2003 in American television explained
In American television during 2003, notable events included television series debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel initiations.
NCIS (originally referred to as Navy NCIS), a spin-off of JAG, premiered on September 23, 2003 on CBS, becoming the third-longest-running scripted, nonanimated U.S. prime-time TV series currently airing, and has later spawned multiple spin-offs and was voted America's favorite television series in 2011.[1] Other notable shows that premiered that year included Arrested Development,[2] Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Two and a Half Men,[3] The Venture Bros.,[4] One Tree Hill,[5] The O.C.,[6] Nip/Tuck,[7] and Teen Titans.[8]
Later 2010s/2020s TV shows like Better Call Saul (2015-2022) and the television adaptation of The Last of Us (2023–present) are set in 2003.[9] [10]
Events
January
February
March
April
May
September
Date | Event |
---|
1 | In Casper, Wyoming, Pax TV affiliate KCWY switches its affiliation to NBC, taking that affiliation from KTWO-TV which will join ABC in March 2004. In the interim, KTWO-TV becomes an independent station with select programming from Pax. |
---|
8 | Amerie, host of BET's The Center, leaves the show so she could work on her new music. |
---|
10 | UPN's series Enterprise begins a season-long story sequence – the first time a full season of a Star Trek series has been devoted to one storyline. (Three episodes into the new season, the series title is changed to Star Trek: Enterprise.) |
---|
11 | John Ritter dies from an undiagnosed aortic dissection at the age of 54 hours after falling ill on the set of his sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. |
---|
Wheel of Fortune incorporates "Prize Puzzle" in one of the first three rounds and awards a trip to the contestant who solve the themed puzzle for this round. The initial incarnation occurs weekly during the first two seasons of appearance, but has changed to a daily format beginning on Season 23 and has used since. |
21 | The CBS comedy Everybody Loves Raymond wins its first Outstanding Comedy award and the NBC drama The West Wing wins its fourth straight Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series at the 55th Primetime Emmy Awards. The ceremonies are telecast by Fox. | |
---|
October
November
December
Date | Event |
---|
2 | Tamala Edwards is named the new co-anchor of ABC's World News Now, replacing Andrea Stassou. |
---|
20 | During a National Football League game between the New England Patriots at New York Jets, former Jets quarterback Joe Namath in a sideline interview with ESPN's Suzy Kolber twice stated that he wanted to kiss her, and "couldn't care less about the team strugg-a-ling." Namath later apologized and blamed the incident on his obvious intoxication. Soon after, Namath entered an outpatient alcoholism treatment program. Namath chronicled the episode, including his battle with alcoholism in his book, Namath . | |
---|
Programs
Debuts
Returning this year
Ending this year
Entering syndication this year
Changes of network affiliation
Made-for-TV movies
Networks and services
Launches
Conversions and rebrandings
Old network name | New network name | Type | Conversion Date | Notes | Source |
---|
Discovery Civilization Channel | Discovery Times | Cable television | Unknown | | |
nba.com TV | | Cable television | February 11 | | |
National College Sports Network | College Sports Television | Cable television | February 23 | | |
MMUSA | Fuse | Cable and satellite | May 19 | | |
The New TNN | Spike TV | Cable and satellite | August 11 | | | |
Closures
Television stations
Station launches
Date | City of License/Market | Station | Channel | Affiliation | Notes/Ref. |
---|
January 2 | Ishpeming/Marquette, Michigan | WBUP | 10 | ABC | |
January 20 | | KMAY-LP | 23 | NBC | Semi-satellite of KCEN/Temple |
January 30 | Rochelle/Chicago, Illinois | WCHU-LP | 33 | Azteca America | |
