Episode Report Card Wing Chun: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Decisions
By Wing Chun | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 05.18.1998
Over a shot of Grams's House of Discipline, we hear the voice of Grams "Sable" Ryan repeating some church-related gossip to (we see as the camera takes us inside) Gramps, still comatose. She switches gears and confides, "Your granddaughter and I seem to be co-existing lately" just as Jen "Pork Knockers" Lindley comes to the doorway. Grams continues: "She broke it off with Dawson Leery, though. Heaven help us, though -- between you and me, I think she's starting to miss him." Jen asks, "How's he doing this morning?" Grams says he's peaceful, but that there's no real change, and that he's in the same sleep he has been for the past three months. Jen says she's going to school. Grams reminds her to take a sweater. Jen strokes Gramps's hand and says goodbye. She walks out, and Gramps turns his head and grunts, "'Bye...Jen." Grams leaps up and chases after Jen, calling her name. Jen comes back. Grams tells her Gramps is awake. Jen chokes up. Aw.
At school, Jen babbles to Dawson that she feels like "this big cloud has just been lifted off [her] shoulders!" She adds that Gramps had to go to the hospital for some tests, so she won't get to see him until tomorrow, but for the first time in a while, she feels like "letting loose and having some fun." She says she knows that it's a school night, but casually suggests that they do something together. Dawson says that he has plans with Joey. Jen's face falls, and Dawson offers to cancel on Joey, but Jen acts like it's no big deal until she sees Joey rounding the corner, whereupon Jen glares at Joey and snorts, "Speak of the devil." Dawson says hi to Joey and, noting her distracted expression, asks whether everything's okay. Joey says, by way of answer, "How do you go about getting a passport?" Dawson chuckles -- because where would Little Joey Potter From The Wrong Side Of The Creek (which is, legally, her full name) get the money or the wherewithal to travel anywhere that would require a passport? -- and asks where she's going. Joey says that Mrs. Tringle (WHATEVER, Williamson!) just told her that another student just turned down a scholarship to spend the next semester in France "because she doesn't want to leave her boyfriend," and Joey was next in line for it. Jen squeals, "Dawson, isn't that amazing?" and at this juncture, she actually seems more jubilant at the honour bestowed upon Joey than she is excited about having Joey out of the picture so that she can get her hamhocks on Dawson. Dawson is momentarily stunned silent, and then busts out one of the least supportive things he could say: "Wait. Slow down. You're going to France?" Joey beams, "I don't know yet. I have two days to decide." Dawson's selfish motors are running at 5000 RPMs as he pouts, "If you did go, when would you leave?" Joey says she'd leave in two weeks. Dawson stares morosely back at her, and Joey, now that her good mood is fully deflated, slinks off, saying she'll see them later. Jen and Dawson stand silent for a moment, until Jen, a little too cheerily, says, "I definitely think she should go, DON'T YOU?" Dawson hesitates and replies, "Um. Yeah. Why not?" Jen broods. Jen, shouldn't you be a little more interested in your grandfather's sudden and pretty miraculous recovery, and a little less fixated on the prospect of (ugh) deflowering Dawson?
At the Icehouse, Joey reviews the cons of going to France with Bessie "Sis. Boom. Bah!" Potter: "I mean, France is so far away. I won't know anybody. I don't speak the language, plus I don't think I could spend a year in any country that worships Mickey Rourke." The school offered a scholarship to study in France to a student who doesn't even take French? Why? Bessie very kindly says that whatever Joey decides, it's an honour for her to be asked, and that Bessie is very proud of her, which is exactly the right thing to say, except for the part where she forgets to say, "And you're going to France. Right? There's really no other option." Bessie adds, "Dad will be [proud of you] too, when you tell him all about it." Bessie scurries off, and Joey follows, asking, "Question: Why would I tell Dad?" Bessie reminds her that the next day is Mr. Pothead's birthday. Joey shrugs, "Well, you're on your own, Bessie -- enjoy yourself." Bessie says that she's not going, but Joey is. Joey says she's not going anywhere. Bessie says, "Joey, we made a deal. I know you remember -- alternating birthday visits for as long as he's in there. Now, I went last year, so according to my calculations, it's your. TURN." They argue their positions back and forth a bit longer until Bessie says, "Look, I know you're still angry at him for what he did to Mom, and to us -- I am, too -- but you know what, Joey? He's still our father." Joey snorts, "Yeah. Our father who art in prison," and snits off. Sorry, I'm with Joey. When your dad screws around on your dying mom and then gets busted for dealing drugs, essentially leaving you an orphan, I don't think you really owe him any consideration. Not that my own biological father ever dealt drugs or abandoned my mom and me, penniless, in a foreign country, and then tried to make it up to me about fifteen years later. Oh, wait. He did. I'm just saying, I know where Joey's coming from, and I don't think she should have to visit him -- or ever speak to him again -- if she doesn't want to.