Dawson’s Creek Chronicles: Welcome to Capeside! (Part 1)

"You take in stray dogs, Dawson, you help old women across the street, you 'Just Say No.' You are Jimmy Stewart." – Pacey Witter.

That, in it's simplest form is how you describe Dawson Leery, the boy from the creek in New England. He's a film junkie. He's a wanna-be director. He's Steven Spielberg's biggest fan. We all were at some point, but then our ideals and the sense of the world changed as puberty became too much to bare and we allowed sex and depravity to take over our lives. Dawson never did. Until the very end of the series, Dawson was still the Dawson in the pilot episode for the most part. The only significant change in him was from the life experiences he attained through those 6 seasons. Yet even with those experiences, he was still the dreamer; the hapless hero in a cold and cruel world. As Pacey said, he was Jimmy Stewart.

Just as Jimmy Stewart had to deal with old man Potter in "It's A Wonderful Life", Dawson had to deal with Josephine Potter. Okay, bad comparison, but they have the same last name so give me points for that. Joey was unrelentess in her secret love with Dawson through the first season. She lived on the other side of the creek, and had to take a boat everyday just to climb into his window and see him. They watched
movies together, they loved much of the same things. The idea of Joey was to be the person who could bring Dawson's head out of the clouds when real life stuff began to happen around him. Sometimes she was successful, sometimes she gave him bad advice, but she was there for him. That is, until he fell
in love with her back. You can't have that. There isn't enough angst. So when they finally got together at the end of the first season, we all knew too well that this wouldn't last. What do you know, we were right and their love affair only lasted a few episodes until she became infatuated with someone else.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The entire time Joey was pining for Dawson, he was completely smitten with the new girl, Jenn. She had a "mysterious past". By that, I mean, she banged a lot of guys. Jenn was kicked out of her house in New York and sent to live with her "Grams". Grams was a holy-rollin' crazy christian who to begin with doled out advice with a verse from the good book. The only problem – Jenn was an atheist. It's the odd couple, if Felix and Oscar started bloody wars over land and worship instead of arguing where the dish towels go.

Grams: Christ loves you, Jenn.
Jenn: Fuck you and your God, Grams.

Ah, the love. That's not exactly how they spoke, but fairly close.

So anyway, Dawson fell "in love" with Jenn, then found out she was a whore and started throwing his affections towards Joey finally.

Meanwhile, while all this was going on, Dawson's best pal Pacey was doin' the english Teacher Ms. Jacobs. Their affair only last a few episodes when Ms. Jacobs left to go to Rochester because the rumors and speculation were getting to be too much for her to take. One thing is for sure, no one goes to Rochester unless they're hiding from something, because quite frankly, it's Rochester.

As Pacey was getting over the loss of his elderly lover, Dawson and Jenn went on again/off again and Dawson, as per the norm, was getting no pooty.

Jenn started seeing the Quarterback with the unnaturally even hair. Dawson, as per the norm (you see a growing trend here), was seeing his right hand. Slowly, as season one progressed Dawson was finally seeing Joey for who she was; not just a friend, but a soulmate. This apparently wasn't enough for him to express his true feelings to her, because what good is a teen drama if you actually speak your feelings and not become a muted moper who stares out his window pondering what temperature the creek is today? Not a good one, and not Dawson's Creek by gum.

In the finale of the first season, many things came to a head. Dawson realized he was supposed to tell Joey his feelings about her instead of just thinking them and he cried. Jenn's grandpa died and she found herself in church with Grams and they cried. Joey went to see her dad in prison and they cried. Pacey overheard Dougy (his closeted cop of a brother) calling him a do-nothing loser and almost cried. Dawson and Joey finally kissed, but not before they cried.

Did I mention there was crying?

With that said, let's go over the list of characters that we got to know in the first season…

Dawson Leery –
(Boy From The Creek)

Direction in Life: Wants to be a director.
Romantic Link: Dated Jenn Lindley for 2 months. Kissed Joey.
Hobbies: Pouting, being self-righteous, and expressing his feelings in embarrassing ways.

Something He Would Say: "My heart is telling me to do one thing, my head saying another. It's like I'm waging a war somewhere in my soul and I don't know how to put up the white flag on either side."

Joey Potter –
(Girl from the other side of the Creek)

Direction in Life: Going to college, and thinking about going to France.
Romantic Link: Some rich douchebag on a yacht. Kissed Dawson.
Hobbies: Pouting, not keeping secrets well, making fun of Jenn to her face.

Something She Would Say: "Dawson, this friendship will never survive with us not being completely honest with each other. I love y…..bacon."

Jenn Lindley –
(The blonde next door)

Direction in Life: Probably a prostitute.
Romatic Link: Dated Dawson for 2 months. Went on a couple dates with the Quarterback.
Hobbies: Breaking up with someone for bogus reasons, telling Grams God doesn't exist.

Something She Would Say: "I think we should break up. Oh? You like Joey now? I think I made a mistake. I blame it on religion."

Pacey Witter –
(The best friend)

Direction in Life: Working in the video store his entire life.
Romantic Link: Screwed his english teacher on several occasions. Tried to kiss Joey (jumping the gun a couple seasons there, bucko).
Hobbies: Flirting with old chicks, butting in to relationships, being the rebel with a heart of gold that the lady viewers inevitably love.

Something He Would Say: "Everybody thinks I'm a goofball loser. Now help me with this water balloon. I want to throw it at those girls wearing white tee shirts."

Evelyn "Grams" Ryan –
(Jenn's Grandma)

Direction in Life: Only God knows.
Romantic Link: Her dead husband and the Lord.
Hobbies: Praying, telling Jenn and everyone that they are sinners.

Something She Would Say: "God works in mysterious ways, Jennifer. For instance, it's a mystery you didn't get some sort of disease in New York from all your wicked ways."

Mitch & Gayle Leery –
(Dawson's parents)

Direction in Life: Looks like divorce.
Romantic Link: Each other, and Gayle had an affair with the anchorman.
Hobbies: Gayle – having an affair, Mitch – making a silly themed restaraunt out of figurines.

Something They Would Say:
Mitch: "Why don't you go screw someone else, you dirty whore!?!"
Gayle: "Why don't you go screw that figurine that looks like a mermaid? Get a job, dumb ass!"

Tamara Jacobs –
(The English teacher)

Direction in Life: Moving to Rochester, hoping she doesn't run into a teenage boy.
Romantic Link: Got pelvic with Pacey.
Hobbies: Banging teenage boys, duh.

Something She Would Say: "Pacey, we can't do this anymore. Now take off your pants."

Bessie Potter –
(Joey's sister)

Direction in Life: Raising a kid.
Romantic Link: As Grams would probably say at this point, "Fornicating with a black man".
Hobbies: Pestering Joey.

Something She Would Say: "You really are quoting me? I'm really just cannon fodder for Joey's character growth."

Doug "Dougy" Witter –
(Pacey's brother)

Direction in Life: Being a cop.
Romantic Link: None, mainly because he's a closet homosexual.
Hobbies: Being a closet homosexual, telling Pacey he's a piece of crap.

Something He Would Say: "Look at the ass on THAT guy!…Uh, I mean…girl! Yeah, girl! That's what I meant."

Ah, Dawson's Creek. Will we ever have another series like it? My guess would be no. It took teen angst to a whole new level. And as our DC series continues with Season 2, you'll notice some dramatic changes in our main characters, and additions to Capeside. Wait until you get a load of the brother & sister juggernaut that is Jack and Andie McPhee. Stick around for part 2 of the Creek chronicles!