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The Best Episodes of Dawson's Creek

Every episode of Dawson's Creek ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Dawson's Creek!

The Best Episodes of Dawson's Creek

Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama that portrays the fictional lives of a close-knit group of teenagers through high school and college.

Seasons6

  1. Background image for Detention
    8.3/10(597 votes)

    #1 - Detention

    S1:E7

    In what is said to be one of the best episodes, the gang, after committing various violations at school, gets stuck together for an 8 hour Saturday detention, where Dawson and Pacey turn against each another; and Joey offers a tearful partial explanation for her anger toward Jen.

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    Director:Allan Arkush
    Writer:Mike White
  2. Background image for Decisions
    8.3/10(514 votes)

    #2 - Decisions

    S1:E13

    In the season finale, Dawson and Joey confront their true feelings. Joey, visits her father in prison, and debates leaving to go to France.

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    Director:David Semel
    Writer:Mike White
  3. Background image for The Scare
    8.2/10(563 votes)

    #3 - The Scare

    S1:E11

    In honor of Friday the 13th, Dawson, plans a séance for the gang, they are all spooked by reports of a serial killer heading towards Capeside.

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    Writer:Mike White
  4. Background image for Beauty Contest
    8.0/10(501 votes)

    #4 - Beauty Contest

    S1:E12

    Joey and Pacey enter a beauty competition; Jen regrets her breakup with Dawson.

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    Director:Arvin Brown
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for The Kiss
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - The Kiss

    S2:E1

    After their kiss, Dawson and Joey have doubts about the future of their relationship as Joey plans to go to France. Meanwhile, Pacey plays a trick on a new girl. But finds himself in the same situation.

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  6. Background image for Crossroads
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Crossroads

    S2:E2

    Jack, Andie's brother scores a job at the Ice House, an entry in Joey's diary lands her in hot water with Dawson, who forgets Pacey's 16th Birthday. Meanwhile Abby begins to become a negative influence over lonely Jen.

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    Director:Dennie Gordon
    Writer:Unknown
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Dawson's Creek

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  8. Background image for Alternate Lifestyles
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Alternate Lifestyles

    S2:E3

    An economics class project pairs Dawson and Jen as a husband and wife and Pacey and Andie as a married couple. Jen tries to use this project to get closer to Dawson and Pacey gets to know more about Andie's background. Joey learns that she has a chance of success while doing this project.

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    Director:David Semel
    Writer:Mike White
  9. Background image for Tamara's Return
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - Tamara's Return

    S2:E4

    Tamara Jacobs who left town after her affair with Pacey was almost exposed, shares an awkward reunion with Pacey. The encounter triggers old emotions in Pacey and curiosity in Andie. Meanwhile Jack and Joey enjoy art together.

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    Director:David Semel
    Writer:Mike White
  10. Background image for Full Moon Rising
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - Full Moon Rising

    S2:E5

    Parental problems cast a pall over Dawson and Joey's new romance. Pacey is troubled when he sees the McPhee's homelife.

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    Director:David Semel
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for High Risk Behavior
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - High Risk Behavior

    S2:E10

    "Horrifically epic" tryouts for his movie prompt a steamy dialogue between Dawson and Jen that could recast her role in his love life. Jack poses nude for Joey, who feels herself drawn towards intimacy. Pacey sets out to fulfill Andie's dream date and his own.

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  12. Background image for Sex, She Wrote
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - Sex, She Wrote

    S2:E11

    Abby and Chris find an anonymous note at school. Abby realizes the author and intended recipient had sex the night before and in true Abby fashion, she sets to expose the affair. Working from clues about Joey's night of nude sketching with Jack, Dawson's steamy stop over at Jen's and Pacey's bed and breakfast trip with Andie. Abby calls together her list of suspects and reveals the dirty secrets of Capeside.

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  13. Background image for Like a Virgin
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - Like a Virgin

    S3:E1

    Dawson returns from spending the summer in Philadelphia with his mother, and on his way home meets a beautiful young woman who brings trouble to his otherwise ho-hum life. Meanwhile, Joey, who has frozen Dawson out all summer, realizes she is still reeling from their unexpected break-up when she sees him again, but may have found an unexpected new friend for their junior year; Jen gets more than she bargained for when she takes on the fascist head cheerleader; Mitch accepts a new position as Capeside High's varsity football coach; and although Pacey tries to be brave, he has had a lonely summer without Andie.

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  14. Background image for Northern Lights
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - Northern Lights

    S3:E13

    Dawson makes the radical move of dropping out of film class to spend some time re-evaluating his teenage years. Back at Potter's, Joey is torn between attending Pacey's opening night and her date with A.J., who has come to Capeside for the evening. At the play, Andie must take over as director when the faculty director takes ill; and Jen agrees to meet Henry, but she throws him another block by bringing Grams as her date.

