# List of Dawson's Creek episodes
*Dawson's Creek* is an American teen drama television series that ran for 128 episodes in six seasons on The WB network from January 20, 1998 to May 2003.[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/) Created by Kevin Williamson, it follows four teenagers in the fictional coastal town of Capeside, Massachusetts: aspiring filmmaker [Dawson Leery](https://www.edgepedia.org/dawson-leery) ([James Van Der Beek](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-van-der-beek)), Joey Potter ([Katie Holmes](https://www.edgepedia.org/katie-holmes)), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).[2](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/dawsons-creek-release-date-news?inapp=trueOs) This article lists the episodes by season and summarizes the series' broadcast record.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Network and run | The WB (US), January 1998 to May 2003, status canceled/ended[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/) |
| Total episodes | 128 episodes in 6 seasons, listed run time 60 minutes[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/) |
| Season 1 | 13 episodes, January 20 to May 19, 1998[3](https://www.tvepguides.com/shows/dawsons-creek/episodes) |
| Season 2 | 22 episodes, October 7, 1998 to May 26, 1999[3](https://www.tvepguides.com/shows/dawsons-creek/episodes) |
| Highest-rated season by user score | Season 5 at 8.1 (TMDB user scores); lowest is Season 4 at 7.0[4](https://televisionstats.com/s/dawson%27s-creek/episodes) |
| Principal cast | James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams; Kerr Smith joined as a regular in season 3[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/) |
| Current availability | Complete series streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Tubi[5](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/dawsons-creek) |
## Broadcast history
The series premiered in the United States on January 20, 1998, on The WB Network, Tuesdays at 9 P.M.[6](https://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/Dawson%27s_Creek) It also aired in numerous international markets, with premiere dates including Brazil on March 3, 1998; the United Kingdom on May 2, 1998; Israel on September 1, 1998; Sweden on September 11, 1998; Germany and Italy on January 3, 1999; Australia on January 19, 1999; Spain in 2000; and Portugal on April 8, 2001.[6](https://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/Dawson%27s_Creek)
Season 1 was a half season of 13 episodes, shorter than every later season. The pilot opens the day before the characters begin the new school year as sophomores at Capeside High.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118300/epdate) Production took place in [Wilmington, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/wilmington-north-carolina); the [New Hanover County](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-hanover-county) filmography file records episodes 2.19 and 2.20 as filmed there in 1999.[8](https://strategy.nhcgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/5872)
## Season 1 (1998)
Season 1 consists of 13 episodes.[3](https://www.tvepguides.com/shows/dawsons-creek/episodes) The pilot introduces 15-year-old film buff Dawson Leery, his lifelong friends [Joey Potter](https://www.edgepedia.org/joey-potter) and [Pacey Witter](https://www.edgepedia.org/pacey-witter), and newcomer Jen Lindley, who arrives from New York City; Pacey begins a relationship with the new English teacher, Tamara Jacobs.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118300/epdate)
| # | Title | Original air date | TMDB score[4](https://televisionstats.com/s/dawson%27s-creek/episodes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot | Jan 20, 1998 | 7.7 |
| 2 | Dance | Jan 27, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 3 | Kiss | Feb 3, 1998 | 10.0 |
| 4 | Discovery | Feb 10, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 5 | Hurricane | Feb 17, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 6 | Baby | Feb 24, 1998 | 7.5 |
| 7 | Detention | Mar 3, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 8 | Boyfriend | Mar 10, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 9 | Roadtrip | Mar 17, 1998 | 7.0 |
| 10 | Double Date | Apr 28, 1998 | 8.0 |
| 11 | The Scare | May 5, 1998 | 8.5 |
| 12 | Beauty Contest | May 12, 1998 | 9.0 |
| 13 | Decisions | May 19, 1998 | 9.5 |
Episode runtimes in season 1 run about 43 to 45 minutes.[4](https://televisionstats.com/s/dawson%27s-creek/episodes) In "Baby," Joey and Jen get a life lesson when Bessie is aided by an unlikely source while giving birth in Dawson's living room.[9](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/dawsons-creek/allseasons/official) "Detention," in which the gang is stuck together for an 8-hour Saturday detention, is described by TheTVDB as said to be one of the best episodes.[9](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/dawsons-creek/allseasons/official) In the United Kingdom, "The Scare" was moved to a late-night slot, broadcast at 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 1998, and marketed as a special [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) episode, a scheduling choice tied to creator Kevin Williamson's association with the horror genre through *Scream*.[10](https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/5949510/Final_Assembled_Thesis_Michael_O_Neill_210650_.pdf)
## Season 2 (1998–1999)
Season 2 consists of 22 episodes.[3](https://www.tvepguides.com/shows/dawsons-creek/episodes)
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Kiss | Oct 7, 1998 |
