Dawson's Freak Show

Follow my scornful commentary as I revisit a mainstay of my teenage television years.

[dawsonsfreak]

Best way to get back at a guy who says he slept with you: tell everybody...

__ ...he sucked in bed.

__ ...he's obviously not that experienced, as he's freaking *SIXTEEN*.

__ ...he has a tiny peen.

__ ...he’s a lying, testosterone-fueled creeper.

√ ...he got you pregnant, because that will clearly improve your reputation and tarnish his.

[dawsonsfreak]

And, in a sad attempt to make Meredith Monroe look not like a thirty-year-old, we'll give her these dippy pigtails. Good show, DC hair & makeup.

[dawsonsfreak]

Starts seeing her dead brother: *clearly* a textbook symptom of manic depression and not paranoid schizophrenia.

[dawsonsfreak]

"Kids, don't do ecstasy, because it might interact badly with your crazy-person meds. But if you're not on crazy-person meds, it should be a pretty good time, so maybe just go ahead and do it."

Solid life lessons from Dawson's Creek.

[dawsonsfreak]

Does anybody else get the feeling Kevin Williamson had an icky boner for Katie Holmes? The perfect little ingenue thing, the scene in "Psychic Friends" where she gets dressed up in all those different outfits to be photographed because of her "sensual lips"....

[dawsonsfreak]

OH SNAP get used to it, Katie Holmes.

[dawsonsfreak]

BAD GIRLS OF DAWSON'S CREEK - Drinking Game

Every time any of the following words is uttered, take a drink:

Psychobabble

Analyze

Deconstruct(ion)

Psychologize, Psychologist, or Psychological

Freud(ian)

Rationalize

Anxiety

Neurosis

Systematically

Insecurity/Insecurities

Ego

Spielberg

(image via)

[dawsonsfreak]

Netflix Descriptions

I think Netflix has accurately captured the melodramatic bent of this show:

"Dawson and Pacey use a regatta to wage a war for Joey's affections."

"Pacey finds out that Andie had an affair."

"Joey learns that there's someone else in AJ's life."

"The truth about Andie's medication stuns Pacey."

"Pacey discovers the truth about Danny's affair."

"Dawson wrestles with Mr. Potter's drug dealing."

"Andie celebrates her admission to Harvard by attending a rave."

"As Dawson begins therapy, Joey looks for self-confidence."

"Todd and Natasha are rekindling their affair."

"Dawson suspects Pacey and Joey of having an affair." 

DEAR GOD, TEENAGERS DON'T FUCKING HAVE AFFAIRS.

Other thoughts: Dawson should have been in therapy since the pilot; so much searching and suspecting and discovering; TEEN PROBLEMS.

[dawsonsfreak]

Season 2, episode 5: Full Moon Rising

In this scene, Dawson talks about how beautiful and romantic the full moon is. Joey, always the rational one, reminds him that it will *actually* be full tomorrow.

Two things: (1) I don't care, Kevin Williamson, the moon *never* looks this big; (2) The moon is illuminated on its left side, with only a small dark blur on the upper right side, which actually means that YESTERDAY was the full moon. This moon is *waning*. Either the set designers dropped the brilliantly-illuminated moon-shaped ball on this one, or Joey should be failing science with Pacey.

(image via)

[dawsonsfreak]

In the Miss Windjammer pageant, Joey is the first runner up. That must mean that we're supposed to think this is a skillful performance.

Maybe if she could sustain a note on pitch for more than half a second I would be inclined to agree.

[dawsonsfreak]

Is Dawson Leery A Sociopath?

True or False: Dawson Leery of television's Dawson's Creek exhibits characteristics of sociopathy.

The following questionnaire is based on research and experiences of socialised sociopaths.  For each trait, decide if it applies to the person you suspect may be a socialised sociopath, fully (2 points), partially (1 point) or not at all (0 points).

Do they have problems sustaining stable relationships, personally and in business? 1.1-3 - Dawson suddenly begins to vacillate wildly in his attempts to negotiate his longest personal friendship with Joey Potter. (2 points)

Do they frequently manipulate others to achieve selfish goals, with no consideration of the effects on those manipulated? 1.12: "Double Date" - Dawson invites Mary Beth to the fair to trick Jen into thinking he is over her, when in fact he wants to win her back. (2 points)

Are they cavalier about the truth, and capable of telling lies to your face? 1.12: "Double Date" - Dawson tells Mary Beth that he invited her to the fair because he wants Jen to feel more comfortable around Cliff. (2 points)

Do they have an air of self-importance, regardless of their true standing in society? 1.3: "Kiss" - Dawson believes that he deserves to be in the film class because he's somehow better than the other students. (2 points)

Have they no apparent sense of remorse, shame or guilt? 1.6: "Baby" - Dawson may be overstepping his boundaries while filming Bessie's birth. (1 point)

Is their charm superficial, and capable of being switched on to suit immediate ends? 1.2, 1.12 - Dawson lies and finagles repeatedly to gain access to potential dates. (2 points)

Are they easily bored and demand constant stimulation? 1.8: "Boyfriend" - Dawson flips television channels compulsively, hesitating on the scrambled porn station, in an attempt to entertain himself because nothing else good is on. (1 point)

Are their displays of human emotion unconvincing? - Utterly. (2 points)

Do they enjoy taking risks, and acting on reckless impulse? 1.9: "Roadtrip" - Dawson plays hooky with Jen's ex-boyfriend so he can go to a nightclub, where he is allowed admittance even though he is a minor and this establishment serves alcoholic beverages. (2 points)

Are they quick to blame others for their mistakes? 1.7: "Detention" - Dawson blames Pacey's teasing for his own violent reaction (breaking Pacey's nose with a basketball), which lands him in detention. (2 points)

As teenagers, did they resent authority, play truant and/or steal? cf. question 9. (2 points)

Do they have no qualms about sponging off others? cf. question 5: Dawson uses Bessie's maternity as a means to his own development as a filmmaker, and is excited when "drama" presents itself (i.e. Bessie and Jen's Grams do not like each other). (2 points)

Are they quick to lose their temper? cf. question 10. Also, 1.8: "Boyfriend" - Dawson goes from apologetic nice guy to slut-shaming rage ball in ten seconds. (2 points)

Are they sexually promiscuous? No. (0 points)

Do they have a belligerent, bullying manner? 1.4: "Discovery" - Dawson resorts to slut-shaming Jen and his mom for their sexual actions. (2 points)

Are they unrealistic about their long-term aims? Dawson wants to be the next Steven Spielberg. (1 point)

Do they lack any ability to empathise with others? cf. questions 12 and 13. (2 points)

Would you regard them as essentially irresponsible? Debatable. (1 point)

A score of 25 or above suggests strong psychopathic tendencies.  This does not mean the person is a potential mass-murderer: socialised psychopaths are not mad, nor do they have to resort to violence.  Even so, a close professional or emotional relationship with a socialised psychopath is likely to prove a damaging experience.

Well, at the risk of psychologizing a fictional character... yes. Yes, Dawson Leery does exhibit strong characteristics of sociopathy.