The best kids shows of the 2000s had a very specific kind of magic.
They were weird.
They were funny.
They were sometimes surprisingly dark.
And they somehow made after-school TV feel like an event.
The 2000s gave us superheroes, ghost boys, secret agents, talking dogs, magical godparents, robot teens, spy kids, sea sponges, and one very stressed pink dog living in the middle of Nowhere.
Honestly, kids’ TV was working overtime.
Quick picks for 2000s kids shows:
- Best fantasy adventure: Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Best superhero team: Teen Titans
- Best spy cartoon: Kim Possible
- Best paranormal cartoon: Danny Phantom
- Best comedy chaos: Ed, Edd n Eddy
- Best spooky kids cartoon: Courage the Cowardly Dog
- Best underwater icon: SpongeBob SquarePants
Best Kids Shows Of The 2000s
These 2000s kids shows were not all the same.
Some were educational.
Some were pure comedy.
Some had real story arcs.
Some were just strange in the best way possible.
But all of them helped define childhood TV for a generation.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest animated shows of the 2000s.
- Original run: 2005–2008
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Fantasy, action, worldbuilding, and emotional storytelling
- Main characters: Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko
This show had everything:
- Elemental powers
- Martial arts-inspired action
- Comedy
- War drama
- Friendship
- One of the best redemption arcs in animation
It was made for kids, but it still holds up for adults.
That is rare.
Also, Uncle Iroh remains everyone’s emotional support tea master.
Kim Possible
Kim Possible made saving the world look like an after-school activity.
- Original run: 2002–2007
- Network: Disney Channel
- Best for: Spy action, comedy, and teen drama
- Main characters: Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Rufus, and Wade
Kim fought villains, handled school, dealt with crushes, and still answered calls with “What’s the sitch?”
Legend behavior.
The show worked because it balanced action and humor so well.
Also, Shego was iconic. No notes.
Teen Titans
Teen Titans gave 2000s kids superhero action with real emotional weight.
- Original run: 2003–2006
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Superhero stories, team drama, and action
- Main team: Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg
The theme song alone deserves respect.
But the show was more than catchy music.
It had strong villains, serious character arcs, and a darker tone than many kids expected.
Raven episodes especially felt like the show looked at children and said, “Ready for emotional damage?”
Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom was one of Nickelodeon’s best action cartoons of the 2000s.
- Original run: 2004–2007
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Ghost stories, superhero action, and teen comedy
- Main character: Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
Danny gets ghost powers after an accident with his parents’ portal.
Very normal teen problem.
From there, he balances school, friends, family, villains, and his secret identity.
The show stood out because it had continuity, strong villains, and actual character growth.
Also, the theme song still lives in my head rent-free.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants became one of the biggest cartoons of the 2000s.
- Premiered: 1999
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Absurd comedy and quotable moments
- Main characters: SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, and Plankton
Technically, SpongeBob started in 1999.
But let’s be honest.
The 2000s belonged to him.
Between the memes, the jokes, the weird undersea logic, and Squidward’s daily suffering, the show became a cultural giant.
It is silly, strange, and somehow still funny years later.
Ben 10
Ben 10 was a dream setup for kids who loved aliens and action.
- Premiered: 2005
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Sci-fi action and alien transformations
- Main character: Ben Tennyson
Ben finds the Omnitrix and gains the ability to transform into different aliens.
That is already a perfect cartoon idea.
Every alien had a different power, look, and personality.
It was basically superhero action plus collectible-monster energy.
Very powerful 2000s formula.
The Proud Family
The Proud Family gave Disney Channel one of its most memorable animated families.
- Original run: 2001–2005
- Network: Disney Channel
- Best for: Family comedy and coming-of-age stories
- Main character: Penny Proud
The show followed Penny as she dealt with school, friends, family, and growing up.
It had loud comedy, strong personalities, and plenty of life lessons.
Oscar Proud alone could power an entire episode with panic and poor decisions.
You can also read more about Penny Proud.
My Life as a Teenage Robot
My Life as a Teenage Robot gave us Jenny Wakeman, one of the coolest robot heroes of the decade.
- Original run: 2003–2009
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Retro-futuristic action and teen comedy
- Main character: XJ-9 / Jenny Wakeman
Jenny was built to protect Earth.
She wanted to be a normal teenage girl.
That conflict made the show fun and relatable.
Saving the planet is hard.
Fitting in at school might be harder.
You can read more in this full post on My Life as a Teenage Robot.
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents turned wish fulfillment into pure cartoon chaos.
