James Van Der Beek to Recur on Mercy

Will Dawson be enough to attract viewers to yet another cliche-ridden medical show?

James Van Der Beek - best known, of course, for his role as Dawson Leery on Dawson's Creek - is coming aboard Mercy in the recurring role of Liam West, the hospital’s new ICU chief.

Sources have told Michael Ausiello that the character is as anti-Dawson as it gets: he's cocky, womanizing, and manipulative, frequently clashing with the show's nurses. The new doctor is also hiding a deep, dark secret. (Is there really any other kind?)

If all goes well, Van Der Beek could become a series regular.

Since leaving the show that made him famous, the actor has guest-starred on One Tree Hill, Ugly Betty and Criminal Minds.