How do you do.
So, you have an idea for a television show about teenagers in New England who are always analyzing their lives and rarely act on their feelings. The producers agree to the show and you make it a reality. It proves to be a hit and you are asked to make more episodes. So, what do you do? You go ahead and make new episodes in a new season. That is just what Paul Stupin and Kevin Williamson did. Before 1998 ended, Dawson's Creek returned for Season Two.
Season Two (A season of an emotional journey with new characters, a coming out story, character development, and a dark ending)
Season Two of Dawson's Creek begins where Season One left off, when Dawson and Joey share their kiss. As if to match, the episode it begins in is called "The Kiss." Dawson and Joey discuss the kiss and it's a wonder if they are a couple or not. Then again, relationships are almost never decided on the first kiss. So, they split and talk about it with people they know. "The Kiss" has a case of gender role reversal where instead of girls talking about it over pedicures while the boys are talking over some manly activities, we see Joey and Bessie talk about it while changing a tire and Dawson and Pacey are the ones in the salon. Pacey decides to try out frosted tips and then go to impress a girl named Christy Livingston. His attempt at getting Christy results in his meeting Andie McPhee, shown as a clumsy girl. Pacey was in his father's patrol car when they meet and that, plus Pacey's blue shirt, makes Andie think of him as an police officer. Of course, Andie doesn't think that way for long. But she helps him get a date with Christy, though on a false story and it turns out she's taken. One thing interesting with the show is that none of the actors playing the teens were actual teenagers, except for Michelle Williams who was seventeen at the time. The actress who plays Andie, Meredith Monroe, was thirty-one when she first appeared, which puts it to a whole new level.
Meanwhile, Dawson and Joey decide to go out on a date and it heads to a theatre, which is going to be taken down. Another plot to come is Jen struggling to accept that her grandfather is dead. She and Grams have a slight drama of facing the post-funeral days where Grams is giving things away. She attempts to find solace in Dawson but she sees that he is into Joey now.
"The Kiss" is followed by "Crossroads" where Dawson and Joey meet their first test as a couple. Dawson reads Joey's diary, finds something in there he doesn't like, and brings it up with her, making her mad. Worse, this new drama has caused Dawson to forget about Pacey who is having a lousy birthday. Pacey, on motivation of Andie, decides to throw a birthday party on the dock and that is when Dawson finally remembers. In the end, Joey and Dawson reconcile and Dawson takes Pacey on a boat trip. "Crossroads" also introduces Jack, Andie's brother, who is shown to be just as clumsy as his sister. Jack McPhee is played by Kerr Smith. He applies for a job in the Potter Ice House and gets the job. We are next given "Alternative Lifestyles" where Jen is paired up with Dawson and Pacey with Andie as fictional married couples while Joey is a single mom in a micro-economics project.
Three threads connect the episodes together, plot wise. First, the introduction of Jack and Andie McPhee. Second, it continues the turmoil of the Leery marriage falling apart as Mitch begins thinking about his wife's infidelity. The third is Joey dealing with be an aunt at age 16 while working in the family business and keeping up with school. The first thread is handled well with their introductions and, like onions, layers in them are gradually peeled away. For example, Pacey, and the audience, learns that Andie is not all perkiness and the McPhees are a dying dynasty, as Jack puts it. Mitch and Gail have a more complex thread. Mitch visits an office in "The Kiss" which turns out to be some kind of divorce attorney office. Of course, Mitch loses nerve and retreats from it, but Gail accuses him of dishonesty. Mitch later talks with a friend, who is never seen again. The friend suggests open marriage and goes into the post-modern philosophy on how if one took fidelity out of marriage it would help things out. This in contrast with Grams who has other suggestions for Gail. By "Alternative Lifestyles", they agree to open marriage, which Mitch later regrets. Joey's thread consists of her struggling to keep afloat while her sister dumps everything on her. It boils high in "Alternative Lifestyles" where Bessie frets over the health inspector coming while Joey is doing a project. Joey finds a successful single mother for help who is willing to help them but Bessie rejects that help with the same old "I don't need advice from someone who doesn't know me or my life". Eventually, Bessie decides that Joey is being put upon and backs off.
The last is worthy of comment. Bodie is no where in sight, which is enough to make people accuse the show of promoting stereotypes of African Americans being dead beat dads. Bessie's decision to have a baby is also to blame but, look back at part one. Meanwhile, poor Joey is trying to maintain top marks in class while babysitting and working for her sister. This reflects real life as many teenagers living in low wage families tend to have very little time to be teenagers, juggling school, relationships, and work frequently. There was once a time that Joey Potter would have been the rule in juggling, yet often she would give up schooling to help her family. The idea of teens staying in school and graduating, or else, is a recent concept, especially as teens were once treated as sub-adults. However, the way Bessie decides to let Joey go without any way of compensation is unrealistic as it now stresses herself out. There is, indeed, a kind of ageist thing in Bessie because she doesn't give Joey any power despite all the help she does for her and it fills Joey with plenty of resentment.
Compared to Joey, Pacey, Jen, and Dawson have it easier, but it changes.
Two characters from Season One return at this point. First is Abby Morgan, who starts to hang out with Jen in "Crossroads" and the two become the troublesome duo. In "Alternative Lifestyles", she becomes like a devil figure whispering temptations into Jen's ear by getting her to seduce Dawson, while not doing her share of her project with another student. Of course, Dawson remains faithful to Joey. Second character to return is Tamara Jacobs, now simply a woman doing apartments, which makes no sense. Her return is marked in "Tamara's Return", though she is seen in the final seconds of "Alternative Lifestyles." She and Pacey are reunited in "Tamara's Return" and have some lingering feelings, but both agree to not act on them this time. Meanwhile, it is becoming obvious that Andie is having a crush on Pacey. Speaking of crushes, in the same episode, Abby takes Jen shopping and while having lunch they encounter a fisherman and flirt with him. The man rejects Abby's sexual advances with dignity and calling her out on treating men like him like objects. However, he takes interest in the reserved Jen and the two arrange a date.
