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Season 3 of WB teen drama Dawson's Creek takes place during the gang's junior year.

Synopsis[]

Dawson returns from Philadelphia with a new life philosophy, while Joey regrets how she reacted. Pacey coaches Dawson on his new path, while Jack and Jen face the popular kids of high school to interesting results, and Andie returns from her treatment better – but everything is about to change.

Starring[]

James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery
Katie Holmes as Joey Potter
Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley (21 episodes)
Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter (22 episodes)
Kerr Smith as Jack McPhee (20 episodes)
Meredith Monroe as Andie McPhee (22 episodes)
Mary-Margaret Humes as Gale Leery (11 episodes)
John Wesley Shipp as Mitch Leery (16 episodes)
Mary Beth Peil as Evelyn Ryan (14 episodes)
Nina Repeta as Bessie Potter (12 episodes)

Special Guest Stars[]

Michael Pitt as Henry Parker (15 episodes)
A freshman football player, who has a crush on Jen
Dylan Neal as Doug Witter (6 episodes)
Pacey's older brother
Adam Kaufman as Ethan Brody (5 episodes)
A guy Jack meets and develops feelings for
Bianca Lawson as Nikki Green (4 episodes)
A talented filmmaker who Dawson competes with
Robin Dunne as A.J. Moller (4 episodes)
An R.A. at Harvard who Joey likes
Obi Ndefo as Bodie Wells (4 episodes)
Bessie's boyfriend and a talented chef
Rodney Scott as Will Krudski (3 episodes)
Pacey's childhood friend who visits
Jonathan Lipnicki as Buzz Thompson (3 episodes)
A neglected kid who Pacey mentors
Mel Harris as Helen Lindley ("Guess Who's Coming To Dinner")
Jen's mother
Marla Gibbs as Fran Boyd ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
A secretary at Harvard who helps out Andie
Recurring cast
Obba Babatundé as Howard Green (8 episodes)
The new principal at Capeside High

Guest starring[]

Brittany Daniel as Eve Whitman (5 episodes)
Niklaus Lange as Rob Logan (4 episodes)
David Dukes as Joseph McPhee (3 episodes)
Michael Hagerty as Matt Caufield (3 episodes)
Vanessa Dorman as Belinda McGovern (2 episodes)
Chris Demetral as Mark ("Homecoming")
K Callan as Miss Constance Freckling ("Secrets & Lies")
Liz Vassey as Wendy Dalrymple ("Escape From Witch Island")
Wayne Péré as Boat Guy ("Escape From Witch Island")
Alex Breckenridge as Kate Douglas ("The Valentine's Day Massacre")
Jessica Collins as Sherry Eisler ("To Green, With Love")
Lawrence Pressman as Dr. Byron Fielding ("To Green, With Love")
Deborah Kellner as Morgan ("Cinderella Story")
Julie Bowen as Gwen ("Stolen Kisses")
Sarah Lancaster as Shelley ("Stolen Kisses")

Co-Starring[]

