Aspiring moviemaker Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and his lifelong friends Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) enter their sophomore year of high school as Dawsons Creek enters its inaugural season. Life in Capeside, MA, has been fairly sedate for the trio up till now, but with the arrival of Dawsons new next-door neighbor, 15-year-old Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), things begin to heat up a bit. Joey is jealous because Dawson clearly likes Jen, Pacey is jealous of Joey because he likes Jen, and Jen is stimulated by all the attention, having had far more carnal experience than Dawson, Joey, and Pacey combined. But Pacey is soon making up for lost time, losing his virginity to his attractive teacher, Ms. Tamara Jacobs (Leann Hunley), who is forced to leave town to avoid a scandal. Paceys friends romantic adventures are somewhat more chaste, with both Dawson and Joey enjoying their first kisses (though not as yet with each other) in the course of the season. Later on, flirtatious Jen breaks Dawsons heart, but comes to regret her actions. On a less frolicsome note, Dawson finds out that his TV-newsperson mother, Gail (Mary-Margaret Humes), is cheating on Dawsons dad, Mitch (John Wesley Shipp). As in future seasons, movie references abound during season one of Dawsons Creek, notably in the episode Detention, a virtual remake of The Breakfast Club. The season ends with Dawson and Joey realizing that there is something wonderful between them, thanks to a long and passionate kiss (minus the expected discreet fade out!). But nothing may come of this, since Joey seems poised to move to France. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide