I've recently just discovered Dawson's Creek and all its late 90s/ early 00s glory on Netflix and it is safe to say, I am OBSESSED. I finished all 6 seasons within about 2 1/2 weeks, give or take! And like millions of others, I became infatuated with Pacey. The show in general was great in the way that you love it so much, but also find it so corny and laughable. I guess that's mainly because it spanned 1998-2003 and those clothes and music choices left much to be improved upon. But, besides the fact, Pacey Witter became the loveable, romantic, "slacker," every teen girl loved to love. And I was no different, despite the fact that I am currently 24 and watched every episode holed up in my harry-potter-esque bedroom, headphones plugged in and basically oblivious to the outside world. No, I was not a teen who drooled over Pacey, and rightfully so, I am just a pathetic half-way adult who had nothing better to do than become engrossed in a TV show that aired when I was just 8. But, back to the point of this post: PACEY... and all the reasons I love him, and think you should too!!
1. He's the self-proclaimed "black sheep" of his family. Nobody believes in him, they all think he's a screw up, and his dad likes his brother best. So naturally, we learn to like him because no one else does. We learn to love him because we see how lovable he is and learn to appreciate his take on life because of his familial background.
2. He loves Joey so deeply, it makes you love him even more. From that moment in the snail catching episode you realize that this could be it for him. That all the taunting and teasing and bickering with Joey has now taken on a different meaning. And as the show continues, you only see his love grow and expand and develop in different ways for Joey. He did love other people, but it has always been Joey.
3. He had this line:
And for whatever reason, it stuck with me. I love it. When you like someone you want to be around them all the time, you find ways to hang out with them, be where they are, do what they're doing, etc. I mean, don't go stalking the person, but you get the point. It makes him relatable.
4. He knew Joey's bracelet she wore to Anti-Prom was her mother's because 6 months prior she told him. And he knew that the earrings Dawson let her wear were nothing like "her."
5. He calls the girls, Andie and Joey, by their last names. He's always referring to them as Potter, McPhee, or a variation of the sort.And I really like this for some reason.
6. He has been deemed the master of the forehead kiss. It is so sweet. Swoon.
7. He has this way of getting down on the girl's level. I imagine him spreading his feet in a "splits" type of way as he simultaneously wraps his arms around her and ends with being eye level to her. For some reason I've loved this little gesture he does. He evens the playing field in a way, and the English major in me finds it symbolic of treating her as an equal.
8. He is a hand talker. While sometimes this gets irritating in other people, Pacey (and really Joshua Jackson) pull it off so good. It's not too much or the in your face kind of stuff. And he is such a guy's guy, like he acts like a dude is supposed to act. He's not feminine in any way, unlike Dawson.
9. Again, compared to Dawson, I love the way Pacey walks like a guy. He looks comfortable and at ease, etc. Dawson always had this weird like knock-knee thing going on which made for a slight gimp or something. And he never looked comfortable, he looked semi like a robot any time he was shown in a full body walking scene. Hahahah, I don't know, I guess you notice and appreciate weird things like this when you watch like 124 episodes in about 2 weeks.
10. He really believes in "true love." He even names his boat after it, and hint hint, takes Joey on it for a 3 month excursion. But, then it also gets destroyed in a storm. So, derive from that what you will.
11. HE DRIVES A FREAKIN' RED '65 MUSTANG. (Until he traded it in for that dumb BMW) This one is a killer for me. Forever during my childhood, I was obsessed with '65 Mustangs because they just look so classic and cool and I always, always wanted one. Heck, I'll still take one today too. Then, Pacey drives up the road in his shiny red Mustang and my heart skips a beat. And, my love for the '65 red mustang has been restored, while my love for Pacey has grown! Mmmhmmmm.
12. His facial hair he grew when he was being all serious in season 6! I loved to hate it while he had it, but then once Joey shaved it off for him in Kmart, I kind of missed it. He looks like a season 1 Pacey without it-- a baby!
13. He's a chef! He can cook. And any man that can cook, shoots way up on the Scale of Attractiveness. And uhh, hello, he goes on to own a restaurant- the Ice House nonetheless.
14. The season 3 head shave and the season 6 big curly hair! While he definitely had some questionable hair styles among other seasons, the fresh off the sea shaved head and then the curly mop, like above, were definitely the best! (Although, Dawson did give him a run for his money a few seasons with his long locks...)
15. He sailed for 3 months with Joey and didn't sleep with her. They read together. Not have sex. READ together. In their two separate hammocks.
16. He was always stealing his Dad's cars. Okay, not so much stealing, but borrowing. I mean even his Dad's squad car. It always puzzled me as to what his father would actually be driving that day instead, but I liked Pacey for it regardless, who knows why. I guess it's the little bit of a bad boy thing?
17. When he saw Joey for the first time in that way at the end of the snail-catching episode it was very cute. And then he proceeded to get permission from Dawson and tried kissing Jo, but she wasn't having it....yet.
18. His breakdown on the beach about/with his drunk Dad. It really makes you feel for him, and its touching. Season 2 Episode 12 I believe: "For whatever reason she thinks I'm special too. So, why can't you see that? Why can't you see me? When did you give up on me? When I was five? 10? 12? I'm 16 years old now, Dad! And I'm here and I'm not perfect, but I try so hard for you! It's your job to love me, no matter who I am or what I become because you're my father! You're supposed to love me and give me confidence you drunkard son-of-a-bitch! I can't do this by myself."
19. He always, eventually, says his true feelings. Even if they were scary, or hard to say, or bound to get him in trouble, he always said what he needed to say.
20. The way he sort of moans when he kisses someone. Sounds weird, but it's that same kinda sound when you taste something really, really, great and it just happens. I don't know, I can't describe it well, but watch this clip here and cut to 6:30, 7:20, and 8:55 and you'll understand (Btdubs, it was really hard to find a clip showing this, so this will have to do!): Pacey and Joey Kisses
21. He admits Joey gives him butterflies. He says after getting held at the Police Department overnight and he's talking with Dougie he says "She's the kind of pretty that gives ya butterflies." Ugh, I can't even.
22. He stands up for his friends and always does what he believes to be right. When Jack was put on the spot in English class and the teacher was determined to embarrass him by making him read his poem out loud, Pacey volunteered to read it aloud for Jack. Pacey even eventually spit in the teacher's face and didn't back down when confronted by the school. He is, in a way, a crusader and a hero for his friends.
23. He rents her a wall. A freakin' wall. So that she can paint to her heart's desire after her school mural gets messed up.
24. He then writes on that wall: Ask me to stay. Crying out for her to want him, to choose him, to ask him to stay. If she did that, he would have stayed. And all our hearts break when she doesn't ask him that.
25. He grows up into this:
And that is reason enough to like him. But he also goes on to become Peter Bishop in the show Fringe, which is a really trippy, sci-fi show, but despite changing characters, he's still Pacey-esque. Which leads me to believe that Pacey and Joshua Jackson are pretty similar to each other, which is always cool. It almost makes Pacey real in a way-- or is that my wishful thinking?!
P.S. Let it be known that I think all men should watch Dawson's Creek and try their best to be like Pacey. He is sensitive, romantic, playful, witty, in tune with women (and clearly men too- he knew both Jack and Dougie were gay), and his love runs so deep.
