10 Best TV Shows That Premiered 20 Years Ago, Ranked By IMDb
2002 might not be a memorable year of history but that doesn't mean it's a year TV fans shouldn't look back on. While the state of the world might have been a disaster, the television industry was full steam ahead creating a plethora of original shows that were quite successful.
With no streaming sites yet launched, television in 2002 was all about traditional broadcast and cable channels meaning the content wasn't as groundbreaking as is now. That meant that the year was dominated by family sitcoms, procedurals, and children's television shows. Some might think that's a bad thing but it's not considering these shows were unique, diverse, and pushed the envelope further than any show had before.
10 George Lopez (2002-2007) - 6.7
Stream On Peacock
When George Lopez began airing on ABC in 2002 it became one of the few shows to center around a Latino lead that also featured a Latinx family at its center. It ran for six seasons on the broadcast network and was nominated for several American Latino Media Arts Awards during its run.
The series featured comedian George Lopez playing a fictionalized version of himself. George is a manager at the Powers Brothers aviation factory by day and by night he's helping his wife raise their two children, all the while, dealing with his dysfunctional mother.
9 Without A Trace (2002-2009) - 6.9
Stream On HBO Max & The Roku Channel
Today CBS is known for their procedural shows and that was also the case in the 2000s. In 2002, the network premiered a new police procedural called Without A Trace which ran for seven seasons before it was canceled. During that time it received critical and commercial success and even landed its lead actor several award nominations.
The series follows the Missing Persons Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigations in New York. Each episode features a new missing person case that the team must solve before it's too late.
8 8 Simple Rules (2002-2005) - 7.0
Stream On ABC
The well-received 8 Simple Rules is one of the most well-known sitcoms from 2002, probably because of the unfortunate history that came in later seasons. The series, which was inspired by a book of the same name, ran for three seasons before it was ultimately canceled.
Season 1 of the show centered on the patriarch Paul as he struggled to raise his three kids when their mother returned to work. That was supposed to continue but unfortunately, John Ritter suddenly passed away, causing creators to have to pivot the show's premise in seasons 2 and 3. While it was on the air, it was liked by critics and audiences.
7 Codename: Kids Next Door (2002-2008) - 7.2
Stream On HBO Max
Codename: Kids Next Door has always been a fan-favorite Cartoon Network show which makes sense since it was the 13th Cartoon Cartoons series. Cartoon Cartoons were shows that fans voted on to be made into a full series after watching the pilot.
The animated children's series centered on a diverse group of 10-year-olds who belong to a worldwide espionage-style organization called Kids Next Door. The kids hang out in a high-tech treehouse and each episode features them going out on a mission to save kids from crimes.
6 Kim Possible (2002-2007) - 7.2
Stream On Disney+
Disney's Kim Possible made history when it premiered in 2002 becoming only the second Disney Channel series to be purely animated. Despite being off the air for over a decade, the series remains highly popular and most recently got a live-action DCOM based on the animated TV series.
The action-adventure series centered on Kim Possible, a teenage girl who fights crime when she's not stuck in high school. With the help of her sidekick and best friend Ron and a computer-genius ten-year-old, Kim is able to defeat the evil Dr. Drakken and Shego more often than not.
5 Still Standing (2002-2006) - 7.5
Stream On IMDb TV
CBS had a solid lineup of family sitcoms in the 2000s, and Still Standing was one of them. The series premiered in September 2002 and ran for four seasons where it maintained a loyal but not record-breaking audience.
The series centered on the working-class Miller family who lived in Chicago. Together Bill and Judy hoped to raise three capable adults but raising kids is a lot harder than it seems. Adding to the conflict was Judy's sister who frequents the Miller house.
4 Everwood (2002-2006) - 7.5
Stream On HBO Max
Before Greg Berlanti was creating the DC Universe for The CW, he was creating heartwarming and heartbreaking drama series for broadcast channels. In 2002 his attention was on Everwood, a drama series that ran for four seasons on The WB before getting canceled when The CW was formed.
The series centered on Dr. Andy Brown, a successful brain surgeon who loses his passion for his career after his wife unexpectedly dies. Needing a change of pace, Dr. Andy relocates himself and his two children to the small town of Everwood where they must learn to adapt to their new reality.
3 Naruto (2002-2007) - 8.4
Stream On Netflix, Peacock, Hulu, Tubi, The Roku Channel & Crunchyroll
There's no doubt that Naruto is one of the most popular animated shows based on Japanese manga in the world. The original Japanese version of the show began airing in 2002 and was later dubbed for English audiences in the United States in 2005.
The series, which ran for 220 episodes, follows Naruto Uzumaki, a young teenager who lives in the Hidden Leaf Villiage. Naruto is determined to be the next Hokage and will stop at nothing to make his dreams come true.
2 The Shield (2002-2008) - 8.7
Stream On Hulu
Interestingly, The Shield made history in 2002 when it premiered becoming one of FX's most successful original series, solidifying them as a powerhouse in the world of basic cable. The police procedural ran for seven seasons and won a Primetime Emmy Award during its first year on air.
The show centered on Vic Mackey, an untraditional cop who belonged to a new and experimental department of the LAPD. Unlike most cops, Vic and his team were not afraid to sink to a criminal's level in order to catch them.
1 The Wire (2002-2008) - 9.3
Stream On HBO Max
While there were no streaming services, HBO did exist in 2002 which provided audiences with the gritty TV shows they dreamed of. That year, the crime drama series The Wire joined HBO's historic lineup and stayed there for five seasons.
Set in Baltimore, The Wire centers on a group of law enforcers who are forced to deal with the growing and dangerous narcotics scene in the city. The series set itself apart by centering each season on a new institution and its relationship with law enforcement. It is considered one of the best shows ever made.