The 5th season of Dawson’s Creek you could very well call “the college years.” Similar to what Saved by the Bell did after the show’s teens (which almost always happen to be in their 20s…) finally graduated high school – rather then end the show there, they decide to drag things on and follow our group of Capesiders as they embark on the newest journey of their lives, i.e. college. Joey (Katie Holmes) is enrolled at Worthington, Dawson (James Van Der Beek)has left to pursue his filmmaking career with an internship in Los Angeles, Jack and Jen (Kerr Smith and Michelle Williams) are at Boston Bay College together, and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) is apparently somewhere out to sea (though we find out he’s actually a lot closer than his old friends think).
What has been most enjoyable about season 5 is just how much more the writers have gotten their act together as far as dialogue, story-lines, and creating a much more believable and enjoyable Dawson’s Creek, in general. Once sounding like a bunch of melo-dramatic English majors, Dawson, Joey, Jack, Jen, and Pacey have finally grown into their vocabulary. And this time around, you can rest assure that things don’t begin or end all peachy for these five.
In the aftermath of the ill-fated relationship between Pacey and Joey, and a kiss between Joey and Dawson, which is reminiscent to their first kiss at the end of season 1, you can just imagine what the aforementioned combined with the angst of college life is gonna do to the former Creek-dwellers.
Early on in the season, Dawson has to come home from Los Angeles – partly for Joey (of course), and partly for another reason you’ll have to watch to find out. Back in Capeside, Dawson’s entire world is thrown into upheaval as he loses someone very dear to him. As Dawson mourns, he is greatly comforted by none other than Ms. Jen Lindley, who has recently came off a relationship with a two-timing Charlie Todd (a pre-One Tree Hill Chad Michael Murray), who hilariously attempts a 3-some between Jen and his mistress, only to have the tables turned on him. These two factors in the lives of Dawson and Jen will cause them to re-visit some old feelings with an attempt at a second chance for their once fleeting relationship.
As far as the rest of the crew, nothing monumental has occurred in this part of the season, which is at about the end of disc 1/beginning of disc two. Jack has joined a fraternity who actually wants him because he’s gay, rather than in-spite of that fact, Pacey is now working as a cook (a job hook-up courtesy of Deputy Doug), and Joey starts to get a crush on her English professor who pushes her pursue writing.
The most interesting event up to this point has to do with Pacey. Quickly becoming the protégé of Danny, the head cook at his restaurant, Pacey gets ...