Kelly Cheston as Madison Blacker (3 episodes)
Aubrey Dollar as Marcy Bender (3 episodes)
Christy Jo Wilburn as Cheerleader Veronica (2 episodes)
Yolanda Camile Chambers as Cheerleader Betty (2 episodes)
Stephen Michael Ayers as Mr. Broderick (2 episodes)
Amelia Martin as Stacey ("Like A Virgin")
Fred Maske as Teenage Guy ("Like A Virgin")
Rob Dator as Customer ("Homecoming")
Chris Nubel as Annoying Customer ("Homecoming")
John Bennes as Pharmacy Clerk ("Homecoming")
Mary Lucy Bivins as Older Customer ("Homecoming")
Beatrice Bush as Desk Clerk ("Homecoming")
Genevieve Barker as News Anchor ("None Of The Above")
Lou Criscuolo as Strip Club Guy ("Indian Summer")
Felecia Rafield as Desk Clerk ("Indian Summer")
Richard K. Olsen as Mr. Milo ("Secrets & Lies")
Pat Gleason as Mr. Mendick ("Secrets & Lies")
Barbara Weetman as Mrs. Mendick ("Secrets & Lies")
Thomas Joseph Martovitz Jr. as Christy Anity ("Secrets & Lies")
Shane German as Amanda Reckonwith ("Secrets & Lies")
Acie Hendricks as Summer Clearance ("Secrets & Lies")
Dan Martin as Megan Whoopie ("Secrets & Lies")
Saycon Sengbloh as Conspiracy Theorist ("Escape From Witch Island")
Derrick Justin as Student ("Escape From Witch Island")
Amy Parrish as Penny Pretty ("Four To Tango")
Jason Davis as Mr. Kapinos ("Four To Tango")
Tony Schnur as Ben Street ("Four To Tango")
Gloria Crist as Teacher ("Four To Tango")
John Allore as Mr. Pruet ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Ann Morgan as Student #1 ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Brandon Odell as Student #2 ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Mark Steelman as Student #3 ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Jason Saucier as Bartender ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Greg Provance as Marky Mark ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Jonathan Orcott as Bus Driver ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Lisa Cafiero as Woman's Major Student ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Maya Tai Dorsey as College Girl ("First Encounters Of The Close Kind")
Caleb Burress as Bad Actor #1 ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Tyrone Hicks as Bad Actor #2 ("Barefoot At Capefest")
William Turell Hodges III as Sort of Good Actor ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Meribeth Ayers as Actress #1 ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Lee Norris as Actor #2 ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Mohamed El Eman as Dude ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Thad Mace as Bad Actor #3 ("Barefoot At Capefest")
Carl McIntyre as Fred Fricke ("A Weekend In The Country")
Maribeth Ayers as Corie ("Northern Lights")
Chris Hill as Telephone Man ("Northern Lights")
Jennifer Keddy as Nurse Nicole ("The Valentine's Day Massacre")
Robert Boris as Paramedic ("The Valentine's Day Massacre")
Alison Robertson as Hostess ("The Valentine's Day Massacre")
Andy Francis as Dude #1 ("Crime and Punishment")
Estes Tarver as Dude #2 ("Crime and Punishment")
K.C. Poe as Treacly Girl ("Crime and Punishment")
Michael J. Hunter as Robert Caulfield ("To Green, With Love")
Dawn Spinella as Administrative Assistant ("To Green, With Love")
Melissa Bragg-Lumdsden as Student ("To Green, With Love")
Taylor Webb as Random Student #1 ("To Green, With Love")
Lee Norris as Random Student #2 ("To Green, With Love")
John Baker as PTA Board Member #1 ("To Green, With Love")
Elaine Nalee as PTA Board Member #2 ("To Green, With Love")
Hank Troscianiec as Wannabe Chef ("Cinderella Story")
Andrea Powell as Social Worker ("Cinderella Story")
Corey Jackson as Bully #1 ("Cinderella Story")
Nick Prange as Bully #2 ("Cinderella Story")
Karen Kirschenbauer as Handsome Woman ("Cinderella Story")
Patrick Stogner as Buzz's Friend #1 ("Neverland")
Raymond J. Revnyak Jr. as Buzz's Friend #2 ("Neverland")
Alex Wharf as Football Bud ("Neverland")
Corri English as Barbara Johns ("The Anti-Prom")
Harold Bergman as Elderly Reverend ("True Love")
Burgess Jenkins as Brad ("True Love")
Chuck Kinlaw as Bus Driver ("True Love")

Trivia[]

  • Kerr Smith and Meredith Monroe are promoted to series regulars.
  • Starting the summer before this season, fans could read e-mails from Dawson on the official site[1]
  • American Eagle Outfitters were the official clothing sponsor for this season, succeeding J.Crew.[1]

BEHIND THE SCENES

  • This is the first season following the departure of creator Kevin Williamson.
    • Alex Gansa was hired as the showrunner and the writers were unhappy with the very non-Dawson's Creek tone shift[2]
    • Gansa was fired after the cast complained directly to the network over their storylines, especially Jen and Pacey hooking up[2]
    • Tom Kapinos, who became the showrunner in seasons 5-6, called the Eve storyline a "colossal mistake"[2]
  • Brandon Routh auditioned to be a guest star in this season.[3]
  • Britney Spears was originally signed on for a three-episode arc this season and met with the writing and production team in California. Filming was set to begin in October of 1999.[4] Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, they were unable to make the story work.[5][6]
  • It was released on DVD on June 29, 2004.

Photos[]

Season 3/Gallery

Episodes[]

