Episode Report Card Jessica: B+ | 2 USERS: D- YOU GRADE IT Love Bites
By Jessica | Season 6 | Episode 18 | Aired on 04.08.2003
Cut to Casa Leery, where Dawson is hanging his Jaws poster in the place of honor in his bedroom. Gale swings by, and I'm happy to report that she's neither orange nor in possession of particularly ungodly hair. She does, however, appear to have a slight moustache in this scene, which I'm sure is a weird trick of the lighting or something, but if not: Jolen Crème Bleach, Gale. Jolen Crème Bleach, indeed. She wonders if Dawson moving home means that she's obligated to give him an allowance, and this leads into a What Are You Going To Do For Money/Do You Plan To Contribute To This Family's Coffers, Young Man? discussion, and I can't believe it, but I sort of feel bad for Dawson, who offers to babysit Li'l Lily Leery free of charge as his contribution to room and board, which, considering the fact that he's nineteen, seems like a sort of fair barter. I mean, I'm all for the If You're Not Going To College, You Need A Job thing from Gale, but at the same time, the kid isn't even of legal drinking age and I don't think it would kill Gale to be a little supportive, at least for a month or so. I mean, Dawson would be living at home during the summer if he were still in school, presumably rent-free. Gale doesn't really respond to his free child care offer (and, I'll admit, I might be a little sensitive to this issue because I was a nanny to my siblings during my own summer breaks from ages sixteen to nineteen, and let me tell you, it was hard work), and instead tells him that she needs to know what his Plan B is. What does he plan to do if he doesn't become a director? Dawson looks sort of stunned. I can see where she's coming from, but at the same time, he is nineteen. It's not like he's doing this at thirty-five. I guess I sort of think that you ought to be given some leeway to fuck around when you're still in your teens, and it's not like he's asking her for cash to fund his project. I don't know. I can't believe I'm even arguing his point of view. What's wrong with me? Of course, this all acts as an excellent illustration of one of the best reasons for going to college and making your movies during the summer. Being in school gets Mom off your back.
After the break, Dawson sits in front of his computer and makes pained faces. Ah, yes. Writer's block. I know it well. After a series of nostril flares and eyebrow quirks, Dawson shuts the computer down and leaves the room. And this is as good a place as any for me to say that I have always thought the little canoe bookshelf in Dawson's room is both cute and clever.