2003 in television

The year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.

"For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule."

Events

*January 19 - The WB hit series Charmed, which debut in 1998, reaches its 100th episode, which was rare for hour long dramas at that time.
*February 9 - After a long delay, BBC Choice is replaced by BBC Three. The opening night is simulcast on BBC Two.
*February 9-February 10 - ITV1 screens the controversial two-part drama "The Second Coming", set around the return to Earth of Jesus Christ in modern-day Manchester.
*February 16 - The 300th episode of "The Simpsons" airs the same night as the "Married... with Children" reunion special airs.
*February 22 - After an absence of many years "After Dark" returns to British television.
*Late February-March - Talk show host David Letterman is forced to take a few weeks off from his "Late Show with David Letterman" due to a bout of shingles (subsequent Top Ten Lists would occasionally have entries that poked fun at this). A string of celebrities guest host for Letterman while he's away including Bruce Willis, Regis Philbin, Will Ferrell and Elvis Costello.
*February 24 - 19.43 million watch Coronation Street in the UK as Richard Hillman confesses to the murder of Maxine Peacock, the highest rated show of the year. [http://www.barb.co.uk/25years/top10.php?section=events&callyear=2003]
*February 24 to February 28 - Giant Robot Week airs on Cartoon Network, which includes 2 heavily edited episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion. This is the first attempt to air the series on network TV (it has never been aired on network TV prior to this date) and ultimately fails due to the heavy edits.
*April 7 - Dragonball Z airs its final premiere episode on Cartoon Network. The series first aired on Toonami on August 31, 1998. DBZ ended but returned in 2005 with the first 65 episodes redubbed and uncut.
*April 22 - On "All My Children", Bianca Montgomery (Eden Riegel) kisses Lena Kundera (Olga Sosnovska); this is the first lesbian kiss on American daytime television.
*May 20 - The first "Cycle" of America's Next Top Model premiers.
*June 28 - The game show "Judgement Day" premieres on ITV1, hosted by Brian Conley. It is cancelled after two episodes due to very low ratings, the second quickest cancellation in UK TV history; the first was Heil Honey I'm Home! in 1990, cancelled after one episode.
*September 5 - The much vaunted TV3 rival to RTÉ's "The Late Late Show" (Ireland), Eamon Dunphy's "The Dunphy Show" premieres and bombs, pulling in less than half the Late Late's viewership. The show is axed after December 12 after only 12 shows.
*September 10 - In an effort to woo "Star Trek" fans into watching the latest series in the franchise, the producers of UPN's "" launch a season-long story arc, the first time a full season of a "Star Trek" series has been devoted to one storyline. Three episodes into the new season, as a gesture to win back Trekkers, the series title is changed to the more traditional "Star Trek: Enterprise".
*September 24 - Jun Song is crowned the winner of the American version of "Big Brother 4" and wins the $500,000 prize. Runner-Up Allison Irwin wins $50,000.
*September 25 - The Daily Telegraph newspaper is first to announce the return of popular sci-fi drama series Doctor Who after a 14 year break.
*September 29 - "EastEnders" brings "Dirty Den" back from the supposed dead after fourteen years.
*October 4 - A live action version of the popular "Sailor Moon" franchise premieres on Japanese television. The show spreads around the world as fans of the Japanese anime of the same name post whole episodes of the program onto the Internet.
*October 5 - "Coronation Street" shows its first gay kiss.
*October 5 - Psychological illusionist Derren Brown controversially plays Russian roulette live on Channel 4, though with a slight delay allegedly in case the stunt went wrong.
*October 23 - Longtime broadcaster on the BBC and ITN, and latterly news anchor on Sky News, Bob Friend retires.
* November 4 - The NFL Network launches in America.
*November 10 - The 4000th episode of "Wheel of Fortune" since the pairing of host and hostess Pat Sajak and Vanna White airs.
*November 11 - BBC current affairs series "Panorama", launched in 1953, becomes the first UK television show to reach its 50th anniversary on air.
*November 14 - Gary Coleman, former star of "Diff'rent Strokes", is one of many candidates for Governor of California in the gubernatorial recall election. He comes in 8th place. Another Hollywood star comes in first: Arnold Schwarzenegger.
*November 23 - 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of "Doctor Who" in the UK. In the weeks leading up to this milestone, the BBC announces that a new series of "Doctor Who" -- the show last aired as a weekly program in 1989 -- will debut in 2005.