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    Director:Jay Tobias
  15. Background image for Coming Home
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #14 - Coming Home

    S4:E1

    Pacey and Joey return from their summer vacation on "True Love". Now they have to deal with Dawson's feelings, who has been deeply hurt for the past months. At first, he doesn't want to talk with neither one of them, but Jen convinces him to talk to Joey. Meanwhile, Pacey's older sister, Gretchen, arrives in Capeside and moves in with Doug, making Pacey homeless. But he won't live with his parents anymore, and so he asks Joey to let him crash at her house for a while. Dawson tells Jack about Gretchen, for whom he had a secret crush a few years ago. Andie meets 2 foreign guys, and she is attracted to them. Dawson and Joey talk, and he says he'll be ok, but it takes one day at a time. Everybody is wondering if Pacey and Joey did it while on the trip, and they don't confirm or deny. But Joey secretly tells Dawson nothing really happened.

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  16. Background image for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

    S4:E9

    Dawson asks Mr. Brooks' advice on becoming a director. Joey takes Pacey to a dinner hosted by an exclusive college.

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    Director:Perry Lang
  17. Background image for Promicide
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Promicide

    S4:E20

    As everyone gets ready for this year's senior prom, some bad news causes Gretchen to reflect on her life, and Joey worries about Pacey's odd behavior. Meanwhile, Jen and Jack meddle in each others' lives... resulting in some interesting prom dates. At the prom Joey and Pacey confront once unspoken issues, and the festivities cause conflict for Gretchen, as she questions her relationship with Dawson, while an unhappy Jen is rescued by an unlikely individual after she and Jack arrange dates for each other. Jen decides to drown her sorrows.

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  18. Background image for The Bostonians
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - The Bostonians

    S5:E1

    Dawson is a freshman film student in Los Angeles, while Joey starts college at an Ivy League university in Boston. Instead of focusing on the new lives they have worked a lifetime for, they find themselves distracted by the distance between them and their unsettling last kiss.

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  19. Background image for The Kids Are Alright (1)
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - The Kids Are Alright (1)

    S6:E1

    Dawson returns to Boston after working as an assistant director in Los Angeles over the summer and reunites with Joey who has spent a relatively angst-free summer in Capeside. Audrey and Pacey return from L.A. with a surprise passenger, Audrey's childhood friend Jack Osborne.

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  20. Background image for Joey Potter and the Capeside Redemption
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - Joey Potter and the Capeside Redemption

    S6:E22

    When Dawson gives up his dream of making his film, a strong-minded Joey rallies the old group back to Capeside to help Dawson begin production before pursuing her dream of traveling to Paris. Jen, Jack and Grams must say their goodbyes and leave for New York.

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  21. Background image for Pilot
    7.9/10(816 votes)

    #20 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Film-buff Dawson finds his best friend, Joey, growing jealous of his attraction to a neighbor's granddaughter. Meanwhile, pal Pacey falls in love with a mystery woman, who is really a teacher at Capeside.

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  22. Background image for Hurricane
    7.8/10(515 votes)

    #21 - Hurricane

    S1:E5

    When a major hurricane moves inland, all take refuge in the Leery home, where Dawson rages at Jen about her past, and Mitch storms out after learning of Gale's affair. That leaves a tormented Dawson to deal with their fallout. Meanwhile, Pacey ruins his brother's chances to get with Tamara at her beach house.

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  23. Background image for Baby
    7.5/10(470 votes)

    #22 - Baby

    S1:E6

    Capeside is abuzz with rumors of a teacher's indiscretion, rumors that prove fateful for Pacey and Tamera. Meanwhile, Joey and Jen get a life lesson when Bessie is aided by an unlikely source when she gives birth in Dawson's living room.

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  24. Background image for Kiss
    7.4/10(534 votes)

    #23 - Kiss

    S1:E3

    While working on the film class's movies, team player Dawson has a hard time being stuck in the background. Meanwhile as he plots to give Jen the "perfect kiss", Joey is swept away by a handsome stranger and Pacey tries to graduate to manhood.

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  25. Background image for Double Date
    7.4/10(465 votes)

    #24 - Double Date

    S1:E10

    A double date finds Jen and Cliff joined by Dawson and a savvy sidekick who calls him on a plot to make Jen jealous. But it's Dawson turn to turn green when Pacey grows close to Joey working on a project.

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  26. Background image for Discovery
    7.3/10(499 votes)

    #25 - Discovery

    S1:E4

    Dawson turns to Jen after learning of his mom's affair, and Joey's knowledge of it. But he regrets doing so when she tells him some of her problems; meanwhile Pacey and Tamara continue to tempt fate with their fling.

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Best Episodes Summary

"Detention" is the best rated episode of "Dawson's Creek". It scored 8.3/10 based on 597 votes. Directed by Allan Arkush and written by Mike White, it aired on 3/3/1998. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Decisions".