Dawson's Creek - Season 2, Episode 10

"It's not that your script sucks...it just needs a complete overhaul by someone who has a clue."

"High Risk Behavior"
Original airdate: 1/13/1999

Episode summary: Dawson begins the audition process for his new movie. Jack poses nude for Joey so that she can draw the nude male form for an art assignment. Pacey and Andie attempt to take their relationship to the next level.

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Recap: Dawson and Pacey are reading aloud the latest version of Dawson's movie script, which - no surprise - appears to be riddled with the same kind of absurdly over-engineered dialogue that the Dawson's Creek writers insist on packing into every script. 

"My electrical synapses are on overload here. My brain is telling me one thing, but my heart it says another: it's telling me that I should consider the unequivocal, highly irrational, possibly damaging proposition of loving you back."

When Dawson asks Pacey what he thinks of the dreck, Pacey tells him he's writing with waaay too many syllables, then asks, "What's with all the psychobabble insight? How many teenagers do you know that talk like that?" ... which, interestingly, suggests that despite the Dawson's Creek writers having enough self-awareness about the wretchedness of their scriptwriting style to joke about it, they continued writing scripts with the same level of wretchedness for another four and a half seasons. Pacey remarks that the Joey character seems a little on the angry side...and when Dawson denies have written a Joey character, Pacey rolls his eyes and is like, "Yeah right" and says that the movie is clearly about his/Joey's friendship and subsequent failed romance. He adds that the movie comes off as dark and obtuse, aka very un-Dawson Leery - and Dawson takes that as a compliment 'cause it was his intention to write something that was purely emotionally driven. Pacey asks him why the starring couple never hits the sheets and then urges him to "take the risky plunge" - but Dawson argues that since teenagers in movies are always going at it, it'd actually be riskier and out of the ordinary [particularly for anything borne of the Dawson's Creek universe] for them not to have sex. Or abstain from talking about sex 24/7. 

"How many teenagers do you know that talk with this kind of wordy babble every time they open their mouths?"

"Not counting the two of us and our Dawson's Creek castmates? Probably zero."

The next morning at Capeside High, Dawson and Jen are handing out movie audition fliers to their fellow schoolmates. Dawson tells Jen to be sure to get a flier to blonde, sweet-faced James Lowell, prompting Jen to grunt, "Ew" and remark that he's about as sexy as a bucket. She motions over at the broody, goatee sporting Dave Fachelli, whose bad boy vibe makes him waaaay more appealing as a leading man. As Dawson chews on that prospect, Jen points out that when it comes to moviegoers, sexy always wins out over nice...and urges him to make less obvious choices during the casting process.

Pacey tells Andie he got an HIV test and tested negative, and Andie says she's pleased that he took her suggestion to get tested, but that he shouldn't assume it was an invitation to hop into bed together. Pacey pretends to have no earthly idea what she's talking about and tells her that he got tested for his own peace of mind, and assures her that he's A-OK with the two of them not rushing into sex.

Joey is sitting outside, working on her latest sketch, when Dawson wanders over to say hey. She tells him her art class is currently focusing on the nude male form...and when Dawson asks her if she's at all weirded out by a live nude man posing for her art class, she admits that she's been blushing a lot more than usual - but is getting better at not getting so wigged out by the sight of an unclothed male. 

Chris asks Abby if she plans to audition for Dawson's movie, but she just rolls her eyes and says she couldn't be less interested in Dawson's lame home video project. Chris tells her that he, on the other hand, is an aspiring actor and is intrigued by the opportunity of getting some Hollywood type exposure. He asks her if she'd like to audition with him 'cause he thinks they'd have "serious chemistry" [which is interesting, considering her expressed desire during the previous Election episode to destroy him] - but she sassily tells him to salivate elsewhere 'cause she couldn't be less interested. 

Jack wanders over to where Joey is drawing, admires her skilled technique, then accidentally spills his drink all over her sketch. Joey's all, "Ack!" and stares at her ruined art in horrified shock.

Dawson and Jen are in the school's auditorium, holding the first round of auditions, and look visibly dismayed by the lack of acting talent at Capeside High.

Jack apologizes to Joey for ruining her sketch, and an irked Joey says there's not much she can do - except get an F for having an incomplete assignment 'cause there's no way to redo it without a live nude man posing for her. Jack offers to serve as her model...and when Joey's like, "Hell no", he assures her that not every moment on Dawson's Creek has to be sexually charged, and that she should think of him lounging naked atop her couch as a professional service he's freely offering.

"I'll pose naked for you if you promise not to giggle or blush."

"You've met me, right?"

Later at the pharmacy, Andie has just gotten her Xanax prescription filled when she runs into Pacey, who asks her what's in the bag...then grabs it out of her hands (!), sees that it's a prescription for Xanax for Andrea McPhee, and asks if that's something one takes for anxiety and severe depression. Andie tells him that the pills are for her mom, who's also named Andrea - a fib Pacey easily buys. He then pretends that he didn't drop by the drugstore to stock up on condoms, but Andie suggests they get some so that they're fully prepared for whenever they decide to bump uglies...and he looks impressed by her mature attitude towards sex.