The plots come together in "Full Moon Rising" with a series of twists. Pacey comes to the McPhee house and meets the mother who goes looking for "Tim", who turns out to be dead, Joey and Jack, who became friends after bonding over an art exhibit (that Joey went to in the previous episode with an interest in art while Dawson considers art a hobby), suddenly share a kiss when the lights go out, Dawson sees his parents bring home dates and the big spill out, and Jen brings home Vincent who almost does it with her until she blurts out that she's sixteen. Of these, the Leery blow up is the most important as it develops Mitch Leery. Gail accuses Mitch of dishonesty while Mitch brings up her infidelity and lack of support, to which Gail claims to have supported his dream all the time. When Gail leaves, Dawson gives his father an earful of letting her go and not letting go off the past. You would expect Mitch to lay down the law on his son, telling him he's the adult and Dawson's a kid and he'll do what he wants, or telling him "no more of that lip" or any other parental cliche. Instead, Mitch simply bursts into tears and admits he doesn't know what to do. This moment shows that Mitch Leery is not some stock character of a dad, or a tyrant as they are portrayed, or anything negative, but a man; a man one can sympathize over. One other reason I say that is because in some places, husbands who have been cheated on can and will kill their wives just to heal their honor. The US is a different sort of a society where such actions is considered murder, thus making it seem the man is going to lose either way. However, some American men do forgive their wives and there's the process of reconciliation done better than the Leerys. Others are not so forgiving and would have divorced their wife long ago. The fact we have a character who is neither a doormat or an unfeeling man is what makes Mitch a relatable character.
By the next episode, "The Dance", the Leerys are divorced. The gang does attempt to pair Jack with Jen, but Jack and Joey kissing is revealed and Dawson has his own argument scene with Joey. Joey pulls out the standard justification that she wanted to find herself, having defined herself with Dawson all these years. With that, Dawson and Joey break up.
"The All Nighters" follows. A filler but a good one. In it, the gang comes together for an all night study session but dirty laundry had to be aired. A character named Chris Wolfe is introduced who seduces Jen in a guest house. Notable moments is how the group goes through a purity test and Andie learns of Pacey's time with Tamara. Yet, Pacey comes to the rescue of the problematic night by making a cram session the falling morning that ends with every jumping in the swimming pool. After all that, they find out the test is postponed due to the teacher being sick.
By this point, one can see how moral guardians have had a beef with the show. The series is secular in nature, though a few things Christian have entered the episodes now and then. Christian themes of forgiveness as well as showing that we are all sinners are prominent in the show. However, one cannot help but feel he is witnessing the Seven Deadly Sins embodied in the show, with lust being the more prominent. The role of religion in the lives of the gang is never dwelt upon. We know Jen has no faith in God and one could interpret Dawson's belief in movies as a metaphor of faith (of which is anyone's guess), yet nothing is said about Joey, Pacey, Jack, or Andie. They may all be Unitarians or members of the Church of Christ, but are either not practicing or do so differently than Grams, as far as we know. Yet, sex is pulled up in a few episodes which leads to us listing who has done it and who hasn't. Basically, of the gang, Jen and Pacey have already done it by now while Andie, Dawson, and Joey have not (Jack's is ambiguous). At least, there is no nudity in Dawson's Creek and the any sex scene to be brought up is nothing but a few kisses, embraces, removal of clothes (Tamara appears to be dancing near a tree) before the scene ends. While sex is thought of in the episodes, it doesn't always occupy the plot and it is sometimes not brought up at all. Yet, sex is the theme in "Risky Behavior" and "Sex She Wrote". In both, Dawson and Jen are a couple again, Jack and Joey have officially become a couple, and Andie and Pacey are taking things to the next level. Abby finds a letter about it in "Sex She Wrote" and sets out to find who wrote it. The episode climaxes with a "Who Dunnit" moment that reveals Pacey has taken Andie's delicate flower. So, that means Dawson and Joey are back to being the only two virgins in the gang.
Jen and Dawson are reunited in "The Reluctant Hero" as he saves her from being taken advantage of by Chris and a few others. Jen then attempts to tap into Dawson's wild side from theft to skinny dipping. The episode "High Risk Behavior" implies they had sex but then we are told in "Sex, She Wrote" that they did not. Fortunately, Jen and Dawson call it quits after and Jen is paired with Ty Hicks. Dawson, meanwhile, creates a movie he calls "Creek Daze", which is his way of dealing with the break up with Joey, something that angers her. At the same time, he begins to bond with Jack. At first, he is reluctant in "Uncharted Waters". He becomes friends with him in "His Leading Lady".
Abby Morgan is brought back in the season and does more than what was in Season One. Yet, it is in "Uncharted Waters" that we actually see Abby in a different light. After a few comedy moments (such as the girls watching Dawson's secret copy of an adult film, with funny reactions that make one think the actresses really were watching porn), Abby claims that she is bored and wants the life that they have. "I am not the prodigal daughter, my mom is sane, and my dad is not in jail," she says. The other girls, of course, would like to trade in their current lives for a normal one, which is what Andie points out. Abby also points herself as the punchbag in the group. In some sense, the episode does paint the other girls as mean sorts, though, like John Bender in The Breakfast Club, Abby continues to put up a nasty look just to mask it, making it hard to sympathize.
Then comes the two part special: "To Be or Not to Be..." and "That is the Question", which comes from the most famous line in Hamlet. Jack writes a poem in Mr. Peterson's class (the teacher some how seems like a wicked version of Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World that lately I wonder if he was made as an insult to the latter, given their preference to calling their students "mr / ms last name", have glasses and a white mustache, not care about feelings, and wear suits), reads aloud in class and cries over it. This leads to people question if he was gay because the poem was about a guy. The harsh realism is brought out in the episode when someone writes "fag" on Jack's locker. Of course, Joey tries to deny this by kissing him in front of everyone, but it doesn't work. The second part has Mr. McPhee show up, having heard that Mrs. McPhee is gone and Jack has rumors going around on his preference. In the end, Jack confronts his father and reveals that he is gay. Mr. McPhee departs at the end of the episode while Jack and Joey's relationship is now over. Pacey takes a stand against his teacher, gets suspension for it, and is able to bring in charges of abuse against Peterson. Peterson, who was planning to retire anyway, departs, still talking down to people and asking Pacey where the civility is. So, Pacey just got another teacher fired and one wonders how many more.
We are then given "Be Careful of What You Wish For" where Dawson turns sixteen and he opens up on all the bad things going on around him while making a wish. This episode has a plot importance because it is where Jen and Ty break up. Ty had spent the past three episodes being the straw man Christian boy: someone who goes to Bible readings at night, church on Sunday, a jazz club on Saturday, bad mouths gay people, and goes judgmental on Jen. There are Christian boys who do one or the other of the things I listed, but that doesn't make them the rule. The way Jen reacts to his decision to maintain his virginity would have been a welcome after being lusted at by so many boys does seem harsh but he did admit he had sinful desires that he wanted controlled. This offends Jen far more than the objectification the less Christian sorts do. The way the boy reveals his feelings that he struggles with is more realistic than what is shown in Twilight where the vampire is trying to not suck the girl's blood, only this time the girl rejects the boy. I will add that these episodes make it a low point of Dawson's Creek when viewed in a Christian lens as these episodes seem to attack Christians.
