"It might be hard to remember, since the show became the water that all teen drama swims in, but Dawson's Creek had a rare knack for meeting its audience where it was. Shows that were aimed at similar demographics tended to either be too goofy or too moralising, but Dawson managed to find a rare sweet spot. It didn't talk down to the teens who watched it; in fact, it made a point of making them emotionally self-aware and hyperliterate."
"As the titular Dawson, Van Der Beek had arguably the trickiest role on the show. He was the audience surrogate. While Joshua Jackson's Pacey got to be cool and funny and dangerous, Dawson was tasked with holding the moral centre. This was tricky because that can be an extremely boring note to play, and so it came to pass. After the show had been on air for a few seasons, viewers started to turn against the sheer wet blandness of the character."
Dawson's Creek was a genuine sensation that set the template for later teen drama. The show met its audience where it was, avoiding goofiness and moralizing while portraying teenagers as emotionally self-aware and hyperliterate. The series made viewers identify with idealized versions of themselves. Dawson served as the audience surrogate and moral centre, while Pacey embodied coolness, humor and danger. Over time, Dawson's earnestness grew tedious to viewers, producing resentment toward the character's blandness. Such a defining, uncharismatic role can trap actors, yet Van Der Beek used the part as a foil and actively stretched his range, pursuing self-aware appearances and comedic cameos.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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