Dawson's Creek: Complete Season 1 [DVD]

Dawson, the film-obsessed geek, Joey the feisty girl from down the Creek, Pacey the goofy under-achiever and Jen, wild girl from New York. Ahh, how alot has changed!

I'm sure this will be a great treat for DC fans, and if this version is the same as the US one, there should be a DVD commentary from the show's creator Kevin Williamson. I'd love to hear his original plans for such a sucessful show. This set isn't really bursting with extras, (just a few featurettes and commentaries) but you can't deny the Creek Magic!

The secret to enjoying "Dawson's Creek" is to realize that Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) is the least interesting member of the core group. This is not to say that he is boring, but when the entire series starts with him coaxing Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) into his bed because they always sleep together on movie night while remaining oblivious to the fact that the girl across the Creek is (a) in love with him and (b) a righteous babe, it is clear that this guy does not have a clue. Throughout the first season Dawson pretty much revalidates that idea at each and every opportunity, especially once "new girl" Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) literally moves next door. Meanwhile, loveable loser Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) is putting the moves on Tamara Jacobs (Leann Hunley), the gang's new English teacher. This last aspect becomes the proverbial exception that proves the rule because otherwise this coming of age drama would, rather ironically, be about teenagers NOT having sex. In that regard it almost seems like Williamson was trying to come up with a sexual generation-gap show in the grand tradition of "Family Ties," because in that regard Dawon's parents are embarrassing their son to death. But then it turns out his mother (Mary-Margaret Humes) has been having an affair and once his father (John Wesley Shipp) gets to the last person to know stage the destruction of the young Leery's psyche is just about complete. Besides, in the final insult to injury, he only gets to audit his school's film class.

The first season finds Dawson pursuing Jen, but the heart of that season is Joey's transformation from tomboy to potential Miss Windjammer, which reaches its high point when she sings "On My Own" in Episode 111, "Beauty Contest." The soul of the first season is clearly Pacey, who can never believe that he is as charming as he really happens to be; even at this early stage of the game there is a clear suggestion that he and Joey are kindred spirits. Not surprisingly given who created the show, the best episode in this collection turns out to be "The Scare" (Episode 109), which has Dawson pulling out his bag of tricks to scare the gang on Friday the 13th. The characters are likeable, the scripts are halfway literate, and the fact that Dawson and Joey reminds me of Anne Shirley being oblivious to the fact that she and Gilbert Blythe are going to live happily ever after is not a bad thing for "Dawson's Creek" to have going for it either. The DVD extras are halfway decent as well, with a retrospective featurette and some commentary from Williamson and executive producer Paul Stupin.

Season 1 in my opinion is the best season of Dawson's creek (though closely followed my season 2). Dawson's creek became too "bogged down" with heavy storylines and frustrating in season 3 that I stopped watching and haven't watched it since, but after seeing this box set advertised I had to own it just to remind myself on why I originally loved this show so much.

The series centers around Dawson Leary (James Van Der Beek), the Steven Spielberg fan, who looks to movies for answers about life. He becomes interested in new girl Jen (Michelle Williams) who moves to Capeside from New York to stay with her Grandmother. Joshua Jackson plays Dawson's friend Pacey who has troubles of his own when he starts dating his English teacher and not forgetting Katie Holmes who stars as Joey, who has to battle with her feelings for her best friend Dawson.

Dawson's creek is a wonderful series and well worth owning on DVD.