Dawson's Creek - Season 2, Episode 17

Joey is an unwitting third wheel in this interaction

"Psychic Friends"
Original airdate: 3/10/1999

Episode summary: Joey meets a handsome stranger who ends up being way more interested in Jack. Dawson is devastated when a Hollywood insider gives his movie a horrible review.

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Recap: After watching Dawson's new movie at Casa Leery, an emotionally overcome Joey tells Dawson that this brilliant work of art has fundamentally changed the way she looks at life, and is prompting her to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about the world. As Dawson grins joyously, Joey natters about how proud Jack should feel for his geniusness in directing such a gem, and a bewildered Dawson's all, "Wha-a-a?" - just as Jack climbs into his bedroom through the window, announces that Steven Spielberg just offered him a job, and that he's off to California to live his dream of becoming a Hollywood filmmaker. He then gets down on one knee and proposes to Joey...and when Dawson points out that he recently came out of the closet, Jack decides he's not very gay after all and climbs out of the window with his new fiancée. Dawson implores Joey not to leave him, but she tells him he's not her type and never was...and Dawson yells, "Noooooo!!" as he wakes from the nightmare, alone in his bedroom.

After the opening credits, Dawson and Jen are at the tail end of film class, which is now being taught by film industry guru Mädchen Amick for the next several episodes. Dawson gushes to Jen about how much he loooooves being taught by a Hollywood insider - but when Jen suggests he invite Mädchen Amick to a private screening of his new movie, he says he's not sure he's ready [for the kind of crippling criticism she rather dickishly unloads onto him later in the episode]. A few seconds later, the two run into Mitch, who's now a member of Capeside High's faculty...and Dawson makes it clear how embarrassing he finds it that his dad is suddenly the school's new English teacher. He then yawns and explains that he's not getting enough sleep 'cause he keeps having nightmares about the hopeless dullness of his life...except for the one thing he does have control over: pursuing a career as a filmmaker. 

Joey is sitting in the cafeteria with Jack, rating the guys standing in the lunch line...and coming to the conclusion that they're mostly undatable. When Jack refuses to engage in her ratings game, Joey moans about how boooooooored she is with school, her job, and herself...then assures him she's A-OK with their relationship taking a hard turn into platonic territory now that his sexual orientation status has shifted to gay.
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While wandering downtown, hand in hand, Andie reminds Pacey about the upcoming fair and how eager she is to get some face time with the fortune teller. She then tells Pacey he should volunteer to run the Police Safety Booth with his stuffed animal sidekick Captain Skippy...and whispers - too quietly for viewers to hear - that if he does, she'll reward him by blowing him (or something). 

Fair day! Joey is hanging up her artwork in her booth and telling Jack how much she misses their hetero smoochfests. Jack assures her it'll eventually happen for her again - this time with a straight dude - just as Dawson appears out of nowhere and asks, "What'll happen?" When Joey breezily mumbles, "Nuthin'", Dawson says he's off to help Mädchen Amick with the sound exhibit, then dejectedly shuffles off. Jack remarks to Joey that lately Dawson seems more moody than usual, then urges her to consult with the fortune teller to learn when she can expect her next kiss.

"I'm waiting for someone awesome to appear and give me my next big smooch."

"If by someone you mean me, feel free to pucker up."

Pacey tells Andie he has zero interest in having his fortune told 'cause he doesn't want to hear a prediction about how horribly his life is going to turn out. Andie points out that if he knows for sure that he's headed towards a horrible outcome he can at least be prepared, but he's like, "Nope, still not interested."   

The fortune teller, who goes by the name Madame Zenovich, charges Joey $5 to tell her that someone with a C in his/her name has great importance to her, and can sense that there's been a huge loss in her life, and that she's used it as an excuse to exclude herself from experiencing new adventures. Madame Zenovich then warns Joey that she'll soon come to a fork in the road and advises her to simply follow her heart, then adds that a tall dark man is about to enter her life.

Mädchen Amick asks Dawson when she's going to see his moving pictures masterpiece, then explains that Mitch has been endlessly bragging about it in the Capeside High faculty lounge. A red-faced Dawson says that his dad tends to grossly exaggerate his ability to cobble together a film that anyone would ever consider worth watching, then says he's sooooo jazzed and inspired to be conversing with a true film expert...and would be thrilled if she were to watch his film and give him an honest critique.