Debuts

Television shows

:"See also 2003-04 United States network television schedule"

1940s and 1950s

*"Meet the Press" (1947-present).
*"Candid Camera" (1948-present).
*"Hallmark Hall of Fame" (1951-present).
*"Guiding Light" (1952-present).
*"The Today Show" (1952-present).
*"Panorama" (UK) (1953-present).
*"Face the Nation" (1954-present).
*"The Tonight Show" (1954-present).
*"As the World Turns" (1956-present).
*"What the Papers Say" (UK) (1956-present).
*"The Sky at Night" (UK) (1957-present).
*"Blue Peter" (UK) (1958-present).
*"Grandstand" (UK) (1958-2007).

1960s

*"Coronation Street" (UK) (1960-present).
*"Four Corners" (Australia) (1961-present).
*"It's Academic" (1961-present).
*"The Late Late Show" (Ireland) (1962-present).
*"General Hospital" (1963-present).
*"Top of the Pops" (UK) (1964-2006).
*"Days of Our Lives" (1965-present).
*"Play School" (1966-present).
*"The Money Programme" (UK) (1966-present).
*"Shoten" (Japan) (1966-present).
*"60 Minutes" (1968-present).
*"One Life to Live" (1968-present).
*"Sesame Street" (1969-present).

1970s

*"All My Children" (1970-present).
*"Monday Night Football" (1970-present).
*"Masterpiece Theatre" (1971-present).
*"Soul Train" (1971-present).
*"Emmerdale" (UK) (1972-present).
*"Newsround" (UK) (1972-present).
*"The Price Is Right" (1972-present).
*"Last of the Summer Wine" (UK) (1973-present).
*"The Young and the Restless" (1973-present).
*"Wish You Were Here...?" (UK) (1974-present).
*"Arena" (UK) (1975-present).
*"Good Morning America" (1975-present).
*"Saturday Night Live" (1975-present).
*"the fifth estate" (Canada) (1975-present).
*"Wheel of Fortune" (1975-present).
*"20/20" (1978-present).
*"Grange Hill" (UK) (1978-present).
*"Antiques Roadshow" (UK) (1979-present).
*"Nightline" (1979-present).
*"This Old House" (1979-present).

1980s

*"Entertainment Tonight" (1981-present).
*"CCTV New Year's Gala" (China) (1982-present).
*"What Now" (1982-present)
*"Timewatch" (UK) (1982-present)
*"Waratte Iitomo" (Japan) (1982-present).
*"Jeopardy!" (1964-1975, 1978-1979, 1984-present).
*"The Bill" (UK) (1984-present).
*"EastEnders" (UK) (1985-present).
*"Neighbours" (Australia) (1985-present).
*"The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986-present).
*"Comic Relief" (UK) (1986-present).
*"Casualty" (UK) (1986-present).
*"ChuckleVision" (UK) (1987-present).
*"The Bold and the Beautiful" (1987-present).
*"America's Most Wanted" (1988-present).
*"The American Experience" (1988-present).
*"Fair City" (1988-present).
*"Home and Away" (1988-present).
*"This Morning" (1988-present).
*"Cops" (1989-present).
*"The Simpsons" (1989-present).

1990s

1990-1993

*"Law & Order" (1990-present).
*"America's Funniest Home Videos" (1990-present).
*"Rugrats" (1991-2004).
*"The Jerry Springer Show" (1991-present).
*"The Red Green Show" (1991-present).
*"Dateline NBC" (1992-present).
*"The Real World" (1992-present).
*"Barney & Friends" (1992-present).
*"Frasier" (1993-2004).
*"Ricki Lake" (1993-2004).
*"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993-present).
*"NYPD Blue" (1993-present).
*"The Late Show with David Letterman" (1993-present).
*"WWE RAW" (1993-present).

