[Ali]

Were they trying to get people not to like him?

Srsly, I don't understand what they were thinking. I mean with title characters, writers need to work extra hard to make them likable if they have a lot of flaws like Dawson did. But instead they made him utterly unapologetic.

[clarkson_fan]

I feel like at times they didn't even realize how horrible a character they made him.

[‘ChelsღChina]

I can understand a writer writing a character utterly unapologetic (villains usually are ) but not the title character. If the show were to be called Capeside then maybe I'd understand the loose canon of a character they wrote here a little better. But it's not called Capeside it's called DAWSON's Creek. Did they ever think that maybe the title character should be one that the audience roots for a little more?

[clarkson_fan]

Yeah, i mean i personally felt that as the series went on it should have been called "Joey's Creek" because of how much more they focused on her as the series went on and the fact that she was the only main character to be in every episode.

[Anti-Soulmates]

Originally Posted by clarkson_fan (View Post) Yeah, i mean i personally felt that as the series went on it should have been called "Joey's Creek" because of how much more they focused on her as the series went on and the fact that she was the only main character to be in every episode.

Yea I don't think they realized how unlikeable they made him until it was too late. By season 5 it shouldve just been called the creek because Dawson didn't really do much. The refocusing of the show to Joey to me is the only reason why it had a 5 and 6 season

[FrellingTralk]

Originally Posted by Touldengal (View Post) i agree. that speech he made at his birthday was exactly why he wasn't happy in their friendship for so long. and how can pacey ever forget that!

And not just that horrible b-day moment either, but Dawson seemed so self-involved and oblivious around Pacey all the time (Pacey calls him on it once when he forgets his best friends 16th birthday just because Dawson is wrapped up oin having a new gf ) But even back in season 1 we never really heard much about how horrible Pacey's family were because Dawson didn't seem that interested in talking about it with Pacey. If that makes sense?

Like when Pacey enters the pagent Dawson is laughing that Pacey's father would never let him move out, and looks really surprised when Pacey said that's exactly what his Dad would like him to do. It's weird to go back and watch those scenes in season 1 cause Dawson is practically smiling and acting like it's a big joke to him when Pacey is telling him about his Dad

Or in the sailing episode from season 2 where Pacey's dad is insulting Pacey right to his face, and telling Dawson that he's so wonderful and can come back and visit Pacey in whatever burger joint he's working at. And afterwards Pacey tries to talk to Dawson about did you hear what his father was saying, and Dawson was all lollol that guy is so funny and obviously just joking around. I mean WHAT, is that a normal reaction when you hear a friend being dissed like that by a parent?!

It didn't take Jack five minutes to pick up on how horribly Pacey was being treated on that boating trip, and even Joey (back when they weren't close) looking sad for Pacey when he confides in her about his father telling Doug "At least I have you", while Dawson was supposed to be his best friend and Pacey could never really talk to him about his family life at all

[Touldengal]

i know!!! those moments are the ones that angered me the most! he was NEVER a good friend to him and i hate that it took pacey so long to realize it too.

the boating trip moments were the worst to me. i know exactly what u mean about him smiling and laughing it off. it was really annoying.

[Anti-Soulmates]

In the episode Two Gentlemen of Capeside Pacey came to Dawson at the end and apologized to him for "ruining their friendship" I dont think he did that. To me they only became friends as a matter of convenience and only lasted that long because it was usually Dawson who did something wrong and everyone forgives Dawson. When Pacey and Joey decided to get together it was one of the first times Pacey did something Dawson didnt like and he was unable to forgive. The PJO relationship was just the final push that showed how shallow of a friendship they had in my opinion.

[Touldengal]

I feel that how Pacey felt about their friendship was far more than it deserved. Seems to me that his whole life, he sort of relied on Dawson and his family to be his family as well, considering his life at home... Which is nice. I appreciate their history and what Dawson meant to him. My issue is that at some point, it almost seemed like Dawson relied on Pacey in order for him to feel good about himself. Dawson the good boy, Pacey the bad influence. That's how it's always been and I don't believe Pacey realized this very much. He, along with everyone else, let Dawson get away with that behavior. What Dawson said at his birthday? And then dawson's reaction to pacey's dad!? If i were Pacey, I would reevaluate our friendship completely. By the end of season 3, I would say there wasnt much of a friendship for PACEY to ruin. And he never did any of it on purpose. U can sort of control who u let yourself fall in love with, but when u are FRIENDS with the person and spending so much time together, falling in love could be inevitable. I totally get that Dawson was hurt, but it was the way he dealt with it that was the bigger issue.

[FrellingTralk]

Yeah I understand that Dawson would be upset that P/J kissed behind his back and Pacey did owe him an apology for that as he was Dawson's best friend, but by the time of 403 Dawson owed them both an apology right back. Season 4 aggravates me with how they make Dawson the wronged martyr as if he did nothing wrong, even when he tried to trap Joey into staying with him for the summer by threatening not to be friends with her, and he almost killed Pacey in a stupid boat-race. It would have been nice if just once Dawson could say he was sorry too and admit he overracted, but even in the finale episode he's got angry eyes when Jack makes a joke about stealing Dawson's soulmate (or however it went, it's been a while since I watched that episode ) and everyone looks uncomfortable

[clarkson_fan]

Totally agree. And Pacey did apologize to Dawson for his part in everything that went down. And Dawson just went on as if he never did anything or never acted irrational or in a bad way at all. That really, really annoys me. Not to mention there was also Will on Pacey's boat, i believe. He didn't almost kill just Pacey. And Will was completely innocent in it all. Dawson had no concern for that, only winning against Pacey. It was always a competition with Dawson.

Yeah, Dawson would have improved a little bit in my eyes if he had every sincerely apologized to Pacey and Joey for how he reacted when he found out about them, and even afterwards into Season 4. It took him a good 9, 10 episodes for him to finally get on track to trying to be Pacey's friend again.

And i never noticed the angry eyes Dawson gives in the series finale. I'll have to look for that next time i watch.

[FrellingTralk]

Maybe angry eyes is a bit of an exaggeration, but Dawson definitely didn't look too impressed

[Touldengal]

I think he seemed completely unphased by the apology and almost felt entitled to it.

[‘ChelsღChina]

Originally Posted by Anti-Soulmates (View Post) By season 5 it shouldve just been called the creek because Dawson didn't really do much.

Why is that? You're right, Dawson didn't do much. I mean by S5 Dawson was almost a background character having no more importance than Audrey.

[FrellingTralk]

To be honest I think James wanted out of the show by the end, hence them cutting his time so much in seasons 5 and especially season 6. Joey did kind of replace him as lead character after the high school years.