Joey grumbles to Jack about how annoyed she is for wasting $5 on a fortune teller who lamely predicted that she's going to meet a tall dark stranger - just as she spots a tall dark stranger inside her booth, perusing her art. The hottie introduces himself as Colin Manchester and compliments her artistic ability before sexily sashaying off. As Joey stares after him, looking visibly intrigued, Jack tells her this is a clear sign that she's about to get that much-anticipated smooch, then urges her to move things forward by making a flirty play for Colin.

Jen is helping Grams set up her booth filled with knitted goods when she spots an old man staring over at them. A few seconds later, he ambles over...and Grams is all, "Whit Hubley! I thought you were dead!" - LOL - and he remarks that, yep, it's been over thirty years since they've seen one another. He then invites her out to dinner...and when she declines, he tells her she knows where to find him if she changes her mind.

Joey stops by Colin Manchester's photography booth and gushes over his obvious talent...and when he invites her to join him for a cup of hot chocolate, she eager accepts.

Dawson is hanging with Mädchen Amick in the sound exhibit and summons the courage to ask her if she'd be willing to watch his film right now and give him some feedback, and she looks all into that idea and says she'd be more than happy to [sit through two hours of his amateur dreck before mercilessly crushing his teenage spirit].

Colin tells Joey she's so unbelievably hot, and that few faces can express the many emotions that are clearly swirling throughout her tiny brain. As she girlishly blushes, he reaches out to touch her lips and mutter, "Mmm, sensuous.." then gets all earnest when he asks her if she'd be willing to let him ... [pause for effect] ... photograph her! Joey visibly deflates at the non-kissing related request while simultaneously scrunching her face in puzzlement and mumbling, "Uh, OK."

"You're so sensuous. Would you be willing to..."

"YES!"

"...become my platonic muse?"

Whit Hubley wanders over to Grams' booth carrying a rose and asks her once again to have dinner with him. Grams hems and haws before agreeing...then looks overwhelmed by the sudden male attention she's getting, and - once Whit is out of earshot - tells Jen she assumed that after Gramps's corpse had finally been wheeled out of her house, the 'romance part' of her life was over. When she laments how old she looks and feels these days, Jen suggests a fun makeover.

Pacey is performing a 'safety tips' ventriloquist schtick with his stuffed animal sidekick Captain Skippy for a group of unimpressed group of kids, one of whom snarls that he's a smelly jerk. LOL. That he is, kid. That he is.

Madame Zenovich is reading Andie's palm when she suddenly looks alarmed by the misery she [accurately] predicts in Andie's near future. Minutes later, Andie exits the tent looking visibly distraught...and she brusquely tells Pacey she's off for a solitary walk so that she can stew over Madame Zenovich's bad news in private.

Joey tells Jack that Colin wants to photograph her (in private) after the fair, and a concerned Jack says he insists on accompanying her in case this handsome stranger turns out to be a deranged serial killer.
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Mädchen Amick is enduring a screening of Dawson's film and looking less than impressed by the drivel she's seeing.

Jen is coloring Grams' hair in the kitchen sink and razzing her about bringing contraceptives along on her date. She then says that Whit Hubley seems like a cool enough guy, and Grams nods while commenting that she's still very nervous about the whole thing.

Joey is in Colin's studio, and goes through various outfit changes as he snaps away with his camera while barking instructions how how she should pose...and an enthusiastic Jack bounces around and gets in on that action. When she shoot finally wraps, Joey motions at Jack to disappear, and Colin stares at her in fascination and calls her "a born diva", but then doesn't make any kind of move to kiss her.

Now that the grey has been washed out of Grams' hair, Jen helps her pick out a suitable outfit for her dinner date...but Grams just stares into the mirror, looking transfixed by the new brunette her.

An irritated Pacey confronts Madame Zenovich about scaring the bejeezus out of Andie and asking why she can't just say something positive about her future. An unfazed Madame Zenovich shrugs and says it wouldn't be the truth, then chides him for wearing a mask to the world to hide his fear of everything, then remarks that his fake bravado is "resting on a house of cards". Pacey reacts by shooting the Madame the stink-eye and angrily stalking off while she grins evilly to herself.

