r/dawsonscreek

I am visiting Cape Cod from Michigan this week. Staying in South Yarmouth and have so far also seen Sandwich and Hyannis. I KNOW that DC is not filmed here, but as for being set here I am not getting any of the vibe I sense from the show. For the record, that's not why I came, but thought it might be cool to feel a little bit of Capeside.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE BOUGHT HER A WALL.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN DATING AND HE DOES STUFF LIKE THAT?!?!?!?

Asking for a friend, do guys like Pacey actually exist? And does anyone know where I can find one?

Am I the only one that thinks in present day and time the love triangle of Joey, Dawson, and Pacey should have wounded up being a throuple? I mean I hate that they assassinated Dawson's character so much with the drama of it when what I saw was the perfect foundation for a great throuple relationship. I know that even maybe fifteen years ago this would not be doable but maybe in present time it would have maybe been doable.

I keep thinking he's gonna stay gone this time but, nope, he always comes right back to do the same old thing. Ugh, it's making season 6 such a slog to get through.

It felt dream-like and separate from the show. The writing is definitely flawed and of course, Joey-centric.

But it helped me understand the depth that Joey feels about her father at that point in her life. It’s still Joey from Capeside but there’s a maturity she’s achieved or showcased (albeit traumatizing).

The acting was actually great from everyone involved. And it tugged at my heartstrings.

This is Dawson's Creek adjacent so hope it is allowed. But I just finished the Amazon show Off Campus and was excited to see Gina Fattore is an executive producer. She was responsible for some of the best Dawson's episodes such as The Longest Day and Castaways. I know Off Campus is not original IP like Dawson's but I really enjoyed it and it was fun to see her name attached to another teen show that had me thoroughly engrossed. I'm going to read the books now! I wonder if she'll write some of the episodes later on.

For me, its when after a falling out, Jen moves back in with Grams under conditions. It always stuck with me that she was defining what family means to her... no judgment, mutual care, and looking out for chosen family, Jack, who was struggling with his own. I thought that scene was very impactful

Two weeks ago I asked if this show was worth continuing as I was 2 episodes in and hated it. I didn't like Pacey, the only character I really liked was Joey.

I started watching more, started liking it more. I then watched the second half of season 1 and half of season 2 in 3 days. I'm really starting to love it. And damn it, I love Pacey.

So yeah, I absolutely don't regret continuing to watch

Has anyone seen Young Americans? Was it good?

Ok I just finished my first watch through of Dawson Creek. Anddddd I have feelings!!!!

I can't lie. I lowkey hate the Dawson and Joey of it all...but I LOVEEEE Jack. I love Jen and I love Pacey so so much!! The ending was ROUGH for me... but I truly cannot express the happy kicks that were happening when I realized endgame was Pacey and Joey!!! FUCKKKK YESSSS!!! (Also a few other moments that got me goooood this final episode - Jen and Jacks moment were Jack tells a Jen they are soulmates 😭😭😭😭 omg I love them so much! And then Doug finally coming out to the Dudley's on the beach!!!** 🫰🏼🫰🏼🫰🏼HELL YES DOUG) (things I hated - Jen dying...that hurt me. A. LOT. But the other thing I hated was when her and Dawson are filming the video for her daughter and she's expressing to Amy to believe in God - this annoyed me a lot - granted I fell in love with Jen bc of her stance on religion and her determination to not be influenced - and I truly think if my younger self found Dawson Creek when it was released I think I would've really appreciated that aspect of not having to believe in like a religion that your family tells you to believe in...bc it took me a long time to realize that, but thankfully I have found my own religion in a way ~ sooo I was very frustrated by this notion and I just wish it was a more broad explanation to Amy that she should believe in something, but to trust in herself of what that is - that would have felt more true to Jen!) Anyways thanks for letting me rant :)

If you already love the finale, that is awesome and I am glad the show closed for you in an impactful way. It didn't for me, which I will explain. I just posted about the series finale a few weeks ago, so I won't repeat any of the stuff I said before. The reason I am posting about it again is because after giving it a fresh watch last night I pinpointed my main annoyance.

My Thoughts:

- I absolutely DESPISE the tone of the two-parter. I think making it about Jen dying was an enormous mistake that took a silly plot device and altered the entire course of the send-off.

- In my opinion making the atmosphere somber ruined what should have been a celebration of the show and their individual character journeys. I am sure KW and GF wrote it to give them all a reason to make important decisions, but why would they when Jen, by her own admission, was the outsider of the group.

- Jen in a wheelchair gives a 'movie of the week' vibe that feels cheap and something my grandma would watch. Yes, 'real life' and 'bad things' can happen in a finale, but it seemed like low hanging fruit.

- Dawson is my favorite character (I know that is extremely rare on this message board), so it pains me to say this, but was not a fan of JVDB's performance in the finale. He is way too stoic and quiet. He has finally 'achieved his dreams' and he acts like he could not care less. They give an explanation along the lines of he is not sure how to feel but it is immediately buried by another conversation.

