The 2000s. In the news it was all about the Iraq War, the Great Recession, and Hurricane Katrina. At the movies we were introduced to Jack Sparrow, Shrek and the world of Pandora, and the gaming world was introduced to Halo, Wii and Angry Birds. Apple dominated the tech industry while Facebook, Youtube and Twitter revolutionized the internet.

As for television, a trend started by The Sopranos in 1999 began to take shape across the cable TV landscape as shows started to feel more like movies and some of the best writers began taking advantage of the episodic format to tell compelling stories with more mature themes. The new golden age of television had begun.

2000

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm premieres on HBO.
  • Malcolm in the Middle premieres on FOX.
  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2015.
  • Gilmore Girls premieres on The WB.
  • Dora the Explorer premieres on Nick Jr.
  • Jackass premieres on MTV.
  • Big Brother premieres on CBS.
  • Girlfriends premieres on UPN. Lasts until 2008.
  • MTV Cribs premieres.
  • Boston Public premieres on FOX.

2001

  • 24 premieres on FOX. Lasts until 2010.
  • Scrubs premieres on NBC. Lasts until 2010.
  • Six Feet Under premieres on HBO.
  • Alias premieres on ABC.
  • The Bernie Mac Show premieres on FOX.
  • The Office premieres on BBC Two.
  • The Amazing Race premieres on CBS.
  • Band of Brothers, a WWII-set miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, premieres on HBO.
  • Grounded For Life premieres on FOX.
  • My Wife and Kids premieres on ABC.
  • According to Jim premieres on ABC.
  • Reba premieres on The WB.
  • Lizzie McGuire premieres on Disney Channel.
  • Kelly Ripa replaces Kathy Lee Gifford on Live!
  • Adult Swim programming block premieres on Cartoon Network.
  • Continually scrolling news headlines along the bottom of the screen become the norm after Fox News used it to let viewers keep track of developments during the September 11 attacks.
  • Disney buys Fox Family and renames it ABC Family. Eventually becomes Freeform.
  • America’s Test Kitchen premieres on public television.
  • Fear Factor premieres on NBC.
  • Star Trek: Enterprise premieres on UPN.
  • Undeclared premieres on FOX.
  • The Fairly Oddparents premieres on Nickelodeon.
  • Samurai Jack premieres on Cartoon Network.

2002

  • American Idol premieres on FOX.
  • The Wire premieres on HBO. Lasts until 2008.
  • CSI: Miami premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2012.
  • Firefly premieres on FOX.
  • The Shield premieres on FX. Lasts until 2008.
  • Monk premieres on USA Network. Lasts until 2009.
  • The Dead Zone premieres on USA Network.
  • Fastlane premieres on FOX.
  • Without a Trace premieres on CBS.
  • George Lopez premieres on ABC.
  • 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter premieres on ABC.
  • Life with Bonnie premieres on ABC.
  • Less Than Perfect premieres on ABC.
  • Everwood premieres on The WB.
  • What I Like About You premieres on The WB.
  • Half & Half premieres on UPN.
  • Dr. Phil premieres in syndication.
  • The Bachelor premieres on ABC.
  • Last Call with Carson Daly premieres on NBC.
  • The Osbournes premieres on MTV.
  • The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius premieres on Nickelodeon.
  • Kim Possible premieres on Disney Channel.
  • Liberty’s Kids premieres on PBS Kids.
  • Cyberchase premieres on PBS Kids.
  • G4 is launched.
  • Discovery HD Theater, now known as Velocity, is the first HD cable channel.

2003

  • Arrested Development premieres on FOX.
  • Two and a Half Men premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2015.
  • JAG spin-off NCIS premieres on CBS.
  • The O.C. premieres on FOX.
  • The Ellen Degeneres Show premieres on NBC.
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live! premieres on ABC.
  • Real Time with Bill Maher premieres on HBO.
  • Chappelle’s Show premieres on Comedy Central.
  • Dead Like Me premieres on Showtime.
  • Nip/Tuck premieres on FX. Lasts until 2010.
  • One Tree Hill premieres on The WB. Lasts until 2012.
  • Cold Case premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2010.
  • Hope & Faith premieres on ABC.
  • Punk’d premieres on MTV.
  • Extreme Makeover: Home Edition premieres on ABC.
  • The Bachelorette premieres on ABC.
  • America’s Next Top Model premieres on UPN.
  • Queer Eye for the Straight Guy premieres on Bravo.
  • Anderson Cooper 360° premieres on CNN.
  • The Simple Life premieres on FOX.
  • Reno 911! premieres on Comedy Central.
  • Da Ali G Show premieres on HBO.
  • MythBusters premieres on Discovery.
  • That’s So Raven premieres on Disney Channel.
  • Rugrats spin-off All Grown Up! premieres on Nickelodeon.

2004

  • Lost premieres on ABC.
  • Desperate Housewives premieres on ABC.
  • Veronica Mars premieres on UPN.
  • Entourage premieres on HBO. Lasts until 2011.
  • House, M.D. premieres on FOX. Lasts until 2012.
  • Deadwood premieres on HBO.
  • Battlestar Galactica is revived on SyFy.
  • The L Word premieres on Showtime.
  • Rescue Me premieres on FX.
  • CSI: NY premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2013.
  • The Practice spin-off Boston Legal premieres on ABC.
  • Jack & Bobby premieres on The WB.
  • Brian Williams joins NBC Nightly News.
  • Project Runway premieres on Bravo.
  • Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County premieres on MTV.
  • Pimp My Ride premieres on MTV.
  • Hell’s Kitchen premieres on ITV.
  • The Apprentice premieres on NBC.
  • The Biggest Loser premieres on NBC.
  • Jetix is introduced on ABC Family as the first anime-based programming block.
  • Ken Jennings from Salt Lake City, Utah begins his long run as Jeopardy! champion.

