Dawson 's Creek - wikipedia Dawson 's Creek For the city in British Columbia, see Dawson Creek. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2016 ) Dawson 's Creek Genre Teen drama Created by Kevin Williamson Starring James Van Der Beek Michelle Williams Joshua Jackson Katie Holmes Mary - Margaret Humes John Wesley Shipp Mary Beth Peil Nina Repeta Kerr Smith Meredith Monroe Busy Philipps Opening theme `` I Do n't Want to Wait '' by Paula Cole ( U.S. ) `` Run Like Mad '' by Jann Arden ( DVD and Puerto Rico Releases ) Composer ( s ) Danny Lux ( season 2 ) Stephen Graziano ( season 2 ) Mark Mothersbaugh ( season 3 ) Adam Fields ( vast majority ) Dennis McCarthy ( season 2, and closing theme that season ) Country of origin United States Original language ( s ) English No. of seasons 6 No. of episodes 128 ( list of episodes ) Production Executive producer ( s ) Tom Kapinos Greg Prange Paul Stupin Greg Berlanti Kevin Williamson ( 1998 -- 99 ) Location ( s ) Wilmington, North Carolina Cape Cod, Massachusetts Camera setup Single - camera Running time 45 minutes Production company ( s ) Columbia TriStar Television ( 1998 -- 2002 ) ( seasons 1 - 6 ) Outerbanks Entertainment Sony Pictures Television ( 2002 -- 2003 ) ( season 6 ) Distributor Sony Pictures Television Release Original network The WB Original release January 20, 1998 ( 1998 - 01 - 20 ) -- May 14, 2003 ( 2003 - 05 - 14 ) Chronology Related shows Young Americans One Tree Hill External links Website Dawson 's Creek is an American teen drama television series about the fictional lives of a close - knit group of friends beginning in high school and continuing in college that ran from 1998 to 2003. The series stars James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery, Katie Holmes as his best friend and love interest Joey Potter, Joshua Jackson as their fellow best friend Pacey Witter, and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley, a New York City transplant to the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, where the series was set. The show was created by Kevin Williamson and debuted on The WB on January 20, 1998. It was produced by Columbia TriStar Television ( renamed Sony Pictures Television before the sixth and final season ) and was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. Part of a new craze for teen - themed movies and television shows in America in the late 1990s, it catapulted its leads to stardom and became a defining show for The WB. The show placed at No. 90 on Entertainment Weekly 's `` New TV Classics '' list in 2007. The series ended on May 14, 2003. During the course of the series, 128 episodes of Dawson 's Creek aired over six seasons. Contents 1 Cast and characters 1.1 Recurring characters and guest stars 2 Production 2.1 Conception 2.2 Casting 2.3 Production team 2.4 Filming locations 3 Reception 3.1 Critical reception 3.2 Awards and accolades 3.3 U.S. television ratings 4 Spin - off 5 Broadcast 5.1 International 6 Merchandise 6.1 DVD releases 6.2 Music 7 International rebroadcast 8 Bibliography 9 References 10 External links Cast and characters Actor Character ( 1998 ) ( 1998 -- 1999 ) ( 1999 -- 2000 ) ( 2000 -- 2001 ) 5 ( 2001 -- 2002 ) 6 ( 2002 -- 2003 ) James Van Der Beek Dawson Leery Main Katie Holmes Joey Potter Main Michelle Williams Jen Lindley Main Joshua Jackson Pacey Witter Main Mary - Margaret Humes Gail Leery Main Recurring John Wesley Shipp Mitch Leery Main Recurring Mary Beth Peil Evelyn `` Grams '' Ryan Main Nina Repeta Bessie Potter Main Recurring Kerr Smith Jack McPhee Recurring Main Meredith Monroe Andie McPhee Recurring Main Guest Busy Philipps Audrey Liddell Recurring Main Recurring characters and guest stars Ed Grady as Gramps Ryan ( season 1 ) ; Jen 's terminally sick grandfather Leann Hunley as Tamara Jacobs ( season 1 -- 2 ) ; a teacher at Capeside High and Pacey 's first love interest Scott Foley as Cliff Elliot ( season 1 ) ; a student who shows an interest in Jen Obi Ndefo as Bodie Wells ( season 1, 3, 4, and 6 ) ; Bessie 's boyfriend Ian Bohen as Anderson Crawford ( season 1 ) ; a rich boy from out of town and minor love interest for Joey Dylan Neal as Doug Witter ( season 1, 3 -- 6 ) ; Pacey 's older policeman brother Monica Keena as Abby Morgan ( season 1 -- 2 ) ; Jen 's trouble - making friend Gareth Williams as Mike Potter ( season 1, 2, and 6 ) ; Joey 's father who is serving prison time for drug trafficking Edmund J. Kearney as Mr. Peterson ( season 1 -- 2 ) ; an abusive reading teacher at Capeside High Jason Behr as Chris Wolfe ( season 2 ) ; a student at Capeside High John Finn as John Witter ( season 2, 4, and 6 ) ; Pacey and Doug 's father and police chief of Capeside Rachael Leigh Cook as Devon ( season 2 ) ; a wannabe film actress who stars in one of Dawson 's films Eddie Mills as Tyson ' Ty ' Hicks ( season 2 ) ; a crewperson and student who shows an interest in Jen David Dukes as Will / Joseph McPhee ( season 2 -- 4 ) ; Andie and Jack 's father Obba Babatundé as Principal Howard Green ( season 3 ) ; the stern but humane principal of Capeside High Brittany Daniel as Eve Whitman ( season 3 ) ; a trouble - making stranger to Capeside Aubrey Dollar as Marcy Bender ( season 3 ) ; a student at Capeside High Michael Pitt as Henry Parker ( season 3 ) ; a football student who develops a crush on Jen Mel Harris as Helen Lindley ( season 3 ) ; Jen 's mother Robin Dunne as A.J. Moller ( season 3 ) ; a college student from Boston and Joey 's love interest Adam Kaufman as Ethan ( season 3 ) ; Jack 's first gay love interest Bianca Lawson as Nikki Green ( season 3 ) ; the daughter of Principal Green Jonathan Lipnicki as Buzz Thompson ( season 3 ) ; a neglected child whom Pacey takes under his wing Sasha Alexander as Gretchen Witter ( season 4 ) ; Pacey 's older sister and Dawson 's love interest for the season Carolyn Hennesy as Mrs. Valentine ( season 4 ) ; the owner of Capeside 's Yacht Club, Drue 's snobbish mother, and Joey 's harsh boss Mark Matkevich as Drue Valentine ( season 4 ) ; Jen 's former friend from New York Harve Presnell as Arthur `` A.I. '' Brooks ( season 4 ) ; a crouchy retired film director whom Dawson admires Harry Shearer as Principal Peskin ( season 4 ) ; Capeside High 's pompous principal David Monahan as Tobey Barret ( season 4 -- 5 ) ; Jack 's love interest Jane Lynch as Mrs. Witter ( season 4 ) ; Pacey 's troubled and subservient mother Ken Marino as Professor David Wilder ( season 5 ) ; an English college professor and Joey 's casual love interest Nicole Bilderback as Heather Tracy ( season 5 -- 6 ) ; Dawson 's Hollywood film producer Chad Michael Murray as Charlie Todd ( season 5 ) ; Jen 's college boyfriend Hal Ozsan as Todd Carr ( season 5 -- 6 ) ; an ill - tempered and egotistical hack film director and Dawson 's mentor Lourdes Benedicto as Karen Torres ( season 5 ) ; a waitress and love interest of Pacey and Danny Ian Kahn as Danny Brecher ( season 5 ) ; a restaurant owner and Pacey 's boss Ryan Bittle as Eric ( season 5 ) ; a fraternity student Jordan Bridges as Oliver Chirckirk ( season 5 ) ; a struggling film student Marion Raven as Herself ( musical guest as M2M ), ( season 5 ) episode : `` 100 Light Years from Home '' Marit Larsen as Herself ( musical guest as M2M ), ( season 5 ) episode : `` 100 Light Years from Home '' Sherilyn Fenn as Alexandra ' Alex ' Pearl ( season 5 ) ; Pacey 's new boss at Civilization Restaurant Roger Howarth as Professor Greg Hetson ( season 6 ) ; Joey 's non-conformist and cynical English professor Oliver Hudson as Eddie Doling ( season 6 ) ; a college student and Joey 's love interest for the season Sebastian Spence as Professor Matt Freeman ( season 6 ) ; a professor at Boston Bay college Jensen Ackles as C.J. ( season 6 ) ; Jen 's friend and later boyfriend Dana Ashbrook as Rich Rinaldi ( season 6 ) ; a ruthless and greedy stockbroker and Pacey 's boss Bianca Kajlich as Natasha Kelly ( season 6 ) ; a brash film actress and Dawson 's love interest Mika Boorem as Harley Hetson ( season 6 ) ; Professor Hetson 's headstrong daughter Murderdolls as Themselves ( musical guest ), ( season 6 ) episode : `` Living Dead Girl '' Greg Rikaart as David ( season 6 ) ; Jack 's love interest for the season No Doubt as Themselves ( musical guest ), ( season 6 ) episode : `` Spiderwebs '' Sarah Shahi as Sadia Shaw ( season 6 ) ; a reporter who investigates Pacey Seth Rogen as Bob ( season 6 ) ; a stranger who Audrey has a one - night stand with Mimi Rogers as Helen Lindley ( season 6 ) ; Jen 's mother Production Conception Following the selling of his spec script for Wes Craven - directed Scream ( 1996 ), film assistant Kevin Williamson was taking several meetings with film and television producers before the slasher film began production. In what would be his first television meeting, Williamson met executive Paul Stupin and, when asked if he had ideas for a television production, Williamson came up with the idea of a teen series based on his youth growing up near a North Carolina creek as an aspiring filmmaker who worshiped director Steven Spielberg. Stupin liked his idea and asked him to come back the next day and pitch it to Columbia TriStar Television studios, prompting Williamson to write a 20 - page outline for Dawson 's Creek that night. Williamson pitched the show `` as Some Kind of Wonderful, meets Pump Up the Volume, meets James at 15, meets My So - Called Life, meets Little House on the Prairie '', also taking inspiration from teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 as he `` wanted it to speak to the teenage audience of the day. '' When Columbia requested him to relocate the show to Boston, Massachusetts, he settled with fictional Capeside, and pitched it to Fox. However, commissioned amid the struggling of Party of Five, Fox wondered if they needed another teen drama, and while they were supportive of Williamson 's scripts, they eventually passed on it. Left unsued, Columbia TriStar sent his scripts to newly founded The WB network who was looking for fresh ideas for their programme after launching supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Williamson went for a meeting with then - chief programmer Garth Ancier and entertainment president Susanne Daniels who loved his script and picked it up for the network 's new Tuesday night lineup. Procter & Gamble Productions joined in as an original co-producer of the series, however, sold its interest in the show three months before the premiere when printed stories surfaced about the racy dialogue and risqué plot lines. Casting Primary cast of Dawson 's Creek Van der Beek in 2013 Holmes in 2009 Jackson in 2012 Williams in 2012 Dawson 's Creek would become responsible for launching the acting careers of its young lead stars James van der Beek, Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson, who had varying acting experience prior to being cast in the show. Known for his appearance in The Mighty Ducks series, playing a young and aspiring hockey player, Jackson was initially considered for the main role of Dawson Leery. However, while Williamson `` fell in love '' with Jackson, citing his ability to read any role during the auditions, he felt that Jackson 's good looks would not fit the underdog, nerd, and video geek character he envisioned for the show 's titular