Dawson's Creek: Season 5
Season 5 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Dawson's Creek Season 4.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 5 Progress Shield
The Bostonians
Oct 10, 2001
Dawson is a freshman film student in Los Angeles, while Joey starts college at an Ivy League university in Boston. Instead of focusing on the new lives they have worked a lifetime
The Lost Weekend
Oct 17, 2001
Pacey gets a job at a bar and meets an attractive Hispanic waitress named Karen. Although Karen has a very non-friendly boyfriend, that doesn't stop Pacey from feeling attracted to
Capeside Revisited
Oct 24, 2001
Dawson is hit with tragedy after he heads home to Capeside to break the news to his parents that he is dropping out of USC to be with Joey, who is in shock herself after she realiz
The Long Goodbye
Oct 31, 2001
Lifelong friends Dawson, Joey and Pacey put past grudges behind them in the wake of the tragic death of one of their fathers. Along with Jack, Jen and Grams, each tries to find the
Use Your Disillusion
Nov 7, 2001
Dawson takes Joey up on her invitation for a weekend in Boston, but the two have reservations once there. Meanwhile, Jack is surprised when his boyfriend Tobey shows up unexpectedl
High Anxiety
Nov 14, 2001
Dawson is having trouble with anxiety attacks since his father's death, so he tries to escape reality on a night of debauchery with Jack and his fraternity brothers, which ends wit
Text, Lies and Videotape
Nov 21, 2001
Jen helps Dawson go to the shrink he ran away from last week. Dawson still thinks that the whole idea of sharing his thoughts with a complete stranger is weird, but he is surprised
Hotel New Hampshire
Nov 28, 2001
Dawson takes Jen on a road trip to a small film festival in New Hampshire where his documentary is being honored. The spotlight is intoxicating for both of them as they share one o
Four Scary Stories
Dec 12, 2001
After watching scary movies, Joey, Pacey and Jack talk about their creepiest experiences and urban legends. Joey shares her story of how she was almost attacked by the librarian on
Appetite for Destruction
Dec 19, 2001
Pacey offers to cook for the gang on their weekly dinner (an event they always plan on doing but always fail to). Jen and Dawson return early and decide to keep what happened betwe
Something Wild
Jan 16, 2002
Joey and Audrey go to a nightclub to celebrate both Joey's grades and fall break. There, Audrey tries to convince Joey to have some real fun. Charlie is also there and he hits on J
Sleeping Arrangements
Jan 23, 2002
Dawson and Jen realize that living together is not as much fun as they hoped to be. Between ruined toothbrushes and bathroom overcrowding, they're getting on each other's nerves. J
Something Wilder
Jan 30, 2002
It's Dawson's first day in his new film school. Oliver (the somewhat obnoxious filmmaker Dawson met on the film festival) starts showing him around and wastes no time in asking Daw
Guerilla Filmmaking (1)
Feb 6, 2002
Directing Oliver's movie is not an easy task. First, Dawson has to deal with Audrey's (who took the leading part) complaints about Oliver's kissing skills. Then he has to recast th
Downtown Crossing (2)
Feb 13, 2002
Joey is held up and forced to clean out her account by a street mugger, who is accidentally run over by a car just after mugging Joey. The merciful girl from Capeside stands by her
In a Lonely Place
Feb 20, 2002
Jen and Audrey are tempted to risk their new relationships with Dawson and Pacey after interviewing a couple of cute musicians. Meanwhile, Pacey's caught by surprise when he realiz
Highway to Hell
Apr 3, 2002
Charlie asks Joey to sing with his band at a distant club, which requires Pacey to give them a ride. Pacey and Charlie hate each other, and it takes a patient Audrey to keep them f
Cigarette Burns
Apr 10, 2002
Oliver tells Dawson he's arranged a screening for their movie, which is yet to be finished. Dawson freaks out, but Joey comforts him saying the movie is brilliant. Everybody attend
100 Light Years from Home
Apr 17, 2002
It's Spring Break and the gang goes down to Miami to party! But not everything is a reason to celebrate. Audrey and Pacey go through their first relationship test when Audrey's hig
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
Apr 24, 2002
Charlie's band lands a deal for a tour and Charlie asks Joey to go with him, but she doesn't want to leave college in the middle of the semester. Charlie then decides to quit the b
After Hours
May 1, 2002
Pacey's new boss proposes more professionalism in the workplace and promises to leave behind her attraction towards him, even offering Audrey her job back. Audrey suspects somethin
The Abby
May 8, 2002
Pacey leads a revolt against Alex at Civilization. Dawson, Joey, and Audrey return to Capeside, leaving Audrey to wonder about their pasts. Joey decides to see her father for the f
Swan Song
May 15, 2002
As summer approaches, everyone gets ready for various travels. Dawson prepares to head out for LA with Audrey, while Jack and Jen get ready for their Costa Rica vacation. Left behi