    2005

    • Grey’s Anatomy premieres on ABC.
    • The Office premieres on NBC. Lasts until 2013.
    • Craig Ferguson takes over as host of The Late Late Show.
    • Supernatural premieres on The WB.
    • Weeds premieres on Showtime.
    • Bones premieres on FOX. Lasts until 2017.
    • Criminal Minds premieres on CBS.
    • Ghost Whisperer premieres on CBS.
    • Numb3rs premieres on CBS.
    • Medium premieres on NBC.
    • Prison Break premieres on FOX.
    • The Colbert Report premieres on Comedy Central. Lasts until 2014.
    • How I Met Your Mother premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2014.
    • It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia premieres on FX.
    • My Name Is Earl premieres on NBC.
    • Everybody Hates Chris premieres on UPN.
    • American Dad! premieres on FOX.
    • Robot Chicken premieres on Adult Swim.
    • Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres on Nickelodeon.
    • Ben 10 premieres on Cartoon Network.
    • Dancing with the Stars premieres on ABC.
    • So You Think You Can Dance premieres on FOX.
    • The Deadliest Catch premieres on Discovery.
    • Deal or No Deal premieres on NBC with host Howie Mandel.
    • Logo is launched.

    2006

    • Dexter premieres on Showtime. Lasts until 2013.
    • Friday Night Lights premieres on NBC.
    • America’s Got Talent premieres on NBC.
    • 30 Rock premieres on NBC. Lasts until 2013.
    • Heroes premieres on NBC.
    • Ugly Betty premieres on ABC.
    • Psych premieres on USA Network.
    • Big Love premieres on HBO.
    • ‘Til Death premieres on FOX.
    • The New Adventures of Old Christine premieres on CBS.
    • Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip premieres on NBC.
    • Hannah Montana premieres on Disney Channel.
    • The Real Housewives of Orange County premieres on Bravo.
    • Top Chef premieres on Bravo.
    • Laguna Beach spin-off The Hills premieres on MTV.
    • Rachael Ray premieres in syndication.
    • UPN and The WB merge into The CW.

    2007

    • Hulu is founded.
    • Mad Men premieres on AMC.
    • The Big Bang Theory premieres on CBS.
    • Californication premieres on Showtime.
    • Damages premieres on FX.
    • Pushing Daisies premieres on ABC.
    • The Sarah Silverman Program premieres on Comedy Central.
    • Rules of Engagement premieres on CBS.
    • The Bill Engvall Show premieres on TBS.
    • The Tudors premieres on Showtime.
    • Burn Notice premieres on USA Network.
    • Saving Grace premieres on TNT.
    • Gossip Girl premieres on The CW.
    • Grey’s Anatomy spin-off Private Practice premieres on ABC. Lasts until 2013.
    • Flight of the Conchords premieres on HBO.
    • Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres on E!
    • Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? premieres on FOX.
    • Chelsea Lately premieres on E! with host Chelsea Handler.
    • Drew Carey replaces Bob Barker as the host of The Price is Right.
    • Phineas and Ferb premieres on Disney Channel.
    • iCarly premieres on Nickelodeon.
    • Yo Gabba Gabba! premieres on Nick Jr.
    • The Writers Guild of America goes on strike. Lasts until February 2008 and puts the development of many series on hold.

    2008

    • Breaking Bad premieres on AMC.
    • The Mentalist premieres on CBS.
    • Fringe premieres on FOX.
    • In Treatment premieres on HBO.
    • Sons of Anarchy premieres on FX. Lasts until 2014.
    • True Blood premieres on HBO. Lasts until 2014.
    • Gary Unmarried premieres on CBS.
    • The Wendy Williams Show premieres in syndication.
    • The Doctors premieres in syndication.
    • The Rachel Maddow Show premieres on MSNBC.

    2009

    • Analog television is switched off and digital television becomes the norm.
    • Epix is launched.
    • Jimmy Fallon replaces Conan O’Brien as the host of Late Night.
    • Parks and Recreation premieres on NBC.
    • Modern Family premieres on ABC.
    • The Good Wife premieres on CBS. Lasts until 2016.
    • Glee premieres on FOX.
    • Community premieres on NBC.
    • Nurse Jackie premieres on Showtime.
    • Castle premieres on ABC.
    • Hawthorne premieres on TNT.
    • Royal Pains premieres on USA Network. Lasts until 2016.
    • The Vampire Diaries premieres on The CW. Lasts until 2017.
    • Archer premieres on FX.
    • NCIS: Los Angeles premieres on CBS.
    • White Collar premieres on USA Network.
    • Drop Dead Diva premieres on Lifetime.
    • The League premieres on FX. Lasts until 2015.
    • Men of a Certain Age premieres on TNT.
    • Southland premieres on NBC.
    • Tosh.0 premieres on Comedy Central.
    • Toddlers & Tiaras premieres on TLC.
    • Cake Boss premieres on TLC.
    • Let’s Make a Deal is revived on CBS with host Wayne Brady.
    • American Ninja Warrior premieres on G4.
    • Jersey Shore premieres on MTV.
    • Watch What Happens: Live premieres on Bravo with host Andy Cohen.
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race premieres on Logo.
    • Barack Obama appears on The Tonight Show as the first sitting president to appear on a late night talk show.