Lizzie McGuire was a popular American children's television series aired on the Disney Channel from 2001 to 2004. Its target demographic was preteens and teenagers. The TV show was created by Terri Minsky. The show's creatively offbeat, mixed media format stood out from the rest of the Disney Channel's programming - and in essence, became the channel's flagship show of its time, and a definitive show of the early 2000s. The show's producer Stan Rogow says the visual look of the show was partly inspired by Run Lola Run.As the title would suggest, the show is about Lizzie McGuire and her middle school adventures with her two best friends, Miranda and Gordo. Their adventures range from light humor topics such as dealing with crazy teachers to serious issues such as anorexia. While the show usually depicts a rather equal relationship between the threesome, Lizzie and Gordo have always felt a certain attraction towards each other. However, since they have known each other for their entire lives (since Lizzie was one day old, according to her voiceover in the pilot episode), they prefer to keep their relationship at a friendship level. However in the last season Gordo finally admits to liking Lizzie, in which Lizzie responds with a kiss.

The show often has a subplot involving Matt, and his friends Lanny Onasis (Christian Copelin), and Melina Bianco (Carly Schroeder). Lanny is something of Matt's sidekick, and is never heard to speak as part of a running gag. Melina is less of a friend, and is constantly critical of Matt. Towards the end of the season, however, she became Matt's girlfriend.

The show has had many special guest appearances, among them Aaron Carter, Frankie Muniz, David Carradine, Doris Roberts, Shelley Berman, Steven Tyler and Erik Estrada.

At the end of the show (or during the squeeze credits in the US), there is always a bloopers section, where even Cartoon Lizzie's bloopers are shown. (Actually, there are two episodes without a blooper ending: "Pool Party" and "Between a Rock and a Bra Place".)