- Premiered: 2001 as a full series
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Fast jokes, magic, and absurd situations
- Main characters: Timmy Turner, Cosmo, and Wanda
Timmy had fairy godparents who could grant almost any wish.
Which sounds amazing.
Until you remember Timmy is ten.
So most wishes quickly became disasters.
Cosmo and Wanda made everything funnier, especially when Cosmo treated common sense like an optional DLC.
Ed, Edd n Eddy
Ed, Edd n Eddy was pure backyard chaos.
- Original run: 1999–2009
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Weird comedy and neighborhood schemes
- Main characters: Ed, Edd, and Eddy
The Eds spent most episodes trying to scam their way into jawbreaker money.
Did the plans work?
Almost never.
Did that stop them?
Also no.
The sketchy animation style, strange humor, and backyard setting made the show feel completely unique.
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Courage the Cowardly Dog was scary, funny, and weirdly emotional.
- Original run: 1999–2002
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Horror comedy and strange villains
- Main character: Courage
Courage lived with Muriel and Eustace in the middle of Nowhere.
Then every nightmare imaginable showed up at their house.
Classic rural living, apparently.
The show worked because Courage was terrified but still brave.
He screamed, panicked, and saved the day anyway.
That is real courage.
Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door made childhood feel like a secret military operation.
- Original run: 2002–2008
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Spy action, kid rebellion, and wild gadgets
- Main team: Sector V
The Kids Next Door fought adults, homework, chores, dentists, vegetables, and basically every kid nightmare.
Respect.
The show had a huge imagination and a great team setup.
It made being a kid feel like joining a global resistance movement.
Totally Spies!
Totally Spies! mixed teen life, fashion, gadgets, and international spy missions.
- Premiered: 2001
- Best for: Spy comedy and stylish action
- Main characters: Sam, Clover, and Alex
The girls handled school drama and world-threatening villains.
Sometimes in the same outfit.
The show was colorful, fast, and packed with gadgets.
It also had that very 2000s fashion energy where every mission looked like it came with a mall budget.
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius turned science into weekly chaos.
- Series premiered: 2002
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Science fiction comedy
- Main characters: Jimmy, Carl, Sheen, Cindy, and Libby
Jimmy was a genius inventor.
Unfortunately, many of his inventions caused massive problems.
That was the fun.
Every episode felt like a science fair project went terribly wrong.
Which is probably accurate to real science fairs too.
As Told by Ginger
As Told by Ginger was quieter than many 2000s cartoons, but that is why it stood out.
- Premiered: 2000
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Coming-of-age stories and realistic friendship drama
- Main character: Ginger Foutley
The show focused on middle school, friendships, popularity, family, and growing up.
It had more continuity than many cartoons at the time.
Characters changed.
Relationships shifted.
Outfits even changed sometimes.
For a kids cartoon, that felt surprisingly real.
6teen
6teen captured mall life, teen jobs, and friendship drama.
- Premiered: 2004
- Country: Canada
- Best for: Teen slice-of-life comedy
- Main group: Jude, Caitlin, Jonesy, Nikki, Jen, and Wyatt
The show was mostly set in a mall, which feels extremely 2000s.
The characters worked part-time jobs, dated, argued, made mistakes, and learned things the hard way.
It was funny, but it also understood teen awkwardness.
Unfortunately, I also understand teen awkwardness.
No one asked, but there it is.
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales was a gentle fantasy show for younger kids.
- Original run: 1999–2005
- Network: PBS Kids
- Best for: Younger viewers and educational stories
- Main characters: Max, Emmy, Enrique, Ord, Cassie, Zak, and Wheezie
The show used a magical dragon scale to send kids into Dragon Land.
There, they learned lessons about sharing, trying, honesty, and problem-solving.
It was soft, colorful, and comforting.
Basically, the opposite of Courage the Cowardly Dog.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Big Red Dog was sweet, simple, and very big.
- Original run: 2000–2003
- Best for: Younger kids and gentle life lessons
- Main characters: Clifford and Emily Elizabeth
Clifford was a giant red dog trying to live in a world that was not built for giant red dogs.
That alone is funny.
The show taught kindness, responsibility, friendship, and patience.
Also, it taught us that having a giant dog would be adorable but logistically impossible.
LazyTown
LazyTown was one of the most visually unusual kids shows of the 2000s.
- Premiered: 2004
- Best for: Physical activity, bright visuals, and musical comedy
- Main characters: Stephanie, Sportacus, and Robbie Rotten
The show mixed live-action, puppets, and colorful sets.
