Dawson’s Creek: 32 Times Dawson Was Just the Absolute Worst!

In January 1998, the world met a tight-knit circle of teenage friends living in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. At the heart of the acclaimed TV series “Dawson’s Creek” was Dawson Leery (portrayed by James Van Der Beek), a thoughtful 15-year-old who harbored dreams of filmmaking and had a complex connection with Joey Potter, his neighbor girl (played by Katie Holmes, making her breakthrough).

Regardless of whether you’re a new viewer of the much-loved nineties series or if you vividly recall its initial broadcast on The WB, you won’t take long to realize that, despite the show bearing his name, Dawson Leery wasn’t always par excellence. He could display insensitivity, self-righteousness, entitlement, excessive drama, and at times be simply unbearable – over six seasons, here are 32 instances where Dawson himself was the epitome of poor behavior on ‘Dawson’s Creek’.

When Dawson Shamed Jen For Her Romantic Past

In the first season, Dawson develops a romantic interest in, and even idolizes, the enigmatic newcomer Jen Lindley (portrayed by Michelle Williams, who later received four Oscar nominations and famously played Steven Spielberg’s mother). However, upon learning that his girlfriend has been sexually active since she was 12 years old, Dawson responds with a lack of compassion and ridicules Jen for her past relationships.

When He Used Mary Beth To Try To Make Jen Jealous

Despite frequently presenting himself as a self-styled “good man” across the six-season series, Dawson often shows a rather insensitive side towards those he’s dating. For instance, in the season one episode titled “Double Date,” he manipulates innocent Mary Beth (Megahn Perry) for the sake of stirring a reaction from his on-again-off-again love interest, Jen Lindley.

When He Read Joey’s Diary Without Her Permission

Dawson may insist over and over again that he and Joey are soulmates, but it doesn’t grant him permission to secretly read Joey’s personal diary in season 2 episode “Crossroads”. What makes it even more problematic is his belief that he has the right to be upset about her mocking his amateur filmmaking skills, while showing no remorse for the privacy invasion he committed.

When He Guilted Joey For Her Summer Plans Abroad

Since Joey has a strong affection for art, it’s not surprising that she dreams of spending a summer in the stunning and film-inspiring city of Paris during the first season. However, rather than being supportive, Dawson manipulates her feelings by expressing how difficult the distance would be for him, disregarding the potential benefits for Joey. Unfortunately, this convinces Joey to abandon her plans for France and stay in Capeside instead. Fortunately, she eventually gets to see the Eiffel Tower in season 6.

When He Filmed His and Jen’s First Kiss Without Her Knowledge

As a kid, Dawson aspired to become a director like Spielberg and often made small movies during Dawson’s Creek. However, one of his more unsettling film endeavors occurred in the third episode of the first season when he surreptitiously recorded his first kiss with crush Jen, emulating iconic movie kisses. Unfortunately, real life isn’t like the movies, Dawson!

When He Broke Up With Natasha Over Voicemail After Cheating On Her

In the sixth instalment of “Dawson’s Creek,” I found myself in a summer whirlwind with an actress named Natasha Kelly (Bianca Kajlich) while working as an assistant director in LA. Yet, upon my return to Capeside, the complexities mounted when I reconnected, if you will, with my long-time friend Joey. After what seemed like a defining moment between us, I made the difficult decision to end things with Natasha the following morning, leaving her a harsh breakup message on her answering machine.

When He Accused Jack of “Stealing” Joey From Him

In the second season’s episode titled “Unchartered Waters”, there was a misunderstanding between Dawson and Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith). Dawson falsely accused Jack of taking Joey away from him, but in truth, Joey had ended their relationship before she started seeing Jack because she required some distance. Wisely, Jack corrected Dawson’s assumption, emphasizing that Joey was intelligent enough not to be “stolen” by anyone.

When Dawson Entered That Boat Race To Spite Pacey

It’s not just saying that Dawson reacted poorly when he found out Joey was dating Pacey; it was more like he overreacted excessively. In the third season, he impulsively joined a local sailing competition at the last minute, pretending it was to best Pacey and win back Joey. Unfortunately, this ill-conceived plan didn’t pan out as he navigated his boat dangerously close to Pacey’s vessel during the regatta, leading to his disqualification from the race.

