Dawson's Creek
Updated: 12/10/2025, 5:29:14 PM Wikipedia source
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 1998, to May 14, 2003, for six seasons. The series started out starring James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery; Katie Holmes as his best friend and love interest, Joey Potter; Joshua Jackson as their friend Pacey Witter; and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley, a New York City transplant to Capeside. The show was created by Kevin Williamson and premiered on The WB as a mid-season replacement. It was produced by Columbia TriStar Television (renamed Sony Pictures Television before the final season) and was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. Along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 7th Heaven, Dawson's Creek became one of the flagship shows for The WB and launched its main cast to international stardom. The show placed at No. 90 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list in 2007. It has also been credited with kicking off a boom of teen-centered shows in the late 1990s that continued into the 2000s.
Infobox
Genre
mw- Teen drama Romance
Created by
Kevin Williamson
Starring
James Van Der Beek Katie Holmes Michelle Williams Joshua Jackson Mary-Margaret Humes John Wesley Shipp Mary Beth Peil Nina Repeta Kerr Smith Meredith Monroe Busy Philipps
Theme music composer
Paula Cole (American broadcast, streaming 2021–) Jann Arden (DVD, streaming services and Norway and Puerto Rico releases)
Opening theme
"I Don't Want to Wait" by Paula Cole (American broadcast, re-recording for streaming 2021–) "Run Like Mad" by Jann Arden (DVD, streaming services and Norway and Puerto Rico releases)
Composers
Danny Lux Stephen Graziano Mark Mothersbaugh (season 3) Adam Fields (vast majority) Dennis McCarthy
Country of origin
United States
Original language
English
No. of seasons
6
No. of episodes
128 (list of episodes)
Executive producers
Deborah Joy LeVine Kevin Williamson Paul Stupin Greg Berlanti Tom Kapinos Greg Prange
Production locations
Wilmington, North CarolinaCape Cod, Massachusetts
Camera setup
Single-camera
Running time
45 minutes
Production companies
Columbia TriStar Television (seasons 1–5) Outerbanks Entertainment Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (seasons 5–6) Sony Pictures Television (season 6)
Network
The WB
Release
January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20) –May 14, 2003 (2003-05-14)
Tables
First released
First released
Season
First released
Episodes
Last released
1
1
Season
1
Episodes
13
Episodes
January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20)
Originally released
May 19, 1998 (1998-05-19)
2
2
Season
2
Episodes
22
Episodes
October 7, 1998 (1998-10-07)
Originally released
May 26, 1999 (1999-05-26)
3
3
Season
3
Episodes
23
Episodes
September 29, 1999 (1999-09-29)
Originally released
May 24, 2000 (2000-05-24)
4
4
Season
4
Episodes
23
Episodes
October 4, 2000 (2000-10-04)
Originally released
May 23, 2001 (2001-05-23)
5
5
Season
5
Episodes
23
Episodes
October 10, 2001 (2001-10-10)
Originally released
May 15, 2002 (2002-05-15)
6
6
Season
6
Episodes
24
Episodes
October 2, 2002 (2002-10-02)
Originally released
May 14, 2003 (2003-05-14)
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 13 | January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20) | May 19, 1998 (1998-05-19) | |
| 2 | 22 | October 7, 1998 (1998-10-07) | May 26, 1999 (1999-05-26) | |
| 3 | 23 | September 29, 1999 (1999-09-29) | May 24, 2000 (2000-05-24) | |
| 4 | 23 | October 4, 2000 (2000-10-04) | May 23, 2001 (2001-05-23) | |
| 5 | 23 | October 10, 2001 (2001-10-10) | May 15, 2002 (2002-05-15) | |
| 6 | 24 | October 2, 2002 (2002-10-02) | May 14, 2003 (2003-05-14) | |
· Reception › Awards and accolades
2001
2001
Year
2001
Result
Nominated
Award
ALMA Awards
Category
Outstanding Director of a Drama Series
Recipients
Gregory Prange
1998
1998
Year
1998
Result
Nominated
Award
Artios Award
Category
Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Pilot
Recipients
Marcia Shulman
2000
2000
Year
2000
Result
Won
Award
GLAAD Media Awards
Category
Outstanding TV Drama Series
2001
2001
Year
2001
Result
Nominated
2004
2004
Year
2004
Result
Nominated
Award
Satellite Awards
Category
Best DVD Release of TV Shows
Recipients
Dawson's Creek – The Complete Second Season
2000
2000
Year
2000
Result
Nominated
Award
TV Guide Awards
Category
Favorite Teen Show
1999
1999
Year
1999
Result
Won
Award
Teen Choice Awards
Category
TV – Choice Drama
Won
Won
Year
Won
Result
TV – Choice Actor
Award
Joshua Jackson
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actor
Award
James Van Der Beek
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actress
Award
Katie Holmes
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Breakout Performance
Award
Rachael Leigh Cook
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
Meredith Monroe
2000
2000
Year
2000
Result
Won
Award
TV – Choice Drama
Won
Won
Year
Won
Result
