Dawson casts Jen as the new leading lady in his film, but creates a messy off-camera scene during her date at the school dance. Meanwhile, Joey confronts Mrs. Leery about her liaisons; and Pacey gets under Tamara's skin with his public flirting.

While working on the film class's movies, team player Dawson has a hard time being stuck in the background. Meanwhile as he plots to give Jen the "perfect kiss", Joey is swept away by a handsome stranger and Pacey tries to graduate to manhood.

Dawson turns to Jen after learning of his mom's affair, and Joey's knowledge of it. But he regrets doing so when she tells him some of her problems; meanwhile Pacey and Tamara continue to tempt fate with their fling.

When a major hurricane moves inland, all take refuge in the Leery home, where Dawson rages at Jen about her past, and Mitch storms out after learning of Gale's affair. That leaves a tormented Dawson to deal with their fallout. Meanwhile, Pacey ruins his brother's chances to get with Tamara at her beach house.

In what is said to be one of the best episodes, the gang, after committing various violations at school, gets stuck together for an 8 hour Saturday detention, where Dawson and Pacey turn against each another; and Joey offers a tearful partial explanation for her anger toward Jen.

Dawson feels the heat when Jen is visited by an old boyfriend; Joey lets off a bit too much steam at a beach party and ends up in a sticky situation; and tensions between Mitch and Gale reach the boiling point as they attempt to rebuild their marriage.

Hoping to get over Jen, Dawson agrees to join Pacey and Billy in a boys night out and finds what he is looking for in another woman. Meanwhile Jen handles damage control after Joey becomes the subject of a rumor at school.

Joey and Pacey enter a beauty competition; Jen regrets her breakup with Dawson.

Two tragedies rock Dawson's world. First he learns the awful truth about his parents marriage. Than at the Homecoming dance, he witnesses a heated moment between Joey and Jack, setting of a chain of events that shatter a lifelong friendship and a new found romance. The big night also gives Jen a chance to use Joey's mistakes to get with Dawson. Pacey tries to open his heart to Andie, but breaks hers.

Facing the scariest English test of their lives the gang has an all night study session at wealthy, horny Chris Wolfe's house. At this all-nighter secrets are revealed and friendships are altered.

Joey's ""semi-date"" with Jack prompts a resentful Dawson to join Jen at a bash where he saves her from doing some things she'll regret. Pacey proves his worth when Andie's mom has a psychotic break during their study session. Mitch cannot understand Dawson's views on their divorce.

Andie's run for student council lands her on a campaign trail of tears when Abby and Monica began advertising her family situation. Jen helps Dawson take steps to deal with his powerlessness over his parents divorce. Jack shuts out Joey after a family crisis.

The filming of Dawson's new movie brings back memories for the filmmaker and for Joey who grows to dislike the actress playing her.

In a compelling two-part episode, the Capeside High School gossip mill kicks into overdrive after Jack bears his soul in a English assignment and is forced to expose his innermost secrets while reading the poem aloud in class, leaving Dawson, Joey, and Andie shaken by the implications of what it all means. Meanwhile, Pacey tries to defend Jack in the face of an adversarial teacher, and Jen finds her latest suitor Ty is full of surprises.

On Dawson's advice, Joey attempts to heal the wounds of her new romance with Jack left shattered by rumor and innuendo, but when Jack confronts his innermost secrets, their lives and everyone's close to them will never be the same again. Meanwhile, for the first time in his life, Pacey stands up for what he believes in when he takes on an abusive teacher, but the consequences of his convictions are more than he could have imagined.

On the eve of Dawson's sixteenth birthday, Pacey and Andie follow her therapist's advice and throw themselves into an unabashed night of recklessness and the blues. Meanwhile, back at the Leery house, Joey is organizing a surprise party for Dawson, but the longer the guest of honor is a no show, the more she is subject to surprises of her own; Jen and Ty face up to the their potentially irreconcilable differences; and Gale and Mitch come to decisions about how to raise their son in light of their separation.

With Joey's father back in town, Bessie and him decide to expand the Ice House to also cater weddings. Needing help they enlist Andie, who says she hate's weddings but doesn't and Pacey who loves them. Joey who doesn't think her father recently out of jail should be seen in Capeside and Dawson, who is angry when his parents arrive separately. Jack and Dawson battle to help a scared bride, while Andie and Pacey scramble to fix the cake. Making Gail sad, Mitch shows up to the wedding with Mrs. Kennedy. Jen and Abby's sneaking into the wedding leads to tragedy.