Dead beat dads is another thing shown in Season Two. Besides Bodie and Joe McPhee, we are also shown Sheriff Witter. In Season Two, he appears in only two episodes, one of them is "Uncharted Waters". It is here we find that Pacey grew up in what can be called a blue collared family, as his dad is a cop. He has many siblings, including Deputy Doug Witter. Witter was at first thought to play favoritism with his sons, though after rewatching Season Two I have noticed that he and Deputy Doug are never in the same frame. Instead, Witter takes Pacey, Dawson and his dad, and Jack on a fishing trip. In what can be considered "Little Jaws", the boys go out to see to catch a big fish and it involves a few comedy of errors and teen angst. Dawson is having troubles with his dad yet it's nothing compared to what Jack and Pacey have. In fact, Pacey and Jack tell Dawson in a bar that at least Dawson has a nice dad who treats him like a human whereas McPhee puts his business before his family and Witter treats Pacey like dirt. Witter gets drunk in the episode, humiliates Pacey at darts, and then passes out on the beach where Pacey tearfully gives a soliloquy on his treatment. At the end of the episode, Pacey catches the fish but Witter treats it with indifference.
As to Deputy Doug, he claims to have gotten into the police force after being instilled values by their father in Season One. However, seeing Witter in person, I can't help but think Doug is suffering from a case seen in some women, being that he is constantly seeking approval from his dad and by becoming a cop he got it where Pacey does not simply by being himself.
Almost a foil to Witter and McPhee is Mike Potter who returns at the end of "Psychotic Friends" after serving his time. Mike actually tries to reconnect with his daughters, one of whom is still mad at him. Yet "Perfect Wedding" comes in and provides a chance for Potter's redemption. However, the town is shown to still be weary of him, as shown by gossipers walking by. His act of redemption is to cater a wedding and Joey enlists her friends to help. Pacey and Andie use this chance to spill out how stressed out Andie is (in "His Leading Lady", she snaps that she adds more problems than subtract) and that she doesn't like weddings. They ruin a cake and have to bake a new one, which leads to Andie being revealed as a wedding fanatic. Dawson and Jack find the bride having cold feet and try to help her, though Jack gets to her more (a common stereotypical trait of gay men understanding women better than straight, which I'll focus more later). Jen and Abby, who have had an on again and off again friendship during the season, barge in and are sent out by Andie. Meanwhile, Potter appears to have regained his respect in society and Dawson and Joey reunite.
At the end of "Perfect Wedding", Jen and Abby go to a pier with wine and Abby falls to her death in the water. It leads to "Rest In Peace, Abby Morgan" where her death sends off a ripple effect. Jen is the last person with her alive and is visibly shaken. When the school learns of it, she finds the hypocritical mourning too much and lashes out at anyone who acts like a friend. Andie and Pacey are also effected, as Andie is tasked with giving a eulogy for the Morgans. While they do so, it does offer a time for the others to reflect on mortality and to be weary. We hardly see it, though. At the funeral, Jen gives a eulogy that attacks everyone for mourning Abby after hating her, attack God, and say what Abby taught her, forcing Grams to kick her out. Andie gives her eulogy, more kinder and relating on how she effected her. Thus two sides of Abby are said in two people. On this, it is also interesting that an episode with a funeral would follow one with a wedding, as though to show a binary whole. This kind of contrast has been done, in less time, in recent cases of cultural art.
After Abby dies, the season takes on a different turn. Earlier, Andie is noted to be taking pills to keep calm and perky. Her mom is later committed to a nut house while Andie has only Jack to live with. In "Reunited" and "Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes", she dyes her hair and starts seeing a vision of Tim everywhere and talks to him, making Pacey think she was talking to someone. When Andie locks herself in the bathroom, Pacey and Jack force their way in to help her. In the next episode, Joe McPhee returns and decides that it is best that Andie be given some therapy. Andie, Jack, and Pacey treat this as though death was coming upon Andie but we are also told that there is nothing in Capeside that could help her. In the end, Andie is taken away. Surprisingly, the break down of Andie McPhee doesn't destroy the character in any form but actually develops her more and her exit gives the season a cliff hanger. Meanwhile, the episodes show the theme of change. Mike Potter has come a long way since being imprisoned and bounds with Joey. However, at the end of "Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes", he is seen dealing with drugs again. "Reunited" also shows for the first and only time all six members of the Creek Gang together in Dawson's room. As to Mitch and Gail, their reunion attempts fail. Mitch begins dating a teacher at Capeside High who considered Dawson's film to be uninspiring. Mitch eventually gives up on her. Gail is offered a position in Philadelphia and accepts. This when Mitch decides to forgive her and wants her back.
Season Two finally wraps up in "Parental Discretion Advised", which is, in my opinion, the darkest episode in the season, if not the whole series. Sheriff Witter returns to announce that the police are tracking some drug dealers, but doesn't go deep on it. He continues to treat Pacey like dirt and then shows up at the Ice House to talk with Potter. He also tells Pacey to stay away from the Potters as it makes him look bad, which with word of his grades, leads to an argument where Witter slaps Pacey in the face. Meanwhile, an unseen person throws a burning object into the Ice House which starts a fire while the others are studying. The burning of the Ice House was a necessity as the place they were filming was going to be torn down for construction crews anyway, as well as add some tension to the episode. At least the fire fighters are called and Mike Potter is saved by Dawson and Witter. After the fire, Dawson reveals that he saw Potter making the deal and his parents tell him he must tell Joey. Joey, meanwhile, asks her father if he had something to do with it, to which he denies. Witter assumes Potter is the reason and he and Pacey fight again and this time it is Pacey who does a punch, after Witter unwisely insults Andie. They reconcile later, though. On the reconciliation, Grams decides to give Jen another try and allows Jack to reside with his father gone. Yet, that does not distract from the main plot where Dawson, Mitch, Gale, and Witter tell Joey of what they know. Joey, after spending so many episodes angry at her dad, then goes through the next few minutes claiming people are trying to separate her family and force things down her throat, even claims to trust her dad more than them. She even accuses Dawson of living in a black and white world where he must do the right thing and all else be damned. Joey complies to wearing a wire and finds out that Potter was desperate for money and how the unforgiving town was pushing him. Potter is arrested, with neither of his daughters looking at him, and Joey coldly tells Dawson that she doesn't want to know him anymore. The final image has Dawson standing, hurt, and remarking that he'll see her soon.