character. After The WB expressed their wish to look for a different actor, Williamson decided on casting him in the role of Dawson 's best friend Pacey Witter instead. After watching a video of James van der Beek that his casting director had sent in, the casting crew invited him to audition in Los Angeles. A regular off - Broadway performer, van der Beek impressed Williams with his `` cerebral and internal '' quality, citing `` that nervousness that made it seem like he was pre-thinking and over-thinking and over-compensating constantly like he was insecure. And we said, `` There 's Dawson ''. '' Actors Charlie Hunnam, Adrian Grenier, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Scott Speedman also auditioned for the role of Dawson, while Adam Brody read for Pacey. With the role of Dawson 's best female friend Joey Potter, casting directors were looking for a tomboy character. Williamson and his team were initially close to casting actress Selma Blair in the role who had auditioned `` very tough, ( but ) with a lot of heart, '' when an audition tape of Katie Holmes came in, in which she had filmed herself in her basement, with her mother reading Dawson 's lines. Williamson thought she had exactly the right look for Joey, citing that `` she had those eyes, those eyes just stained with loneliness. '' He asked her to come to California, but a conflict with her a school play schedule prevented her from doing so. Upon her arrival in Los Angeles two weeks later, she was able to secure the role. Williams, a regular in low - budget films and commercials, impressed Williamson when she auditioned with a heartfelt scene in which her character Jen Lindely goes in and sees her grandfather laying in the bed, transforming herself `` into this broken child who just needed to be fixed. '' Katherine Heigl also was one of the actresses who auditioned for the role of Jen after Steve Miner, who directed the show 's pilot and Heigl 's 1994 film My Father the Hero, brought in the young star. Production team The entire first season, thirteen episodes, was filmed before the first episode even aired. After the end of the second season, Williamson left to focus on Wasteland, a new show for ABC, but returned to write the two - hour series finale. Filming locations During its first four seasons, Dawson 's Creek was primarily filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, at EUE / Screen Gems studios and on location around Wilmington, with Southport and Wrightsville Beach also standing in for the fictional town of Capeside, a port city located in mid-Cape Cod. The Wilmington area benefited greatly from the show. While a number of films, commercials and music videos had been shot at the studios, Dawson 's Creek was the first to occupy numerous soundstages for many years. Other shows as One Tree Hill later occupied some of those same soundstages for several years and used some of the same locations in Wilmington. In addition to business brought into the community by the project, it attracted attention to the city as a filming location and boosted tourism. The visitors ' bureau distributed a special guide to filming locations used in the show. For the Leery, Lindley, and Potter homes private residences located along the shores of Hewletts Creek, a stream in New Hanover County, were used. Some of the scenes shown during the opening credits and miscellaneous scenery shots throughout the early episodes were filmed in Martha 's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, as well as Masonboro. Interiors for the Potter family 's The Icehouse restaurant were filmed at The Icehouse bar in downtown Wilmington, while exteriors were filmed at the Dockside Restaurant in Wrightsville Beach. Nearby constructions at the real Icehouse later forced producers to eliminate the bar from the storyline by burning it down. Other prominent exterior shots include Alderman Hall on the University of North Carolina at Wilmington 's campus, serving for Capeside High School. Due to the campus 's architectural uniformity, it was difficult for the university to double as another campus in the show when the characters reached college in the fifth and sixth season. Therefore, scenes at the fictional Worthington University in Boston were filmed at Duke University and around Franklin Street at the University of North Carolina. Other filming locations in later seasons include Durham, and Raleigh. The Hell 's Kitchen bar featured in the show was a natural food store at 118 Princess Street in Wilmington which was purchased by producers, dressed as a seedy college bar and used for production during the show 's last season. When production completed, the building was purchased by a local restaurateur, along with much of the set and decorations and was then converted it into a real restaurant and bar. It retains the name as well. Reception Critical reception Dawson 's Creek generated a high amount of publicity before its debut, with several television critics and consumer watchdog groups expressing concerns about its anticipated `` racy '' plots and dialogue. The controversy drove one of the original production companies away from the project. John Kiesewetter, television columnist for The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote, `` As much as I want to love the show -- the cool kids, charming New England setting, and stunning cinematography -- I ca n't get past the consuming preoccupation with sex, sex, sex. '' In his defense, Williamson denied this was his intention, stating that `` I never set out to make something provocative and racy ''. Syndicated columnist John Leo said the show should be called `` When Parents