Dawson’s Creek was full of heartbreaking moments, and due to one of them, it missed out on a great character redemption, all because the actor wanted to leave. The 1990s and 2000s saw many teen drama TV shows, all of them ing their young characters in different settings and situations, but all of them with a good dose of drama and addressing serious topics. Among them is Dawson’s Creek, created by Kevin Williamson, which aired from 1998 to 2003 for a total of six seasons. Dawson’s Creek aired on The WB, and it launched the careers of some big stars.
Dawson’s Creek took the audience to the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, to Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and his best friends Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson). Joining them was Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), who had just moved in with her grandmother to Capeside all the way from New York City. Dawson’s Creek the many triumphs, challenges, and losses of the group while they dealt with everything that being a teenager brings, and it could have had a great redemption story with one character, but the actor didn’t want to stay.
Dawson's Creek Should Have Redeemed Abby Morgan Rather Than Killing Her Off
Abby Morgan Made Her Dawson’s Creek Debut In Season 1
A minor character who left her mark in Dawson’s Creek, though not for the best reasons, was Abby Morgan. Played by Monica Keena, Abby made her first appearance in Dawson’s Creek season 1, and she was the stereotypical “bad” girl of teen dramas. As such, her first appearance was in the episode «Detention», and she had a reputation for being unkind to everyone, except Jen, who had just arrived in town and joined the school. Jen herself had a bad reputation back home, as well, and befriending Abby brought that side of her back now in Capeside.
Abby and Jen were all about partying and meeting guys, and though their friendship wasn’t the healthiest one, they found a friend in each other. Unfortunately, Abby’s time in Dawson’s Creek ended in season 2, and Jen witnessed it. After crashing a wedding and being kicked out, Abby and Jen went to the local docks. By then, both were already drunk, and so Abby tripped, hit her head, fell into the ocean, and drowned. At her funeral, a heartbroken and angry Jen called out everyone’s hypocrisy, as they never cared about her until she died.
Dawson’s Creek didn’t go into Abby’s family life and backstory, which could have been possible had she not been killed off so early. Abby was the perfect character for a redemption story, and would have been yet another look at another family dynamic in Capeside, showing how this affected Abby’s social life and mental health.
Abby's Death Wasn't The Original Plan But The Result Of Monica Keena Wanting To Leave
Monica Keena Didn’t Want To Stay In Dawson’s Creek
Abby Morgan could have had a bigger and more developed story in Dawson’s Creek had it not been for Monica Keena. Speaking to Variety in 2023 for the 25th anniversary of Dawson’s Creek, series creator Kevin Williamson was asked about Abby’s death. Williamson revealed that Keena didn’t want to be there, and she begged them to kill Abby. Williamson agreed, and he wrote Abby’s death, and so she became the first death in Dawson’s Creek. Williamson added that, years later, he came across Keena, and she told him she loved the experience, but she didn’t want to be there.
Abby's Dawson's Creek Story Felt Unfinished, And It Shifted The Tone Of The Show
Abby Morgan Could Have Had More In Dawson’s Creek
Abby Morgan had a lot of potential, as she was unlike Dawson and his friends, and she connected with Jen at a very specific and unique level. Abby’s death was shocking and tragic, but her story felt incomplete; however, it did serve a purpose. As the first death in Dawson’s Creek, and Abby being a young character, her death turned the show darker, as well as Jen, who spiraled after it. Abby’s death so early in Dawson’s Creek showed that no one was safe, and that the show wasn’t scared of stepping into darker and tragic territory.
Source: Variety.
