“The show was built around him,” Emily Longeretta, director of features at Variety, told BBC News.

“The creator Kevin Williamson has said many times… that Dawson was based on him [Williamson] and he had to find the right person to do that, and James immediately stepped into that role,” she added.

“He took this character that was not a jock or the cool kid in high school and… made him loveable, someone that people fall in love with, that was not afraid to be emotional, something that a lot of men on TV, especially young men… it’s frowned upon.

“James Van Der Beek was able to do that with such eloquence, his emotional connection and authenticity really came through the screen.”

The show made stars of its key cast, including Dawson’s childhood friend and love interest Joey (Katie Holmes), his friend Pacey (Joshua Jackson), new girl in town Jen (Michelle Williams) and Audrey (Busy Philipps).

While the series had a very respectable if not huge audience in the US for the time – averaging about six million viewers throughout its run – it was also broadcast in 50 countries, including the UK and Australia, where it enjoyed a cult following.

A world away from the glamour of other teen shows such as Beverly Hills 90210, it tackled real-life issues such as loss, grief, sexuality, mental health and heartbreak but in an accessible and gentle way that connected with young viewers.

TV critic Scott Bryan told the BBC: “The show was a breakthrough because it was one of the first that talked to teens like adults.

“It was a show that very much had its heart on its sleeve, with the characters openly talking to each other about their feelings (and their feelings for each other). It didn’t look down on its audience, and it featured performances that were more fleshed out than its rivals.”

Indeed, parental figures were very much on the periphery. Joey’s mother had died and her father was in prison; Dawson’s parents become preoccupied with their divorce; Jen lived with her grandmother and Pacey had a difficult relationship with his alcoholic father.