# EPISODE WRITER(s) AIRDATE #
1 Like A Virgin Tammy Ader 29 SEPTEMBER 1999 36
301
Dawson returns from spending the summer in Philadelphia with his mother. Meanwhile, Joey, who has frozen Dawson out all summer, realizes she is still reeling from their break-up; 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.
2 Homecoming Greg Berlanti 6 OCTOBER 1999 37
302pam
Dawson is recruited by his dad and Principal Green to produce a film for the football pep rally, but the stars of the film end up being Dawson and his lady friend Eve, not the Capeside Minutemen. Meanwhile, Pacey has enlisted Joey for assistance in bringing Andie back to Capeside, but their long-awaited reunion doesn't go exactly as Pacey had intended; and Jack comes to an unexpected understanding with his father who has returned to Capeside to be with Jack and Andie.
3 None Of The Above Davis & Schneider 13 OCTOBER 1999 38
303pawson
Dawson is stunned when Eve presents him with a sneak peak at the PSAT test and everyone is tempted to cheat including Joey, whose scholarship is dependent on her SAT scores, and Andie, who is desperately fighting for acceptance to Harvard. But when the test is stolen, it's Pacey that Dawson accuses. Meanwhile, Jack is insistent that the football team is purposely beating him down because he is gay.
4 Home Movies Jeffrey Stepakoff 20 OCTOBER 1999 39
304
Father and son are at odds when Dawson moves forward with a news piece for his mom's Philadelphia station using Mitch's star player, Jack, as his subject matter even though Mitch is vehemently opposed. Meanwhile, Joey and Pacey find themselves in cahoots when they must pay the price for ditching class; Andie jumps to conclusions and panics about the reasons Principal Green wants to meet with her; and Jen goes to great lengths to remove herself as head cheerleader but is shocked at the end results.
5 Indian Summer Fattore & Kapinos 27 OCTOBER 1999 40
305
Dawson plays detective when Eve's mysterious ways, including breaking and entering and stealing, cause him to wonder about her reasons for being in Capeside, but the secrets he uncovers may drastically change the lives of others close to him. Meanwhile, Joey's misgivings of Rob lead her to crash his date with Andie but her good will backfires on her; and Jack goes against Jen's wishes and sets up a rendezvous for Henry.
6 Secrets & Lies Berlanti & Gansa 10 NOVEMBER 1999 41
Pandie
Dawson is torn about telling Jen the scandalous secret he has about Eve and even more distressed when his mom unexpectedly returns from Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Andie accuses Joey of sabotaging her chance to reunite with Pacey; and Jen shocks the entire town with the entertainment she has hired for the Annual Homecoming Queen Gala and shocks the very shy Henry even more when she asks him to be her escort.
7 Escape from Witch Island Tom Kapinos 17 NOVEMBER 1999 42
307gang
In a bone-chilling installment, Dawson recruits Joey, Pacey and Jen to be his guerilla crew on a documentary for history class about Witch Island, a local spot shrouded in mystery for its reputation for being haunted by witches. They are haunted by tall tales of witches and love lost that has Dawson and Joey questioning their own romance and Jen and Pacey considering a new kind of friendship. Back at school, Andie takes her job on the school disciplinary committee a little too seriously when she tries to take back the halls of Capeside.
8 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Heidi Ferrer 24 NOVEMBER 1999 43
308
When Jen's mom unexpectedly arrives in Capeside on Thanksgiving morning, Dawson confronts her about her secret past, and makes a decision to help bridge the gap between the estranged mother and daughter. Meanwhile, Jen continues to pursue a new type of friendship with Pacey, and Mitch and Gale make known the future of the Leery family.
9 Four to Tango Gina Fattore 1 DECEMBER 1999 44
309
Dawson is suspicious of Pacey's awkward behavior and misconstrues his actions when he learns Pacey has been spending time with Joey. Meanwhile, after rethinking the offer, Pacey cannot move forward with his no-strings-attached relationship with Jen, and Andie urges Jack to meet a gay student from a neighboring town who contacted him via the internet after seeing Dawson's news story.
10 First Encounters of the Close Kind Leslie Ray 15 DECEMBER 1999 45
310
Dawson, Joey, Jack & Andie spend the weekend at a Boston university for an advanced look at college and Dawson's entry in a student film festival. Joey's weekend guide is not what she expected; Andie's pursuit for an advanced admissions interview, leads her to some inspirational advice from an unlikely source; and Jack takes a chance and explores the local gay community.
11 Barefoot At Capefest Davis & Sikowitz 12 JANUARY 2000 46
Stillcapefest
Dawson experiences an identity crisis when Principal Green's daughter Nikki emerges as another aspiring young director, and Joey experiences her own crisis when Dawson won't open up to her about the pain of his parents' divorce. Meanwhile, Jack's first efforts to hit on another guy are rebuffed, Pacey and Andie uncomfortably find themselves sharing the same afterschool activity, and Jen realizes that she may have passed up the chance at something special with Henry.
12 A Weekend In The Country Jeffrey Stepakoff 17 JANUARY 2000 47
312group
Joey's friends and their families work together to make sure that the opening of Potter's Bed & Breakfast is a success and that she and Bessie don't lose everything they have after Pacey surprises them with a visit from a prestigious travel critic. Throughout the weekend, Jen admits her concerns to Grams about getting close to Henry; Jack considers moving back home after hearing Andie's loving plea; and Dawson tries to understand the connection between his parents even after their divorce.