1994-1996

*"ER" (1994-present).
*"Friends" (1994-2004).
*"Time Team" (UK) (1994-present).
*"JAG" (1995-2005).
*"The Drew Carey Show" (1995-2004).
*"7th Heaven" (1996-2007).
*"Dexter's Laboratory" (1996-present).
*"Everybody Loves Raymond" (1996-2005).
*"Hey Arnold!" (1996-2004).
*"Judge Judy" (1996-present).
*"The Daily Show" (1996-present).

1997-1999

*"Family Affairs" (UK) (1997-2005).
*"Johnny Bravo" (1997-present).
*"King of the Hill" (1997-present).
*"South Park" (1997-present).
*"Stargate SG-1" (1997-present).
*"The Practice" (1997-2004).
*"The Wonderful World of Disney" (1997-present).
*"Becker" (1998-2004).
*"Call For Help" (1998-2004).
*"Charmed" (1998-2006).
*"Sex and the City" (1998-2004).
*"That '70s Show" (1998-2006).
*"The King of Queens" (1998-present).
*"The Powerpuff Girls" (1998-2005).
*"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (UK) (1998-present).
*"Will & Grace" (1998-2006).
*"Angel" (1999-2004).
* "Ed, Edd n Eddy" (1999-present).
*"Family Feud" (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
*"Judge Mathis" (1999-present).
*"Judging Amy" (1999-2005).
*"" (1999-present).
*"Passions" (1999-present).
*"Rocket Power" (1999-2004).
*"" (1999-present).
*"SpongeBob SquarePants" (1999-present).
*"Tenacious D" (1999-present).
*"The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999-2004).
*"The Sopranos" (1999-present).
*"The New Woody Woodpecker Show" (1999-2003)
*"The West Wing" (1999-2006).
*"Third Watch" (1999-2005).
*"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (US) (1999-present).

2000s

2000

*"As Told by Ginger" (2000-present).
*"Big Brother" (2000-present).
*"Boston Public" (2000-2004).
*"Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" (2000-present).
*"" (2000-present).
*"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000-present).
*"Ed" (2000-2004).
*"Malcolm in the Middle" (2000-2006).
*"Survivor" (2000-present).
*"The District" (2000-2004).
*"The Weakest Link" (UK) (2000-present).
*"Yes, Dear" (2000-2006).

2001

*"24" (2001-present).
*"According to Jim" (2001-present).
*"Adult Swim" (2001-present).
*"Alias" (2001-2006).
*"Braceface" (2001-present).
*"Fear Factor" (2001-present).
*"Home Movies" (1999, 2001-present).
*"JR Digs" (Canada) (2001-present).
*"" (2001-present).
*"Lizzie McGuire" (2001-2004).
*"Lloyd in Space" (2001-2004).
*"Mutant X" (2001-2004).
*"My Wife and Kids" (2001-present).
*"Pop Idol" (UK) (2001-present).
*"Scrubs" (2001-present).
*"Six Feet Under" (2001-2005).
*"Smallville" (2001-present).
*"" (2001-2005).
*"Living with Lydia" (2001-2005)
*"The Amazing Race" (2001-present).
*"The Bernie Mac Show" (2001-2006).
*"The Fairly OddParents" (2001-present).
*"The Guardian" (2001-2004).
*"The Saturday Show" (UK) (2001-present).

2002

*"8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" (2002-2005).
*"" (2002-2006).
*"All About Me" (2002-2004)
*"American Dreams" (2002-present).
*"" (2002-present).
*"" (2002-2008).
*"" (2002-present).
*"Dick and Dom in da Bungalow" (UK) (2002-2006).
*"Hack" (2002-2004).
*"Harry Hill's TV Burp" (UK) (2002-present).
*"I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" (UK) (2002-present).
*"Kim Possible" (2002-2007).
*"Less Than Perfect" (2002-present).
*"Life with Bonnie" (2002-2004).
*"Spooks" (UK) (2002-present).
*"The Bachelor" (2002-present).
*"The George Lopez Show" (2002-present).
*"The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (2002-2004).
*"The Osbournes" (2002-present).
*"Without a Trace" (2002-present).

