Dawson’s Creek and Gilmore Girls have something big in common (besides being addictive TV dramas with huge fan bases, of course). Both shows feature a girl next door character: Joey Potter and Rory Gilmore, respectively. These characters are kind-hearted teens who aren’t loud and prone to wild parties and mischief like some of the other high schoolers that they know. They’re the kind of people who stick to the sidelines, watching everyone else have fun and wondering if maybe something big could happen to them (but they’re happy to hang back, too).
It makes sense to compare the two popular teen girls. Here are five reasons that Joey Potter is the best girl next door character and five reasons that it’s Rory Gilmore.
Joey: She Pines After Her Best Friend For Years, Which Is Relatable
Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) is a better girl next door character than Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) because she pines after her best friend, Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), for years. This is a super relatable aspect of Dawson’s Creek since a lot of people have been in that position.
Joey has to watch Dawson make a total fool out of himself trying to impress the new girl, Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), and she hangs in there, being a real trooper (with, okay, some snide comments along the way). Also, it’s worth noting that Joey doesn’t literally live next door to Dawson, but she does live across the creek.
Rory: She Doesn’t Date Until She Meets Dean
On the other hand, Rory is a better girl next door character because she doesn’t date anyone until she meets Dean (Jared Padalecki) at the beginning of the first season. It takes her by surprise, and she doesn’t know what to do because she’s never been in love or had a boyfriend.
This is easy for young fans who haven’t dated much to relate to, especially since Rory is very sweet and innocent during her relationship with Dean. She’s nervous about asking him to attend Chilton’s dance with her, she doesn’t know how to react when they have their first kiss, and she can’t even say “I love you” back.
Joey: She’s Always Been A Tomboy
A true girl next door character doesn’t have to be a tomboy, but it does help make a strong case for Joey Potter.
She’s not girly at all, and Rory definitely seems more comfortable putting on a pretty dress for a fancy dinner at her grandparents’ house or a party (even if she doesn’t exactly want to attend said party). Joey, on the other hand, can barely put on some lipstick when she and Dawson start dating in the early days of the show.
Rory: She’s Much More Modest About Her Good Grades And Intelligence Than Joey Is
Rory Gilmore is definitely a much more modest person than Joey. While Joey doesn’t walk around screaming that she’s the most brilliant person to ever walk the halls of Capeside High, she does seem pretty smug most of the time. She often acts like she knows more than Dawson or Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) when they have disagreements, and she expects to get whatever she wants academically.
Rory wants to get good grades and do well because she cares about her future and takes pride in her work. But even when she gets a D on her first big English assignment at Chilton (and then misses an exam), she’s disappointed in herself instead of expecting everyone around her to be less intelligent than she is.
Joey: She Doesn’t Leave Capeside Until College
While Rory does get the chance to travel quite a bit (she goes to Europe twice: she backpacks with Lorelai after she graduates from high school and then goes back with Emily), Joey really doesn’t see much of the world until after she’s already been in college.
Joey is definitely more of a typical girl next door character in this sense since she sticks pretty close to home (in this case, the small town of Capeside where she lives).
Rory: She’s A Homebody
If a girl next door character is sweet, relatable, and more of a homebody than someone who is always looking for the next adventure, this definitely describes Rory Gilmore.
Much of Gilmore Girls takes place at Lorelai and Rory’s house as they have movie nights, eat way too much junk food, and comfort each other while sometimes hiding from the world.
Joey: She Rejects The Party Scene In High School And Later On
Rory isn’t a big partier but there are some times when she’s in high school when she attends some gatherings. She does her best to seem social and polite and friendly.
Joey, on the other hand, really rejects the whole party scene both when she’s in high school and when she goes to Worthington College. She attends any kind of party with a huge scowl on her face, and she’s much more comfortable hanging out with Dawson one-on-one.
Rory: She’s Super Involved In Her Small Town
Rory’s involvement in Stars Hollow makes her feel like more of a girl next door character than Joey. While Joey doesn’t volunteer or help put on town festivals, Rory is all about that. She loves it all, whether it’s Thanksgiving or a hot summer’s day.
Rory is definitely someone who can be counted on, and everyone in town feels like she’s part of their family.
Joey: She’s Loyal To Friends And Family
Even though she hides behind a sarcastic exterior, Joey Potter is a loyal person.
She’s always in Dawson’s corner, she cares about the other characters in the friend group, and she helps her sister Bessie out at home, even when Bessie starts a bed and breakfast and things get kind of chaotic and stressful.
Rory: People Are Drawn To Her, But She Doesn’t Realize It
Since Rory Gilmore is so modest, she can’t really believe that Tristan (Chad Michael Murray) has such a big crush on her, and she feels the same way later on when she’s at Yale and Marty (Wayne Wilcox) likes her. She thinks they’re just friends, though.
This is exactly the way that a girl next door would react to learning that they are the object of someone’s affection, and that’s exactly why Rory is the perfect girl next door on TV.