Season Two is better than Season One story wise. In fact, in spite of a few errors, the constant highlighting of sex, the apparent attack on Christians, and a dark season finale, Season Two is the best in the series. It is longer than the First Season, being twenty-two episodes vs thirteen in Season One. Having more episodes allows it time to develop the characters more and give the viewers enough time to get to know them, even the newcomers like Jack and Andie become fleshed out in the end (though why Kerr Smith and Meredith Monroe were never promoted to lead cast in the credits is never explained). Character develop is a good thing and after this many episodes one feels like a friend to them. We have been with them at their best and their worst and now we cannot wait to find out what happens next. Now, as to the characters, Pacey is at his best in Season Two as his relationship makes him mature. Dawson is sympathetic, though bratty, which is why he generally seems most liked when his parents divorced or when he is not acting like a jealous boyfriend who reads diaries and go berserk over kisses. Joey seems a little selfish in this season (even her breaking up with Dawson is for selfish reasons), yet one plus comes her way: the season inverts the cast roll of Season One and has Joey become the leading lady of the season over Jen (beginning Joey's evolution from sidekick to protagonist); even Joey's actress is second to appear in the credits while Jen's is demoted (in the credits, Joey wears a shirt that has 2 on it). Jen has totally transformed (and not just cut her hair short). In this season, she gets drunk and sleeps around, rejecting the one guy who refuses to do so, attacks people, and hangs around with Abby Morgan who proves to be of bad influences. Andie is perky but proves to be multi-layered that she has a troubled past, a dysfunctional family, and needs help. Jack, while provoking, is one of the lesser characters in my opinion, with his coming out the only time he develops.
Themes of Season One could be considered coming of age and friendship. Season Two brings in love and lust (even sex becomes a theme in a few episodes), break ups and hangovers, coming out moments and dealing with gay friends are also brought up. Both seasons have the terrible parents theme, though Season Two takes it up a notch with dead beat dads: shown in Mr. McPhee and Sheriff Witter, both of whom are more concerned about looking good to the public than actually being good fathers. In fact, while Season One has terrible moms being the focus, Season Two has it with terrible dads shown as men with pride issues who won't forgive and forget like Mitch, abusive men like Sheriff Witter, always absent like Bodie, or no show tyrants who only come in and go when it suits them like Mr. McPhee. Mike Potter appears to have redeemed from his criminal days but he slips into the habit, adding the unrepentant convicts who put their families in danger. You would think there was no good father figure in the season, yet only Bodie and McPhee stay the same, while Mitch makes a turnaround and tries to win Gail back, Potter comes clean after the fire, and Witter apologizes to Pacey, thus redeeming them in our eyes.
Jack's coming out adds a chance to look at the issue of sexual preferences. The ironic thing with Jack McPhee is that his coming out was foreshadowed from the start. Jack is shown appreciating art, something that makes Joey believe in him as a man with good tastes. Later, he is shown having sensitivity that allows him to not only understand Joey but also Pacey as he too has daddy issues. When the chance for sex arrives, he doesn't even do it, largely losing nerve while being said to be well-endowed. He also writes a poem that strikes a nerve in him, and he cries while arguing with his dad. Throw in an absentee father, the fact he has problems getting girls (other than someone else's girlfriend), and his feeling of inferiority, and we have a character facing confusion. Those things, the show tells us, are the traits of being gay. Much of that is a result of stereotyping, but thankfully they didn't have him preferring the color pink and exhibiting feminine mannerisms. The reason for the statement is that since Hemingway, most Americans have a definition of masculinity that doesn't include one ounce of femininity, which would include crying, holding bags, appreciate art, act sensitive near girls, etc. As a result, American men were expected to be Humphrey Bogarts, Clark Gables, or John Waynes; gentlemen who possess intelligence and kindness, yet are rugged, manly and stoic. Men who exhibit feminine mannerisms was often the way of showing something was wrong with him (unless the story took place in Europe), which was the only way to show him as gay in the older days, as they never talked of it then. Today, such mindset on masculinity no longer occupies a spot in a circle we call "gender roles"; these days the American heterosexual man is expected to be either the biggest man on campus or a loser nerd (either way, always eager for sex). So, by having Jack do the feminine actions doesn't do much but reinforce stereotypes of gay men (and I'm surprised a gay man would even stoop to that level). There is one example of it being mocked by traditional masculine men in "That Is the Question" where Jack is caught holding Joey's purse and someone says to him "nice purse, McPhee".
One character suspected of being gay, though not confirmed at this point, is Doug Witter, Pacey's older brother. Doug is a confirmed bachelor with similar tastes as any gay guy (having Cher cds and liking West Side Story). Of course, this is hidden from most as he is both the Sheriff's son and an officer of the law. Most would say that Doug is an example of the police not really being real men but a bunch of pretty boys, however I don't see it that way. I do see this as a case of demonstrating how gay people use to operate. At one time or another, gay men were considered a menace and most parents tend to avoid allowing children, especially boys, around them. Some gay men were able to function well in society mostly by not discussing their orientation (some even married women just to hide the fact). So, there was a possibility of gay cops in the older days. The fact that Doug lives in denial is an example of the older way gay people live whereas Jack is of a newer generation that is willing to break ground and pioneer toward acceptance as part of a greater community. The only thing most future viewers may have trouble understanding with that is that Doug keeps his orientation to himself and thus becomes a respected member of the community while Jack comes out of the closet and is treated like a monster. That was how it was to gay people in the late 20th Century. Interestingly, this explains how Pacey comes to Jack's aid for coming out while Doug is only given sly remarks because he lives in denial. Seeing how Dougie and Jack are such opposites and how their sexuality affects their world, I wouldn't be surprised if it's an attack against the then popular usage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies.
Doug's denial may also be why he is on the force. Based on the way Witter treats Pacey, I cannot help but think that he did the same thing with Doug, only keeping him as a trump card in case he doesn't have a son. Then, when it seems it doesn't improve, Doug keeps trying to get his approval by joining the Police Department. Yet, Sheriff Witter is never seen with Doug in uniform, which suggests he can't stand him. But, because Pacey is the black sheep of the family, that makes it easy for Doug. Jack, on the other hand, doesn't try to get his dad's approval on anything. If anything, he wants his father to keep away, or at least face the fact that he is gay and accept it. Thus while Doug hides his sexuality behind his uniform, Jack challenges the rules and demands acceptance. As future seasons reveal, Joe McPhee improves and accepts Jack and their bond improves while Doug's relationship remains bad with Pacey taking the flak and Sheriff Witter does not improve.
The DVDs of the season, unlike the other seasons, annoy one with the "previously on Dawson's Creek" thing that would happen prior to the prologue. I always considered them to be a waste of time, better suited for when it aired on television (since not everyone could have watched every single episode).