- The reason I bring up Dawson's mood in the finale is because there is almost no enthusiasm given to the idea of him and Joey ending up together. I am a Dawson/Joey guy and even I thought to myself, if he doesn't care, why should I?

- Whose idea was it to have Pacey cheating with a married woman and getting his ass kicked? It was such a waste of precious minutes in a finale, not to mention an eye sore (pun intended) of him strolling around with two black eyes during important interactions. I guess the point is that old habits die hard and he needed Joey to re-enter his life, but we as the audience are already aware that she was always his true north anyway.

- There is absolutely ZERO suspense as to who Joey will end up with, so the two-parter just kind of treads water until they can show her and Pacey sitting on the couch together at the end.

- By the way, I feel bad for Gale. Her first husband dies and Jen collapses at the wedding to her second husband. Talk about a bad omen. Mrs. Leery can't catch a break I guess. Back to you BBBBob (she puts too much emphasis on her B's).

- Lastly, Dawson and Pacey should have had more of a 'brothers' feel given everything their relationship endured, instead they just kind of tolerate each other in doses. The finale is well-intentioned and I am fine with P&J together but the tone is too depressing and where each person ends up feels more convenient than earned.

Anyway, my two cents. I'll go touch grass now.

Just finished rewatching Season 6 so I thought I'd recap with my thoughts. Obviously my opinions alone, I respect everyone's differing viewpoints. My Joey rant is at the bottom if this is too long and you want to skip.

Thoughts:

- For the longest time I thought S5 & S6 were similar in quality, but watching them back to back for the first time in forever made me realize I was wrong. S5 isn't good, but it is much more focused and at least attempts some commentary. It's not successful but it tries.

- Season 6 is a meandering mess held together by duct tape. It is lazy, uninspired, and the apathy from cast and crew permeates from the screen. I should mention despite this feeling I still love the show overall and always will.

- If I had to describe S6 in one word it would be.... boring. Boring, boring, boring. The show was completely out of ideas, and the ones they use are so few and far between each one goes on way too long. Jen and Jack are almost non-existent, with Jack in particularly missing entire stretches of the season. Seeing Jen and CJ just sitting there in a crisis call center isn't exactly riveting entertainment either.

- So many of the plots are just reheated from previous seasons. Instead of a professor liking Joey a professor likes Jack. Instead of Joey singing with a band, Audrey sings with a band. Joey even waits tables again like the Ice House days. (I will say I liked the Hell's Kitchen set)

- Emma is the most pointless addition to a cast I have ever seen and is so invisible I literally forgot she left the show halfway through. Nothing against the actress but I couldn't tell you a thing about her character other than her saying British catchphrases like "bollocks!" "bloody wanker" and "mum."

- One of the few positives is I thought both holiday episodes were solid (Castaways and Capeside Redemption as well). S6 is most successful oddly at breakups. Pacey and Audrey's venomous parting and Dawson and Natasha's relationship end both feel realistic and things the characters would say. Audrey pointing out Pacey didn't even have the energy to fight back made sense and even Joey saying she can't kiss Eddie because she doesn't want to go to California with him was grounded in reality.

- Speaking of Eddie, I don't understand the hate he gets or Rich. They make Rich too much of a cartoon villain at the end but Pacey telling him off on Bourbon Street in New Orleans was a nice scene. Eddie should have never come back after the road trip, but before then I was fine with their dynamic. It was a logical progression to have a love interest to not be so enamored with Joey immediately. Yeah, Eddie is a jerk but that is kind of the point. He is a moody writer that Joey needed to experience to realize sometimes what you leave behind is what shapes your future more than your present.

- Other positives: Todd is one of the few characters that injects energy into the season, and I am glad they had him return near the end. I also thought 'starting over' with a 'new' Joey and Pacey with Harley and Patrick was a good idea on paper but doesn't come to fruition on screen.

- I could fill a novel with how many storylines this season gives up on (the reporter as an example), but I think the biggest mistake they made was with Joey the second half of the season.

--JOEY RANT--

Obviously I am a fan of the character, but in my opinion the show did the cardinal sin of making Joey unlikable. The second half of episodes should be narrowing to a focused point, but instead she is wishy washy and irritating. The prime examples are when Pacey says he is willing to give up his current life and build a future with her and her response is to complain. Then Eddie wants to go on an adventure with her in Europe, something she has always dreamed of, and her response is to............... complain. Two guys from completely different walks of life vocalize their extreme interest in building a life with her and she acts like some brat that never thinks anything is good enough. To their credit they softened her slightly at the end.

Overall Season 6 proved the show's 'magic' was over and everyone was ready to move on. There is nothing wrong with that of course, but in my opinion makes this batch of episodes (and end of the show) feel empty.

To finish on a positive note however, it did make me smile seeing Dawson film the sea creature scene from S1E1, reminding viewers that nostalgia is the most complicated feeling of all.

What all did you think of this season?