10 TV shows we can't believe debuted 20 years ago
SAN FRANCISCO -- While time stops for no man, it's always an amazing and sometime bewildering feeling when you realize just how much time has passed from 'way back when.'
Count us as pretty shocked when we discovered these 10 television shows, many of which were groundbreaking or pushed the envelope culturally, are now turning 20 years old this year:
"Antiques Roadshow" (PBS) - Premiered January 9, 1997
It's the show that turned what you didn't want to do with mom and grandma on a Saturday into must-see TV. The PBS version of the British series had us hooked after one season, sending us digging through attics, closets and garages for junk we prayed would turn into a pile of cash.
"Antiques Roadshow" continues now in its 20th year on public television.
PHOTOS: 10 shows that premiered back in 1997
If you're viewing on our ABC13 news app, tap on the photo above to see more images.
"Daria" (MTV) - Premiered March 3, 1997
For nearly five years, MTV's smart, angsty teen animated satire about high school life left no stone unturned, criticizing popular culture, popularity, and growing up in suburbia. Daria Morgendorffer said what we were all thinking, and made Mike Judge's series nearly as beloved as his other hits, "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "King of the Hill."
"The Practice" (ABC) - Premiered March 4, 1997
Dylan McDermott's beautiful face emerged into our living rooms for the first time in 1997, and oftentimes, it was the same face. Over and over and over again. ABC's hit legal drama series by David E. Kelley went on for seven years, and captivated us with compelling stories seemingly ripped from the headlines.
The series also introduced many to the incredible acting chops of Lara Flynn Boyle, and led us to the captivatingly funny spin-off "Boston Legal," starring James Spader and William Shatner.
HOLLYWOOD IN HOUSTON: Top 13 movies made in the Bayou City
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (The WB, now The CW) - Premiered March 10, 1997
High school students were taken by Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of Buffy Summers, the teen heroine who fought each and every week to keep ghouls, goblins and vampires from taking over Sunnydale. The Joss Whedon series is based on the movie of the same name.
"The Crocodile Hunter" (Animal Planet) - Premiered April 5, 1997
The late Steve Erwin had America holding its collective breath as he wrestled crocodiles, snakes and other wildlife before our very eyes. He also was a huge advocate for conservation projects, and we adored watching wife Terri and daughter Bindi join in the adventures.
Sadly, the show ended in 2006 when Erwin was killed by a stingray barb to the chest.
"Port Charles" (ABC) - Premiered June 20, 1997
Daytime fans were riveted. A "General Hospital" spin-off promised to bring new drama to ABC, with tenured nurse Audrey Hardy and Scott Baldwin being joined by a cast of new characters. The soap focused largely on students and faculty of a medical school program at Port Charles' General Hospital. The show ended in 2003 after six seasons.
"The View" (ABC) - Premiered August 11, 1997
Barbara Walters says she always wanted to do a show with women of different backgrounds, tackling hot topics and in-depth interviews. She succeeded, creating a vehicle on ABC Daytime that has contributed 20 years' worth of laughs, drama (remember Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie O'Donnell?!), and memories.
"The View" remains on ABC to this day.
"South Park" (Comedy Central) - Premiered August 13, 1997
Trey Parker and Matt Stone's incredible rise to stardom was fueled by a foul-mouthed foursome made out of construction paper and a dream. "South Park" features the dark and bizarre adventures of some elementary school students in Colorado, alongside political leaders, celebrities, and other titans of culture.
Twenty years later, the show has spawned movies, music, video games, a large line of merchandise, and shows no signs of stopping. The show is slated to air through 2019.
"Ally McBeal" (FOX) - Premiered September 8, 1997
It's the show that made Calista Flockhart and that dancing baby a household name. David E. Kelley's second hit of the year "Ally McBeal" took us inside an often dysfunctional law office where the cases were downright crazy, and the men and women of Cage & Fish shared a bathroom.
"Dharma and Greg" (ABC) - Premiered September 23, 1997
Jenna Elfman stole America's hearts as a free-spirted hippie who married a well-to-do lawyer in Thomas Gibson's Greg Montgomery. Chuck Lorre's hit lasted five seasons on ABC, and featured an ensemble cast as Dharma and Greg's in-laws and friends.
The best moments: The weekly shade thrown at Dharma by disapproving mother-in-law Kitty Montgomery (Susan Sullivan). She was the nastiest woman on TV in 1997, and we still adore her for it.
