There was a time—before smartphones, before streaming—when teenage life played out on TV like someone had found your journal and turned it into a script. If you remember that era, you probably remember Dawson’s Creek.

The show debuted in 1998, right in the heart of The WB’s golden era, and stayed with us until 2003. But it wasn’t just something to watch—it became part of our growing up. Created by Kevin Williamson (yep, the one behind Scream), it introduced us to characters who felt honest and imperfect, figuring out love, friendship, and everything in between.

We met Dawson, the wide-eyed dreamer. Joey, the girl next door. And of course, Pacey and Jen, each one carrying their own weight of longing and possibility. They were played by James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams—faces we’ve since seen grow into something more, on screen and off.

What made Dawson’s Creek stick wasn’t just its drama. It was how it paused for quiet moments: two people on a dock, an awkward conversation by a locker, the way feelings built up but never fit neatly into words.

And now, more than twenty years later, it still resonates. People are still finding it—on DVDs, on streaming, in snippets online. At GalaxyCon Oklahoma City 2025, James Van Der Beek looked back on those years, reflecting not just on the show’s success but on the ways it changed him.

Maybe that’s the real legacy of The Creek. Not that it captured a generation—but that it still feels like it could be yours. (Click on the media bar below to hear James Van Der Beek.)

Ready to revisit Capeside or introduce “The Creek” to someone new? Dawson’s Creek is readily available on DVD, digital platforms, and streaming on Hulu!

The post ‘A Gift That Keeps On Giving’: James Van Der Beek Reflects On ‘Dawson’s Creek’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.