When Het Got Too Drunk And Ruined His Surprise Birthday Party

As a movie critic, I must admit that the sixteenth episode of season 2, titled “Be Careful What You Wish For,” was quite an entertaining rollercoaster ride. In this episode, my dear friend Joey thoughtfully arranged a surprise birthday bash for Dawson’s sweet sixteen at the Leery residence. However, the plot thickened when Dawson and Andie (Meredith Monroe) chose to let loose prematurely at a local nightclub and overindulged – underage, I might add – in rum and cokes.

Upon his arrival at the surprise party, our birthday boy was anything but graceful, taking an embarrassing tumble face-first into his own cake. The remainder of the evening saw Dawson spending quality time with Andie in the bathroom, both retching from their excessive revelry. Quite a twist, don’t you think?

When He Publicly Aired His Parents’ Dirty Laundry At His Birthday Party

At his 16th birthday party in season 2, instead of making a wish and blowing out the candles like usual, Dawson uses this time to launch an angry outburst about his parents. He publicly reveals embarrassing secrets such as his mother Gail (Mary-Margaret Humes) having an affair with her co-anchor, and his father Mitch (John Wesley Shipp) being unemployed. This unexpected rant causes the celebration to come to a sudden halt.

When He Guilted Joey Into Turning Her Father Over to the Cops

In season 2, Dawson realizes that Joey’s father, Mike Potter (played by Gareth Williams), who had been in prison for drug trafficking, has returned to his illegal drug dealing ways. Rather than keeping quiet and allowing Joey to handle her difficult family situation, Dawson persuades Joey to wear a wire and gather evidence against her dad. This strategy succeeds but it’s deeply upsetting for several reasons: firstly, Joey expresses her anger towards Dawson for compelling her to make that choice; secondly, the actor James Van Der Beek feels that this episode marked a significant departure from the original direction of “Dawson’s Creek”.

When Dawson Practiced Kissing On A Mannequin In Front Of His Dad

Absolutely, throughout the classic teen drama series “Dawson’s Creek,” there’s a touch of coming-of-age sweetness, particularly in regards to first love. However, an early scene where Dawson learns kissing techniques from his father, while demonstrating on a mannequin doll that resembles his best friend Joey, feels less endearing and more unsettling instead.

When He Demeaned Pacey In Front of Everyone At His Birthday Party

In the show, the love triangle among Dawson, Joey, and Pacey often led to conflict between Dawson and Pacey throughout the series. However, even before Joey and Pacey started dating, Dawson frequently belittled his supposed friend. A particularly harsh instance was when Dawson, in a drunken state at his 16th birthday party during season 2, insinuated that Pacey existed only to make Dawson feel superior. Shockingly, he never apologized for this uncalled-for remark.

When He Prodded Joey About Her Physical Relationship With Jack

In the initial phases of “Dawson’s Creek”, Dawson often showed an excessive interest in Joey’s virginity. One clear example of him meddling in his friend’s personal life occurred in a season 2 episode, where he openly challenged Joey about whether she had been intimate with Jack, and falsely claimed to have slept with Jen to provoke jealousy in her. Jen accurately labeled this entire situation as a “pitiful spectacle”.

When He Insulted A Film Critic Who Was Reviewing His Movie

As a passionate cinephile myself, the aspiration of becoming one of the cinema world’s legendary directors was something I consistently carried with me throughout the six seasons of our shared journey. Yet, it wasn’t always a smooth ride – in the fifth season’s episode titled “Cigarette Burns,” I found myself lashing out at Amy Lloyd, a film critic who dared to critique a movie I had directed. To make matters worse, I even went so far as to question her taste in films. Frankly, that’s not how Spielberg would act, Joey!

