Episode Report Card Wing Chun: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Double Date
By Wing Chun | Season 1 | Episode 10 | Aired on 04.27.1998
Down at the creek, Joey tells Dawson that he's using Mary Beth to make Jen jealous. Dawson says that he knows, and that he's not happy to mistreat "an innocent young girl with some inexplicable crush on me." Replace "innocent" with "grossly misinformed" and "inexplicable" with "appalling," and you'd just about have an accurate assessment of the situation. Joey says that if he knows what he's doing is wrong, he shouldn't do it, and suggests, "Just call her up and say you have to stay in to wash your hair." Yeah -- preferably with Nair. Dawson somehow manages to make his face even longer, and says he knows he should do that, but that he can't, and he doesn't feel like himself lately. He adds that Pacey told him to look at this as an opportunity. Joey expresses disbelief at his taking romantic advice from Pacey, and says that his behaviour is not surprising under the circumstances, but that he shouldn't make a habit of it. Dawson lays it on a little thick telling her he won't. She tells him that, current evidence to the contrary, Dawson is "one of the good ones," and that the other side is populated enough. Hey, with a bean that big, Dawson's at least two or three of the good ones. Dawson decides to really stick it, and tells her he wishes he were taking Joey to the carnival. Joey shrugs and says that, all things considered, she wishes he were, too. Before the scene can get any more awkward, Pacey pulls up in a truck (whose? And didn't Pacey not have his driver's license in the season 2 premiere?) and yells at Joey to hurry up. She collects some gear -- including a net and a pair of rubber boots -- and explains to Dawson that Pacey is taking her to a tidal pool so that she can find a pair of replacement snails. Dawson, for some reason, makes an elaborately mournful face at this, but says nothing. Oh, Dawson. Someday you'll find your pair of replacement snails too.
Still looking mournful, Dawson meets Mary Beth at the carnival. She looks rather cute in a plum jacket, and with her hair all curled. She asks Dawson if it would be very forward of her to tell him he looks nice. No dear -- not "forward," just "inaccurate." He says no, and adds that she does too. She stumbles over herself telling him that he shouldn't feel obligated to say that, and then stops herself and says, "Let's start over," and introduces herself. They shake hands. Aw. If you ask me, they should have made Mary Beth a recurring character instead of Andie; her awkwardness and eagerness to please are both more genuine and more endearing. Anyway, as they're shaking hands, Jen walks up with Cliff "Knoll" Elliot, who remarks that he and Jen are "just in time for introductions." At the sight of Jen, Mary Beth looks stricken. Dawson introduces Mary Beth to Cliff and Jen; Jen says "nice to meet you," and Mary Beth says, "Same here. I think." She asks Dawson for "a word."
As they wander through the midway, Dawson admits that Jen's appearance isn't a coincidence. Mary Beth tells Dawson, essentially, that taking her on a double date with Jen is a pretty shitty thing to do, and that not telling her about it in advance makes it even worse. Dawson -- no surprise -- lacks the good grace to even make a pretense at shame or sheepishness, and laughs at Mary Beth's quite just anger. He says that it's not what she thinks, but she stops him and says that it's obvious to her that Dawson is still "hung up" on Jen. When he starts to protest, she says, "Please know that I am not often wrong about these things." Dawson smirks, "Until now." Mary Beth, clearly equipped with a very sensitive crap detector, says, "Humour me." Dawson finally says he'll tell her "the absolute truth," but in order to conceal this bill of goods from the audience, the show cuts to a commercial.