February 2 | Marquette, Michigan | WMQF | 19 | Fox (primary) UPN (secondary) | |
February 18 | | KRWB | 21 | | Satellite of KWBQ/Santa Fe |
March 3 | | | 21.2 | UPN | |
April | Provo, Utah | KUTH | 32 | | |
April 13 | Bangor, Maine | W22BU | 22 | | |
April 23 | Medford, Oregon | K14LG | 14 | | |
May 2 | | KBTZ | 24 | Fox | |
May 7 | Tallahassee, Florida | WTLF | 24 | UPN | Satellite of WFXU/Live Oak |
June 11 | | KLMN | 26 | Fox | |
July 27 | Longview/Tyler, Texas | KCEB | 54 | | |
August 21 | | KMCC | 34 | NBC | Satellite of KVBC/Las Vegas |
September 22 | Rockford, Illinois | WTVO-DT2 | 17.2 | | |
September 29 | Vicksburg/Jackson, Mississippi | WLOO | 35 | Fox \ | |
October 1 | Waimanalo, Hawaii | KMGT | 14 | Religious independent | |
October 7 | Hanamaulu, Hawaii | K06NC | 6 | Independent | |
October 11 | El Dorado, Arkansas | KEJB | 43 | America One | |
October 18 | Pittsburg, Kansas | KFJX | 14 | Fox | |
October 24 | | KUTF | 3 | | |
November 4 | | K38HX | 38 | NBC | |
K34HI | 34 | | |
Unknown date | Beaumont, Texas | KUIL-LP | 64 | Fox | |
Charleston, South Carolina | WJEA-LP | 12 | | |
| WVIF | 15 | Pax TV | Independent |
| KCGE-DT | 16 | | Part of the Prairie Public Television network |
Denver, Colorado | KCIN-LP | 27 | Independent | |
| KCFM | 27 | | |
Knoxville, Tennessee | | 8.2 | UPN | |
Norman/Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | KOCM | 46 | | |
| KQUP | 24 | | |
| K23GP | 23 | Spanish independent | |
Sun Valley/Twin Falls, Idaho | KIDA | 5 | | |
|
Network affiliation changes
Station closures
Births
Date | Name | Notability |
---|
January 4 | Jaeden Martell | Actor (Masters of Sex) |
January 9 | Megan Richie | Actress (Legendary Dudas, Jake and the Neverland Pirates) |
January 21 | Garren Stitt | Actor (Andi Mack, General Hospital) |
January 23 | Ivan Mallon | Actor (School of Rock) |
January 24 | Johnny Orlando | Canadian actor |
January 28 | Anton Starkman | Actor (Warped!) |
Whitney Peak | Actress (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Home Before Dark, Gossip Girl) |
February 4 | Kyla Kenedy | Actress (The Walking Dead, Speechless) |
February 7 | Reed Horstmann | Actor (The Villains of Valley View) |
February 20 | Olivia Rodrigo | Actress (Bizaardvark, ) |
March 1 | Yasmeen Fletcher | Actress and musician (Ms. Marvel, Andi Mack) |
March 3 | Thomas Barbusca | Actor (The Mick) |
March 8 | Montana Jordan | Actor (Young Sheldon) |
March 12 | Malina Weissman | Actress |
April 13 | Olivia Sanabia | Actress (Coop and Cami Ask the World) |
April 15 | Julia Antonelli | Actress (Every Witch Way, WITS Academy) |
Sam Ashe Arnold | Actor (Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever., Are You Afraid of the Dark?) |
April 16 | Alina Foley | Actress (The League, Shimmer and Shine) |
April 18 | Benjamin Cole Royer | Actor (Best Friends Whenever) |
Matthew Lewis Royer |
April 19 | Caleel Harris | Voice actor (Blaze and the Monster Machines, The Loud House) |
April 30 | Emily Carey | Actress |
May 1 | Lizzy Greene | Actress (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, A Million Little Things) |
May 11 | Dora Dolphin | Actress |
May 16 | Ariana Molkara | Actress (Warped!) |
May 18 | Lukas Rodriguez | Actor (Malcolm in the Middle) |
May 19 | JoJo Siwa | Actress (Dance Moms) and singer |
June 2 | Jeremy Ray Taylor | Actor (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) |
June 11 | Breanna Yde | Actress (The Haunted Hathaways, School of Rock, The Loud House) |
June 15 | Galilea La Salvia | Actress (Talia in the Kitchen) |
June 16 | Anna Cathcart | Canadian actress (Odd Squad) |
July 5 | Terrell Ransom Jr. | Actor (Days of Our Lives, The Amazing World of Gumball) |
July 9 | Marcel Ruiz | Actor |
July 11 | Meg Crosbie | Actress (WITS Academy) |
July 30 | Daniel DiMaggio | Actor (Clarence, American Housewife) |
August 11 | Rachel Gage | Actress (Walk the Prank) |
August 18 | Max Charles | Actor (The Neighbors, Harvey Beaks, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, The Lion Guard, The Strain) |
