School's out and the days are hot, so you might be craving a classic, sun-drenched TV marathon. If you're looking for the ultimate warm-weather watch to sink into this season, it's time to head back to the coast and revisit a late-'90s masterpiece: "Dawson’s Creek."
Set against the picturesque, waterfront backdrop of a fictional New England town, the beloved drama chronicles the lives, heartbreaks, and famously fast-talking relationships of Dawson Leery (the late James Van Der Beek) and his close-knit circle of friends as they navigate the messy waters of high school and college.
With 128 hour-long episodes packed with saucy storylines, sharp wit, emotional coming-of-age growth, and one of the greatest love triangles in television history, it remains the quintessential summer binge. Best of all, the complete series is currently streaming on Netflix.
What is 'Dawson's Creek' about?
Long before there was "The Summer I Turned Pretty," "Outer Banks" or "Euphoria", there was "Dawson's Creek,' the seminal '90s teen soap.
The Kevin Williamson-created WB drama, which ran for six seasons from 1998 to 2003, focused on four teenagers navigating adolescence and the challenges of growing up in the fictional New England town of Capeside, Massachusetts: aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), sarcastic tomboy Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), charming slacker Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) and new girl in town Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).
Couplings between the core four — particularly the angst-filled, ongoing love triangle between Dawson, Joey and Pacey — as well as latter additions like Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith) and Audrey Liddell (Busy Philipps), provide the bulk of the show's romantic messiness, but there's plenty of family drama, too, from an infidelity that rocks the Leery household to the legal issues of Joey's imprisoned dad.
Why you should you stream 128 episodes of 'Dawson's Creek' on Hulu
Though it paved the way for countless teen dramas over the decades, "Dawson's Creek" differed from previous youth-focused programming thanks to both the provocative storylines and thoughtful writing it afforded its young characters.
Over the course of 128 episodes, Dawson and the rest of the precocious, preternaturally articulate Capeside kiddos dealt with love and loss, divorce and depression, addiction and attraction — topics that were usually reserved for adult shows only.
And whether you're revisiting the "Creek" or watching it for the first time — all six seasons are available to stream on both Hulu and Tubi, BTW — there's a quaint thrill in seeing the early acting careers of now-staples like Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams.
Altogether, "Dawson's Creek" is a nostalgic, engrossing watch, one packed with enough break-ups and make-ups, relatable characters and groundbreaking storylines to last you until Labor Day.
Watch "Dawson's Creek" on Netflix now
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