| 2 | Crossroads | Oct 14, 1998 |
| 3 | Alternative Lifestyles | Oct 21, 1998 |
| 4 | Tamara's Return | Oct 28, 1998 |
| 5 | Full Moon Rising | Nov 4, 1998 |
| 6 | The Dance | Nov 11, 1998 |
| 7 | The All-Nighter | Nov 18, 1998 |
| 8 | The Reluctant Hero | Nov 25, 1998 |
| 9 | The Election | Dec 16, 1998 |
| 10 | High Risk Behavior | Jan 13, 1999 |
| 11 | Sex, She Wrote | Jan 20, 1999 |
| 12 | Uncharted Waters | Jan 27, 1999 |
| 13 | His Leading Lady | Feb 3, 1999 |
| 14 | To Be or Not to Be... | Feb 10, 1999 |
| 15 | ...That Is the Question | Feb 17, 1999 |
| 16 | Be Careful What You Wish For | Mar 3, 1999 |
| 17 | Psychic Friends | Mar 10, 1999 |
| 18 | A Perfect Wedding | Apr 28, 1999 |
| 19 | Abby Morgan, Rest in Peace | May 5, 1999 |
| 20 | Reunited | May 12, 1999 |
| 21 | Ch... Ch... Ch... Changes | May 19, 1999 |
| 22 | Parental Discretion Advised | May 26, 1999 |
The season's episodes carry frequent pop-culture references. In episode 2x20, "Reunited," Pacey compares the characters' lives to *Beverly Hills, 90210*, referring to the Peach Pit diner; in episode 2x06 he mocks Andie's enthusiasm for *Footloose* (1984) and the homecoming dance.[11](https://amsdottorato.unibo.it/id/eprint/6672/1/Casarini_Alice_tesi.pdf)
## Ratings by season
User scores compiled from TMDB give the following season averages: Season 1 at 7.9, Season 2 at 7.5, Season 3 at 7.2, Season 4 at 7.0, Season 5 at 8.1, and Season 6 at 7.4, with an overall average of 7.5 across the 128 episodes and a best single-episode score of 10.0.[4](https://televisionstats.com/s/dawson%27s-creek/episodes) Season 5, the highest-rated season by this measure, includes "Swan Song," aired May 15, 2002 as episode 5-23.[1](https://epguides.com/dawsonscreek/)
Among later-season episodes, "Castaways" (season 6, episode 15) is a rare episode that focuses entirely on Pacey and Joey, running about 42 minutes of the two characters' screen time together.[12](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/with-joshua-jackson-katie-holmes-movie-reunion-i-rewatched-favorite-dawsons-creek-episodes-need-to-talk-about-it)
## Cast across the run
The principal credits list James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery, Michelle Williams as Jennifer "Jen" Lindley, Katie Holmes as Josephine "Joey" Potter, and [Joshua Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/joshua-jackson) as Pacey Witter, with [Mary Beth Peil](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-beth-peil) as Evelyn "Grams" Ryan.[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/) Mary Margaret Humes (Gail Leery), Nina Repeta (Bessie Potter), and [John Wesley Shipp](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-wesley-shipp) (Mitch Leery) were regulars in seasons 1 through 4 and recurring thereafter. Kerr Smith joined as a regular in season 3 as Jack McPhee, Meredith Monroe was a regular in seasons 3 and 4 as Andie McPhee, and Busy Philipps joined in season 6 as Audrey Liddell.[1](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/)
## Availability
The complete series, all six seasons with the theme song "I Don't Wanna Wait" by [Paula Cole](https://www.edgepedia.org/paula-cole), is streaming on Netflix.[2](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/dawsons-creek-release-date-news?inapp=trueOs) It is also available on Hulu and Tubi.[5](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/dawsons-creek) Sony Pictures lists the show as watchable on Hulu, YouTube, Tubi, and Samsung Plus.[13](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/dawsonscreek)
## References
1. [Dawson's Creek (a Titles & Air Dates Guide), epguides.com](https://www.epguides.com/DawsonsCreek/)
2. [Watch James Van Der Beek in Dawson's Creek on Netflix, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/dawsons-creek-release-date-news?inapp=trueOs)
3. [Dawson's Creek - Full Episode List, tvepguides.com](https://www.tvepguides.com/shows/dawsons-creek/episodes)
4. [Dawson's Creek Episode Guide | All 128 Episodes Ranked by Rating, televisionstats.com](https://televisionstats.com/s/dawson%27s-creek/episodes)
5. [Dawson's Creek - streaming tv show online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/dawsons-creek)
6. [Dawson's Creek, Fact-Archive encyclopedia](https://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/Dawson%27s_Creek)
7. [Dawson's Creek (TV Series 1998–2003) - Episode list, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118300/epdate)
8. [New Hanover County filmography vertical file](https://strategy.nhcgov.com/DocumentCenter/View/5872)
9. [Dawson's Creek - Aired Order - All Seasons, TheTVDB.com](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/dawsons-creek/allseasons/official)
10. [Michael O'Neill, PhD thesis, University of Portsmouth](https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/5949510/Final_Assembled_Thesis_Michael_O_Neill_210650_.pdf)
11. [Alice Casarini, thesis on Dawson's Creek episode analysis, University of Bologna](https://amsdottorato.unibo.it/id/eprint/6672/1/Casarini_Alice_tesi.pdf)
12. [CinemaBlend: Rewatching My Favorite Dawson's Creek Episodes](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/with-joshua-jackson-katie-holmes-movie-reunion-i-rewatched-favorite-dawsons-creek-episodes-need-to-talk-about-it)
13. [DAWSON'S CREEK, Sony Pictures Entertainment](https://www.sonypictures.com/tv/dawsonscreek)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Seasons, episodes, and installments › Installment collections and reference › Scripted live-action episode lists › Live-action episode lists*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license