[Ali]

Ugh, so true. Did the writers think that, because the show was named after him, it wasn't necessary for him to have consequences for his actions? It just made him more unlikable.

[clarkson_fan]

I'm sorry, but i can't help but laugh whenever i see Joey push Dawson's face into the cake. It's like karma came back to bite him for his extremely rude speech he'd just made.

[Seersha]

That gif. It's amazing how with gifs just the repeat and timing of certain moments can make them funnier!

I don't know if this will make sense, but one of the things that bugged me about Dawson is how he seemed to feel as though he had every right to any emotion he felt (anger, frustration, resentment etc.), but didn't always act as if others around him had an equal right to such emotions.

I'm not saying that Dawson wasn't entitled to feeling certain ways at certain times, but there were instances when it just felt like he did not care about how others around him felt. I don't know if this was due to immaturity, or a feeling of superiority or heck, maybe even insecurity.

Some instances off the top of my head:

- Obviously, the triangle comes to mind near the end of S3, where even Joey (whom he loved), was made to feel like a wreck, and a part of that was because Dawson failed to take the time to try and imagine how she might be feeling. I think Dawson could have done everyone a favour (including himself, btw), by not trying to assume that he was the only one with feelings.

- The way he was seemingly oblivious to Pacey's feelings about going out on the father/son boat trip in S2 (and this was when they had supposedly grown up together!). Somehow Jack "got it," and yet Dawson didn't? Always seemed weird to me. Some people have already mentioned the way he put Pacey down during his birthday speech. In fact in my mind there are a lot of moments where Dawson's disregard for Pacey's feelings irritated me beyond belief, so I'll stop there.

- I also thought at times he could have been a bit more sensitive towards his parents during their marriage breakdown and divorce.

Anyway, basically I'm trying to say that Dawson was too self-involved, and that is never a good thing for a main character, IMO. I'm all for flawed characters, but it really wasn't until right in the LAST episode of S6 that I felt like maybe he'd grown up and matured in that area. It just made all the other characters around him seem so far ahead in emotional maturity.

[Ali]

That makes perfect sense. I definitely think he put himself and his feelings above everyone else's. And in some cases he was straight up oblivious to others' feelings because he was so concerned with his own.

That gif. It's amazing how with gifs just the repeat and timing of certain moments can make them funnier!

The magic of gifs.

[Touldengal]

I'm all for flawed characters

me too, but he is different IMO. flawed characters are the ones that i appreciate and root for the most. It's what makes them interesting. But Dawson never seemed to really grow out of it or learn from it and i guess it's true that the reason for it is that people always tiptoed around him and let him get away with everything. This way, he never learned!

[Anti-Soulmates]

Originally Posted by Touldengal (View Post) flawed characters are the ones that i appreciate and root for the most. It's what makes them interesting. But Dawson never seemed to really grow out of it or learn from it and i guess it's true that the reason for it is that people always tiptoed around him and let him get away with everything. This way, he never learned!

Exactly! Everyone has flaws but what can make someone like you in spite of them is when you accept that you have one and try to better yourself. Dawson never felt the need to do that. He felt he was supposed to get the girl and threw a hissy fit when he didnt. It sounds kind of romantic on paper to want to be with someone so bad youre willing to do just about anything but Dawson never had the quality about him to make me care about his happiness.

[Touldengal]

I agree that it sounds good on paper, but I also think that there are limits. If the girl doesn't want it, you gotta let go eventually. And most importantly, "doing anything for love" should not equate emotional manipulation with that person. Joey had a very soft spot for him and to me it felt like he took advantage of that at times.

[clarkson_fan]

Oh, he totally took advantage. Especially at the end of Season 3. What with that ultimatum and guilt trips and manipulative words to keep her by his side. Pisses me off so much.

[Anti-Soulmates]

The ultimatum is my number one reason why Dawson and Joey shouldn't have ever dated. No true best friend would say some crap like that. Every time I watch that fight i'm waiting for Joey to call him on his selfishness and when that doesn't happen I want to smack them both (but Dawson way harder)

[Touldengal]

I didn't like the fact that he was the one who had to do the forgiving in season 4. yes, your best friend hurt u and yes, pacey did need to apologize on some level [not about falling in love, but about how it hurt his him and how it all went down], but dawson needed to apologize as well! his behaviour on the boat, the ultimatums and his overall attitude needed to be acknowledged by him and everyone else.

[clarkson_fan]

Totally! And Pacey DID apologize, and he did so profusely. And Dawson just stood there like a douche and acting all high and mighty like Pacey should be on his knees begging for his forgiveness. I hate that look on his face throughout the whole of that scene at the end of 4x03.

[Touldengal]

it was a smug one.. like HA, now u admit u were wrong.
uhhh, how about u Dawson? where is your apology?

[Ali]

But he was the victim.

[‘ChelsღChina]

Originally Posted by Ali (View Post) I mean, if it was written differently... where Dawson treated Pacey as an equal, I could get behind it. But as it was, I have serious issues with their so-called friendship.

I never understood how the writers didn't see that Dawson and Pacey were equals. If not that then why they wrote Dawson to think he's better then his best friend. Don't they know making it that way would have Dawson coming off as unlikeable?

Originally Posted by Seersha (View Post) - The way he was seemingly oblivious to Pacey's feelings about going out on the father/son boat trip in S2 (and this was when they had supposedly grown up together!). Somehow Jack "got it," and yet Dawson didn't? Always seemed weird to me.

That seemed weird to me too. Nobody should know the situation with Pacey and his dad better than Dawson. And why did the writers not take the time here to write Dawson as a caring and understanding individual? Were they trying to get people not to like him?

[Touldengal]

maybe they thought that he could do no wrong? idk, but he was extremely unlikable to me.