Cringe, '' and went on to write `` The first episode contains a good deal of chatter about breasts, genitalia, masturbation, and penis size. Then the title and credits come on and the story begins. '' Tom Shales, of The Washington Post commented that creator Kevin Williamson was `` the most overrated wunderkind in Hollywood '' and `` what he 's brilliant at is pandering. '' The Parents Television Council proclaimed the show as the single worst program of the 1997 -- 98 and 1998 - 99 seasons by being `` the crudest of the network shows aimed at kids, '' complaining about `` an almost obsessive focus on pre-marital sexual activity '', references to pornography and condoms, and the show 's acceptance of homosexuality. The Council also cited it as the fourth worst show in 2000 -- 2001. Former UPN President Lucie Salhany criticized WB for airing Dawson 's Creek which features `` adolescent characters in adult situations '' in an early timeslot while the network is supposed to be `` the family network ''. However, on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum, the National Organization for Women offered an endorsement, deeming it one of the least sexually exploitative shows on the air. Despite the controversy surrounding the sexual - oriented topics, the show was a major critical success. Before its premiere, San Francisco Chronicle explained the buzz around the show was due to its creator Kevin Williamson who wrote the screenplays for Scream and Scream 2 and that the show might be `` one of the year 's tangier hits ''. He also found Dawson 's Creek scenically `` downright luxuriant '' and liked that it `` does n't have the rushed feel of so many teen shows. The edginess is in the situations, not the pacing. '' Variety wrote that it was `` an addictive drama with considerable heart... the teenage equivalent of a Woody Allen movie -- a kind of ' Deconstructing Puberty ' ''. The Atlanta Journal - Constitution called it `` a teen 's dream ''. The Dayton Daily News listed Capeside as a television town they 'd most like to live in. The Seattle Times declared it the best show of the 1997 -- 1998 season and said it `` belongs to the small - pantheon My So - Called Life, James at 15 and to a lesser extent, Party of Five and Doogie Howser, M.D.. Awards and accolades Dawson 's Creek was nominated for fourteen awards, including ALMA Awards, Casting Society of America Awards, Golden Satellite Awards, TV Guide Awards, and YoungStar Awards. In 2000, the show was awarded a SHINE Award for consistently addressing sexual health issues on TV. By the end of its run, the show, its crew, and its young cast had been nominated for numerous awards, winning six of them. Joshua Jackson won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Actor three times, and the show won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Drama twice. The series also won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Drama Series. Year Result Award 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 Nominated GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding TV Drama Series 2001 Nominated 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 1998 Nominated YoungStar Awards Outstanding TV Drama SeriesBest Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series Michelle Williams 1999 Nominated US television ratings This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2012 ) Season Timeslot Network Season premiere Season finale TV seasons Rank Viewers ( in millions ) Tuesday 9 / 8c The WB January 20, 1998 May 19, 1998 1997 -- 1998 # 121 6.6 Wednesday 8 / 7c October 7, 1998 May 26, 1999 1998 -- 1999 # 119 5.4 September 29, 1999 May 24, 2000 1999 -- 2000 # 122 4.0 October 4, 2000 May 23, 2001 2000 -- 2001 # 120 4.1 5 October 10, 2001 May 15, 2002 2001 -- 2002 # 134 3.9 6 October 2, 2002 May 14, 2003 2002 -- 2003 # 134 4.0 The show was rated TV - 14 for content. While never a huge ratings success among the general television population, Dawson 's Creek did very well with the younger demographic it targeted and became a defining show for the WB Network. The pilot episode was watched by 6.8 million viewers and had a 4.8 rating which was the network 's highest rating at the time. The first season 's highest ranked episode was the finale, which was fifty - ninth, while the second highest rated was the second episode ( probably scoring so well partially because the other major networks carried President Clinton 's State of the Union address in the midst of the Lewinsky scandal rather than their regular programming ). The finale itself was watched by 7.8 million U.S. viewers, which was its largest audience ever. Spin - off The show had, in the words of television experts Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, a `` semi-spinoff '' -- Young Americans. The protagonist of Young Americans, Will Krudski ( Rodney Scott ), was introduced in three episodes at the end of the show 's third season, as a former classmate of Dawson, Joey, and Pacey, who had moved away some years before and had returned for a visit. He was never referred to before or seen again. Young Americans was made by the same company as Dawson 's Creek, Columbia TriStar Television, and appeared in Dawson 's Creek 's timeslot when it went on hiatus during the summer of 2000. The show had 8 episodes. The reason the show is considered a semi-spinoff instead of a true spinoff is that Will was not originally created for Dawson 's Creek. He was added to Dawson 's solely to set up and promote the series Young Americans. Simon & Schuster published a series of fifteen mass - market paperback novelizations of the series. The Amanda Show