One thing to add is Season Two is the last complete season of Dawson's Creek to have Kevin Williamson's personal touch. While he would direct or write a few episodes, Williamson departed from the show's production entirely after this season, leaving Stupin and Dawson's Creek to fend for themselves. It seems ironic that Williamson has shown examples of dead beat dads in the show and yet has become one for his own creation.
Season Two of Dawson's Creek begins where Season One left off, when Dawson and Joey share their kiss. As if to match, the episode it begins in is called "The Kiss." Dawson and Joey discuss the kiss and it's a wonder if they are a couple or not. Then again, relationships are almost never decided on the first kiss. So, they split and talk about it with people they know. "The Kiss" has a case of gender role reversal where instead of girls talking about it over pedicures while the boys are talking over some manly activities, we see Joey and Bessie talk about it while changing a tire and Dawson and Pacey are the ones in the salon. Pacey decides to try out frosted tips and then go to impress a girl named Christy Livingston. His attempt at getting Christy results in his meeting Andie McPhee, shown as a clumsy girl. Pacey was in his father's patrol car when they meet and that, plus Pacey's blue shirt, makes Andie think of him as an police officer. Of course, Andie doesn't think that way for long. But she helps him get a date with Christy, though on a false story and it turns out she's taken. One thing interesting with the show is that none of the actors playing the teens were actual teenagers, except for Michelle Williams who was seventeen at the time. The actress who plays Andie, Meredith Monroe, was thirty-one when she first appeared, which puts it to a whole new level.
Meanwhile, Dawson and Joey decide to go out on a date and it heads to a theatre, which is going to be taken down. Another plot to come is Jen struggling to accept that her grandfather is dead. She and Grams have a slight drama of facing the post-funeral days where Grams is giving things away. She attempts to find solace in Dawson but she sees that he is into Joey now.
"The Kiss" is followed by "Crossroads" where Dawson and Joey meet their first test as a couple. Dawson reads Joey's diary, finds something in there he doesn't like, and brings it up with her, making her mad. Worse, this new drama has caused Dawson to forget about Pacey who is having a lousy birthday. Pacey, on motivation of Andie, decides to throw a birthday party on the dock and that is when Dawson finally remembers. In the end, Joey and Dawson reconcile and Dawson takes Pacey on a boat trip. "Crossroads" also introduces Jack, Andie's brother, who is shown to be just as clumsy as his sister. Jack McPhee is played by Kerr Smith. He applies for a job in the Potter Ice House and gets the job. We are next given "Alternative Lifestyles" where Jen is paired up with Dawson and Pacey with Andie as fictional married couples while Joey is a single mom in a micro-economics project.
Three threads connect the episodes together, plot wise. First, the introduction of Jack and Andie McPhee. Second, it continues the turmoil of the Leery marriage falling apart as Mitch begins thinking about his wife's infidelity. The third is Joey dealing with be an aunt at age 16 while working in the family business and keeping up with school. The first thread is handled well with their introductions and, like onions, layers in them are gradually peeled away. For example, Pacey, and the audience, learns that Andie is not all perkiness and the McPhees are a dying dynasty, as Jack puts it. Mitch and Gail have a more complex thread. Mitch visits an office in "The Kiss" which turns out to be some kind of divorce attorney office. Of course, Mitch loses nerve and retreats from it, but Gail accuses him of dishonesty. Mitch later talks with a friend, who is never seen again. The friend suggests open marriage and goes into the post-modern philosophy on how if one took fidelity out of marriage it would help things out. This in contrast with Grams who has other suggestions for Gail. By "Alternative Lifestyles", they agree to open marriage, which Mitch later regrets. Joey's thread consists of her struggling to keep afloat while her sister dumps everything on her. It boils high in "Alternative Lifestyles" where Bessie frets over the health inspector coming while Joey is doing a project. Joey finds a successful single mother for help who is willing to help them but Bessie rejects that help with the same old "I don't need advice from someone who doesn't know me or my life". Eventually, Bessie decides that Joey is being put upon and backs off.
The last is worthy of comment. Bodie is no where in sight, which is enough to make people accuse the show of promoting stereotypes of African Americans being dead beat dads. Bessie's decision to have a baby is also to blame but, look back at part one. Meanwhile, poor Joey is trying to maintain top marks in class while babysitting and working for her sister. This reflects real life as many teenagers living in low wage families tend to have very little time to be teenagers, juggling school, relationships, and work frequently. There was once a time that Joey Potter would have been the rule in juggling, yet often she would give up schooling to help her family. The idea of teens staying in school and graduating, or else, is a recent concept, especially as teens were once treated as sub-adults. However, the way Bessie decides to let Joey go without any way of compensation is unrealistic as it now stresses herself out. There is, indeed, a kind of ageist thing in Bessie because she doesn't give Joey any power despite all the help she does for her and it fills Joey with plenty of resentment.
Compared to Joey, Pacey, Jen, and Dawson have it easier, but it changes.
Two characters from Season One return at this point. First is Abby Morgan, who starts to hang out with Jen in "Crossroads" and the two become the troublesome duo. In "Alternative Lifestyles", she becomes like a devil figure whispering temptations into Jen's ear by getting her to seduce Dawson, while not doing her share of her project with another student. Of course, Dawson remains faithful to Joey. Second character to return is Tamara Jacobs, now simply a woman doing apartments, which makes no sense. Her return is marked in "Tamara's Return", though she is seen in the final seconds of "Alternative Lifestyles." She and Pacey are reunited in "Tamara's Return" and have some lingering feelings, but both agree to not act on them this time. Meanwhile, it is becoming obvious that Andie is having a crush on Pacey. Speaking of crushes, in the same episode, Abby takes Jen shopping and while having lunch they encounter a fisherman and flirt with him. The man rejects Abby's sexual advances with dignity and calling her out on treating men like him like objects. However, he takes interest in the reserved Jen and the two arrange a date.
The plots come together in "Full Moon Rising" with a series of twists. Pacey comes to the McPhee house and meets the mother who goes looking for "Tim", who turns out to be dead, Joey and Jack, who became friends after bonding over an art exhibit (that Joey went to in the previous episode with an interest in art while Dawson considers art a hobby), suddenly share a kiss when the lights go out, Dawson sees his parents bring home dates and the big spill out, and Jen brings home Vincent who almost does it with her until she blurts out that she's sixteen. Of these, the Leery blow up is the most important as it develops Mitch Leery. Gail accuses Mitch of dishonesty while Mitch brings up her infidelity and lack of support, to which Gail claims to have supported his dream all the time. When Gail leaves, Dawson gives his father an earful of letting her go and not letting go off the past. You would expect Mitch to lay down the law on his son, telling him he's the adult and Dawson's a kid and he'll do what he wants, or telling him "no more of that lip" or any other parental cliche. Instead, Mitch simply bursts into tears and admits he doesn't know what to do. This moment shows that Mitch Leery is not some stock character of a dad, or a tyrant as they are portrayed, or anything negative, but a man; a man one can sympathize over. One other reason I say that is because in some places, husbands who have been cheated on can and will kill their wives just to heal their honor. The US is a different sort of a society where such actions is considered murder, thus making it seem the man is going to lose either way. However, some American men do forgive their wives and there's the process of reconciliation done better than the Leerys. Others are not so forgiving and would have divorced their wife long ago. The fact we have a character who is neither a doormat or an unfeeling man is what makes Mitch a relatable character.
