The iconic Dawson's Creek may feature quite a lot of romance, but the teen drama is also about friendship. Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) have been best friends since they were little kids, and by the time that they're teenagers, things aren't so platonic between the two of them. But their bond can never be broken, and that's true even when she ends up with his best friend, Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson).
Dawson's Creek fans know that Dawson and Joey are best pals, but there's another pair who are also #friendshipgoals: Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) and Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith). Read on to find out five reasons that Jen and Jack are the best friends on Dawson's Creek, and five reasons it's still Dawson and Joey.
Jen And Jack: They See Each Other's Flaws
Best friends see each other's flaws and know everything that's going on. That is definitely true of Jen and Jack, especially in the Season 4 episode "Mind Games" when Jen becomes obsessed with her therapist and wants Jack to help her basically stalk him. He's not interested but the fact that he sees this vulnerable part of Jen is telling.
While Dawson and Joey are good friends, the fact that they become romantically involved at the end of Season 1 complicates things. They aren't always honest with each other the way that Jen and Jack are.
Dawson And Joey: They're True Soulmates
No matter how charming Jen and Jack's friendship is, not every fan would say that they're soulmates. But that's exactly what everyone says about Joey and Dawson.
It's because of their soulmate status that some fans are upset that these two don't have a happily ever after in the series finale. But many others believe that Joey is meant to be with Pacey because they have great chemistry and care about each other, whereas Joey and Dawson are better as pals who support each other's dreams.
Jen And Jack: They Move To Boston To Start A New Life Together
When Joey and Dawson graduate from high school, they go their separate ways for the first time ever, which is definitely tough for them to navigate. Joey heads to fancy Worthington College in Boston and Dawson goes to L.A. to study film (although he totally hates it).
Jen and Jack are better friends because they move to Boston to start a new life together. They want to be part of each other's future plans and they make this huge decision as a pair.
Dawson And Joey: He Was There When Her Mom Died
While Jen and Jack are always there for each other, they haven't known each other for as many years as Joey and Dawson, and that alone points to the latter being better friends.
Dawson was there for Joey when her mom died. Joey has brought up how he would sit with her, and he made her feel so much better. It's tough for Jack and Jen to compete with that kind of history.
Jen And Jack: They Don't Keep Huge Secrets From Each Other
The biggest secret that Joey keeps from Dawson is the fact that she slept with Pacey. Of course, she's terrified to admit the truth because she wants to spare Dawson's feelings.
But in order for these two characters to really be best friends, they can't keep big life events hidden from one another. In the Season 4 episode "Four Stories," Dawson wants Joey to tell him if she had sex with Pacey, and she totally lies. While this is a super intimate conversation, and it is even more awkward since they used to date and Pacey is his good friend, it's still bad that Joey lies. It seems like an immature way to deal with the situation.
Dawson And Joey: She's Determined To Keep The Friendship Alive Despite Dramatic Break-Ups
Dawson and Joey have a typically dramatic teen romance after their kiss in the Season 1 finale. They both find it a bit tricky to transition to a romantic relationship, and when they break up in the second season, Dawson is pretty pissed off.
Joey knows that they can always stay friends, and she thinks that's the best-case scenario here. This proves that despite all the drama that these two have gone through, they find a way to return to one another.
Jen And Jack: They Become Family
People often talk about how you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. While Joey and Dawson have always been close, Jen and Jack literally become family when they both live with Grams and relocate to Boston after high school.
It's really sweet and heartwarming to see Grams welcome Jack into their little family unit, and Dawson and Joey never live together (even if she does practically live in his bedroom, watching movies for a good portion of her youth).
Dawson And Joey: They Can Always Pick Up Where They Left Off
Most people have old friends whom they can see after months or a year and pick up right where they left off. It feels like no time has passed at all and they can talk about their lives as if they just hung out yesterday.
That's definitely the case with Dawson and Joey's friendship, and it's another reason why they'll always be the best friends. For example, they ignore each other for an entire summer between Season 5 and 6, and it doesn't mean that they aren't friends anymore.
Jen And Jack: They Teach Each Other How To Grow Up
If Joey and Dawson's relationship could be described in one word, it might be "immature" (but "complicated" does come to mind, too). They spend a lot of time whining and feeling sorry for themselves, and it often feels like they need a bit of distance from one another.
Jen and Jack teach each other how to grow up, and their friendship is really healthy. Jack becomes more secure with himself and starts his first relationship with Tobey (David Monahan), and Jen comes to the realization that her romantic relationships have all been pretty bad.
Dawson And Joey: They Choose To Stay In Each Other's Lives In The Series Finale
After everything they've been through, from broken hearts to one-night stands to jealousy of each other's partners, it's pretty amazing that Joey and Dawson are able to remain friends.
But that's exactly what happens in the two-part series finale. Even though Joey decides to be with Pacey, Dawson still wants to be friends, and when Pacey and Joey phone Dawson, he lets them know that he's going to meet Spielberg, which is the biggest moment of his life. These two are ultimately the best friends on the show as they move past their conflict and stay in each other's lives.