Jack and Ethan's kiss in this episode was the first gay male kiss in a romantic context aired on North American prime time television. The first gay kiss aired during primetime was eighteen months earlier on Eric's Buddy (1998), though not in a romantic context.
The kiss that Jack and Ethan share in this episode was the first kiss between teenage boy characters ever shown on American television. The WB asked the show creators to film it twice, once in closeup and once from a distance, in case the censors wouldn't allow them to show it.
While attempting to cheer Dawson up Jen (Michelle Williams) says 'We're not in Capeside anymore, Toto' referencing the film 'The Wizard of Oz'. Williams would later go on to star as Glinda in 'Oz the Great and Powerful'.