Dawson's Creek was my guilty pleasure in the late 90s.
Truthfully, I was probably a little too old to watch it in my early 20s, but my friends and I would often find ourselves under the duvet on the sofa on a Sunday morning after a big night out, nursing our hangovers with a cuppa and a side of American teen drama.
We might have giggled at the unrealistically articulate monologues, but secretly wished we'd also had that pitch-perfect snappy riposte to dole out to a disappointing boyfriend (or two).
The hit show was created by Kevin Williamson, who was also behind the Scream franchise and has previously described working on Dawson's Creek as a charmed experience. It followed a group of teenage friends living in the fictional small town of Capeside, Massachusetts, navigating the ups and downs of adolescence.
Dawson Leery - played by James Van Der Beek, who has died aged 48 - was always at the centre of the series, which ran from 1998 to 2003. He could be sensitive but manipulative, loveable yet irritating, and Van Der Beek made the role his own.
The show's creator stated that Dawson was based on him, and he needed to find the right person to bring that character to life. James stepped into the role seamlessly, embodying a character that defies the typical jock archetype that educators and community often revered.
Dawson's Creek was groundbreaking, featuring one of the first gay kisses on primetime US television, when Jack McPhee and Ethan shared a moment in series three, addressing issues that resonated deeply with its audience.
The teens struggled without parental guidance, discussing love and heartbreak among themselves, while facing real-life challenges such as grief, mental health, and sexuality. This emotional honesty made the characters relatable, a rare quality in rival teenage dramas at the time.
Despite its modest viewership in the US, averaging around six million per episode, 'Dawson's Creek' became a cultural touchstone across 50 countries, earning a devoted following and leaving a lasting legacy on teen television.
James Van Der Beek's memorable portrayal turned him into an enduring symbol of adolescent love and struggles. With a series rich in emotional depth, it encouraged its audience to confront life's complexities—not shying away from the messy realities of growing up.