Colin leans in close to Joey and says that he has something to ask her...then inquires about whether or not Jack is dating anyone. 

A fully deflated Joey returns to her art booth and reports to Jack that Colin is a confirmed gay man. When Jack's all, "Wha-a-a-a? Gayyyyy?", Joey says that he really needs to acquire better gaydar - as does she, clearly - then reveals that she agreed to a set-up between him and Colin later. Jack's all, "Wha-a-a-a?" and makes it clear that he has zero interest in hooking up with the handsome photographer.

After the screening, Mädchen Amick tells Dawson that his shitpile of a film is a "completely uninspired" soap opera featuring a bunch of boring teenagers who solely communicate with implausibly over-engineered dialogue that offers nothing of value to viewers. As an ashen-faced Dawson stares back at her with a look of dejected devastation, she acknowledges that rejection is tough - but that he's just the sort of sweet guy that Hollywood likes to eat for breakfast. I find it interesting/bizarre/continually baffling that the Dawson's Creek writers seem painfully self-aware of the implausible sounding teen dialogue they incorporate into pretty much every script...yet stubbornly continue to churn the same kind of shit out, season after season.

"Your film is a bag of shit."

"I was hoping for something far more sugar coated."

Jack apologizes to Joey for overreacting about being set up with Colin, then explains that he's not yet 100% ready to move forward as an out-of-the-closet individual. Joey assures him that they have a lifetime of adventures to look forward to, and he agrees that there's plenty of time for each of them to receive kisses. The two then sit next to each other and put their arms around one another.

A glum Dawson notices his dad getting into a car with Mädchen Amick, then glances over at Joey, who's happily hugging Jack after selling one of her paintings. Dawson contorts his face into an expression of extreme hang-doggishness before dejectedly shuffling off.

Pacey implores Andie to tell him what happened with Madame Zenovich, but she just frets about how the troubles of her past are a mere preview of what's to come. Pacey tells her she probably shouldn't take the word of a $5 fortune teller so seriously and points out that her future is likely to be amaaaaazing, but she sadly says she can't bring herself to believe that.

Joey breaks the news to Colin that Jack isn't coming 'cause he wasn't actually interested in being set up...and that she regrets accepting the invitation on his behalf. Colin says he totally understands, and that it's probably for the best, given that he's currently on the rebound and is mostly just trying to fill a void in his life. Joey asks why he and his fella broke up, and Colin says he can't actually remember, but that he now wishes he hadn't been in such a hurry to move forward with dating a dude so soon after coming out of the closet. He then leans in, kisses Joey's cheek, and bids her good night.

Jen finds Grams sitting by the dock and asks whassup with her not being on her dinner date...and when Grams ruefully replies that Whit cancelled 'cause his wife wasn't feeling well, Jen's all, "Wha-a-a-a? Wife?", Grams assures her she's A-OK about nearly going out with a two-timer, not least 'cause she feels wonderful after her makeover and realizes that she needs to be more open about meeting new people, making friends, and maybe even hitting the sheets with a future lover.

Dawson runs into Madame Zenovich and says he'd like her to read his fortune, so she looks at a tarot card and predicts many lovers in his future - but then adds that a soulmate walks in his path, one who apparently can see into his soul. Dawson bitterly says that this "soulmate" dumped him like yesterday's news during The Dance episode - but Madame Zenovich insists that "what is lost can be found again". Dawson mulls that over, looks encouraged by her words, and pulls out his wallet to pay her the $5 fortune telling fee - but when he turns around again, she has mysteriously disappeared.

"According to this tarot card, you are destined to remain a virgin until well into manhood."

"Thanks, but I didn't need a $5 fortune teller to confirm that."

Dawson is in his bedroom, brooding and staring at the model of Capeside he used during the filming of his latest movie. He angrily smashes it onto the floor - just as Joey approaches the house and stares longingly up at his bedroom window. As she's doing that, Dawson picks up the phone, but then changes his mind and puts the phone back onto its cradle and shuts off the lights...and this prompts Joey to sadly turn around, and walk back to the creek to row home. When she arrives at her house, she's startled to see a man standing on her porch, and when she demands to know who's there, he turns around and reveals himself to be Mike Potter, aka her felonious father.

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