While the year 2000 may not seem too far gone, it has been a full two decades since movies and TV shows that changed pop culture were released. Two teen staples are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. 

“Bring It On” and “Gilmore Girls” were both considered iconic by teenagers upon their release and still stand the test of time years later. The film and show respectively received praise for tackling issues that weren’t commonly discussed in 2000 such as feminism, the struggles of strong and powerful female characters and cultural appropriation. 

“Bring It On” was and still is one of the most popular teen movies out there, and the messages of the film are still relevant and timely today. After being shopped around different studios, “Bring it On” was bought by Beacon Pictures and ended up grossing $90 million at the box office. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and receiving a 63% from Rotten Tomatoes, teens of this generation continue to watch and love the film.  

“Bring It On” was revolutionary in the sense that it discusses cultural appropriation in a way that many hadn’t seen or done before. When one predominantly white cheer team steals routines from a cheer team made up of predominantly people of color, it’s referred to as, “putting some blond hair on it and calling it something different.” Many didn’t realize the way the film tackled this issue until the conversation on cultural appropriation became more amplified in recent years. 

“Bring it On” has become a franchise since the original film’s release with five sequels being released between 2004 and 2017. None have been as iconic or successful as the original film, but this shows the love for the original’s concept.

“Gilmore Girls” (2000-2007) is a show aimed at young adults that showcases the relationship between a single mother and her daughter. The show became a staple for the network it was on, the WB, and was quite well-loved. Since its end in 2007, it has been released on Netflix and a Netflix miniseries reboot, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” was released in 2016. Both the original show and the reboot miniseries were received well, with the original receiving an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the reboot receiving an 87%.

“Gilmore Girls” has often been thought to represent feminism through its portrayal of confident and strong female characters. Its portrayal of independent women inspired a generation in the early 2000s, showing how different generations of characters (daughter, mother, grandmother, etc.) influenced each other to become independent women.