Growing up I was always a Gilmore Girls gal. I loved that series but I never ever watched any of the other big shows of that era. I figure its 2025 lets go back in time back to 1998. I will begin with Dawson’s Creek but I might weave in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in at times. Two big shows that captured the zeitgeist of that era of Television.
Bell was a 15 year old on Jan 20th, 1998 the date of the first episode of Dawson’s Creek. Right in the prime age for this show but for some reason she didn’t watch any of it. Movies have always been my passion and I didn’t spend much energy on TV.
It is now June 2025 and I finally dive in. I am worried how cringe it will be, or how much hasn’t aged correctly. I hope you join me on this journey of melodrama.
I press play and was I ready for the Drama, Messy Relationships Teen Angst and Cringe? NO but this is going to be one hell of a ride. And I am here for it!
Episode 1: Pilot
First of all, a couple things problematic but were not on the level of Friends or anything so I’ll “overlook” it for now if it gets worse might have to cancel this project.
First impressions – This feels so raw and nostalgic but not flawless. It was strong for a pilot unlike many shows especially of that era.
The chemistry with the leads immediately works and the characters they play work just as well.
Joey I’ll get more into as we go along but she steals every scene she is in being both awkward and brilliant and a little too self-aware for her own good. She is also a major bitch.
Dawson seems idk I think has potential especially with the movie vibes but also slightly annoying.
Jen on first glance feels like a classic disruption trope but there is clearly something there and I am here for it. She is clearly trying to get along and not just existing for drama. It feels earnest. Pacey, (I wish I liked him especially since the actor is a BC boy)
Pacey, Pacey just ewwwww can we end this storyline immediately. This is so wrong! Its like Pretty Little Liars where Aria and Ezra happened its just gross. What’s frustrating is that Joshua Jackson is so charming that it’s weirdly easy to see why they wrote it but its still inexcusable
It’s clear this show is going to be about messy feelings, complicated friendships, jealousy, identity, first love, and making everything feel more dramatic than it probably is.
I wish I was as confident as Joey (I know she is awkward but also confident) back in high school. Although she was a bitch I still relate to her a lot and might end up being my viewer stand-in character maybe. She is the type that I wasn’t like but feel like I would have wanted to be like. Like she is a bit too flirty for how I was but it is how I wanted to be. Although I wasn’t as thin or good looking as her either but how she plays the character is supposed to be more “low key, girl next door, tomboy etc” feels like my mind’s image at that age what I would have wanted to be. Katie Holmes isn’t tomboyish in real life, and Joey’s not actually that much of a tomboy if you break it down, but she performs it really well.
I had some rough rough times late teens and early 20s so might end up feeling more connected to Jen (depending on story ends up as) but I am not pretty like she is. Although Joey seems confident, its hidden confidence not, extroverted like Jen, I’m such an introvert its not even funny so that makes it hard to relate to Jen. If I was new to somewhere, I wouldn’t be making friends id be trying to be invisible.
Episode 2: Dance
The one where everyone’s horny but awkward about it.
Jen’s backstory starting to unfold especially with the backdrop of the dynamic with her grandmother. Its messy and tense, and already I can see they’re going to use religion vs rebellion as a theme. *eyeroll*
Joey continues her bitchy mood but its because she is seething in jealousy. I must admit I’ve been this way once before too with someone I was really into. It is so raw and relatable.
Pacey – Skip because eww
Dawson seems like he is swimming upstream. Doesn’t know what to do with Jen, doesn’t know how to handle Joey’s heartbreak, and still thinks his movie will solve everything.
Oh the final ending DRAMA….. How long will it take for Dawson to find out, will Joey share the news with him?
Episode 3: Kiss
This one is going to be shorter as it is more a building episode.
Restaurant Scene with “Debbie” is so cringe. I do love how her Sister’s partner Bodie and Jen were such homies for Joey.
Dawson trying to film his first Kiss is so ugh! Like Dawson, sweetie, you cannot be both auteur and romantic lead at the same time. Classic cinematic ambition sabotage. I do love how Jen immediately called it out and Dawson came clean immediately. They have a refreshingly adult conversation about things, how he is scared. Jen being worried about what if it’s a disappointment because Dawson built it up so much.
OH SHIT he recorded Persey!?!?!? This is going to blow up in everyone’s faces. Dawsons obsession with movies and “making everything cinematic” is now literally capturing a real life scandal. His fantasy world feels little does he know it is about to collide with the messiness of reality.
This is where I stop for now. I hope to fly through the show so will bundle a couple episodes together. Thoughts, improvements anything? Just no spoilers I know nothing!