The pilot of pairs of best friends, from Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) to Jack Mhee (Kerr Smith) and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), along with their friend Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson).
Not every story on the show is great, but the first episode is a well-crafted hour of television that introduces the teens, their problems, desires, and dreams. Keep reading to find out everything that changed in the episodes following the pilot and the aspects of the show that were always a constant.
Changed: Joey And Pacey Go From Hating Each Other To Falling In Love
Before the Joey/Pacey/Dawson love triangle, Joey and Pacey hate each other. In the Dawson's Creek pilot, they're both starring in Dawson's horror film, and every time Pacey gets close to her, Joey freaks out.
This changes as these two characters not only fall madly and deeply in love, but they end up together in the series finale. Their relationship bears no resemblance to the way they spoke to each other in the first episode.
Kept The Same: Joey And Dawson Have A Special Connection
Joey Potter is the girl next door (or the girl across the creek, in this case). She and Dawson have been the best of friends since they were kids, and they have a special connection that has never been broken.
Even though they're growing up faster than they might like, their bond hasn't changed, and this is heartwarming to see. The show really wouldn't be the same show without the Dawson/Joey friendship.
Changed: Dawson Doesn't Always Want To Be With Jen
In the pilot, Dawson is totally obsessed with Jen the new girl, and he thinks that she's going to be the answer to all of his dating problems.
This changes after the pilot once it becomes clear that they're not a good match. They do date later on during the show's college years, but they're not much better then, either, as they seem better off as pals.
Kept The Same: Dawson's ion For Filmmaking
Not everything about Dawson holds up today but one positive thing about the character is that he has always loved movies. While many people enjoy the entertainment value of films, Dawson always wanted to be the one behind the camera, penning the script.
Dawson's ion for filmmaking is evident in the pilot as he's making his own flick. As the show goes on, he keeps up that interest, going to film school, dropping out, and getting involved with various other filmmakers so he can start his career.
Changed: Dawson's Parents Don't Actually Have A Perfect Marriage
In the pilot, Dawson can't believe how much his parents make out and talk about sex. He's pretty grossed out by the whole thing, which is an understandable reaction from a teenager.
Dawson's mom cheats on his dad soon after, and his world comes crashing down. It turns out that Mr. and Mrs. Leery don't have a perfect marriage after all.
Kept The Same: Joey's Sad Home Life
While Joey's sister Bessie (Nina Repeta) does her best to take care of her, an older sibling is not the same as an actual parent. Joey always has a pretty sad home life throughout all six seasons of the show.
Sure, Bessie opens a B&B and tries to make more money, but Joey never feels confident that she has enough money to get by.
Changed: The Friend Group Gets Bigger
Dawson's Creek can be confusing, but one thing that has always been great is how close the group of friends is with one another. This definitely changed from the pilot, where it's only Dawson, Joey, Pacey and new girl Jen.
As the show progresses, Jack and Andie (Meredith Monroe) are added, and then Audrey (Busy Philipps) becomes part of the group when she's Joey's college roommate. These other characters aren't in the pilot.
Kept The Same: A Frank Discussion Of Sex
Viewers were pretty stunned when the teen drama premiered as Joey and Dawson talk about sex and intimacy, and that was considered a really big deal back then.
They talk about his parents' sex life and Joey even mentions Dawson's long fingers and asks him how many times a day he "walks his dog." This frank discussion of sex isn't present in every episode after the pilot, but it does continue throughout the series.
Changed: Grams Becomes A Much Nicer Character
Dawson's Creek has some bad ing players but Grams (Mary Beth Peil) is one of the best. She definitely changes a lot after the pilot, though.
When Jen moves in with her grandma, she's entering a very strict and formal house where she doesn't fit in. But after a while, Jen and Grams bond and start to really understand each other. Their evolving relationship is one of the sweetest parts of the show.
Kept The Same: Dawson's Spielberg Obsession
Sure, Dawson is into movies... but he's really, really into Steven Spielberg. He talks about how much he loves his films in the pilot and viewers can see that his bedroom walls are plastered with Spielberg movie posters.
There's a nice callback in the series finale, as Dawson calls Joey and Pacey and says that he's meeting his idol the next day.
