2001 in television
See also:
2000 in television ,
other events of 2001 ,
2002 in television and the
list of 'years in television' .
Events
February 25 - *NSYNC is featured on an episode of The Simpsons June 18 - Luke and Laura Spencer , widely regarded as the soap opera pairing that helped coin the term "supercouple ", signed divorce papers on General Hospital September 1 - All four commercial television stations in Vancouver, British Columbia change network affiliations, the largest such change in a single market in television history.
September 11 - Viewers around the world are horrified as they witness a terrorist attack on the United States , and the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York City , live on television. Additionally, the ABC , CBS , and NBC affiliates' broadcast towers are knocked out by the attacks, but New Yorkers can still view them on cable. Most broadcasters abandon regular programming - American networks for more than a week - and numerous major daily talk shows go off the air for several weeks until their hosts feel comfortable in returning to the airwaves.
The start of the 2001-2002 fall season in the US is delayed as a result of the attacks, with some shows such as The West Wing JAG Third Watch In addition, several planned series and events were cancelled; most notably, a mini-series planned for spring 2002, which would have united the cast of Law & Order Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Criminal Intent VH1 , with performances by Paul McCartney , The Rolling Stones , The Who , Billy Joel and others. It raises funds for the families of those killed in the attacks.
Continually scrolling news headlines along the bottom of the screen become a standard feature on CNN and other news broadcasters after they are used to great affect during coverage of the attacks.
November 5 - BBC 2W , a new digital channel for Wales , is launched.
Canada rolls out hundreds of new digital cable channels (see List of Canadian digital television channels for complete list).
TSN changes its logo to match with ESPN 's though the N is not slashed.
Kirby: Right Back At Ya Japan .
Debuts
Television shows
Meet the Press 1947 -present).
Candid Camera 1948 -present).
Guiding Light 1952 -present).
The Today Show Panorama UK ) (1953 -present).
Face the Nation 1954 -present).
The Tonight Show This Is Your Life 1955 -2003 ).
As the World Turns 1956 -present).
What the Papers Say The Sky at Night 1957 -present).
Blue Peter 1958 -present).
Grandstand Coronation Street 1960 -present).
Four Corners Australia ) (1961 -present).
The Late Late Show Ireland ) (1962 -present).
General Hospital (1963 -present).
Top of the Pops 1964 -present).
Days of Our Lives 1965 -present).
Play School 1966 -present).
The Money Programme 60 Minutes 1968 -present).
One Life to Live Sesame Street 1969 -present).
All My Children 1970 -present).
Monday Night Football Masterpiece Theatre 1971 -present).
Soul Train Emmerdale 1972 -present).
Newsround The Price Is Right Last of the Summer Wine 1973 -present).
The Young and the Restless Wish You Were Here...? 1974 -present).
Good Morning America 1975 -present).
Saturday Night Live the fifth estate Wheel of Fortune 20/20 1978 -present).
Grange Hill Entertainment Tonight 1981 -present).
Jeopardy! 1984 -presentThe Bill EastEnders 1985 -present).
Neighbours Sally The Oprah Winfrey Show 1986 -present).
The Bold and the Beautiful 1987 -present).
Cops 1989 -present).
The Simpsons (1989-present).
Law & Order (1990 -present).
Rugrats 1991 -2004).
The Jerry Springer Show Barney & Friends 1992 -2002).
Dateline NBC The Real World Frasier 1993 -2004).
Late Night with Conan O'Brien NYPD Blue The Late Show with David Letterman The X-Files WWF RAW ER 1994 -present).
Friends Touched by an Angel JAG (1995 -present).
Sesame Park The Drew Carey Show 7th Heaven 1996 -present).
Dexter's Laboratory Everybody Loves Raymond Hey Arnold! Judge Judy Spin City The Daily Show Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1997 -2003).
Dharma & Greg Johnny Bravo Just Shoot Me King of the Hill South Park Stargate SG-1 The Practice The Wonderful World of Disney Becker 1998 -2004).
Call For Help Charmed Dawson's Creek Sex and the City That '70s Show The King of Queens The Powerpuff Girls Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Will & Grace Angel 1999 -2004).
Family Feud 1976 -1985, 1988 -1995, 1999-present ).
Family Guy Farscape Futurama Judging Amy Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present).
Passions Rocket Power SpongeBob SquarePants Tenacious D The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn The Sopranos The West Wing (1999-present).
Third Watch (1999-present).
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (US) (1999-present).
As Told by Ginger 2000 -present).
Boston Public Buzz Lightyear of Star Command CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Curb Your Enthusiasm Ed Malcolm in the Middle Survivor The District The Gavin Crawford Show The Weakest Link Yes, Dear Absolutely Fabulous 2001-2003 ).
Crossroads 2001-2003 ).
Home Movies 2001-present ).
Let's Bowl 2001-2002 ).
Only Fools and Horses 1983 , 1985-1993, 1996-1997, 2001-2003 ) (the only episode aired this year was the Christmas special If They Could See Us Now ).
Ending this year
Changes of network affiliation
Notable TV movies and events
Deaths
March 12 - Morton Downey, Jr. , television personality .
March 21 - Norma Macmillan , voice actor .
March 22 - William Hanna , cofounder (with Joseph Barbera ) of famous Hanna-Barbera animation studio.
April 15 - Joey Ramone , 49, actor /songwriter of the Ramones .
June 21 - Carroll O'Connor , 76, actor who played Archie Bunker on All in the Family August 4 - Lorenzo Music , 64, writer and actor who co-created The Bob Newhart Show Rhoda Garfield the cat in the animated cartoon Garfield and Friends