Its main message was simple:
Move your body.
Eat better.
Do not let Robbie Rotten convince everyone to nap forever.
Honestly, some days Robbie had a point, but Sportacus probably had the healthier plan.
Camp Lazlo
Camp Lazlo brought summer camp chaos to Cartoon Network.
- Premiered: 2005
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Silly animal comedy
- Main characters: Lazlo, Raj, and Clam
The show followed animal campers at Camp Kidney.
It was goofy, random, and full of strange camp problems.
Lazlo’s optimism drove a lot of the comedy.
Every camp needs one kid who thinks everything is wonderful.
Every counselor fears that kid.
ChalkZone
ChalkZone had one of the most creative premises of the decade.
- Premiered: 2002
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Imagination, art, and weird worldbuilding
- Main character: Rudy Tabootie
Rudy finds magic chalk that lets him enter ChalkZone, a world full of erased drawings.
That idea is honestly brilliant.
Every doodle, mistake, and erased sketch becomes part of a living universe.
It made drawing feel like an adventure.
Which is great, unless your worst math-class doodle finds you later.
The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls started in the late 1990s, but it was still a major part of 2000s kids TV.
- Original run: 1998–2005
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Superhero comedy and action
- Main characters: Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup
Three kindergarten girls saved Townsville from monsters and villains.
Simple.
Perfect.
The show was cute, violent, funny, and stylish all at once.
Also, Mojo Jojo talked like he was paid by the word.
What’s New, Scooby-Doo?
What’s New, Scooby-Doo? brought Mystery Inc. into the 2000s.
- Original run: 2002–2006
- Best for: Mystery comedy and classic Scooby fun
- Main characters: Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred
The show kept the classic Scooby-Doo formula but updated the style and pacing.
There were still monsters.
There were still clues.
There were still chase scenes.
And yes, there were still meddling kids.
For classic cartoon fans, it also connects nicely with other Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters.
The Batman
The Batman gave the Dark Knight a fresh 2000s animated style.
- Premiered: 2004
- Best for: Superhero action and Batman villains
- Main character: Bruce Wayne / Batman
This version of Batman had a different look and tone from older animated versions.
Not everyone ranks it as the best Batman cartoon, but it still gave younger viewers a strong entry point into Gotham.
And honestly, any kids show that gives us more Batman villains is doing useful public service.
Justice League
Justice League brought DC’s biggest heroes together on TV.
- Premiered: 2001
- Best for: Superhero teamwork and action
- Main heroes: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter
This show made the team feel epic.
Each hero had a different power, personality, and problem-solving style.
Batman had plans.
Superman had strength.
Flash had jokes.
Wonder Woman had no time for nonsense.
Excellent balance.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man is one of the best Spider-Man cartoons ever made.
- Premiered: 2008
- Best for: Superhero action and teen drama
- Main character: Peter Parker / Spider-Man
The show balanced Spider-Man’s battles with Peter Parker’s everyday problems.
That is what good Spider-Man stories need.
He fights supervillains.
Then he has homework.
Then he gets yelled at.
Then he saves New York.
Exhausting schedule.
Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack was one of the most visually striking kids shows of the 2000s.
- Premiered: 2001
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Action, atmosphere, and visual storytelling
- Main character: Jack
Jack is sent into the future by the evil Aku and must fight his way back to the past.
The show used quiet moments, dramatic visuals, and stylized action better than almost anything else on TV.
It proved a kids cartoon could feel like moving art.
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy made the Grim Reaper a reluctant babysitter.
- Premiered: 2001
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Dark humor and supernatural comedy
- Main characters: Billy, Mandy, and Grim
This show was weird, dark, and very 2000s.
Billy was chaos.
Mandy was terrifying.
Grim just wanted his life back.
Honestly, understandable.
It also fits perfectly with the era’s love of spooky family-friendly cartoon stories.
Fillmore!
Fillmore! turned school problems into crime mysteries.
- Premiered: 2002
- Network: ABC Kids / Disney
- Best for: Mystery, school investigations, and detective-style storytelling
- Main characters: Cornelius Fillmore and Ingrid Third
The show treated school cases like serious detective stories.
Missing scooters.
Cheating scandals.
Hallway justice.
It was basically a police procedural, but with lockers.
And somehow, it worked beautifully.
Redwall
Redwall gave kids a deeper fantasy adventure than many shows of the time.
- Premiered: 1999 / early 2000s run
- Best for: Medieval fantasy and animal adventure
- Based on: The Redwall books by Brian Jacques
The show followed brave animal heroes in a fantasy world full of danger, loyalty, and battles.
It could get darker than expected for a kids show.
But that made it memorable.
Sometimes a mouse with a sword can be more intense than an entire superhero team.
The Weekenders
The Weekenders was one of the most underrated kids shows of the 2000s.
- Original run: 2000–2004
- Best for: Friendship, real-life lessons, and weekend stories
- Main characters: Tino, Lor, Carver, and Tish
The concept was simple:
Each episode happened over a weekend.
No huge fantasy world.
No alien device.
No secret crime-fighting team.
Just friends dealing with real kid problems.
That made it feel grounded and charming.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack was strange, funny, and occasionally unsettling.
- Premiered: 2008
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Best for: Weird comedy and nautical nonsense
- Main characters: Flapjack, Captain K’nuckles, and Bubbie
The show followed Flapjack’s adventures around Stormalong Harbor.
It had a unique look, odd humor, and a slightly creepy edge.
Basically, if a candy-obsessed sea story had a fever dream, it might look like this.
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman mixed animation, live-action, and game show challenges.
- Premiered: 2006
- Network: PBS Kids
- Best for: Educational challenges and comedy
- Host: Ruff Ruffman
Ruff was a sarcastic animated dog hosting real kid contestants.
The show taught science, problem-solving, and teamwork while still being genuinely funny.
Educational TV is always better when the host is a dog with attitude.
Hamtaro
Hamtaro brought tiny hamster adventures to 2000s kids TV.
- Best for: Cute slice-of-life anime
- Main character: Hamtaro
- Vibe: Sweet, simple, and very adorable
The show followed Hamtaro and the Ham-Hams as they had little adventures.
No massive villain arc.
No world-ending threat.
Just hamsters being cute and surprisingly busy.
Sometimes that is enough.
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat was a gentle and culturally distinct kids show.
- Premiered: 2001
- Network: PBS Kids
- Best for: Younger viewers, cultural stories, and moral lessons
- Main character: Sagwa
The show followed a curious kitten living in 19th-century China.
It focused on family, choices, honesty, and responsibility.
It was slower and softer than many action-heavy cartoons, but that was part of its charm.
Catscratch
Catscratch was short-lived but definitely memorable.
- Premiered: 2005
- Network: Nickelodeon
- Best for: Absurd cat comedy
- Main characters: Mr. Blik, Gordon, and Waffle
The premise is ridiculous:
Three cats inherit a mansion, a fortune, and a monster truck.
That is not a normal inheritance package.
The show only lasted one season, but its weird setup made it stand out.
Quick Picks: Best 2000s Kids Shows by Type
- Best overall story: Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Best superhero cartoon: Teen Titans
- Best Disney action cartoon: Kim Possible
- Best Nickelodeon action cartoon: Danny Phantom
- Best Cartoon Network comedy: Ed, Edd n Eddy
- Best educational kids show: Dragon Tales or Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman
- Best spooky cartoon: Courage the Cowardly Dog
- Best sci-fi cartoon: Ben 10
- Most underrated: The Weekenders or Fillmore!
Why 2000s Kids Shows Still Hold Up
2000s kids shows still matter because they were not afraid to be different.
The decade gave us:
- Strong action cartoons
- Smart comedy shows
- Educational PBS classics
- Superhero team series
- Coming-of-age cartoons
- Spooky kids shows
- Experimental animation styles
Some shows were silly.
Some were emotional.
Some were genuinely strange.
But that variety made the decade special.
You could watch Dragon Tales, then Courage the Cowardly Dog, then Teen Titans.
That is a wild emotional journey for one afternoon.
Final Thoughts on the Best Kids Shows Of The 2000s
The best kids shows of the 2000s gave us a little bit of everything.
- Avatar gave us worldbuilding and emotional storytelling.
- Kim Possible gave us action and confidence.
- Danny Phantom gave us ghost-powered teen drama.
- SpongeBob gave us endless comedy.
- Teen Titans gave us superhero teamwork.
- Ed, Edd n Eddy gave us backyard chaos.
- Courage gave us horror with heart.
That is why these shows are still remembered.
They were fun, creative, weird, and often better written than people give them credit for.
Some taught lessons.
Some told big stories.
Some just made us laugh at nonsense.
All valid.
And honestly, if you grew up with 2000s kids TV, you had a pretty strong cartoon lineup.
What was your favorite kids show from the 2000s? Drop your pick in the comments.
