Screamis one of the most successful horror franchises, and while the creator of it has also brought other slashers, he also created a hit teen drama from the late 1990s that came out two years after Ghostface’s debut. The slasher genre saw its peak in the late 1970s and the 1980s, with movies likeHalloweenandFriday the 13th, both spawning successful franchises that continue to be quite popular. The genre seemed to have died when the 1990s kicked in, untilScreamarrived in 1996 to successfully revive the genre.
Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson,Screamtook the audience to Woodsboro, California, where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends began to be stalked by a serial killer dressed as Ghostface. The success ofScreamlaunched a franchise, with Williamson returning as writer in the second and fourth movies. In between horror projects, Williamson moved to TV, creating various TV shows, the first one being very different from what he created in Woodsboro: the now-classic teen dramaDawson’s Creek.
2 Years After Scream, Kevin Williamson Created Dawson’s Creek
Dawson’s Creek Premiered In 1998
Just two years after the release ofScream, and after writingScream 2andI Know What You Did Last Summer, Williamson visited the world of TV with something completely different from the slasher genre.Dawson’s Creekwas a teen drama that debuted on The WB in 1998 and ran for six seasons, ending in 2003.Dawson’s Creektook the audience to the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, to follow friends Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), and the new girl in town, Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).
Dawson’s Creekwas similar toScreamin terms of their focus being on teenagers, but they were completely different genres and stories.
Dawson’s Creekfollows their journeys through high school and college, with the many challenges, wins, and failures that come with being a teenager and entering young adulthood.Dawson’s Creekwasn’t scared of covering serious and sometimes dark topics, such as homophobia, mental health, age-gap relationships, and more.Dawson’s Creekwas similar toScreamin terms of their focus being on teenagers, but they were completely different genres and stories.
How Dawson’s Creek Became One Of The Best Teen Dramas Of The 1990s
Dawson’s Creek Is One Of The Most Influential Teen Dramas Of The Decade
Dawson’s Creekfound great success during its initial run, but it also faced a lot of controversy. Due to some of the topics that had to be addressed as the show was a coming-of-age one,Dawson’s Creekwas criticized for its “racy” plots and dialogue. The characters talking about sex, specific body parts, certain relationships, and more were criticized by many viewers and critics, including the Parents Television Council. However, these topics are a large part of whyDawson’s Creekwas so successful.
Dawson’s Creekhas been praised for offering relatable characters and storylinesto a generation that went through tough and traumatic world events, while also being smart and well-developed.Dawson’s Creekwas accessible, funny when it had to, the dialogue was eloquent and smart, and some characters, like Jack, made history with their storylines (in Jack’s case, his coming out story).Dawson’s Creekhas been highly influential in the genre of teen dramas, and it can be seen in shows likeFelicity,Gilmore Girls,One Tree Hill, andThe O.C., to name a few.
Kevin Williamson Also Developed One Of The Best Supernatural Teen Dramas Of The 2010s
Williamson Has Left His Mark On TV, Too
Dawson’s Creekwas only the beginning of Kevin Williamson’s career on TV, as he continued to develop and produce many other TV shows, many of which fall into the realm of teen dramas.Aside fromDawson’s Creek, his most notable TV show is the supernatural teen dramaThe Vampire Diaries.
The Vampire Diariesfollows Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), a teenage girl who falls in love with a 161-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley).
Based on the book series of the same name by L. J. Smith,The Vampire Diarieswas developed by Williamson and Julie Plec.The Vampire Diariesfollows Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), a teenage girl who falls in love with a 161-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Their relationship gets more complicated when Stefan’s mysterious brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder), returns to town to bring his past love back, who is Elena’s doppelgänger.
The Vampire Diarieswas a hit with critics and general audiences, launching a franchise with spinoff shows, comic books, and more.The Vampire Diariesis now considered one of the most influential supernatural teen dramas, andplayed a key part in the resurgence of vampire stories in the late 2000s and 2010s. Kevin Williamson has left his mark on TV in different branches of teen dramas, as well as on the slasher genre on the big screen, showcasing his talent in storytelling and his versatility.