featured a skit entitled `` Moody 's Point '' to parody the show, but was discontinued when the show was cancelled. Broadcast International This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2015 ) This article is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this article to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. ( January 2015 ) The show was especially popular in Australia, where it rated # 1 in its timeslot on Network Ten for several episodes and highly at other times from seasons one to four. The show originally aired in the UK on Channel 4 but later moved to Channel 5 for the last two seasons. In 2007, Channel 5 's sister channel 5Star began airing reruns on weekdays at 7pm. In early 2008 with its evening showings having reached the final season it restarted the show in an early morning slot. From April 2011, it now airs on Sony Entertainment Television on the Sky digital platform. As of November 2017, the full series returns to Channel 4 on its steaming service All 4. The show also aired in numerous international markets, listed here with the premiere dates : Country Premiere Channel Albania 2005 Vizion + Argentina 1998 Sony Entertainment Television ( Latin America ) Australia 1998 Network Ten ( Original broadcast -- 1998 -- 2003 ) TV1 ( Syndication -- 2001 -- 2000s ) 9Go ! ( 2017 -- ) Austria ORF 1, Reruns on Puls 4 Belgium 1999 VT4, Reruns on 2BE ( 2008 ), vtm ( as of August 30, 2010 ) ( in Dutch ), VijfTV ( as of August 30, 2011 ) ( in Dutch ) La Deux, Club RTL ( in French ) Brazil March 3, 1998 Sony, Rede Globo, Record, Liv, MTV Bulgaria 2000 Nova Television Canada January 20, 1998 May 14, 2003 Global Chile 2000 MEGA Croatia September 2001 Nova TV Cuba 2005, January Cubavision Czech Republic September 9, 2000 TV Nova Denmark September 1, 1998 TV3. Syndication : DR1, TV 2 and currently TV 2 Zulu Ecuador 1998, September sitv France January 10, 1999 TF1 and Télé Monte Carlo Germany January 3, 1999 Sat. 1 ( Seasons 1 - 3 ) and ProSieben ( Seasons 4 - 6 ) ; Reruns aired on both channels, ZDFneo and on the premium channel TNT Serie Greece January 10, 1999 Mega Hungary September 11, 1999 TV2 ( Seasons 1 - 3 ), RTL Klub ( Seasons 4 - 5 ), Cool TV ( Season 6 ) India April 2008 Zee Cafe Indonesia 1999, rerun 2007 TPI, rerun by Global TV Ireland May 1998 RTÉ TWO reruns on 3e Israel September 1, 1998 Channel 3 Channel 10 Italy January 3, 1999 / January 13, 2000 Tele+ ( pay TV ) / Italia Uno ( free to air ) Lithuania TV3 later moved to TV6 Malaysia 2000 Radio Televisyen Malaysia Channel 2 ( TV2 ) Malta July 2008 Net Television Mexico Canal 5 Netherlands NET 5 New Zealand June 25, 1999 TV2 ( New Zealand ) Norway September 1, 1998 TV3 Panama 1998 Channel 4 RPC Paraguay 1998 Channel 9 SNT Peru Sony Entertainment Television ( Latin America ) Philippines 1998 Studio 23 ( now ABS - CBN Sports + Action ) Poland September 6, 1998 Polsat Portugal April 8, 2001 TVI Puerto Rico 1999 Tele Once UnivisionPR Romania February 28, 1999 Pro TV Russia June, 1998 ORT Saudi Arabia December 2007 MBC 4 Serbia September 2002 B92 South Korea SBS South Africa 1999 M - Net Spain 2000 La 2 de RTVE Sri Lanka 2000 ARTv Switzerland December 27, 1998 TSR 2 Thailand May 15, 1999 True Series Turkey 1999 CNBC - e, 2002 DiziMax, 2009 Kanal 1 Ukraine 2008 1 + 1 United Kingdom May 2, 1998 Channel 4, Sky One, Trouble, Sony TV Venezuela 1998 Televen Vietnam 1999 HTV7 Merchandise DVD releases Main article : List of Dawson 's Creek home video releases Music Curating popular music and breaking artists from the independent and alternative rock genres, Dawson 's Creek became impactful on shaping the television music culture of teen and other drama series in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Instrumentation of the episodes was generally overseen by executive Paul Stupin, music supervisor John McCullough, and co-producer Drew Matich who helped artists rise to fame and made pivotal creative decisions. The trio approached music in `` a way to convey the emotion, to convey the story, '' looking for songs to underplay whole sequences where viewers could also enjoy the music under dialogue. Thus, Stupin would often end up spending hours in the editing room with the editor going over, trying candidate after candidate of songs that McCullough send over. In some cases, they would look at, against picture, ten or 15 songs against each scene. Next to McCullough, recommendations for inclusion came `` from everywhere '', with writers, editors, co-producers and Sony Music executives playing pivotal roles. Paula Cole 's `` I Do n't Want to Wait '' served as the show 's theme song. Originally, Canadian recording artist Alanis Morissette 's song `` Hand in My Pocket '' from her third studio album Jagged Little Pill ( 1995 ) served as the theme song in the unaired pilot episode of the television show. However, Morissette decided not to have it used as the theme after Dawson 's Creek was picked up, prompting Stupin and McCullough to approach different artists for original material to use. In the meantime, The WB had licensed American singer - songwriter Paula Cole 's song `` I Do n't Want to Wait '' from her second album This Fire ( 1996 ) and suggested them to use it instead. An eleventh hour decision, it was incorporated late into the promotion of the series but became a hit on the US Billboard charts upon the show 's debut in January 1998. The first season 's score was provided by Adam Fields, including the `` End Credits Theme, '' which was used on all sixth seasons. Because Sony Music failed to secure the rights for home video and online streaming services when the show was produced and did not wish