August 20 | Christopher Paul Richards | Actor (The Kids Are Alright) |
August 28 | Quvenzhané Wallis | Actress |
September 3 | Jack Dylan Grazer | Actor (Me, Myself & I) |
September 8 | Carmen Blanchard | Actress |
Nicolas Cantu | Voice actor (The Amazing World of Gumball, Sofia the First) |
September 18 | Nina Lu | Actress (Bunk'd) |
Aidan Gallagher | Actor (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn) |
October 7 | Kate Godfrey | Actress (All That, Warped!) |
October 10 | Maggie Elizabeth Jones | Actress (Ben and Kate) |
October 24 | Hudson Yang | Actor (Fresh Off the Boat) |
October 27 | Gavin Lewis | Actor |
November 8 | Meyrick Murphy | Actress (Legendary Dudas, The Walking Dead) |
November 12 | Kamaia Fairburn | Actress (Star Falls) |
November 21 | Elijha Hammill | Canadian voice actor (Ryder on PAW Patrol) |
November 23 | Olivia Keville | Actress (Splitting Up Together) |
December 9 | Jackson A. Dunn | Actor (Legendary Dudas) |
December 12 | Lincoln Melcher | Actor (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Bunk'd) | |
Deaths
Date | Name | Age | Notability |
---|
January 12 | Maurice Gibb | 53 | Musician/songwriter (Bee Gees) |
January 23 | Nell Carter | 54 | Actress, singer (Gimme a Break) |
February 21 | Julie Mitchum | 88 | Actress |
February 27 | Fred Rogers | 74 | Mister Rogers of (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) |
March 12 | | 54 | American television/film/stage actress (Bear in the Big Blue House, The District, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?)[20] |
March 30 | Michael Jeter | 50 | Voice actor/stage actor (Sesame Street, Evening Shade, and voice of Nate Horowitz (Eugene's Dad) on Hey Arnold!) |
April 30 | Lionel Wilson | 79 | Voice actor (The Aldrich Family, Tom Terrific, The Hector Heathcote Show and first voice of Eustace Bagge on Courage the Cowardly Dog) |
May 14 | Robert Stack | 84 | Actor (Eliot Ness on The Untouchables) |
May 15 | June Carter Cash | 73 | Singer and actress (The Johnny Cash Show) |
June 19 | Laura Sadler | 22 | English actress (Grange Hill, Holby City) |
June 20 | Raymond Serra | 22 | Actor |
July 6 | Buddy Ebsen | 95 | Actor (The Beverly Hillbillies, Barnaby Jones) |
July 27 | Bob Hope | 100 | Comedian, host and actor |
September 8 | Jaclyn Linetsky | 17 | Canadian voice actress (Mega Babies, What's with Andy?, Caillou) |
Vadim Schneider | 17 | French-Canadian actor |
September 11 | John Ritter | 54 | Actor (Three's Company, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, and voice of Clifford the Big Red Dog) |
September 12 | Johnny Cash | 71 | Singer and actor (The Johnny Cash Show) |
September 30 | Robert Kardashian | 59 | Lawyer |
October 17 | Janice Rule | 72 | Actress (The Fugitive) |
October 21 | Fred Berry | 52 | Actor (Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs on What's Happening!!) |
October 27 | Rod Roddy | 66 | Announcer (Press Your Luck, Soap, and most famously, The Price Is Right) |
November 9 | Art Carney | 85 | Actor (Ed Norton on The Honeymooners) |
November 12 | Jonathan Brandis | 27 | Actor (Lucas Wolenczak on seaQuest DSV) |
Penny Singleton | 95 | Voice actress (Jane Jetson on The Jetsons) |
November 14 | Gene Anthony Ray | 41 | Actor (Leroy Johnson on Fame) |
December 14 | | 78 | Actress |
December 28 | Helen Kleeb | 96 | Actress (Miss Mamie Baldwin on The Waltons) |
December 29 | Earl Hindman | 61 | Actor (Wilson J. Wilson Jr. on Home Improvement) | |
Television debuts
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Seidman . Robert . May 5, 2011 . NCIS Voted America's All-Time Favorite TV Show; Two and a Half Men, Bones, House, Several Current Shows Rank . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110508213936/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/05/05/ncis-voted-americas-all-time-favorite-tv-show-two-and-a-half-men-bones-house-several-current-shows-rank/91686 . May 8, 2011 . May 5, 2011 . TV by the Numbers.