13 Northern Lights Gina Fattore 26 JANUARY 2000 48
313
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.
14 The Valentine's Day Massacre Tom Kapinos 2 FEBRUARY 2000 49
314jd
Joey questions Dawson's state of mind when he and Pacey decide to lead their friends to a secret location party hosted by a group infamous for their complete and utter debauchery. Back at home, Jack's ex-girlfriend arrives from Rhode Island nursing a broken heart but is unaware of Jack's coming out last year and Jen's first date with Henry is a Valentine's Day she won't soon forget.
15 Crime and Punishment Fattore & Gansa 9 FEBRUARY 2000 50
315
Joey is chosen to be part of a group of students to paint a school mural, but when hers is defaced before the unveiling, Dawson offers words of encouragement while Pacey takes action and risks suspension when he goes in search of the culprit. Meanwhile, when Andie's PSAT scores rank among the best in the country, she gambles with everything she has worked for and comes clean to Principal Green about the previously stolen test; and Pacey moves in with Deputy Doug when their sister and her kids move back into the Witter house.
16 To Green, With Love Fattore & Berlanti 16 FEBRUARY 2000 51
316
Joey relies on the support of Pacey and A.J. to rally the students in protest against the school superintendent after he forces Principal Green to resign for expelling the student who destroyed Joey's mural. Meanwhile, Dawson and Gale both go back to their respective places in back and in front of the camera to produce a piece about the ongoing school protest which ruffles more than a few feathers of the school board hierarchy.
17 Cinderella Story Jeffrey Stepakoff 1 MARCH 2000 52
317
When Joey turns to Pacey for rescuing after she flees Boston halfway through her visit with A.J., the two old friends may finally confront their growing feelings for each other. Meanwhile, to avoid suspension, Pacey becomes a mentor to a young boy and must contend with a little version of himself with a big attitude; and behind Gale's back, Dawson asks Mitch to help with the opening of her new restaurant.
18 Neverland Maggie Friedman 5 APRIL 2000 53
318girls
Pacey hopes taking Dawson to their favorite childhood camping spot will help ease the pain when he tells Dawson about his new feelings for Joey. Meanwhile, Joey deals with the emotional fallout from her kiss with Pacey by spending girls' night out with Jen and Andie, but to Jen's surprise they stumble upon a birthday party for Henry that she wasn't invited to.
19 Stolen Kisses Tom Kapinos 26 APRIL 2000 54
Stolenwandie
Dawson invites Joey, Andie and Pacey to spend Spring Break in the mountains at his aunt's home, but the trip is filled with tension as Joey and Pacey continue to battle about their feelings for each other and Andie becomes intrigued with the gang's childhood friend Will who is visiting. Meanwhile, back in town, Jen becomes surprisingly territorial when another woman flirts with Henry.
20 The Longest Day Gina Fattore 3 MAY 2000 55
320paceyjoey
In a story that replays the same day's activities from three different perspectives, Joey and Pacey vacillate on the ways to tell Dawson about their feelings for each other. But when the truth does come out, Dawson's reaction is the one they hoped they wouldn't get. Meanwhile, Andie, who thought she was over Pacey enough to date, accepts a date with Capeside visitor Will, but their first date is ruined when she also learns about Joey and Pacey.
21 Show Me Love Tigelaar & Henderson 10 MAY 2000 56
321guys
As Capeside prepares for the annual spring regatta, Dawson and Pacey compete for the winning trophy, only Joey is tired of feeling like the prize. Meanwhile, after many weeks of mixed messages, Gale makes the first move with Mitch, and after Jen finally forgives Henry for his one-track mind, he gives Jen the most romantic night of her life.
22 The Anti-Prom Maggie Friedman 17 MAY 2000 57
322poey
Dawson, Joey and Andie prepare their own unique prom when they learn that the committee has scrutinized Jack's selected date. Dawson, who has invited Joey to be his date, uses the special evening to try to win her back and make Pacey jealous; Andie persuades Pacey to be her escort but her evening ends by consoling him about his love life; Jen becomes outraged with Henry when he reveals he is leaving Capeside for the summer.
23 True Love Berlanti/Stepakoff/
Kapinos/Fattore
24 MAY 2000 58
Jackethan
After an emotional day filled with love, tears and wedding vows, Joey ultimately much choose between her love for Dawson and her new feelings for Pacey. Across town, Grams talks about love and regret with Jen, while Jack and Andie make a decision to drive all night so that Jen can see Henry one last time.

Media[]

Without Kevin Williamson, Dawson's Creek is in trouble (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY • NOVEMBER 1999)
"Dawson's Creek" will cut back on its scandalous plotlines (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY • JULY 1999)

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Living "Dawson's Creek" (E!Online • June 1999)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Inside the Thrilling, Chaotic Writers’ Room of Dawson’s Creek (Vanity Fair • January 2018)
  3. INSIDE OF BRANDON ROUTH (EP 103 FULL) (Inside Of You Podcast • March 2020)
  4. Britney Spears Interview (Entertainment Tonight)
  5. Spears heads for TV with Col TriStar deal (Variety • March 1999)
  6. Dawson's Creek Newsletter #115
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