Episode Report Card Jessica: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Highway To Hell
By Jessica | Season 5 | Episode 17 | Aired on 04.02.2002
Backstage. Audrey's giving Joey smoky eyes and pouty lips, whilst our star yammers about how much she wants to win over the crowd of Hell's Angels outside. Audrey advises her not to worry about the crowd; it's not like she's ever going to see any of them again. Joey continues whinging about "playing to this crowd," and wonders aloud why she "said yes to Charlie." At this, of course, Charlie sticks his head in the door and tells her that they've got the set list taped to the mike. "You look…gorgeous," he tells her. She shoots him a nervous smile. He leaves. "And, incidentally, you said yes because you're curious," Audrey tells Joey. Joey grins and announces that she "has to go perform." Audrey rolls her eyes. "Oh yes, I know how serious you are about your music," she says. "Shut up," Joey snorts. "Never turn on your stylist! Never!" Audrey yells after her.
It's showtime! Audrey joins Pacey in the audience. "A little stage fright, I think," she says. Pacey shakes his head. "Well, maybe that's because the front row is sharpening knives with their teeth," he retorts. Audrey makes a "Mr. Mom" crack, prompting Pacey to explain that a dive bar like this one is just fine for him -- because he's a big strong man -- but he's not wild about the idea of any of his delicate female friends hanging out with the rougher element.
Charlie introduces Joey to the crowd of snarling Wilmington locals tricked out to look like bikers, saying that she makes the male portion of the population "strive to be better men." Becoming a better man, according to the events of this past season, by the way, seems to require risking one's entire career and dropping dead after mugging her. The crowd at the bar groans loudly. Is it wrong of me to hope that one of them flings a beer bottle at her skull? I'm sorry. Joey slinks onstage, looking utterly uncomfortable, and launches into an anemic version of "Jesse's Girl." Which is, first of all, a rather remarkable bit of continuity, as this band started off with "Jesse's Girl" in the episode in which Joey first sang with them. I'm also taking it as a shout-out, because I mentioned it in the recap and it's close enough to my name and also because I'm pathetic. The crowd doesn't appear to appreciate how much Rick Springfield rocks, because they continue the heckling and add a little jeering. Pacey and Audrey look dismayed. "She might have to take off her clothes, Pacey," Audrey says. Onstage, Joey looks ready to cry.