Rediscover 57 Fan Favorite Nickelodeon Shows from the 2000s

So, it’s a sponge living under the sea in a pineapple, hanging out with a starfish, a crab, a pet snail, and a squirrel. And that’s just to name a few odd characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, an animated series that became a real phenomenon throughout the years of its run. Created by the legendary animator and marine science educator Stephen Hillenburg, this series is full of imagination and the most unbelievable adventures experienced by the weirdest characters. It was, and still is, something completely different compared to all the rest of the animated series.

iCarly follows the story of Carly Shay, who creates a viral web show called iCarly. The show (just like the show within the show) became a viral hit. And no wonder – it’s fun, full of comedy and heartwarming moments acted out by a talented and adorable cast!

Meet Timmy Turner, the protagonist of The Fairly OddParents animated series created by Butch Hartman. Timmy is an ordinary boy living in a not-so-ordinary environment – he’s neglected by his parents and terrorized by his babysitter. One fine day, though, our Timmy is granted two fairy godparents, who fulfill his every wish to improve his miserable life! Of course, those wishes are very likely to backfire on him, but that’s the root of all the adventures Timmy embarks on daily. The series is creative, the premise is original, and the animation is done expertly – what’s there not to like?

In all fairness, the legendary animated series Rugrats first aired in 1991; however, because it continued well into the 2000s, we couldn’t resist putting it on our list. If you need your memory refreshed, Rugrats centers around a group of toddlers living their life to the fullest with the help of their imaginations. There are also their (mostly) clueless parents and one older girl, Angelica, who keeps sabotaging the youngsters’ fun. The series was widely successful both among the audiences and critics, with some of them naming Rugrats as the best-animated kids’ series ever!

In Avatar: The Last Airbender, certain people have telekinetic powers, allowing them to control one of four elements – water, fire, earth, and air. Then there’s the Avatar – the chosen one who can control all four and whose mission is to keep a peaceful balance among the nations. This Avatar is Aang, and together with his friends, they set out on extraordinary adventures to restore said balance. The series is ingenious with the excitement it creates, the nice moral messages it gives, and, of course, the most loveable characters in the most unexpected situations.

The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, or Jimmy Neutron for short, is an animated series based on a 2001 movie of the same name. As the name suggests, Jimmy is an eleven-year-old genius who goes on various adventures with his friends. However, being a genius doesn’t save him from mishaps and blunders on these adventures, especially when his inventions decide not to cooperate with their mission. Jimmy Neutron is a genuinely fun series, offering a clever plot, loveable characters, and plenty of hilarious gags!

Drake & Josh is a sitcom about two teenage stepbrothers trying to co-live despite their completely opposite personalities and overcome the inevitable ups and downs of being a teen. 

Blue’s Clues is a flagship series that brought a lot of recognition to Nickelodeon. It’s an irresistible show that’s entertaining and helps kids strengthen their cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills. If that’s not enough for you, the show’s also unbearably adorable and empowering. Undoubtedly, a series worthy of praise and a loyal following!

Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, or for short, Ned’s Declassified, follows the lives of Ned, Jennifer, and Simon as they navigate their lives through seventh and eighth grade. During the course, Ned gathers some vital information to survive these years, and the audience gets to benefit from it! While the youngsters shouldn’t take everything in Ned’s Declassified as a manual, it still does a pretty fair job of being relatable, understandable, and loved by audiences of a certain age.

The series follows the life of one Arnold Shortman, a fourth-grader living with his paternal grandparents in the fictional town of Hillwood, Washington. Together with his friends, Arnold is trying to navigate the challenges of urban life while dealing with various problems encountered along the way. Although Arnold is the series’ protagonist, even minor characters get an episode dedicated to them – an unusual yet ingenious idea to keep the series fresh and interesting. And as for older audiences, Hey Arnold! gives an insightful glimpse into the rundown streets and decrepit cities we lived in.

CatDog, one of Nickelodeon’s weirder animated series, follows the life of conjoined brothers of different species – a cat and a dog. This, of course, is the main conflict of the series, and a good conflict always leads to plenty of adventures and fun. At least for us, the viewers, not necessarily for the CatDog himself. Although Cat and Dog are best friends and brothers, their polar opposite personalities often cause many blunders when they try to complete any task at hand. It’s a pretty kooky series with unexpected plot twists and characters, but that’s exactly what we love about it!

Danny Phantom is an animated action-adventure series created for Nickelodeon by Butch Hartman. It seems that Danny Phantom borrows a bit from some anime series in the department of its premise, as it follows a boy who unknowingly crosses a portal to the ghost world and becomes a ghost-human hybrid himself. But who could disagree that this premise sounds hella fun, borrowed or not? So, after becoming this hybrid, Danny sets out to save his hometown and, subsequently, the world from ghost attacks with two of his friends, the only people aware of his double life. The series became popular because of its high entertainment value, original storytelling, and awesome design.

Zoey 101 is a comedy-drama series created for Nickelodeon by Dan Schneider, starring Britney’s little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, as the titular Zoey. The series centers around Zoey and her brother Dustin attending a fictional boarding school with their friends. And you know how it goes with boarding schools – it’s ripe with teenage drama and scattered with heartwarming episodes. The series became wildly popular among the younger audiences, and all the criticism it got was from the elders, who claimed it to be quite unrealistic. But what do they know, right?

The Backyardigans, a computer-animated series, follows the adventures of five animal neighbors as they embark (or rather imagine embarking) onto various extraordinary adventures right in their backyard. Not only does The Backyardigans span many different genres and settings, but there is also a different musical genre dedicated to each episode, with four original songs in its soundtrack. Together with the music comes the characters’ choreographed dance and song performances, which enliven each episode tremendously, elevating our heroes’ backyard adventures a notch further.

Okay, you’re right, Franklin isn’t a Nickelodeon-made cartoon, but since the turtle is so cute and it did have its run on the channel, we’ve decided it would be a shame not to include it on our list. The animated series is based on Franklin The Turtle books by Brenda Clark and Paulette Bourgeois. It follows the life and adventures of the eponymous anthropomorphic turtle. It’s a beautifully made series for the youngest ones, celebrating childhood innocence and helping kids learn about their world.

Rocket Power centers on a group of friends who are extreme sports enthusiasts in the fictional town of Ocean Shores. The show captures the essence of youth culture and the thrill of action sports like skateboarding and surfing.

After DreamWorks’ great success with the feature film Madagascar, the studio cooperated with Nickelodeon in creating a spin-off series centering around the cheeky penguins that we’ve already met in the movie. There are nine of them, and they are set to go on various missions to protect their home in the Central Park Zoo. It’s loud, colorful, funny, and exuberant – exactly the ingredients needed for a successful animated series!

The Wild Thornberrys follows the adventures of Eliza Thornberry, a girl who can talk to animals, along with her trusty sidekick Darwin, a chimpanzee. The Thornberry family travels the world in their mobile home, capturing wildlife footage. It’s a very clever show that’s both funny and educational. Tim Curry, who plays Nigel Thornberry steals the show with his witty one-liners.

The Amanda Show is a show-within-a-show. Recurring sketches included a spoof of Judge Judy, a game show like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and one dedicated to Blockbuster. The talented and loveable cast elevates this sketch comedy to new heights, and if you haven’t checked it, do it now (even if you consider yourself too ‘old’ for it)!

My Life As A Teenage Robot, an animated superhero comedy, follows the life of a robot girl named XJ-9 / Jenny. Jenny lives in the fictional town of Tremorton, and although she’s trying her best to live her life as a ‘normal’ teenager, her duty to save the world always comes in the way. There are your usual teenage problems, like schoolwork and romances, but there are also the awesome adventures of an Earth-saving robot. All in all, this series can boast about its original storytelling, fun setting, and undeniably cool characters.