It's official, we're old. The year 2021 marks a whole bunch of milestones for us. It's the first year that kids born in 2000 are allowed to drink, it means anyone born in the 90s is now in their early 20s, and it marks the 20th anniversary of these TV shows that premiered in 2001. Considering that most of us grew up watching these series, we're having a bit of a hard time with how fast life is going.
Many of these TV shows have now been around long enough that they're getting reboots. It used to be that we were only reviving shows from the '80s and '90s, but nope, we're on the 2000s now. And if today's fashion trends also cycle around to the early 2000s looks, well, we're just not ready for low rise jeans to be in again while also confronting the fact that it's been 20 years since Lizzie McGuire premiered.
Here are all the shows that came out in 2001 and are now mocking us with their 20th anniversaries.
'The Fairly OddParents'
The Nickelodeon cartoon about 10-year-old Timmy Turner and his magical fairy godparents is now twice as old as Timmy himself. The series came to an end just a few years ago in 2017, but with 159 episodes in reruns on Nick, it feels just as fresh as ever. Now a whole new generation of kids is discovering it.
'Degrassi: The Next Generation'
In 2001, Drake was just an actor playing Jimmy on Degrassi. It would be several more years before he would move into the music industry with his first mixtape in 2006. There are kids alive today who know him only as a rapper and never as an actor, and yes, that officially makes us old. Maybe it's time to pop Degrassi on for today's teens, yeah?
'My Wife & Kids'
The Damon Wayans-starring sitcom ran for five seasons from 2001 until 2005. It featured Damon as husband and dad Michael Kyle navigating married life and fatherhood with his own brand of humor. It's still in re-runs on the Fuse channel, and though some things are a little outdated now, it holds up.
'Lizzie McGuire'
This Disney Channel favorite only ran for two seasons from 2001 until 2004, but it left a mark on a generation. Hilary Duff's Lizzie was so relatable that she made viewers feel better about their own middle school struggles. That's why it was such a shame to learn that the Disney+ reboot won't be going into production after all.
'Smallville'
Who didn't have a crush on Tom Welling growing up? He played Clark Kent in Smallville as he began to discover his Superman powers. The series was really popular and ran for 10 seasons before coming to a close in 2011. A lot of time has since passed, and Tom Welling is 43 years old now. Yep, just take that in for a second.
The British Version of 'The Office'
The Ricky Gervais version of The Office hit TV screens in Britain years before Steve Carell stepped into the role of Michael Scott on NBC. It wasn't until four years later in 2005 that the American Office debuted, and the original series deserves all the credit for inspiring the US remake.
'The Proud Family'
2001 was a good year for Disney Channel viewers between the premiere of Lizzie McGuire and another iconic series The Proud Family. The animated show followed the adventures of 14-year-old Penny Proud (voiced by Kyla Pratt) and the rest of her eclectic family. Now a reboot is being planned for Disney+ called The Proud Family: Louder And Prouder.
'Scrubs'
Long before Grey's Anatomy came on the scene in 2005, everyone was watching the medical show Scrubs, with the hilarious doctor team of J.D. and Christopher, played by Zach Braff and Donald Faison. The series ran for nine seasons between 2001 and 2010. For anyone who wants to start a rewatch, it streams on Hulu and Amazon now.
'Fear Factor'
It's hard to forget the show Fear Factor, with all of the disgusting challenges it put contestants through. Sure, they had a chance to win $50,000, but was that worth eating all of those super gross things? Debatable. The series originally went off the air in 2006, but it was later revived in 2017 with Ludacris as the host before getting canceled again in 2018.
'The Amazing Race'
Another reality show that debuted in 2001 was The Amazing Race. The series challenged teams of contestants to literally race around the world while competing in mental and physical challenges. The winners get $1 million, and the show just finished airing its 32nd season. Collectively, contestants have traveled over a million miles in the show's 20 years.
'Totally Spies!'
The Totally Spies! characters Clover, Sam, and Alex were basically the grown up Powerpuff Girls. They juggled high school and college while also doing undercover work as international spies and taking down criminal masterminds. The action-packed kids series ran for six seasons before it ended in 2014.
'24'
In 2001, viewers met Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, as he raced against the clock to save America from terrorists. The popular action show lasted eight seasons and won multiple Golden Globes and Emmys before its end in 2010. It was later revived in 2014 for the one season sequel 24: Live Another Day.
'Six Feet Under'
Before he played the serial killer Dexter, Michael C. Hall played a funeral director named David on Six Feet Under. He ran the funeral home business with his older brother Nate (played by Parenthood's Peter Krause), and much of the drama centered on the family dynamics at play for the main characters and their loved ones.
'Alias'
Alias starred a young Jennifer Garner (she was 29 at the time) as international spy Sydney Bristow. Fun fact, Jenna Fischer, who would later play Pam on The Office, auditioned for the role that Jennifer Garner eventually got. Jennifer played Sydney for five seasons until the show ended in 2006.
'So Little Time'
Neither of the Olsen twins act anymore, but in 2001, that was still their full-time career. That's the year that So Little Time came out, a series about high schoolers Riley and Chloe as they navigated all the ups and downs of being teenagers — from friends and family to school and boys. The show only lasted for a season, and then they moved on to other projects.
'Reba'
In the early 2000s, country singer Reba McEntire had her own sitcom, Reba. She played a single mom of three children, and the show lasted until 2007. But now that it's been 20 years since it debuted, Reba recently said that she would be totally down to bring it back. "We had a lot more topics to talk about, stories to tell," she said on Watch What Happens Live in November 2020.
'One on One'
2001 was a big year for Kyla Pratt. Not only was she voicing Penny Proud on The Proud Family, but she was also starring in One on One. The show centered around a sportscaster who suddenly gets full custody of his teenage daughter and has to grapple with raising a young girl while juggling the responsibilities of his job.
'Trailer Park Boys'
The Office didn't invent the mock documentary style of filming. It was used by many prior projects, including 2001's Trailer Park Boys. The fake documentary series followed three petty felons and their lives in a trailer park. The popular show ran until 2018, with over 100 episodes produced in 12 seasons.
'The Bernie Mac Show'
The late comedian Bernie Mac got his own self-titled sitcom in 2001, The Bernie Mac Show. In it, he played a stand-up comedian who becomes a dad overnight when he gets custody of his sister's three kids. As one could probably guess, a lot of hilarity ensues. The five-season show ended in 2006.
'Taina'
This Nickelodeon show only ran for two seasons, but it was fun while it lasted. It starred Christina Vidal as Taina Morales, an aspiring singer and actor going to the Manhattan High School of the Performing Arts. The show followed her career ambitions, as well as the regular teen drama she experienced along the way.