Chris and Abby are auditioning for Dawson's movie [I guess she changed her mind about being bitchily uninterested in doing that], and Chris does a reasonably good job - until he slips Abby the tongue during the kissing sequence. She shoves him away from her and demands to know what the hell that was, so he explains that he needed to insert his tongue into her mouth in order to fully get into the role. She angrily accuses him of wanting to get into her pants and storms off the stage while Chris just kind of shrugs, then redirects his attention to Dawson and Jen before taking a bow. LOL.

Andie tells Pacey she wants her first roll in the hay to be special, and that her fantasy of the big, cherry popping night has always included a fancy dinner, moonlit stroll by the dock, and an overnight stay in a B&B. Pacey assures her that he totally gets what a big deal it is for a girl to lose her virginity, and is more than happy to do his part in making it a memorable evening. Andie smiles approvingly and says that all of this romantic talk is making her want to jump his bones asap.

Jen urges Dawson to re-write his movie script so that the young lovers hit the sheets - but Dawson insists that the movie is less about sex than it is about romance, and that he wanted to make the less obvious choice. Jen points out that if he had wanted to make a less obvious choice, he shouldn't have chosen the most obvious girl in his life (Joey) to be the template for the movie's leading lady.
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As Joey readies herself to paint Jack's nude form, Jack enters her living room with a towel cinched around his waist. He positions himself atop the couch and jokes about how much this reminds him of the scene in Titanic where Jack draws Rose like one of his French girls. Joey tells him she'd find it far less distracting and, frankly, less embarrassing if he kept his trap shut, then puts her pencil down and says she really can't handle seeing him naked. She tells him to get dressed and go home, then accidentally knocks over her easel...and as Jack moves to help her pick up her stuff, he accidentally drops his towel. Joey gasps in shock when she catches a glimpse of his naughties...so then Jack points out that since she's now seen him in his fully glory, he may as well stay so that she can continue with her sketching and not get an F on the assignment.

Joey paints Jack like one of her French girls

...if her French girls looked like Mr. Bean lounging on a couch while girlishly concealing his genitals

Later, Joey tells Jack that her sketch is coming along fine, then natters about how she always feels as though she's doing something special whenever she draws or paints something. 

As the evening wears on..

Jen sees Dawson wandering by his dock, so she ambles over to talk to him some more about how lackluster his movie script is.

Pacey and Andie are enjoying a tasty dinner in a fancy restaurant.  

Jack tells Joey he's not a virgin on account of he's had one sexual encounter. 

Dawson thanks Jen for helping out with the auditions. She jokes that if he gets desperate enough, she can always step in to play his leading lady...and Dawson says he definitely likes the sound of that idea.

Joey tells Jack that the idea of having sex terrifies her, and Jack agrees that sex is definitely scary, but can't articulate exactly why [other than his internal struggle about exactly how and when to come out of the closet].

Jen strongly urges Dawson to do a script re-write and allow the characters in his movie to act on what their likeliest life choices would be. She explains that true love is always fueled by lust, and that people who dig each other usually wind up having sex...adding that intent and motive is what makes movie sex super interesting for viewers.

When Joey asks Jack what sex feels like, he describes it as a jumble of emotions...and in terms of art is like an expressionist painting, seeing Van Gogh's Starry Night for the first time, or laying amid Monet's water lilies. When the phone suddenly rings, Joey gasps when she reaches for the phone and gets a glimpse of Jack's penis before he has a chance to cover himself...and by her overly startled reaction, I couldn't help wondering if what he was trying to cover so quickly was an unintended boner. 

Pacey leads a blindfolded Andie into a beautiful B&B bedroom...and when he removes the blindfold, she's overcome by his touching efforts to give her her end of virginity fantasy evening. Pacey assures her that there's no pressure to hit the sheets tonight, and that they can save the sex for another time if she prefers. Andie says that while she'd like them to get busy, she isn't quite ready...and Pacey envelopes her into a comforting hug and says he's satisfied enough just having her in his life. Andie blurts out, "You make me want to do it!", and Pacey perks up at that and leans in for a smooch.

"I wanted to give you a night of tender romance you'd remember for the rest of your life."

"Are you as ready to get down and dirty as I am?"

Dawson is re-working his script, staring at a framed photo of Joey for added inspiration.

Jack asks Joey if getting a gander at his groin is going to screw things up between them, and she awkwardly natters about how they're both human and that there's definitely something between them. No penis pun intended. She remarks that tonight was "a big step in the life of little Joey Potter" - OMFG - but that she feels as though she's bitten off more than she could chew as she wrestles with her hormones. Jack tells her he's available anytime she's up for exploring her curiosity, and she admits that that's a far less scary thing to contemplate now that he's fully clothed...and then the two lean in and enjoy an amorous smoochfest.

Dawson climbs into Jen's bedroom window to tell her that he's been thinking about what she said earlier regarding love versus lust. He leans in, kisses her, and asks her to please refrain from questioning his motive...and when she says she knows better than to do that, he leans in for a follow-up kiss.

Pacey abruptly puts the brakes on his and Andie's smoochfest and says he doesn't think she's 100% ready to seal the deal. He assures her that she'll know when she's really, definitely, absolutely ready to go all the way, and that their budding romance is far too important for a 'do now, think later' type approach. 
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Joey and Jack, meanwhile, continue to smooch...as do Dawson and Jen. 

Pacey and Andie check out of the B&B and smilingly stroll down the street, hand in hand. 

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