- Web site: Mahan . Colin . March 26, 2007 . Three times the Arrested Development . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190421161717/http://www.tv.com/news/three-times-the-arrested-development-5534/ . April 21, 2019 . July 29, 2007 . TV.com.
- Web site: The good news about 'Two and a Half Men' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150424061355/http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/television/20150218_The_good_news_about__Two_and_a_Half_Men_.html . April 24, 2015 . July 7, 2015 . philly-archives.
- Web site: Rosen . Armin . May 31, 2013 . You Really Should Start Watching The Venture Bros. . The Atlantic.
- News: Bellefante . Ginia . January 29, 2008 . They Age So Quickly, at Least in Tree Hill . The New York Times . live . June 17, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120929052452/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/arts/television/29bell.html . September 29, 2012.
- News: Ryan, Seth, and co. shine in pop culture phenomenon . The Observer . January 29, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103220714/http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/2.2755/ryan-seth-and-co-shine-in-pop-culture-phenomenon-1.270074#.TyX_x_nhdcc . November 3, 2013.
- Rice . Lynette . September 9, 2005 . "Nip/Tuck" chief tells why he reupped with FX . Entertainment Weekly.
- Web site: January 23, 2009 . 83, Teen Titans . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140515005513/http://www.ign.com/top/animated-tv-series/83.html . May 15, 2014 . January 24, 2009 . IGN.
- Web site: Gay . Verne . April 7, 2017 . 'Better Call Saul' season 3 review: Possibly better than 'Breaking Bad' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171008033924/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/better-call-saul-season-3-review-possibly-better-than-breaking-bad-1.13377010 . October 8, 2017 . November 30, 2019 . Variety.
- Web site: Keane . Sean . January 6, 2023 . 'The Last of Us' HBO Adaptation Goes Far Beyond the PlayStation Game . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230106085302/https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/the-last-of-us-hbo-adaptation-goes-way-beyond-the-playstation-game/ . January 6, 2023 . January 7, 2023 . . Red Ventures.
- Web site: Summit on Iraq | C-SPAN.org. www.c-span.org.
- News: Victoria's Secret Likes Somerset – Local Store Is First To Get New Model Makeup Kit. March 7, 2009. October 30, 2003. Detroit Free Press. Hanson, Holly.
- News: Playing Our Thong – Victoria's Celebs Lead Undie Fun Day. March 7, 2009. November 14, 2003. New York Post. Hoffmann, Bill.
- Web site: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (2003). 19 November 2003. March 7, 2009. Internet Movie Database.
- News: Victoria's Latex Secret Now on Show. March 7, 2009. November 17, 2003. Newsday. Kahn, Robert.
- News: Fashion – Peek experience – Behind the scenes at the Victoria's Secret fashion show . March 7, 2009. November 19, 2003. Boston Herald. Radsken, Jill.
- http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2001/BC-2001-12-10.pdf
- http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2002/BC-2002-07-22.pdf
- http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2001/BC-2001-11-05.pdf
- News: Lynne Thigpen, Actress in CBS's 'District,' Dies at 54 . New York Times . 2003-03-14 . 2014-02-04.