Beloved TV Shows Celebrating a 2024 20th Anniversary
People love celebrating anniversaries. Whether a wedding anniversary or a TV anniversary, remembering the landmark beginnings of life’s greatest joys never gets old. 2024 brings with it the 20th anniversary of some of the best shows ever.
From historical fiction on HBO to failed spin-offs of 1990s comedies, these TV shows still air and infuse the TV fandom with incredible memories and favorite episodes! Raise a glass to these titles for a 2024 20th Anniversary.
1. Deadwood (2004-2006)
Deadwood won’t entertain everyone, as it remains more of an acquired taste. The writing and acting help to engage the audience in the world of 1870s South Dakota with superb set design and unique line delivery. The attention to detail in the show makes it one of the most underrated HBO classics, and one of the biggest titles to celebrate among shows with a 2024 20th Anniversary.
2. House (2004-2012)
Medical dramas were all the rage during the 2000s, and House separated from the pack thanks to an unforgettable lead performance by Hugh Laurie. Unlike other hospital shows that focus on an ensemble, the focus on Dr. House gives the audience a character to fully engage in every week as they learn about his quirks and love his weirdness!
3. Lost (2004-2010)
Lost goes down in history as one of the final network dramas to engage audiences just as much as premium cable shows. The high quality of this fantasy adventure series had viewers on the edge of their seats, waiting for revelations and novelties as they related to the mysteries on the island…at least until it all went off the rails in the final seasons.
4. Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)
Desperate Housewives felt like the trendy show of the 2000s, but people who looked beyond the advertisements and engaged with the plot and characters certainly found value in the writing and acting. The show combined comedy and drama as the fascinating interactions between the superstar ladies at the head of the table kept this ABC series going for almost a decade.
5. Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
Science fiction doesn’t always get critical acclaim, but everyone who’s watched Battlestar Galactica understands its worth. This remake of the original series ups the stakes with better special effects and a rich story about political warfare in outer space. Edward James Olmos turns in a career performance. Of all the shows with a 2024 20th Anniversary here, this one most warrants a rewatch.
6. Entourage (2004-2011)
Entourage took advantage of Mark Wahlberg’s interesting coming-of-age perspective in Los Angeles to tell a story about young adults in California during the 2000s. A strong ensemble cast allows the plotting to feel fresh, even if the setting and circumstances are specific to the decade in which they take place.
7. Shameless (2004-2013)
Most Americans only know about the second version of Shameless with Jeremey Allen White and William H. Macy. That show was based on the brilliant British version that aired in 2004. The same concepts carry over in this Shameless, with a hilariously dysfunctional family at the core of the series.
8. Veronica Mars (2004-2019)
Veronica Mars used some of the best tropes of its predecessors, such as Murder She Wrote, to update the mystery drama for a new audience in 2004. Veronica was a character teenage girls could root for, and the series defined the best parts of the genre. Kristen Bell upped her fame while on Veronica Mars.
9. Boston Legal (2004-2008)
Legal dramas are a dime a dozen, but Boston Legal always applied the best parts of the genre to create something special. William Shatner, James Spader, and Candace Bergen define the term “big three” as there aren’t many trios on television with more awards or critical adulation.
10. The L Word (2004-2009)
Heartstopper and Love, Victor brought LGBTQ+ representation to television at the dawn of the 2020s, but The L Word did the heavy lifting in this department long before the streaming series took over. This Showtime drama normalized lesbianism at a time when homophobia still ran rampant amongst casual audiences.
11. Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide (2004-2007)
Ned’s Declassified felt completely different from any other live-action show Nickelodeon aired during the 2000s. The show about a group of friends surviving middle school somehow brought sophistication and silliness to the screen at the same time, thanks to the lack of a laugh track and a setting relegated to the classroom.
12. Drake & Josh (2004-2007)
The chemistry between Drake Bell and Josh Peck made Drake & Josh a pleasure to watch every single week on Nickelodeon. The actors made these fictional stepbrothers compliment each other through loads of fighting and plenty of sentimental hugs. Miranda Cosgrove got her start on this series.
13. Hustle (2004-2012)
Another British television juggernaut with a 2024 20th Anniversary, Hustle brought a unique energy to the table as a series about con artists. Not many shows in the United States orient themselves within this category, so fans of practical jokes and deceit should be in for a treat!
14. Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends (2004-2009)
Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends carved out a place as one of the truly creative masterpieces in Cartoon Network history. The cartoon’s setting, a foster home filled with creatures originating in the minds of children, manifests the power of kids’ creativity and utilizes themes such as friendship and authenticity.
15. Unfabulous (2004-2007)
Unfabulous brought soap opera energy to Nickelodeon with romantic storylines revolving around a middle school student played by Emma Roberts. Dan Schneider didn’t make the show, so it feels less chaotic and not reliant on innuendos or double entendres.
16. 6Teen (2004-2010)
Cartoon Network’s adolescent programming from the 2000s goes under the radar. 6Teen dove headfirst into the tropes, trials, and tribulations of the decade with a group of friends who spend seemingly all of their time at a local mall. Defined characters and awesome voice acting make 6Teen better than it would be otherwise.
17. The Biggest Loser (2004-present)
Reality television really exploded in the mid-2000s. The Biggest Loser motivated people at home to take care of their bodies by watching overweight individuals overcome obesity with the help of celebrity trainers and coaches. The series ran on NBC for over a decade and ingrained itself into reality TV history.
18. Iron Chef America: The Series (2004-2018)
Food Network started to switch from instructional cooking shows to competition series in the 2000s. Iron Chef America: The Series used Food Network stars everyone loved, like Bobby Flay, to get fans excited about competitive cooking. The show garnered huge ratings on cable television and led to similar programming.
19. Doc Martin (2004-2022)
Doc Martin follows a doctor with mental health problems who practices medicine in a sentiment-laden village with amusing side characters. The series grapples with a lot of different real-life issues, such as hemophobia, but always keeps the tone palatable at the same time.
20. Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2009)
Stargate: Atlantis featured some of the best science fiction stories on TV during the 2000s. Using Atlantis as the setting, the writers and actors create a compelling and engaging environment based on some of the genre’s most tried and true templates.
21. Bleach (2004-2023)
Running for almost 20 years, Bleach became synonymous with anime excellence. The series deals with themes such as mortality, retribution, and what happens after people die. Even though it sounds heavy, Bleach delivered a binge-worthy experience for anime geeks.
22. Joey (2004-2006)
Friends’ magic came from the brilliance of the ensemble cast, but fans always loved Joey Tribbiani just a little bit more than the rest. NBC quickly made a spinoff focusing on the knucklehead of the group, but the writers misunderstood the value Matt LeBlanc’s character possessed. Without the rest of the friends, Joey couldn’t bounce off the rest of the personalities. Loyal fans still might want to check this series out for some stupid fun, though.