When He Made Fun Of Jack’s Coming Out Journey

With Kerr Smith, the character Jack McPhee was portrayed, a notable queer figure on television; Smith’s character was also the first to share an on-screen kiss between men on American television. This groundbreaking on-screen LGBTQ+ representation saw Smith’s character exploring his coming out process during the second half of season 2, a journey of self-discovery that was crudely mocked by Dawson at his 16th birthday party. “Tonight, starring in his own version of In & Out,” Dawson joked, “He’s in, he’s out, he’s in, he’s out! Nice hair by the way.” However, despite the jest, it was evident that the humor was not well-received.

When He Dated Pacey’s Older Sister After Giving Him a Hard Time About Joey

Instead of criticizing Pacey for dating Joey, Dawson didn’t seem to find an issue with pursuing a relationship with Pacey’s sister Gretchen (portrayed by Sasha Alexander from NCIS) for most of his final year in high school. It’s also worth noting that there was a considerable age gap between the 17-year-old Dawson and the 21-year-old Gretchen.

When Dawson Ruined Joey’s Time At The Anti-Prom

Towards the conclusion of season 3, the Capeside group arranges an “Alternative Prom” to celebrate Jack coming out, yet Dawson perceives it as a chance to flaunt Joey as his date, aiming to provoke Pacey’s feelings of jealousy. As Pacey and Joey share a tender slow dance, capturing the essence of love in a heartwarming scene, an emotional Dawson abruptly departs from the event, unfairly accusing Joey that his suggestion for this entire alternative prom was not about Jack but her instead. Devious indeed!

When He Was Upset That Joey Moved On With Pacey, Even Though He Rejected Her First

In the finale of season 3, the deep-rooted friendships between Dawson Leer, Joey Potter, and Pacey Witter faced a significant strain when romantic feelings emerged between Joey and Pacey. This development was unexpected considering Dawson had declined Joey’s proposal to reignite their romance due to preserving their friendship, and moreover, he had entrusted Pacey with the care of young Miss Potter initially.

When He Overreacted About His Student Film And Swore Off Movies Forever

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the dramatic flair that Dawson Leery often exhibits. A classic instance of this is in season 3 when he submits his Blair Witch Project-inspired student film to a festival and receives some harsh feedback from fellow competitors. Instead of taking the constructive criticism from those “art house snobs” into account, he responds by removing all his cherished movie posters from his walls and quitting film class. To me, this seems like an overreaction.

When He Didn’t Tell Joey He Had a Girlfriend Before They Slept Together

After six long stretches of their up-and-down relationship, Dawson and Joey finally consummated it – a moment that had been building for quite some time. However, the romantic atmosphere was shattered when Joey overheard a girl calling Dawson on his phone the morning after. It turned out that this girl was an actress he had been seeing until just that very morning. In the sixth season episode “The Song Remains The Same,” Joey angrily exclaims, “I wish you hadn’t been with someone when we finally made love…you should have told me before!” Dawson, in response, claims she was overreacting.

When He Clashed With The Director and Got Fired on His First Day Of Work

Todd Carr, played by Hal Ozsan, wasn’t exactly easy to work for, given his quick temper and lack of tact. Considering that Dawson was a fresh intern at a Hollywood studio and had no prior experience in the industry, it might have been wiser not to tell such blunt truths about his boss, who supposedly only produces poor films. Consequently, Dawson’s dismissal from work and subsequent dropout from film school can be attributed to this rather embarrassing situation.

When He Reacted Badly To His Mom’s Pregnancy

Introducing a new baby into a family can sometimes stir feelings of jealousy in a younger sibling, but this is rarely the case when the sibling is already an 18-year-old. In “The Family Way” episode from season 4, Dawson struggles to accept that his parents are expecting a new addition, acting sullen and grudgingly offering congratulations to Gail and Mitch. Matters escalate when Gail mentions considering an abortion due to her advanced age and the family’s financial difficulties, prompting Dawson to respond negatively rather than supporting his mother in her personal choice.

When He Broke Pacey’s Nose By Throwing A Basketball At His Face

It was indeed inappropriate for Pacey to mock Dawson by calling him “Oompa Loompa” and humiliating him in front of the cheerleading squad in the episode “Detention” from season 1. However, this doesn’t justify Dawson’s response, which was using violence – specifically, throwing a basketball at Pacey and causing his nose to break. Notably, their altercation on the court led both friends to be sent to detention.

