“Dawson’s Creek” versus “Roswell”

This comes from Entertainment Weekly.

Daily Double

”Dawson’s Creek” versus ”Roswell” — Is everyone seeing double on the WB’s Wednesday nights, or is it just EW Online?

December 8, 1999
by Sandra P. Angulo

We can just picture ”Roswell”’s initial pitch meeting: ”Think ‘Dawson’s Creek’ meets ‘The X-Files”’ Or perhaps: ”Imagine ‘Dawson’s Creek’ crossed with ‘E.T.’ — but with no ugly creatures!” Either way, WB execs bought it, and the rest is Wednesday-night history (kinda). Even so, the similarities between the ratings-grabbing ”Creek” and its freshman follow-up ”Roswell” are so blatantly spooky that we HAD to tell someone.

DC: Stars six gorgeous teens living in small-town Capeside, Mass.
Roswell: Stars six gorgeous teens living in small-town Roswell, N.M.

DC: Follows three locals (Dawson, Pacey, Joey) and three outsiders (Andie, Jack, Jen)
Roswell: Follows three locals (Liz, Maria, Alex) and three aliens (Michael, Max, and Isabel)

DC: Features a vampy blond (Michelle Williams) and a doe-eyed brunet (Katie Holmes)
Roswell: Features a vampy blond (Katherine Heigl) and a doe-eyed brunet (Shiri Appleby)

DC: Joey visits Dawson by climbing into his window
Roswell: Max visits Liz by climbing onto her balcony

DC: Joey and Jack used to work at the Ice House, the local watering hole
Roswell: Liz and Maria work at the Crashdown Cafe, the local diner

DC: Brooding heartthrob Dawson rejects Joey’s sexual advances, claiming she’s not ready
Roswell: Introspective heartthrob Max rejects Liz’s advances, claiming he’s an alien and she’s not

DC: Pacey is estranged from his blue-uniformed policeman father
Roswell: Michael is estranged from his blue-collar-worker foster father

DC: Jason Behr played Chris, who bedded rebellious Jen
Roswell: Jason Behr plays Max, who’s trying not to bed rebellious Liz