Abby is dead, and all of Capeside is attempting to "whitewash" her life. But all the hypocrisy is making Jen crazy, in a spiritual discussion she denounces God and gets Grams angered. When eulogizing Abby she further embarrasses Grams by announcing that Abby taught her the falseness of God. Abby's mom also asks Andie to eulogize her thinking they were friends and memories of Andie's brother are brought up. Andie's actions scare Pacey. Joey is scared to go to the funeral, being that she hasn't been to one since her mother, at the graveyard she and Dawson decide to go visit her mother for the first time.

Dawson and Joey are reunited for a while, so Dawson decides to take Joey out to dinner, also eating out tonight are Mitch and Nicole Kennedy. The restaurant, not realizing there are two Leery parties, only has one table available, forcing all four to sit together. Mrs. Kennedy, Dawson and Joey fight causing Nicole to leave. Also there are Jen, now living with Gale and Dawson, and Gale. Dawson, Joey and Jen attempt to reunite Gale and Mitch. Also reunited are Andie and her deaceased brother. Pacey and Jack catch on and realize she thinks he is with her, but is just a figment of her imagination as is Abby, who Andie also thought she saw at the end of the last episode.

All of the gang's lives go through changes. After Andie begins seeing her dead brother Tim in the last episode, Jack and Pacey agree to call Mr. McPhee not realizing that he'll want them to be treated in Providence, not Capeside. All are stunned at the new changes and Andie and Pacey must decide if Andie's mental wellness is more important than being together. Jack also must decide whether or not to go with Andie or stay. Dawson while helping Mr. Potter extend the Ice House interviews him for a film project about his changed life, but has it changed? Jen decides to make a change so she calls her mother and inquires about returning home or visiting and is told it is inconvenient right now.

As the WB commercial says... "Children must pay for the sins of their fathers." Dawson sees Mr. Potter dealing drugs and he is unsure whether or not to tell Joey or leave things looking good. Mr. Witter has to stake out the Ice House because the Capeside police department believes that Mr. Potter is back to his usual tricks. When the gang is studying in the Ice House, one of Mr. Potter's customers lights it on fire, making Mr. Witter more suspicious and Dawson's conflict greater. Gail tells Mitch about her new job offer in Chicago and her discussion to go for it. Pacey becomes depressed and his achievement level decreases, now that Andie is gone, which his father teases him for. Finally Mr. Witter does realize her importance and that he has been a bad father. Jack becomes worried that Jen is suicidal when she doesn't immediately leave the burning Ice House. But later, Grams and Jen reconcile, causing Jen to move back in taking Jack also.

Dawson is recruited by his dad and Principal Green to produce a film for the football pep rally, but the stars of the film end up being Dawson and his lady friend Eve, not the Capeside Minutemen. Meanwhile, Pacey has enlisted Joey for assistance in bringing Andie back to Capeside, but their long-awaited reunion doesn't go exactly as Pacey had intended; and Jack comes to an unexpected understanding with his father who has returned to Capeside to be with Jack and Andie.

Dawson is stunned when Eve presents him with a sneak peak at the PSAT test and everyone is tempted to cheat including Joey, whose scholarship is dependent on her SAT scores, and Andie, who is desperately fighting for acceptance to Harvard. But when the test is stolen, it's Pacey that Dawson accuses since he sees Pacey slipping back to his old ways. Meanwhile, Jack is insistent that the football team is purposely beating him down because he is gay.

Father and son are at odds when Dawson moves forward with a news piece for his mom's Philadelphia station using Mitch's star player, Jack, as his subject matter even though Mitch is vehemently opposed. Meanwhile, Joey and Pacey find themselves in cahoots when they must pay the price for ditching class; Andie jumps to conclusions and panics about the reasons Principal Green wants to meet with her; and Jen goes to great lengths to remove herself as head cheerleader but is shocked at the end results.

Dawson plays detective when Eve's mysterious ways, including breaking and entering and stealing, cause him to wonder about her reasons for being in Capeside, but the secrets he uncovers may drastically change the lives of others close to him. Meanwhile, Joey's misgivings of Rob lead her to crash his date with Andie but her good will backfires on her; and Jack goes against Jen's wishes and sets up a rendezvous for Henry.