to pay for them later, most of the songs that aired in the original broadcasts were replaced in the DVD editions and upon the video - on - demand debut of the show. Starting with the third season, `` I Do n't Want to Wait '' was also dropped from the opening sequence of the DVD releases due to budget reasons, to be replaced by `` Run Like Mad '' from Canadian folk artist Jann Arden, a regular music contributor to the series. The 32 - second recording was one of the original intros that Stupin commissioned after he had failed to acquire rights to Morissette 's song and which international broadcasts had previously used as the theme song for the first season before switching to Cole 's song for the remainder of the run. During its original run, Dawson 's Creek spawned two volumes of soundtrack albums. The album Songs from Dawson 's Creek was released after the broadcasting of the series ' first season in April 1999, and became a major success worldwide. It reached the top of the Australian Albums Chart and also peaked within the top in Austria, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. During it first sixth months of release, the album sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide and was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) and gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ). In Australia, it became the fifth highest selling album of 1999. Songs from Dawson 's Creek -- Volume 2 was released in October 2000 to coincide with the debut of the series ' fourth season. Less successful, it reached the top twenty of Austrian and Swiss Albums Charts, while peaking at number 50 on the US Billboard 200. International rebroadcast Reruns of the show are often seen in Australia on 9Go !, in Canada on TVtropolis, in Norway on TV3, in Denmark on TV2 Zulu, in the UK and Ireland on Sony Entertainment Television, in France on TMC, in Greece on Macedonia TV, in Romania on Digi Film, in India on Zee Café, in Indonesia on TPI and Global TV, in Italy on Italia 1, in Spain on LaOtra, in Lithuania on TV3, in Latin America on Liv, and in the Middle East on MBC4 and on the Orbit -- Showtime Network ( OSN ). Bibliography This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. ( February 2009 ) Darren Crosdale 's Dawson 's Creek : The Official Companion ( Kansas City, Missouri : Andrews McMeel, 1999 ) ( ISBN 0 - 7407 - 0725 - 6 ), thoroughly chronicles the show, but only covers events through to the end of the second season. Scott Andrews ' Troubled Waters : An Unauthorised and Unofficial Guide To Dawson 's Creek ( Virgin Publishing 2001 ( ISBN 0 - 7535 - 0625 - 4 ) ) also covers the series thoroughly up to the end of Season Four. A less thorough book from about the same time, aimed at teens, is Meet the Stars of Dawson 's Creek by Grace Catalano. Andy Mangels 's From Scream to Dawson 's Creek : An Unauthorized Take on the Phenomenal Career of Kevin Williamson ( Los Angeles : Renaissance Books, 2000 ) ( ISBN 1 - 58063 - 122 - 3 ) covers the show well but omits later seasons. Other references include : `` The best ( and worst ) 1999 had to offer ''. Dayton Daily News. January 2, 2000. 5C. Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946 - Present. 8th ed. New York : Ballantine Books, 2003. ( General information on the show and Young Americans ) `` Cheers and Jeers ''. TV Guide. Issue 2619. v. 51, n. 23. June 7, 2003. 14. Tamara Conniff. `` Music plays an important -- and profitable -- role in ' Dawson 's Creek ' ''. The Hollywood Reporter. April 17, 2002. ( The show 's sound ) Robert Crane. `` Twenty Questions : Kevin Williamson ''. Playboy. v. 45, n. 9. September 1998. 138. ( Interview with the show 's creator ) `` Dawson 's Creek 's low aim ''. ( Editorial ). The Cincinnati Post. September 22, 1997. 8A. ( Editorial denouncing Procter and Gamble 's role in the show, P&G being a Cincinnati company ) Maureen Dowd. `` Puppy Love Politics ''. The New York Times. June 9, 1999. A31. ( Humorous mention of politicians ) Jeffrey Epstein. `` Unbound ''. The Advocate. August 31, 1999. 34. ( Kevin Williamson profiled ) Amanda Fazzone. `` Boob Tube : NOW 's Strange Taste in TV ''. The New Republic. Issue 4515. v. 225, n. 5. June 8, 2001. 26 -- 35. ( NOW 's endorsement of the show ) Matthew Gilbert. `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' : A flood of hormones ''. The Boston Globe. January 20, 1998. C1. ( Review of premiere ) Matthew Gilbert. `` Dawson, pals talk out into the sunset ''. The Boston Globe. May 14, 2003. D1. ( Review of finale ) Lynn Hirschberg. `` Desperate to Seem 16 ''. The New York Times Magazine. September 5, 1999. 42. John Kieswetter. `` P&G execs reviewing family TV ''. The Cincinnati Enquirer. August 6, 2000. A1. ( P&G considering its role in producing the show ) John Kieswetter. `` Readers divided on ' Dawson 's ' ''. The Cincinnati Enquirer. February 24, 1998. ( Cincinnati viewers ' reaction to the premiere ) Caryn James. `` Young, Handsome, and Clueless in Peyton Place ''. The New York Times. January 20, 1998. E5. ( Review of the premiere ) Ted Johnson. `` Dawson 's Peak ''. TV Guide. Issue 2345. v. 46, n. 10. March 7, 1998. 18 -- 24. ( Cover story on show 's early success ) Ted Johnson. `` His So - Called Life ''. TV Guide. Issue 2345. v. 46, n. 10. March 7, 1998. 25 -- 29. ( Profile of creator Kevin Williamson ) `` Kevin Williamson : he 's a scream ''. TV Guide. Issue 2337. v. 26, n. 2. January 10, 1998. 30. ( Profile of creator Kevin Williamson ) Phil Kloer. `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' : Teens get wet ''. The Atlanta Journal - Constitution. January 20, 1998. B1. ( Review of premiere ) John Leo. `` TV sleaze worse than ever ''. Las Vegas Review - Journal. January 25, 1998. 