Episode Report Card Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Barefoot At Capefest
By Wing Chun | Season 3 | Episode 11 | Aired on 01.11.2000
Morning at Capefest. As the camera pans over the campsite, we hear Ethan's voice telling Jack he's going to go get some breakfast before the music starts. Oh yeah -- the music. He thanks Jack again for letting him share his tent (and no, that's not what the kids are calling it these days), and Jack says it's okay. Ethan says, "Aren't you forgetting something you're supposed to ask me for?" Jack, who still has sleep-face (aw!), says he doesn't think so, and Ethan prods, "My number?" As he rhymes off the reasons Jack should have said number, Jack gets annoyed and points out that the night before, Ethan didn't even seem interested enough in Jack to want to talk to him. Ethan protests that he was tired, but that has nothing to do with his wanting to be Jack's friend. Jack repeats, "'Friend.'" Ethan sighs theatrically and says, "I figured you were probably interested." "You're not," Jack deduces dejectedly. Ethan says, "Even if I was, I would never go there with you. You're so not ready." Jack sniffs, "How could you possibly know what I'm ready for?" Ethan says it's not that he's not interested in Jack; it means that if Ethan's going to stay in Jack's life -- and he wants to -- he's a lot more likely to stick around this way. Jack clarifies, "So you are interested." Ethan chuckles, "No comment." Jack looks relieved, and says, "As much as I didn't want to admit it, you were the first guy that I was ready to take that next step with, and you said no. I guess I should be somewhat discouraged." Ethan has the good grace not to say anything, and Jack adds, "I'm bizarrely optimistic just to know that there's someone like you out there." Ethan writes down his number and hands it to Jack, telling him to take care. I still don't like Ethan at all -- at all, mind -- but I'm glad that Jack likes him and that Ethan had the presence of mind to take care of Jack's feelings, in his own pompous way.
It's morning in the Capeside High auditorium too, where Mr. Broderick is nowhere in evidence, and the play's Corie is bitching that she blew off a date to come to a "non-rehearsal." She had a breakfast date? Whatever. Pacey suggests that Andie run the rehearsal herself, and she eventually agrees, giving direction that clearly runs counter to what Mr. Broderick was doing. Again, I say unto thee: Whatever.
Jen, moping through the trees, sees Henry pouring himself coffee out of a percolator. He pouts that the stage is "over there" and asks her if she's lost. She replies, "Kinda." But he's speaking literally and she's speaking metaphorically. You see? She says she came over to apologize "for being careless with [his] heart," and for thinking that just because she's older, she knew better. She says that she stayed up all night thinking about what he said, and that she realized that he's right, and that she doesn't know what it's like "to completely lose yourself in someone else," but that she'd like to. She concludes, "If one of us is younger than the other here, I don't think that it's you, Henry." He says, "You got that right." No -- run away! Instead of running away, he picks up the percolator and asks her how she takes her coffee. Nope, this is only going to end badly, for real.
Pacey and the girl playing Corie are running a scene in a comparatively natural tone. Mr. Broderick stops them by applauding and telling them he likes where it's going. Andie looks elated. Pacey starts to give Andie credit for the direction, but Mr. Broderick steps all over him to attribute their improved performances to all the exercises he did with them. (Repeat the above for...oh...five minutes.) Then Mr. Broderick has an argument with Andie over the set design that ends with him telling her not to think, but to follow orders. She slams the designs down and stomps out. Pacey races after her to convince her to come back, but she protests that it's too hard, not worth it, blah blah blah quitcakes. She's wearing a zippered cardigan, and for some reason she's attached what looks like a fuchsia koosh ball to the zipper pull. I wouldn't mention it, except that it's quite distracting. Pacey winds up by saying that he needs her to stay with the production. She finally decides not to come back, and he hugs her, tells her he thought that's what she'd say, and runs away while yelling, "See you at rehearsal! I can't hear you!" She moans, "I said no!" a few more times. Do you think she'll relent? Because I don't.