He is introduced in the pilot and portrayed by James Van Der Beek in 122 episodes throughout the series' run, as well as a non-canon cameo in Scary Movie (2000).

Dawson, created by Kevin Williamson based on his own experiences as a teenager, is a budding filmmaker growing up in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts.

The series follows his journey from adolescence into adulthood, particularly focusing on his filmmaking struggles and complex relationship with childhood best friend Joey Potter.

Finally, he joins Joey on a birthday visit to her father in prison and tells Mike Potter all about the daughter he doesn't know.

While Joey wrestles with the idea of spending a year in France, Dawson realizes that he can no longer hold back his romantic feelings towards her.

On the bus ride home, he meets Eve, a mysterious, blonde femme fatale that seems intent upon luring Dawson with her sex appeal.

After make out scenes in the janitor's closet and in front of the entire school at a pep rally, Eve convinces Dawson to go for a ride in his dad's boat.

Pacey then convinces Dawson to throw a stripper party at his parents' house to earn the money to pay for the dock.

Meanwhile, Mitch turns from friend to parent, and as a result of having to bail his son out of jail, enlists Dawson to help out at his mother's new restaurant.

After meeting a rival film-maker, Dawson realizes that he has let his desire to become a director overtake his life, and he decides to give it up for a period of time.

Dawson, dejected at losing Joey, is emotionally supported by Jen, Jack, and Andie, who make plans to spend the summer together as foursome.

Joey returns with a symbolic gift, apologizing and reiterating her desire to begin rebuilding their friendship, however Dawson admits he isn't convinced he wants to be friends with her, or even try.

Due to her determination to repair their friendship, Dawson reluctantly begins to let Joey back into his life, though his relationship with Pacey remains staunch until the end of the series.

Dawson eventually receives an inheritance check from Mr Brooks estate, which he decides to use to help Joey attend the college of her choice, since she wasn't offered financial aid.

During this season, Dawson strikes up a romance with Gretchen, Pacey's 21-year-old sister, who has arrived back to Capeside to take a break from college, or so everyone thinks, but she later reveals that she is there to recuperate from a miscarriage that took place during her previous semester.

During the Leery Christmas Party, Dawson and Gretchen share a kiss, which ignites old feelings from his pre-teen years when he had a crush on her.

After graduating, he studied film at USC, but soon dropped out and moved to Boston to be with his friends and potentially pursue a romantic relationship with Joey.

Before Dawson can even get his parents approval for moving to Boston his father Mitch Leery is tragically killed in a car accident.

There, Dawson meets Oliver Churchkirk, an aspiring film director from Boston Bay College who fancies himself the best in the business.

While Dawson and Oliver journey to New Jersey for a meeting with a film agent, the rest of the gang takes to the beaches of Florida for spring break; Pacey is hit on by Norwegian singer Marion Raven while working on his relationship with Audrey, while as Dawson later discovers, Joey embarks on a spring fling with Charlie Todd.

When Dawson finally agrees, he discovers that Oliver also invited a film critic, Amy Lloyd, who writes for The Boston Weekly.

Dawson, not knowing who she is, stumbles upon Amy in the midst of a nasty break-up and tells her that she is a "sentimental drama queen with really crappy taste in movies."

After Joey breaks his heart again, Dawson leaves a farewell note for her and heads to the airport to fly to Los Angeles.

Dawson pays a visit to Audrey in rehab, earning her dish duty for the night, after stalking one-time film director Toni Stark.

He returns to L.A. only to discover that Todd, his new mentor and friend, is in disagreements with the film company that is paying him to make the movie, "Wicked Dead".

Joey, caught in the middle once again, helps reignite Dawson's plans to film his Untitled Screenplay whilst attempting to reunite her friends.

In 2008, Dawson is the executive producer and chief writer of the television program The Creek, a self-referential coming-of-age teen drama based on his adolescence in Capeside.

Dawson helps Jen leave a video message for her young daughter Amy, and he and Joey reconcile their past agreeing that they are soulmates and that their relationship transcends both friendship and romance, an allusion to the opening scene where he tells Joey that their platonic bond transcends typical views on romance.

The series ends with Dawson in his office who receives a call from Pacey and Joey, congratulating him on the season finale episode of The Creek.

[10][11] Van Der Beek also spoofed his character in the 2000 comedy Scary Movie and in a sketch for Funny or Die called "Vandermemes".