By the next episode, "The Dance", the Leerys are divorced. The gang does attempt to pair Jack with Jen, but Jack and Joey kissing is revealed and Dawson has his own argument scene with Joey. Joey pulls out the standard justification that she wanted to find herself, having defined herself with Dawson all these years. With that, Dawson and Joey break up.
"The All Nighters" follows. A filler but a good one. In it, the gang comes together for an all night study session but dirty laundry had to be aired. A character named Chris Wolfe is introduced who seduces Jen in a guest house. Notable moments is how the group goes through a purity test and Andie learns of Pacey's time with Tamara. Yet, Pacey comes to the rescue of the problematic night by making a cram session the falling morning that ends with every jumping in the swimming pool. After all that, they find out the test is postponed due to the teacher being sick.
By this point, one can see how moral guardians have had a beef with the show. The series is secular in nature, though a few things Christian have entered the episodes now and then. Christian themes of forgiveness as well as showing that we are all sinners are prominent in the show. However, one cannot help but feel he is witnessing the Seven Deadly Sins embodied in the show, with lust being the more prominent. The role of religion in the lives of the gang is never dwelt upon. We know Jen has no faith in God and one could interpret Dawson's belief in movies as a metaphor of faith (of which is anyone's guess), yet nothing is said about Joey, Pacey, Jack, or Andie. They may all be Unitarians or members of the Church of Christ, but are either not practicing or do so differently than Grams, as far as we know. Yet, sex is pulled up in a few episodes which leads to us listing who has done it and who hasn't. Basically, of the gang, Jen and Pacey have already done it by now while Andie, Dawson, and Joey have not (Jack's is ambiguous). At least, there is no nudity in Dawson's Creek and the any sex scene to be brought up is nothing but a few kisses, embraces, removal of clothes (Tamara appears to be dancing near a tree) before the scene ends. While sex is thought of in the episodes, it doesn't always occupy the plot and it is sometimes not brought up at all. Yet, sex is the theme in "Risky Behavior" and "Sex She Wrote". In both, Dawson and Jen are a couple again, Jack and Joey have officially become a couple, and Andie and Pacey are taking things to the next level. Abby finds a letter about it in "Sex She Wrote" and sets out to find who wrote it. The episode climaxes with a "Who Dunnit" moment that reveals Pacey has taken Andie's delicate flower. So, that means Dawson and Joey are back to being the only two virgins in the gang.
Jen and Dawson are reunited in "The Reluctant Hero" as he saves her from being taken advantage of by Chris and a few others. Jen then attempts to tap into Dawson's wild side from theft to skinny dipping. The episode "High Risk Behavior" implies they had sex but then we are told in "Sex, She Wrote" that they did not. Fortunately, Jen and Dawson call it quits after and Jen is paired with Ty Hicks. Dawson, meanwhile, creates a movie he calls "Creek Daze", which is his way of dealing with the break up with Joey, something that angers her. At the same time, he begins to bond with Jack. At first, he is reluctant in "Uncharted Waters". He becomes friends with him in "His Leading Lady".
Abby Morgan is brought back in the season and does more than what was in Season One. Yet, it is in "Uncharted Waters" that we actually see Abby in a different light. After a few comedy moments (such as the girls watching Dawson's secret copy of an adult film, with funny reactions that make one think the actresses really were watching porn), Abby claims that she is bored and wants the life that they have. "I am not the prodigal daughter, my mom is sane, and my dad is not in jail," she says. The other girls, of course, would like to trade in their current lives for a normal one, which is what Andie points out. Abby also points herself as the punchbag in the group. In some sense, the episode does paint the other girls as mean sorts, though, like John Bender in The Breakfast Club, Abby continues to put up a nasty look just to mask it, making it hard to sympathize.
Then comes the two part special: "To Be or Not to Be..." and "That is the Question", which comes from the most famous line in Hamlet. Jack writes a poem in Mr. Peterson's class (the teacher some how seems like a wicked version of Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World that lately I wonder if he was made as an insult to the latter, given their preference to calling their students "mr / ms last name", have glasses and a white mustache, not care about feelings, and wear suits), reads aloud in class and cries over it. This leads to people question if he was gay because the poem was about a guy. The harsh realism is brought out in the episode when someone writes "fag" on Jack's locker. Of course, Joey tries to deny this by kissing him in front of everyone, but it doesn't work. The second part has Mr. McPhee show up, having heard that Mrs. McPhee is gone and Jack has rumors going around on his preference. In the end, Jack confronts his father and reveals that he is gay. Mr. McPhee departs at the end of the episode while Jack and Joey's relationship is now over. Pacey takes a stand against his teacher, gets suspension for it, and is able to bring in charges of abuse against Peterson. Peterson, who was planning to retire anyway, departs, still talking down to people and asking Pacey where the civility is. So, Pacey just got another teacher fired and one wonders how many more.
We are then given "Be Careful of What You Wish For" where Dawson turns sixteen and he opens up on all the bad things going on around him while making a wish. This episode has a plot importance because it is where Jen and Ty break up. Ty had spent the past three episodes being the straw man Christian boy: someone who goes to Bible readings at night, church on Sunday, a jazz club on Saturday, bad mouths gay people, and goes judgmental on Jen. There are Christian boys who do one or the other of the things I listed, but that doesn't make them the rule. The way Jen reacts to his decision to maintain his virginity would have been a welcome after being lusted at by so many boys does seem harsh but he did admit he had sinful desires that he wanted controlled. This offends Jen far more than the objectification the less Christian sorts do. The way the boy reveals his feelings that he struggles with is more realistic than what is shown in Twilight where the vampire is trying to not suck the girl's blood, only this time the girl rejects the boy. I will add that these episodes make it a low point of Dawson's Creek when viewed in a Christian lens as these episodes seem to attack Christians.
