Tuesday Morning Man: James Van Der Beek!

James Van Der Beek has come a long ways since his days on Dawson’s Creek.

This week, he debuts as Dr. Joe Briggs, the new womanizing ICU chief on the NBC medical drama Mercy. It’s his first recurring role since a stint on One Tree Hill a few years back.

Dawson Leery was a real good guy so it seems like James is specializing in darker characters. He played a religiously fanatical serial killer on Criminal Minds portrayed real life kidnapper Anthony Steven “Tony Zappa” Wright in the Lifetime television movie Taken In Broad Daylight.

He also starred in the NBC miniseries The Storm and did guest spots on How I Met Your Mother, Medium and Ugly Betty.

The handsome young actor turned 33 on Monday and is also newly single after splitting with wife Heather McComb.