The 2000s was a vibrant and colorful era for people, especially children. From rainbow-colored shirts to bright pants, the fashion style of the 2000s was truly outrageous, but nothing defines the period more than the iconic Disney TV shows that were airing on the Disney Channel. To refresh your mind on the shows that you’ve watched as a kid, as a teenager, or as an adult during the 2000s, here are the top Disney TV shoes in that era.
That’s So Raven
Kids and teenagers will most likely remember the 2000s Disney Channel for having That’s So Raven, which is a live-action TV show that was produced from 2003 to 2007. The shows centers around Raven Baxter, a teenager who has psychic powers that help her manipulate or control things or situations in her life.
The TV show received critical acclaim throughout its run on the Disney Channel, and it earned nominations in the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Programming in 2005 and 2007. That’s So Raven was also the highest-rated program on the Disney Channel in the 2000s, which allowed it to continue airing for 100 episodes, making it the longest live-action series on the channel until today.
Hannah Montana
Another recognizable live-action show from the 2000s, Hannah Montana sparked the career of Miley Cyrus, the singer and songwriter who played the titular character for the series. Produced from 2007 to 2011, Hannah Montana focuses on the teenage life of Miley Stewart, who lives as a normal student during the day, but at night, she dresses up as her alter-ego, Hannah Montana, a popular pop singer. Because of her complicated lifestyle, the show emphasizes the struggles of Miley Stewart as she balances her normal school life with her secret stardom.
When the show first aired on March 24, 2006, it received the highest ratings for the first episode in the history of the Disney Channel, as it got 5.4 million views. The show remained popular until its last episode on January 16, 2011, but the last season was tainted with controversy since it was during that time when Miley Cyrus wanted to stay away from the Hannah Montana persona and tried to be more provocative in her songs and music videos. Nonetheless, Hannah Montana still remains as the best TV show for the majority of people who grew up watching it.
Kim Possible
The first animated show on the list, Kim Possible stars the teenage titular character that, like Hannah Montana, is trying to balance her school life with her alter-ego, which is a secret agent who fights criminals who are planning on taking over the world. During her missions, she is accompanied by her best friend, Ron Stoppable, who always brings with him his pet Rufus the naked mole rat. Throughout the series, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable eventually fall in love with one another, but their relationship would sometimes get in the way of their missions.
Originally under the Disney Channel Original Series, Kim Possible was the second animated TV show in that category after The Proud Family that first aired in 2001. From its production from 2002 to 2007, Kim Possible has garnered critical acclaim and a massive fanbase that allowed the show to produce its fourth season despite being canceled on the third one. It also won one Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Live Action and Animation in 2005, and it was also nominated for eight more Emmy Awards.
Phineas and Ferb
An animated musical comedy TV show, Phineas and Ferb is most notable for having some of the best songs on the Disney Channel, and the intro song for the show has become an instant hit that children all over the world recognize it. The series revolves around the daily mischiefs of Phineas Flynn and his stepbrother Ferb Fletcher who, with their combined intellect, can invent anything and everything, although they mostly focus on creating things that are fun.
The other notable characters in the show are Candace, who is constantly annoyed by the noise and mess that her brothers make, and the brothers’ pet platypus Perry the Platypus, who is secretly a spy that works for the OWCA (the Organization Without a Cool Acronym) that usually thwarts the plans of the evil genius Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. The first episode for Phineas and Ferb aired on August 17, 2007, and after more than 200 episodes, production for the show ended on July 12, 2015.
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is a sitcom that premiered on March 18, 2005, and ended on September 1, 2008. Set in the fictional Tipton Hotel in Boston, the show centers on the lives of twins Zack Martin and Cody Martin, who constantly cause chaos and trouble in the hotel where they live.
Because of its popularity, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody was able to remain on the channel for 87 episodes before the production ended. However, due to fan demand, the Zack and Cody franchise received a sequel titled The Suite Life on Deck, which puts the main characters inside a ship rather than a hotel.
Lizzie McGuire
For teens in the 2000s, Lizzie McGuire was probably one of the shows where they got their fashion style and attitude from. The titular character, Lizzie McGuire, is played by Hilary Duff, and the show revolves around the personal and social life of Lizzie as she tries to navigate through the hardships and struggle of being a teenager in school and at home.
The first episode of Lizzie McGuire premiered on January 12, 2001, and the show ended on February 14, 2004, after 65 episodes. Like many of the best Disney TV shows in the 2000s, Lizzie McGuire was praised by critics for its story and characterization, and the series was eventually nominated for two Emmy Awards for Most Outstanding Children’s Program in 2003 and 2004. There was supposed to be a sequel that is in production since 2019, but it is currently on hiatus due to the departure of series creator Terri Minsky.
Even Stevens
Most known for launching the career of Shia LaBeouf, Even Stevens is another sitcom that premiered on the Disney Channel on June 17, 2000, and ended on June 2, 2003. The plot of the series centers on the Stevenses family living in Sacramento, California. The most interesting aspect of the show is the different personalities shown by the characters, and these personalities would often clash with one another, but the love and bond of the family members bring them together despite their differences.
After the show ended in 2003, a movie titled The Even Stevens Movie was released in the same year and served as the finale for the series. Regardless of its popularity during that time, Disney had to cancel the show because of its rule that limits shows to only have 65 episodes in order to push out more TV series and stories for the Disney Channel.
The 2000s was truly an amazing period for TV entertainment, as different shows that premiered during that time are so great that they are still being remembered until today. There are DVDs and digital copies of these TV shows that you may want to get if you are planning to go on a nostalgic TV marathon soon.