4E. ( Column criticizing sex on television ) Gareth McGrath. `` Creek 's Hot Properties ''. Wilmington Star - News. June 14, 2003. ( Sale of props used on the show ) Shawna Malcolm. `` Casting Off ''. TV Guide. Issue 2615. v. 51, n. 19. May 10, 2003. 40. Jay Mathews. `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' site mecca for teens ''. The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 18, 1999. ravel section, p. 6. `` The Merchants of Cool ''. Frontline. PBS. February 27, 2001. Joe Queenan. `` Dumb and Dumber ''. TV Guide. v. 46, n. 15. April 11, 1998. 18. Lynette Rice. `` Interest in ' Creek ' Rising ''. Broadcasting and Cable. June 16, 1997. 25. Ray Richmond. `` Youth ache 100 episodes ''. The Hollywood Reporter. April 17, 2002. ( Part of special section commemorating 100th episode. ) Matt Roush. Review of Dawson 's Creek. TV Guide. v. 46, n. 6. February 7, 1998. 16. Pamela Redmond Satran. `` 15 Signs You 're Too Old to Watch Dawson 's Creek ''. TV Guide. Issue 2442. v. 28, n. January 3, 15, 2000. 17. Tom Shales. `` Stuck in the Muck ''. The Washington Post. January 20, 1998. D1. Maxine Shin. `` If Dawson and Buffy Are Gone, Can I Still Be Young ? '' New York Post. May 20, 2003. Alessandra Stanley. `` A President - to - Be And His Rosebud ''. The New York Times. September 10, 2004. B1. Kevin D. Thompson. `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' runs its course tonight ''. The Palm Beach Post. May 14, 2003. Ken Tucker. `` The Big Kiss - off ''. Entertainment Weekly. Issue 544. June 9, 2000. 58 -- 59. Josh Walk. `` Pop Goes the Teen Boom ? '' Entertainment Weekly. Issue 599. June 8, 2001. 26 -- 35. Andrew Wallentsein. `` ' Creek ' to make splash on TBS ''. Daily Variety. March 19, 2003. 3. Ron Weiskind, Barbara Vancheri, and Rob Owens. `` If We Were in TV Land ''. Dayton Daily News. October 28, 1999. 8C. Jeffrey Zaslow. `` Straight talk ''. USA Weekend. July 10, 1998. 22. References Jump up ^ `` The New Classics : TV ''. Entertainment Weekly. June 18, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2012. Jump up ^ Susman, Gary ( February 3, 2003 ). `` Up the ' Creek ' ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 6, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` TV briefs : ' Dawson 's Creek ' adds four new cast members ''. Seattle Times. August 9, 2002. Retrieved April 7, 2012. ^ Jump up to : Goldberg, Lesley ( 2018 - 01 - 19 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' Turns 20 : Kevin Williamson Reveals the Teen Drama 's Deepest Secrets ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 25. Jump up ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=KCm8TUemxkcC&lpg=PT71&ots=5sOSLW6-G5&dq=%22I%20pitched%20it%20as%20Some%20Kind%20of%20Wonderful%2C%20meets%20Pump%20Up%20the%20Volume%22&pg=PT71#v=onepage&q=%22I%20pitched%20it%20as%20Some%20Kind%20of%20Wonderful,%20meets%20Pump%20Up%20the%20Volume%22&f=false ^ Jump up to : Paeth, Greg ( October 23, 1997 ). `` P&G Cuts Its Links with Steamy Teen Series ''. The Cincinnati Post. Retrieved April 7, 2012. Jump up ^ Heldman, Breanne L. ( 2018 - 01 - 20 ). `` Actors you did n't know auditioned for Dawson 's Creek ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ Ray Richmond. `` Youth ache 100 episodes : The WB 's signature show, ' Dawson 's Creek ' brings intellect and frankness to the portrayal of young adults. '' The Hollywood Reporter. April 17, 2002, pg. S1. Jump up ^ Adam Rapoport. `` Girl, You 'll Be A Woman Soon '', GQ, April 2002. Jump up ^ Andy Mangels. From Scream to Dawson 's Creek : An Unauthorized Take on the Phenomenal Career of Kevin Williamson. Los Angeles : Renaissance Books, 2000. ISBN 1 - 58063 - 122 - 3, 177 Jump up ^ Christopher Borrelli. `` The It Girl : For Toledoan Katie Holmes, Stardom Is Just Around the Corner ''. Toledo Blade. January 11, 1998. Arts and Entertainment, 1 ; `` Katie Holmes '', Current Biography. Jump up ^ Cindy Pearlman. `` ' America 's little sister ' hits it big. '' Chicago Sun - Times. August 15, 1999. pg 3. Jump up ^ Stack, Tim ( 2018 - 03 - 28 ). `` Dawson 's Creek reunion : Katherine Heigl could have been Jen and other casting stories ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2018 - 04 - 03. Jump up ^ Bobbin, Jay ( May 11, 2003 ). `` Bittersweet goodbye ''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ Bonin, Liane ( July 28, 1999 ). `` Pilot Error ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2012. Jump up ^ King, Susan ( May 11, 2003 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' Bows Out Looking Ahead ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 6, 2012. ^ Jump up to : Kissinger, Kyle ( 2017 - 11 - 14 ). `` Hollywood of the East : Wilmington 's notable television and film appearances ''. The Sea Hawk. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. ^ Jump up to : Jeff Hidek & Amy Hotz ( January 20, 2008 ). `` ' Creek ' revisited : The super-hot, locally filmed teen drama is, like, so 10 years ago ''. The Star - News. Jump up ^ Neumaier, Joe ( June 4, 1999 ). `` Visiting Dawson 's Creek ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2012. Jump up ^ Hidek, Jeff ( January 28, 2008 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' legacy endures ''. News & Record. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Duke : The TV Show ''. Duke Magazine. January -- February 2002. Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Kiesewetter, John ( January 20, 1998 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' overflows with sex ''. