Dawson's Creek

TV review by Jill Murphy, Common Sense Media
Dawson's Creek Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Mature, talky teens ponder life's complexities.

Syndicated, TBS, TeenNick Drama 1998
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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 16 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this series is all about teens who have a mature/adult vocabulary and general worldview (and quite the knack for pop culture references). As it follows them through high school and into college, the show deals with "typical" teen issues like sex, first loves, drinking, sexual orientation, depression, cheating in school, and parents' divorce. Of those, sex is probably one of the biggest themes; it's a frequent topic of discussion -- as well as action. Teens will likely find the characters' vocabulary, critical analysis, and maturity either inspiring or alienating.

Community Reviews

Grassgrass
Grassgrass Adult
December 30, 2020
age 12+

Good

Love this show and think 12 and up is a perfect age to watch this show
anonymest
anonymest Adult
September 24, 2019
age 15+

dawson,s creek review

reviwing Dawson 's creek help me see why my engagement did not work out I always liked Dawson and i always wondered y i did not find that love in my teens all guys were immature and I feel maybe the actor and me will meet since he can fit in a charactor that appreciates this deep love he shares in his relationship than I started like disappearing and becoming alive between the couple and I relaized that my love was not deep enough with my fiancee and i needed to reviw the show it was not enough just to appreciate the show but to be actually feel what is Inside and between the dialogues I like when Dawson stops what he says and then says hi and his gf just follows stops and says hi back i feel that i like that flow - best romatic tv show cz my heart is htere and rated #1
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

DAWSON'S CREEK follows four teens -- Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) -- from the small, fictional town of Capeside, Mass. Joey is the girl next door who captivates innocent, wide-eyed Dawson, a naive movie-lover who has a happily-ever-after vision of relationships and a hard time dealing with their harsh reality. Through both high school and college, Joey and Dawson have an on-again, off-again romance that's interrupted by other serious relationships along the way -- including a very serious (and ratings-grabbing) tryst between Joey and Pacey, who is the typical bad boy around town. His father and brother are police officers, but he's busy having an affair with his math teacher, struggling with his grades, and falling for his best friend's girl.

Is It Any Good?

The series aims to portray Smalltown, USA, but it brings progressive issues into the mix as well. All in all,Dawson's Creek is far from the average teen drama. The characters are articulate -- more so than the average adult -- and don't use "like" and "you know" to complete their thoughts. They're introspective and create critical dialogue to question their own relationships, their peers, and the world around them.

The show's sometimes serious subjetc matter includes an openly gay character, questioning religion, the death of a classmate, sleeping with a teacher, drug overdoses, sex, first loves, college, an unstable mother, depression, divorce, lust, and infidelity. The characters' ability to explain (at length) how to navigate situations like these made the series a learning tool as well as a guilty pleasure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how teens feel this series relates to more current teen programming. Are the experiences the characters go through still accurate or relatable? Can teens describe how they might handle one of the situations dealt with in the series? Do they feel like the characters on the show are realistic reflections of other teens they know? Do any of their friends talk like Dawson, Pacey, Joey, and Jen?

TV Details

Our Editors Recommend

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