Dead beat dads is another thing shown in Season Two. Besides Bodie and Joe McPhee, we are also shown Sheriff Witter. In Season Two, he appears in only two episodes, one of them is "Uncharted Waters". It is here we find that Pacey grew up in what can be called a blue collared family, as his dad is a cop. He has many siblings, including Deputy Doug Witter. Witter was at first thought to play favoritism with his sons, though after rewatching Season Two I have noticed that he and Deputy Doug are never in the same frame. Instead, Witter takes Pacey, Dawson and his dad, and Jack on a fishing trip. In what can be considered "Little Jaws", the boys go out to see to catch a big fish and it involves a few comedy of errors and teen angst. Dawson is having troubles with his dad yet it's nothing compared to what Jack and Pacey have. In fact, Pacey and Jack tell Dawson in a bar that at least Dawson has a nice dad who treats him like a human whereas McPhee puts his business before his family and Witter treats Pacey like dirt. Witter gets drunk in the episode, humiliates Pacey at darts, and then passes out on the beach where Pacey tearfully gives a soliloquy on his treatment. At the end of the episode, Pacey catches the fish but Witter treats it with indifference.
As to Deputy Doug, he claims to have gotten into the police force after being instilled values by their father in Season One. However, seeing Witter in person, I can't help but think Doug is suffering from a case seen in some women, being that he is constantly seeking approval from his dad and by becoming a cop he got it where Pacey does not simply by being himself.
Almost a foil to Witter and McPhee is Mike Potter who returns at the end of "Psychotic Friends" after serving his time. Mike actually tries to reconnect with his daughters, one of whom is still mad at him. Yet "Perfect Wedding" comes in and provides a chance for Potter's redemption. However, the town is shown to still be weary of him, as shown by gossipers walking by. His act of redemption is to cater a wedding and Joey enlists her friends to help. Pacey and Andie use this chance to spill out how stressed out Andie is (in "His Leading Lady", she snaps that she adds more problems than subtract) and that she doesn't like weddings. They ruin a cake and have to bake a new one, which leads to Andie being revealed as a wedding fanatic. Dawson and Jack find the bride having cold feet and try to help her, though Jack gets to her more (a common stereotypical trait of gay men understanding women better than straight, which I'll focus more later). Jen and Abby, who have had an on again and off again friendship during the season, barge in and are sent out by Andie. Meanwhile, Potter appears to have regained his respect in society and Dawson and Joey reunite.
At the end of "Perfect Wedding", Jen and Abby go to a pier with wine and Abby falls to her death in the water. It leads to "Rest In Peace, Abby Morgan" where her death sends off a ripple effect. Jen is the last person with her alive and is visibly shaken. When the school learns of it, she finds the hypocritical mourning too much and lashes out at anyone who acts like a friend. Andie and Pacey are also effected, as Andie is tasked with giving a eulogy for the Morgans. While they do so, it does offer a time for the others to reflect on mortality and to be weary. We hardly see it, though. At the funeral, Jen gives a eulogy that attacks everyone for mourning Abby after hating her, attack God, and say what Abby taught her, forcing Grams to kick her out. Andie gives her eulogy, more kinder and relating on how she effected her. Thus two sides of Abby are said in two people. On this, it is also interesting that an episode with a funeral would follow one with a wedding, as though to show a binary whole. This kind of contrast has been done, in less time, in recent cases of cultural art.
After Abby dies, the season takes on a different turn. Earlier, Andie is noted to be taking pills to keep calm and perky. Her mom is later committed to a nut house while Andie has only Jack to live with. In "Reunited" and "Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes", she dyes her hair and starts seeing a vision of Tim everywhere and talks to him, making Pacey think she was talking to someone. When Andie locks herself in the bathroom, Pacey and Jack force their way in to help her. In the next episode, Joe McPhee returns and decides that it is best that Andie be given some therapy. Andie, Jack, and Pacey treat this as though death was coming upon Andie but we are also told that there is nothing in Capeside that could help her. In the end, Andie is taken away. Surprisingly, the break down of Andie McPhee doesn't destroy the character in any form but actually develops her more and her exit gives the season a cliff hanger. Meanwhile, the episodes show the theme of change. Mike Potter has come a long way since being imprisoned and bounds with Joey. However, at the end of "Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes", he is seen dealing with drugs again. "Reunited" also shows for the first and only time all six members of the Creek Gang together in Dawson's room. As to Mitch and Gail, their reunion attempts fail. Mitch begins dating a teacher at Capeside High who considered Dawson's film to be uninspiring. Mitch eventually gives up on her. Gail is offered a position in Philadelphia and accepts. This when Mitch decides to forgive her and wants her back.
Season Two finally wraps up in "Parental Discretion Advised", which is, in my opinion, the darkest episode in the season, if not the whole series. Sheriff Witter returns to announce that the police are tracking some drug dealers, but doesn't go deep on it. He continues to treat Pacey like dirt and then shows up at the Ice House to talk with Potter. He also tells Pacey to stay away from the Potters as it makes him look bad, which with word of his grades, leads to an argument where Witter slaps Pacey in the face. Meanwhile, an unseen person throws a burning object into the Ice House which starts a fire while the others are studying. The burning of the Ice House was a necessity as the place they were filming was going to be torn down for construction crews anyway, as well as add some tension to the episode. At least the fire fighters are called and Mike Potter is saved by Dawson and Witter. After the fire, Dawson reveals that he saw Potter making the deal and his parents tell him he must tell Joey. Joey, meanwhile, asks her father if he had something to do with it, to which he denies. Witter assumes Potter is the reason and he and Pacey fight again and this time it is Pacey who does a punch, after Witter unwisely insults Andie. They reconcile later, though. On the reconciliation, Grams decides to give Jen another try and allows Jack to reside with his father gone. Yet, that does not distract from the main plot where Dawson, Mitch, Gale, and Witter tell Joey of what they know. Joey, after spending so many episodes angry at her dad, then goes through the next few minutes claiming people are trying to separate her family and force things down her throat, even claims to trust her dad more than them. She even accuses Dawson of living in a black and white world where he must do the right thing and all else be damned. Joey complies to wearing a wire and finds out that Potter was desperate for money and how the unforgiving town was pushing him. Potter is arrested, with neither of his daughters looking at him, and Joey coldly tells Dawson that she doesn't want to know him anymore. The final image has Dawson standing, hurt, and remarking that he'll see her soon.