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Top 10 Best & Worst Family Shows on Network Television 1998 - 1999 TV Season ''. parentstv.org. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` The 2000 - 2001 Top 10 Best and Worst on Network TV ''. parentstv.org. Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ Braxton, Greg ( June 11, 1997 ). `` UPN President Knocks Rival WB Network ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ Carman, John ( January 20, 1998 ). `` ` Creek ' Runs Hot / Hormone - fueled teen drama looks like a hit for WB ''. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ Richmond, Ray ( January 19, 1998 ). `` Dawson 's Creek ''. Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ McFadden, Kay ( January 19, 1998 ). `` The Kids Are Alright -- ` Dawson 's Creek ' Frankly, Lovingly Presents Teen Coming Of Age ''. The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 7, 2012. Jump up ^ Feiwell, Jill ( October 25, 2000 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' garners honors ''. Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` '' Dawson 's Creek '' ( 1998 ) - Awards ``. IMDb. Retrieved April 6, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` The Final Countdown ''. Entertainment Weekly. May 29, 1998. Retrieved April 8, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` TV Winners & Losers : Numbers Racket A Final Tally Of The Season 's Show ( from Nielsen Media Research ) ''. Entertainment Weekly. GeoCities. June 4, 1999. Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` How did your favorite show rate ? ''. USA Today. May 28, 2002. Retrieved April 8, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Felicity Translates Buzz Into Ratings ''. Studio Briefing. October 1, 1988. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ Bierbaum, Tom ( January 28, 1998 ). `` Clinton tide stops long enough at ' Creek ' ''. Variety. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Young Americans ''. TV.com. Retrieved April 6, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Kaplan, Ilana ( 2018 - 01 - 20 ). `` ' Dawson 's Creek ' Turns 20 : Insiders Share Stories Behind the Music, Plot Choices & More ''. Billboard. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Paula Cole : Then ' 90s Alternative Girls : Then & Now ''. Xfinity. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. ^ Jump up to : Satran, Joe ( 2012 - 07 - 19 ). `` Netflix 's ' Dawson 's Creek ' Theme Song Closes Tortured Saga ''. Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ Weingarten, Marc ( May 8, 1999 ). `` * * Various artists, `` Songs From ' Dawson 's Creek ' '', Columbia ``. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 6, 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` local Noise ''. Billboard. 1999 - 11 - 06. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- End Of Year Charts -- Top 100 Albums 1999 ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 28. External links Television in the United States portal Wikiquote has quotations related to : Dawson 's Creek Dawson 's Creek on Facebook Dawson 's Creek on IMDb Dawson 's Creek at TV.com Dawson 's Creek Characters Dawson Leery Joey Potter Gail Leery Episodes `` True Love '' Releases List of Dawson 's Creek home video releases Related Young Americans Songs from Dawson 's Creek Songs from Dawson 's Creek -- Volume 2 `` I Do n't Want to Wait '' Teen Choice Award for Choice Drama Series Dawson 's Creek ( 1999 -- 2000 ) 7th Heaven ( 2001 -- 03 ) The O.C. ( 2004 -- 06 ) Grey 's Anatomy ( 2007 ) Gossip Girl ( 2008 -- 11 ) Pretty Little Liars ( 2012 -- 16 ) Riverdale ( 2017 ) BNF : cb135733384 ( data ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dawson%27s_Creek&oldid=834504418 '' Categories : Dawson 's Creek 1998 American television series debuts 2003 American television series endings 1990s American drama television series 1990s American romance television series 1990s teen drama television series 2000s American drama television series 2000s American romance television series 2000s teen drama television series American drama television series American LGBT - related television shows American high school television series American romantic drama television series English - language television programs Television shows set in Massachusetts Television shows filmed in North Carolina Television series by Procter & Gamble Productions Television series by Sony Pictures Television The WB shows Serial drama television series Student - produced television series American television soap operas Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from October 2016 All articles needing additional references Use mdy dates from June 2013 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016 Articles needing additional references from April 2012 Articles with unsourced statements from April 2012 Articles needing additional references from January 2015 Articles needing cleanup from January 2015 All pages needing cleanup Articles with sections that need to be turned into prose from January 2015 Articles with Dutch - language external links Articles with French - language external links Articles lacking in - text citations from February 2009 All articles lacking in - text citations Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Български Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto Français Galego 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Українська 中文 21 more Edit links This page was last edited on 6 April 2018, at 02 : 03. 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Question: where is dawson's creek supposed to be
Answer: the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts