The early 2000s unapologetically gifted millennials some of the best nighttime and weekend entertainment of the last few decades. Everyone remembers the unbeatable lineup of Nickelodeon toons like Spongebob Squarepants and Rugrats, which are forever cemented in the Nostalgic Cartoons Hall of Fame. As it turns out, there are many other cartoons that deserve some love, too, and we’re more than happy to give it.
From cult-classic hits that spawned entire franchises to one-hit wonders that are still near and dear to our hearts, these cartoons made Saturday mornings memorable and are totally worth revisiting. In fact, if we had our way, we’d still be waking up to them every Saturday morning.
Here are 10 of the best cartoons from the early 2000s as well as where you can currently stream them.
10. CatDog
Created by Peter Hannan and airing on Nickelodeon starting in April 1998, CatDog follows the life of conjoined brothers of different species, with one half of the resultant animal being a cat and the other a dog. Their names also happen to be Cat and Dog, respectively, and though they’re related and share the same body ⏤ sans tails or hind legs ⏤ they have very different personalities that often lead to arguments. Cat, for instance, is very cultured, while Dog is more fun-loving, and their humorous duality is something any Gemini or twin will be able to relate to.
Unfortunately, the series ended on June 15, 2005 after a total of four seasons and 68 episodes over the course of 7 years. Thankfully, you can still enjoy CatDog on Prime Video, Paramount Plus and Apple TV.
9. Ed, Edd n Eddy
In 1999, Cartoon Network debuted the first episode of Ed, Edd n Eddy, created by Danny Antonucci. The series makes use of the “slapstick comedy” style of humor and revolves around three preteen boys named Ed, Edd (called “Double D” to avoid confusion with Ed), and Eddy ⏤ collectively known as “the Eds” ⏤ who live in a suburban cul-de-sac in the fictional town of Peach Creek. “The Eds” frequently invent schemes to make money from their peers and purchase their favorite confection, jawbreakers.
With a 10-year run, Ed, Edd n Eddy is currently the longest-running Cartoon Network original series and can currently be streamed on HBO Max, Prime Video and Google Play.
8. Fairly OddParents
Another Nickelodeon classic, Fairly OddParents premiered in March 2001 and ran until July 2017 for a total of 10 seasons. Interestingly, it’s Nickelodeon’s second longest-running animated show behind SpongeBob SquarePants and originated from shorts on Nickelodeon’s animation showcase Oh Yeah! Cartoons, which aired from 1998 to 2001.
Created by Butch Hartman, the series follows the adventures of Timmy Turner, a 10-year-old boy with two fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda who grant him wishes to solve his everyday problems. As expected, such limitless possibilities from these wish-granting goofballs are highly sought-after by others, which leads to some sticky situations for Timmy, Cosmo, and Wanda.
As of July 30, 2020, all seasons of Fairly OddParents are available to stream on Paramount Plus.
7. What’s New, Scooby Doo?
The Scooby-Doo franchise will forever be prominent in the minds of ’00s kids, especially because of its many feature-length films such as Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (2001) and Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998). What’s New, Scooby-Doo? premiered on Sept. 14, 2002 and ran for three seasons before ending on July 21, 2006.
The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Kids’ WB and follows Scooby-Doo and his companions ⏤ Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and best friend Shaggy Rogers ⏤ as they travel to varying locations and solve spooky mysteries.
What’s New, Scooby-Doo? can be viewed on Prime Video or Apple TV.
6. Courage the Cowardly Dog
If nothing else, Courage the Cowardly Dog taught us how to face our fears. Created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network, the series focuses on Courage, an anthropomorphic dog who lives with an elderly couple (Muriel and Eustace) in a farmhouse in the middle of “Nowhere.” Despite their isolated, rural lifestyle, the trio endures frequent disturbing and often paranormal and supernatural-type misadventures.
Originating as animated shorts, Courage the Cowardly Dog was greenlit to become a series, which premiered in Nov. 1999, and ended in Nov. 2002, with four seasons consisting of 13 episodes each.
You can watch Courage the Cowardly Dog on Prime Video and Google Play.