Returning in 2003

*"The Newsroom" (Canada) (1996-1997, 2003-2005).
*"Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks" (United States) (2003-2004, 2005-2006)

Ending this year

*January 12 - "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (2002-2003).
*February 23 - "Oz" (1997-2003)
*March 21 - "Farscape" (1999-2003).
*April - "Clone High" (2002-2003).
*April 6 - "Clocking Off" (UK) (2000-2003).
*April 7 - "Dragonball Z" ends its series finale "Goku's Next Journey" (1998-2003) but returns in 2005 broadcasting the first 65 episodes redubbed, uncut. DBZ still airs on Cartoon Network's Toonami as of November 2007,but DBZ's reruns on Toonami started in April 2007.
*April 13 - "My Big Fat Greek Life" (2003).
*April 24 - "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (1997-2003).
*April 25 - "Fastlane" (2002-2003).
*April 26 - "" (2001-2003).
*April 27 - "Touched by an Angel" (1994-2003).
*May 7 - "Stargate Infinity" (2002-2003).
*May 20 - "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003).
*May 21 - "The Twilight Zone" (1959-1964, 1985-1988, 2002-2003).
*May 28 - "Dawson's Creek" (1998-2003).
*May 30 - "Crossroads" (UK) ends for the second time. The last episode reveals that the entire 2003 series had been a dream, and that the characters were actually working in a supermarket (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
*July 1 - "Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon""
*June 2 - "Even Stevens" (2000-2003).
*July 14 - "" ends with its series finale End of the Line (1999-2003) but returns in 2007 as
*August 8 - "This Is Your Life" (UK) (1955-2003).
*August 10 - "Futurama" (1999-2003).Returns in 2008 for 16 episodes on Comedy Central.
*August 16 - "Just Shoot Me!" (1997-2003).
*October 3 - The ABC soap opera "Port Charles", the spin-off of the popular "General Hospital" is cancelled due to low ratings after the show was nominated for its first Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Drama Series". It ended in a cliffhanger with characters Alison (Erin Hershey Presley) and Rafe (Brian Gaskill) getting married, Livvie (Kelly Monaco) and Caleb (Michael Easton) slept together and Jamal (Kiko Ellsworth) reveals that his girlfriend is a werewolf (1997-2003).
*October 25 - "" (2000-2003).
*November 4 - "Brookside" (UK) (1982-2003).
*November 11 - "The Angry Beavers" (1997-2003)
*December 6 - "The New Woody Woodpecker Show" (1999-2003)
*December 12 - "Electric Circus" (Canada) (1988-2003).
*December 19 - "Fifteen to One" (1988-2003).
*December 24 - "Absolutely Fabulous" (UK) (1992-1996, 2001-2003).
*December 25 - "Only Fools and Horses" (UK) (1981-1983, 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special "Sleepless in Peckham").
*December 27 - "SMTV Live" (UK) (1998-2003).
*December 31 - "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" (UK) (1984-2003)

Changes of Network Affiliation

Deaths

*January 12 - Maurice Gibb, 53, actor/songwriter of the Bee Gees.
*January 23 - Nell Carter, 54, actress, singer, of "Gimme a Break".
*February 27 - Fred Rogers, 74, TV's "Mister Rogers" of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood".
*March 22 - Terry Lloyd, 50, news reporter, killed during Iraq War skirmish.
*March 30 - Gaby Rado, 48, news reporter, accidental death while covering Iraq War.
*April 2 - Pat Leavy, "Hannah Finnegan" in "Fair City" after being taken ill on set.
*June 19 - Laura Sadler, 22 "Sandy Harper" in "Holby City" after falling from a balcony.
*September 11 - John Ritter, 54, known mostly as Jack Tripper from "Three's Company", but at the time was involved in the sitcom "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" and the cartoon "Clifford the Big Red Dog".
*October 4 - James Forlong, 44, dismissed Sky News journalist accused of faking Iraq War report, commits suicide.
*October 21 - Fred Berry, 52, actor (Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on "What's Happening!!").
*October 27 - Rod Roddy, 66, announcer on "Press Your Luck", "Soap", and, most famously, "The Price Is Right".
*November 9 - Art Carney, 85, actor.
*December 29 - Earl Hindman, 61, actor Wilson J. Wilson Jr. on Home Improvement
*Don Taylor, 67, director.
*Bob Monkhouse, 75, Comedian & Entertainer.