When He Didn’t Listen When Joey Said She Was Uncomfortable Sharing a Bed

During our childhood days, I frequently stayed overnight at the Leery house, sharing a bed with my best friend Dawson. But as we grew older and puberty happened, things started shifting between us. In the first season of Dawson’s Creek, Miss Potter confided that she was no longer comfortable sleeping next to her male buddy like we used to. “Things change, Dawson. They evolve!” she said. Yet, Dawson didn’t seem to understand and made me stay the night anyway, even though I wasn’t entirely cool with it. To make matters worse, he always took up most of the bed!

When He Immediately Went Against His Film Teacher’s Rules

In the first season, an ambitious young man named Dawson aspired to join a film class at the fictitious Capeside High School, but his youthful status prevented him from doing so. However, after some persistent pleading from Dawson, the film teacher Mr. Gold (Mitchell Laurance) agreed to allow him to attend the classes as an auditor, on the condition that he wouldn’t actively participate because he wasn’t officially enrolled. As Dawson sat in his first film class, what did he do? He discarded passive observation and confidently started contributing comments and questions to the class discussion instead.

When He Cringingly Sang The Blues About His Romantic Troubles

During Dawson’s booze-filled sixteenth birthday bash, he and Andie opted for an evening of uninhibited underage misadventures, one of which was performing at a jazz club, where they embarrassingly crooned “the blues.” Lyrics such as these were belted out: “My name is Dawson Leery, I’m feeling kinda weary / Today is my birthday, and you all look a little hazy / The girl that I adored ran away from me / right into the arms of a man who was gay.” Clearly, filmmaking seems to be more his forte.

When He Tempted His Friends With A Stolen Copy Of The PSAT Test

In the third season episode titled “None of the Above,” it’s not just Dawson who is enticed by the idea of cheating when they find an early version of the PSAT exam. Even students like Joey and Andie, typically seen as models of good behavior, contemplate it. However, it was Dawson who initially obtained the stolen test and shared it with his friends, right in school, no less! This was after he had received the test from his girlfriend with a questionable reputation, Eve Whitman, played by Brittany Daniel.

When He Wrecked His Dad’s Boat While Hooking Up With Eve

In the third season of Dawson, his romance with Eve showcased a reckless and imprudent side of his typically disciplined persona. During a boating trip on his father Mitch’s yacht, while kissing the enigmatic blonde, Dawson became so engrossed that he crashed the boat into a dock, necessitating $3,000 worth of repairs. To make matters worse, he threw a raucous party at home with strippers and charged each attendee $20, attempting to gather funds. Unfortunately, his parents were away, and Mitch returned home early, finding the chaotic scene and expressing clear displeasure.

When He Spent His Professional Career Stuck In His High School Days

By the last episode of Dawson’s Creek, our main character Dawson found his contented ending as a director in Hollywood, even managing to secure a meeting with none other than Steven Spielberg. However, it turns out that Dawson isn’t creating critically-acclaimed movies like his inspirational filmmaker idol; instead, he’s working on a TV show called The Creek, which revolves around his relationship with Joey and their shared memories in Capeside. While “write what you know” is one thing, constantly dwelling on the past is an entirely different matter.

When He Didn’t Take Joey’s Artistic Talents Seriously

Joey wonders why your love for movies is such a deep passion, while my appreciation for art is just a pastime. It’s been noticed that you often undervalued Joey’s art and dismissed it as trivial, but you expect her to value your film projects highly. Given this, it’s not surprising that the moment Pacey bought Joey a canvas wall for her art, we were all moved!

When Dawson Made This Crazy Face As He Cried

In season 3, Dawson’s emotional meltdown upon realizing Joey and Pacey were destined for each other became an internet sensation, launching a multitude of amusing memes. This tearful moment etched itself deeply into TV history, as it showcased one of the most cringe-worthy crying faces ever seen on screen. Even James Van Der Beek’s co-star from “Dawson’s Creek,” Joshua Jackson, playfully imitated his own tearful scene in response.

2025-03-14 23:40