5. The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy began as a series of segments on Grim & Evil, of which it was a spin-off, along with Evil Con Carne, on Aug. 24, 2001. Billy & Mandy follows an extremely dimwitted happy-go-lucky boy named Billy and a cynical remorseless girl named Mandy who, after winning a game of limbo to save Billy’s pet hamster, gain the mighty Grim Reaper as their best friend in eternal servitude and slavery.
Over the course of the series, Grim grows to care for Billy and Mandy, if only somewhat. Despite this, he still aims to free himself from slavery and retains a love-hate relationship with the children. Although the 2003 episodes were produced for Grim & Evil, Billy & Mandy ran as a separate series from June 2003 to Nov. 2007 on Cartoon Network.
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy can currently be enjoyed on Prime Video and HBO Max.
4. The Powerpuff Girls
As we inch closer to the top of this list, it becomes increasingly clear that Cartoon Network singlehandedly produced many of the biggest animated gems from our childhoods. The Powerpuff Girls, created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera, centers on Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, three kindergarten-aged girls with superpowers. All three heroines live in the city of Townsville with their paternal figure and creator, Professor Utonium, and are frequently called upon by the town’s mayor to fight criminals.
In 1992, series creator Craig McCracken created a short film called Whoopass Stew! about a trio of child superheroes called the Whoopass Girls, which was only shown at festivals. Featuring the same concept, the short film was adapted by Cartoon Network and the name changed to The Powerpuff Girls. From that collaboration, a full series was born. The Powerpuff Girls aired on Cartoon Network for six seasons, three specials, and a feature film, with the final episode airing in March 2005.
The Powerpuff Girls can be streamed on Hulu and NowTV or rented and purchased on Prime Video.
3. Codename: Kids Next Door
Many ’00s kids may have forgotten all about Codename: Kids Next Door (aka Kids Next Door or KND) or may have never even experienced its kick-ass greatness in the first place. If so, this is the perfect time for a rewatch or a formal introduction. The series’ pilot premiered on Cartoon Network in mid-2001 as part of The Big Pick II, a special broadcast event showcasing 11 promising pilots for different series. After winning the viewers’ poll to be greenlit for a full series, KND premiered in Dec. 2002 and ran until Jan. 2008, with six seasons and 78 episodes.
For those who are unfamiliar, the series follows the adventures of a diverse group of 10-year-old children who operate from a high-tech treehouse and fight against adult and teen villains. Using their code names (“Numbuhs” 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), they are Sector V, part of a global organization called the Kids Next Door.
Codename: Kids Next Door can be enjoyed on HBO Max and Prime Video.
2. Kim Possible
As the first and only Disney Channel exclusive entry to make the list, Kim Possible deserves the second-place spot. Created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle, Kim Possible follows its titular heroine as she fights crime on a regular basis while coping with everyday issues commonly associated with adolescence.
In the series, which premiered in June 2002 and produced 87 episodes and four seasons, Kim Possible, her clumsy best friend and eventual love interest Ron Stoppable, Ron’s naked mole rat Rufus, and 10-year-old computer genius Wade ⏤ known collectively as “Team Possible” ⏤ use their unique abilities to frequently thwart the evil plans of the mad scientist–supervillain duo Dr. Drakken and his sidekick Shego. The show was so popular that it spawned multiple animated TV movies and even a live-action one in 2019.
Kim Possible can be streamed on Disney Plus or rented and purchased on Prime Video.
1. Totally Spies!
Created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, Totally Spies! originally incorporated the concept of a girl group and focuses on three teenage girls in Beverly Hills, California, who work as undercover spies for The World Organization of Human Protection. Totally Spies! first aired on Nov. 3, 2001 on ABC Family ⏤ now Freeform in the U.S. ⏤ before moving to Cartoon Network less than two years later.
Since the series debut, 156 episodes were broadcast, comprising six seasons and several specials. Fans of the show will be thrilled to learn that an upcoming seventh season is currently scheduled for a 2023 delivery. Totally Spies! spawned several tie-in products including merchandise, video games, novels, and comic books.
Totally Spies! can be rented or purchased on Prime Video.