Season Two is better than Season One story wise. In fact, in spite of a few errors, the constant highlighting of sex, the apparent attack on Christians, and a dark season finale, Season Two is the best in the series. It is longer than the First Season, being twenty-two episodes vs thirteen in Season One. Having more episodes allows it time to develop the characters more and give the viewers enough time to get to know them, even the newcomers like Jack and Andie become fleshed out in the end (though why Kerr Smith and Meredith Monroe were never promoted to lead cast in the credits is never explained). Character develop is a good thing and after this many episodes one feels like a friend to them. We have been with them at their best and their worst and now we cannot wait to find out what happens next. Now, as to the characters, Pacey is at his best in Season Two as his relationship makes him mature. Dawson is sympathetic, though bratty, which is why he generally seems most liked when his parents divorced or when he is not acting like a jealous boyfriend who reads diaries and go berserk over kisses. Joey seems a little selfish in this season (even her breaking up with Dawson is for selfish reasons), yet one plus comes her way: the season inverts the cast roll of Season One and has Joey become the leading lady of the season over Jen (beginning Joey's evolution from sidekick to protagonist); even Joey's actress is second to appear in the credits while Jen's is demoted (in the credits, Joey wears a shirt that has 2 on it). Jen has totally transformed (and not just cut her hair short). In this season, she gets drunk and sleeps around, rejecting the one guy who refuses to do so, attacks people, and hangs around with Abby Morgan who proves to be of bad influences. Andie is perky but proves to be multi-layered that she has a troubled past, a dysfunctional family, and needs help. Jack, while provoking, is one of the lesser characters in my opinion, with his coming out the only time he develops.
Themes of Season One could be considered coming of age and friendship. Season Two brings in love and lust (even sex becomes a theme in a few episodes), break ups and hangovers, coming out moments and dealing with gay friends are also brought up. Both seasons have the terrible parents theme, though Season Two takes it up a notch with dead beat dads: shown in Mr. McPhee and Sheriff Witter, both of whom are more concerned about looking good to the public than actually being good fathers. In fact, while Season One has terrible moms being the focus, Season Two has it with terrible dads shown as men with pride issues who won't forgive and forget like Mitch, abusive men like Sheriff Witter, always absent like Bodie, or no show tyrants who only come in and go when it suits them like Mr. McPhee. Mike Potter appears to have redeemed from his criminal days but he slips into the habit, adding the unrepentant convicts who put their families in danger. You would think there was no good father figure in the season, yet only Bodie and McPhee stay the same, while Mitch makes a turnaround and tries to win Gail back, Potter comes clean after the fire, and Witter apologizes to Pacey, thus redeeming them in our eyes.
Jack's coming out adds a chance to look at the issue of sexual preferences. The ironic thing with Jack McPhee is that his coming out was foreshadowed from the start. Jack is shown appreciating art, something that makes Joey believe in him as a man with good tastes. Later, he is shown having sensitivity that allows him to not only understand Joey but also Pacey as he too has daddy issues. When the chance for sex arrives, he doesn't even do it, largely losing nerve while being said to be well-endowed. He also writes a poem that strikes a nerve in him, and he cries while arguing with his dad. Throw in an absentee father, the fact he has problems getting girls (other than someone else's girlfriend), and his feeling of inferiority, and we have a character facing confusion. Those things, the show tells us, are the traits of being gay. Much of that is a result of stereotyping, but thankfully they didn't have him preferring the color pink and exhibiting feminine mannerisms. The reason for the statement is that since Hemingway, most Americans have a definition of masculinity that doesn't include one ounce of femininity, which would include crying, holding bags, appreciate art, act sensitive near girls, etc. As a result, American men were expected to be Humphrey Bogarts, Clark Gables, or John Waynes; gentlemen who possess intelligence and kindness, yet are rugged, manly and stoic. Men who exhibit feminine mannerisms was often the way of showing something was wrong with him (unless the story took place in Europe), which was the only way to show him as gay in the older days, as they never talked of it then. Today, such mindset on masculinity no longer occupies a spot in a circle we call "gender roles"; these days the American heterosexual man is expected to be either the biggest man on campus or a loser nerd (either way, always eager for sex). So, by having Jack do the feminine actions doesn't do much but reinforce stereotypes of gay men (and I'm surprised a gay man would even stoop to that level). There is one example of it being mocked by traditional masculine men in "That Is the Question" where Jack is caught holding Joey's purse and someone says to him "nice purse, McPhee".
One character suspected of being gay, though not confirmed at this point, is Doug Witter, Pacey's older brother. Doug is a confirmed bachelor with similar tastes as any gay guy (having Cher cds and liking West Side Story). Of course, this is hidden from most as he is both the Sheriff's son and an officer of the law. Most would say that Doug is an example of the police not really being real men but a bunch of pretty boys, however I don't see it that way. I do see this as a case of demonstrating how gay people use to operate. At one time or another, gay men were considered a menace and most parents tend to avoid allowing children, especially boys, around them. Some gay men were able to function well in society mostly by not discussing their orientation (some even married women just to hide the fact). So, there was a possibility of gay cops in the older days. The fact that Doug lives in denial is an example of the older way gay people live whereas Jack is of a newer generation that is willing to break ground and pioneer toward acceptance as part of a greater community. The only thing most future viewers may have trouble understanding with that is that Doug keeps his orientation to himself and thus becomes a respected member of the community while Jack comes out of the closet and is treated like a monster. That was how it was to gay people in the late 20th Century. Interestingly, this explains how Pacey comes to Jack's aid for coming out while Doug is only given sly remarks because he lives in denial. Seeing how Dougie and Jack are such opposites and how their sexuality affects their world, I wouldn't be surprised if it's an attack against the then popular usage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies.
Doug's denial may also be why he is on the force. Based on the way Witter treats Pacey, I cannot help but think that he did the same thing with Doug, only keeping him as a trump card in case he doesn't have a son. Then, when it seems it doesn't improve, Doug keeps trying to get his approval by joining the Police Department. Yet, Sheriff Witter is never seen with Doug in uniform, which suggests he can't stand him. But, because Pacey is the black sheep of the family, that makes it easy for Doug. Jack, on the other hand, doesn't try to get his dad's approval on anything. If anything, he wants his father to keep away, or at least face the fact that he is gay and accept it. Thus while Doug hides his sexuality behind his uniform, Jack challenges the rules and demands acceptance. As future seasons reveal, Joe McPhee improves and accepts Jack and their bond improves while Doug's relationship remains bad with Pacey taking the flak and Sheriff Witter does not improve.
The DVDs of the season, unlike the other seasons, annoy one with the "previously on Dawson's Creek" thing that would happen prior to the prologue. I always considered them to be a waste of time, better suited for when it aired on television (since not everyone could have watched every single episode).
One thing to add is Season Two is the last complete season of Dawson's Creek to have Kevin Williamson's personal touch. While he would direct or write a few episodes, Williamson departed from the show's production entirely after this season, leaving Stupin and Dawson's Creek to fend for themselves. It seems ironic that Williamson has shown examples of dead beat dads in the show and yet has become one for his own creation.
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