TV – Choice Actor
Award
Joshua Jackson
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actress
Award
Katie Holmes
2001
2001
Year
2001
Result
Nominated
Award
TV – Choice Drama
Won
Won
Year
Won
Result
TV – Choice Actor
Award
Joshua Jackson
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actress
Award
Katie Holmes
2002
2002
Year
2002
Result
Nominated
Award
TV – Choice Drama/Action Adventure
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actor, Drama
Award
Joshua Jackson
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actress, Drama
Award
Katie Holmes
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Sidekick
Award
Busy Philipps
2003
2003
Year
2003
Result
Nominated
Award
TV – Choice Drama/Action Adventure
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actor – Drama/Action Adventure
Award
Joshua Jackson
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Actress – Drama/Action Adventure
Award
Katie Holmes
Nominated
Nominated
Year
Nominated
Result
TV – Choice Sidekick
Award
Mika Boorem
2018
2018
Year
2018
Result
Nominated
Award
Choice Throwback TV Show
1998
1998
Year
1998
Result
Nominated
Award
YoungStar Awards
Category
Outstanding TV Drama SeriesBest Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series
Recipients
Michelle Williams
1999
1999
Year
1999
Result
Nominated
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Recipients |
| 2001 | Nominated | ALMA Awards | Outstanding Director of a Drama Series | Gregory Prange |
| 1998 | Nominated | Artios Award | Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Pilot | Marcia Shulman |
| 2000 | Won | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding TV Drama Series | |
| 2001 | Nominated | |||
| 2004 | Nominated | Satellite Awards | Best DVD Release of TV Shows | Dawson's Creek – The Complete Second Season |
| 2000 | Nominated | TV Guide Awards | Favorite Teen Show | |
| 1999 | Won | Teen Choice Awards | TV – Choice Drama | |
| Won | TV – Choice Actor | Joshua Jackson | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actor | James Van Der Beek | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actress | Katie Holmes | ||
| Nominated | TV – Breakout Performance | Rachael Leigh Cook | ||
| Nominated | Meredith Monroe | |||
| 2000 | Won | TV – Choice Drama | ||
| Won | TV – Choice Actor | Joshua Jackson | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actress | Katie Holmes | ||
| 2001 | Nominated | TV – Choice Drama | ||
| Won | TV – Choice Actor | Joshua Jackson | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actress | Katie Holmes | ||
| 2002 | Nominated | TV – Choice Drama/Action Adventure | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actor, Drama | Joshua Jackson | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actress, Drama | Katie Holmes | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Sidekick | Busy Philipps | ||
| 2003 | Nominated | TV – Choice Drama/Action Adventure | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actor – Drama/Action Adventure | Joshua Jackson | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Actress – Drama/Action Adventure | Katie Holmes | ||
| Nominated | TV – Choice Sidekick | Mika Boorem | ||
| 2018 | Nominated | Choice Throwback TV Show | ||
| 1998 | Nominated | YoungStar Awards | Outstanding TV Drama SeriesBest Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series | Michelle Williams |
| 1999 | Nominated |
· Reception › U.S. television ratings
1
1
Season
1
Timeslot
Tuesday 9/8c
Network
The WB
Number of episodes
13
Season premiere
January 20, 1998
Season finale
May 19, 1998
TV seasons
1997–1998
Rank
#121
Viewers(in millions)
6.6
2
2
Season
2
Timeslot
Wednesday 8/7c
Network
22
Number of episodes
October 7, 1998
Season premiere
May 26, 1999
Season finale
1998–1999
TV seasons
#119
Rank
5.4
3
3
Season
3
Timeslot
23
Network
September 29, 1999
Number of episodes
May 24, 2000
Season premiere
1999–2000
Season finale
#125
TV seasons
4.4
4
4
Season
4
Timeslot
23
Network
October 4, 2000
Number of episodes
May 23, 2001
Season premiere
2000–2001
Season finale
#121
TV seasons
4.6
5
5
Season
5
Timeslot
23
Network
October 10, 2001
Number of episodes
May 15, 2002
Season premiere
2001–2002
Season finale
#121
TV seasons
4.1
6
6
Season
6
Timeslot
24
Network
October 2, 2002
Number of episodes
May 14, 2003
Season premiere
2002–2003
Season finale
#134
TV seasons
4.1
| Season | Timeslot | Network | Number of episodes | Season premiere | Season finale | TV seasons | Rank | Viewers(in millions) |
| 1 | Tuesday 9/8c | The WB | 13 | January 20, 1998 | May 19, 1998 | 1997–1998 | | 6.6 |
| 2 | Wednesday 8/7c | 22 | October 7, 1998 | May 26, 1999 | 1998–1999 | | 5.4 | |
| 3 | 23 | September 29, 1999 | May 24, 2000 | 1999–2000 | | 4.4 | ||
| 4 | 23 | October 4, 2000 | May 23, 2001 | 2000–2001 | | 4.6 | ||
| 5 | 23 | October 10, 2001 | May 15, 2002 | 2001–2002 | | 4.1 | ||
| 6 | 24 | October 2, 2002 | May 14, 2003 | 2002–2003 | | 4.1 |
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