Roadtrip!

We're Back!  Tonight Laurel and I are enjoying a Polenta and Onion Jam dish that Laurel made and Ina Garten's Warm Butternut Squash with Cider Vinagrette that I made.  We're on to the next episode of Dawson's, "Roadtrip".  It opens in Dawson's room with Dawson baying at the moon over his break up with Jen...Joey in the background lurking of course.  Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply" is playing.  The episode is about the boys, Dawson, Pacey and Jen's douchey ex taking a trip to exotic Providence, RI while the girls deal with the school rumor mill back in Capeside.
On the ferry ride to Providence (there is no ferry ride to Providence, meanwhile), the boys notice some guys harassing an old lady in her car in one of the most ridiculously hilarious subplots...like really, there's nothing better for some 40-something men to do than shake an old lady's car?!?!  The boys plot an elaborate and totally unrealistic payback for these men, that, in reality, would have landed them in jail.  But, being TV, hilarity ensues!!
Back in Capeside, a school jock makes up a story about sleeping with Joey and she and Jen plot their own revenge with a competing rumor about Joey being pregnant. This leads to rumor on top of rumor in a scenario that should have played out in a week's time, yet we are lead to believe it all takes place in a day!  Once again, Joey responds to Jen's help by being a total bitch.  The writing of the show seems to be whenever these two are together they can't be friends.  Joey remains a bitch and all they can talk about is Dawson!
The boys end up at a bar with Dawson making time with a woman old enough to be his mom.  Yet she has a braid in her hair and a grungy scarf and leather jacket over her mom jeans to convince us she's down with the young folk.  Sort of like a hipper Andrea Zuckerman from 90210.  So it makes sense Dawson would hit on her...

Laurel here...favorite quote from this episode "She rejected romance, honesty, and respect" - Dawson on Joey breaking up with him.  GET OVER YOURSELF!!

This episode left a lot to be desired in terms of logic.  I know, I know, it's a teen soap opera...but there are basic minimums I feel a TV show should meet.  I'm not a tv snob at all but please help me try to get on board!!  For example...why would Pacey and Dawson go on a road trip with some douchebag (jen's ex) that they hate?   Why would Dawson and a 40 year old at the bar be interested in each other?  How did these guys even get into a bar?  How did the rumor about sleeping with Joey started by Jockface (played by eric balfour) and 3 distinct counter rumors only take one day to circulate (and prompt very elaborate locker retaliation jokes), and even catch the attention of a teacher when clearly it would have taken at least a few days, if not a week? How are we supposed to think that jock face actually wants to date Joey when he's just told the whole school that she's a slut?   Why, when a couple of douchebags are terrorizing an old lady on the ferry (which btw according to mark does not exist from cape cod to providence, but there is one from long island) are all the extras just casually walking by on deck??  And Jen is STILL being nice to bitchface Joey when she gets nothing back from her?  I usually give shows a lot of leeway in the making-sense department, but please, throw us a bone?!  At least meet us halfway?!