off. Pacey decides to go for it with Alex since Audrey already assumes the worst, but once Alex realizes she can have what she wants she no longer wants it. Dawson runs into Amy Lloyd and ends up spending an educational night with her. Dawson can't stop thinking about Joey. Joey crams for finals. Jack freaks out about his last exam and goes to his fraternity for help. His fraternity refuses to help, but his old roommate Eric ends up coming to his rescue.

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#22 The Abby: Aired Wednesday, May 8, 2002

Alex shows her true bitchy colors at work and Pacey leads a staff revolt against her. Alex leaves in disgrace, but gives Pacey a wild and almost suicidal ride in her Porsche first. School is out, and Audrey joins Joey in Capeside for a week before going home to L.A. Joey goes to prison to visit her father and finds out he was parolled four months ago and didn't tell anyone he was out. Dawson and Oliver get an offer from a producer to come work with him in Hollywood for the summer. Dawson visits his father's grave and admits that he still wants to be with Joey. Jen and Jack plan a summer trip to Costa Rica, but then Jen's parents surprise her with an invitation to the Hamptons for the summer. Jen turns them down.

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#23 Swan Song: Aired Wednesday, May 15, 2002

Pacey is disappointed to see his old mentor, Danny, on a boat in Capeside with a sexy blonde who isn't his wife. At the last minute, Jack backs out of his trip with Jen to Costa Rica so that he can help Eric adjust to being out of the closet. Jen decides to join her parents in the Hamptons after all. Dawson makes a last-ditch effort to be with Joey, but she rejects him. Dawson and Audrey go to the airport to go to L.A., and Pacey and Joey make the last-minute decision to follow them. Pacey convinces Audrey to forgive him and they decide to drive to L.A. together. Joey tells Dawson she loves him, but tells him he should still go to L.A. without her. Joey considers spending the summer in Paris. Grams goes to Las Vegas with Clifton. Baby Lily says her first word when she sees a picture of Mitch: "da da."

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Other Seasons
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6