» Aimee Deeken

Capeside's high schoolers (and myriad relatives) set the trend for other teen dramas -- big vocabularies, extensive pop culture references ('Gilmore Girls,' 'Veronica Mars') ... and active sex lives ('The O.C.,' 'Gossip Girl').

'Dawson's Creek' aired for six seasons, from 1998 to 2003, ending with a flash-forward glimpse into the characters' lives in 2008.

Five years have passed, and some of the 'Creek' alum are still very much in the limelight. We check on where they've been able to channel all that teen angst.

Whatever happened to Mary, Lou and the gang?

It's been 31 years since plucky career girl Mary Richards last tossed her hat in the air on that Minneapolis sidewalk after 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show''s seven-year run (1970-'77).

Even Oprah has recently paid her respects -- and if Oprah likes it, we must pay attention.

We take a look at where the cast has been since the lights went off in the newsroom. Did they really make it after all?