I was hesitant to mark this classic WB teen drama as an official summer binge for two reasons. One, I binge this series the same way I binge Trail Mix, i.e., I eat all the M&M’s and leave everything else. Two, the feel of the show is similar to (insert any TV series from your formative teenage years). You might wax poetic about rich kids in Beverly Hills, a cheerleader who defeated vampires or a curly-haired college girl in New York, but really the character arc is always the same. Naive, awkward girl grows up to become an independent, strong woman and realize the love of her life was the one person she always overlooked. Cue the Dawson’s Creek soundtrack. “I don’t wanna wait, for our lives to be over…”
Here’s why I loved *most* of WB’s Dawson’s Creek.
4. For the sake of nostalgia.
I love rewatching these shows, because it lets me remember the VHS tapes, chunky flip flops, body glitter, middle hair parts and crop tops of my youth. Remember that time Joey wore a crop top, high wasted jeans and Doc Marten sandals by the water?
I do, because I recreated it on my vacation that summer.
3. It was so controversial.
The year was 1998 and the pilot episode covered puberty, sex and masturbation … then the opening credits rolled. The subject matter was so controversial one of the initial production companies backed out of the project before it aired. The Parents Television Council proclaimed the show “the crudest of the network shows aimed at kids,” complaining about a focus on pre-marital sex, references to porn, condoms and homosexuality.
2. Dawson’s Cry Face GIF.
I mean, honestly, this is the GIF that launched a thousand GIFs.
1. Pacey and Joey 4EVA.
So, this is the part where I admit I don’t binge the entire series. Really I only watch the Pacey and Joey episodes. Sure, sometimes I watch Jen sections; she’s snarky and a feminist, but really I’m there for Pacey and Joey. Let me break it down for you. When the show opens, we the audience are led to believe that the title character Dawson and Joey are soul mates. The writers play up the whole unrequited love story … a lot. But in the middle of season 1 – episode 10 to be exact – we had our first glimpse of #Jacey. I remember watching with big anime eyes and thinking, “What is this sorcery?”
Unfortunately, the writers seemed oblivious to their chemistry because it was entirely ignored for almost 2 years, which is why we’ll be skipping to season 3 on this little tour. Episode 1 of the third season pushed Joey away from the tumultuous Dawson and straight into Pacey’s comforting arms. In one of the more iconic scenes of the entire series, Joey cries on his shoulder and – BAM! – the Team Jacey ship set sail.
Most of the season was an epic slow burn full of banter and wistful glances. Then, finally, in episode 17 Joey breaks up with some glorified extra and calls Pacey to rescue her in the big city. I still get all giggly when I watch their first real kiss.
It was pretty hot and heavy the next few episodes, culminating in Dawson making the infamous cry face and Joey sailing away with Pacey on his boat named True Love.
Season 4 opened magnificently, with Joey and Pacey returning from a summer at sea. They weather a few storms – both real and imagined – before taking the “next step” in their relationship in episode 14. Again, this storyline was a slow burn from the onset. Everybody in Capeside wondered what exactly went down on that boat over the summer, but Pacey was a complete gentleman.
Then, unfortunately, all hell broke loose. Pacey had a total meltdown at the prom and broke up with Joey. I’m not playing around, this episode was freakin’ brutal.
Next we’ll fast forward through all of season 5 and most of season 6 – because the writer’s room totally lost their way – and settle in at season 6, episode 15. Joey is now a college student and Pacey is an up and coming stock broker. After confessing to Joey that he never got over her in the previous episode, Pacey invites her to a fancy dinner and afterwards they somehow get locked in a K-Mart overnight. There is banter. There is kissing. It’s the dream.
https://youtu.be/3LPjJyRFD9o
Then we hit episode 17 – my favorite of the entire series. Post K-Mart make-out sesh, Team Jacey is strong as ever when spring break rolls around. Joey needs some extra cash, so Pacey hires her as his office temp. The banter is off the charts and the ending on Pacey’s office sofa is … fantastic. This storyline could have been so easily spun into another TV series. I would have watched that show like nobody’s business.
Pacey: And you’re comfortable with the whole boss/secretary power relationship?
Joey: We both know who’s boss here.
Then the writers screwed up again and separated them … again. Fortunately the show got cancelled, so Joey had to make a decision between Pacey, Dawson and the rest of the male population. One of the show’s characters actually made the decision a freakin’ dying wish. #JenLindleyForever
And she picked Pacey!
Thank the Lord, because after 5 years of watching the show IRL and all that fast forwarding during my most recent summer binge … I couldn’t handle anymore indecision.
READ MORE SUMMER BINGE SHOWS!
Were you addicted to Dawson’s Creek? Did you loathe Jen in season 1, but by season 6 say, “She is the only character that makes any damn sense.” How much body glitter did you own in 1998? Be honest…
