Blog entry #2: The Success of the Teen Drama in My Life

Up until about 2003, my absolute favorite television show was without a doubt the popular teen series Dawson’s Creek. This “coming of age” drama (which told the story of 15 year old Joey, Dawson, Pacey, and Jen growing up in a small New England town)premiered in 1998 and was soon being compared by critics and fans alike to an earlier and similarly successful breakthrough show-Beverly Hills 90210. Not only have I been a mere fan of Dawson’s Creek since its debut and long past it’s run, but I have followed the show so religiously that some might claim I treat it as a hobby. It was not video games or mountain climbing during my adolescent years-but Dawson’s Creek instead. I truly enjoyed keeping up with all of the latest gossip about the show, its characters, and the actors who portrayed them. Unfortunately, after a solid six-year run, Dawson’s Creek was cancelled in 2003. By this time, I owned all of the seasons on DVD and could watch them at my leisure (often a few episodes a day). As much as I admired Dawson’s Creek above any other show, maintaining it as a hobby was difficult once new episodes were no longer being made. Luckily, I soon discovered a new hobby that I like to call my “Dawson’s Creek comparable” (although not my “Dawson’s Creek replacement”). One Tree Hill debuted in 2003 on the same station as Dawson’s Creek (the no longer existing WB-now referred to as the CW after the WB and UPN merger) and in my opinion, spoke to teens in the same way as Dawson’s Creek but in a seemingly more direct and (some might say) improved manner. One Tree Hill is now in its sixth season and is one of the most watched teen dramas worldwide.

Because I cannot decide which one of these noteworthy shows is truly my favorite, I would like to propose the argument that One Tree Hill is really just an extension of the Dawson’s Creek franchise. Therefore, because of the many similarities between the shows, I can respond as to why I have such a great interest in both of them.

One Tree Hill and Dawson’s Creek are continually criticized for their unrealistic storylines surrounding characters so fantasy-based that viewers just cannot relate to their extravagant lifestyles. Unfortunately, this critique can easily be contradicted by looking at the number of teens who watch these shows (and other teen soaps) week after week and year after year. I am quite used to being teased for my “obsession” and “over-enthusiasm” about these shows by those who say Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill are poor representations of the actions, language, and relationships between teenagers in a small town. Opponents claim that real teenagers simply are not comfortable enough to assert their feelings about issues such as sex, divorce, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, etc. in such a well-crafted and articulate fashion. Also, the storylines presented on these two shows are often hard for anyone to swallow because the chances of the events playing out so well (or so not well in some cases) in the real world are close to impossible.

I will suggest that the reason I admire these shows may be the same reason that millions of other die-hard fans do as well. My pull to these two teen dramas is not their plausibility. If the goal of the producers was to accurately portray teens in a “realistic” atmosphere, than they would be making another reality show. I do not watch Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill to see real teenage characters but instead to feel real emotions. These shows are reminiscent of the difficulties of growing up and comfort me upon finding myself in a world that appears out to get me at every turn. The shows also offer advice and each episode has a moral, or a universal lesson for its viewers (Shakespeare plays also share this method of teaching). The main proposition of the shows: “You are not alone. These characters are YOU…even if they don’t appear to be at first glance. Get to know them, let them help you.”

As cheesy as this concept may be, Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill have a therapeutic quality to their production which keeps me (and everyone else for that matter) watching. Whenever I am feeling lost, enjoying an episode helps me to find my way-that alone is gratifying. It is also important that both shows have memorable quotes spoken by the characters that are applicable to many situations in my own life. My emotions help to connect me to the characters in the show and bridge the gap between what appears fantasy and what is reality.

A final note: In its fifth season, One Tree Hill made the smart move of jumping four years into the future from the end of its fourth season. The characters are now in their early 20’s. This decision not only increased the overall number of viewers tuning into the show every week, but it also expanded the age range of the viewers-making it no longer just a “teen” drama. Because of the rising interest in the show, especially among adult audiences, I predict at least two more seasons are on the horizon.