Here at ET, we love an anniversary — whether it’s the 20th anniversary of Scream or Clueless, 10 years in the life of The Hills or the magical time making No Doubt’s Magic Kingdom 20 years later. And as we settle in 2017, it’s time to look ahead at all those upcoming moments that will have you saying, “I remember when…”
Here’s a brief look at our favorite TV and film milestones of 2017:
Jan. 25, 2002: A Walk to Remember (15 Years)
While fans are crying over Mandy Moore’s Golden Globe-nominated performance on NBC’s hit new series This Is Us, it was just 15 years ago that they cried over her performance in the weepy adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ book about a girl with cancer who falls in love with a rebellious classmate.
Let’s not also forget that 2002 gave us Naomie Harris in 28 Days Later, Barbershop, Ryan Gosling in Murder by Numbers, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Sweet Home Alabama and Ryan Reynolds in Van Wilder.
Feb. 22, 2007: The O.C. (10 Years)
While majority of this list is focused on premieres and debuts, we must bow our heads for the end of The O.C., which gave us party girl Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton); the troubled teen with a heart of gold, Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie); the nerdy but lovable Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) and the fast-talking, superficial Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson).
This year also marked the end of several long-running shows, including the MTV staples Celebrity Deathmatch, Pimp My Ride, Punk’d and Road Rules, 7th Heaven, Gilmore Girls (which returned to Netflix in 2016), The Sopranos and Veronica Mars.
MORE: Relive 6 of the Most Memorable Moments From ‘The O.C.’
March 10, 1997: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (20 Years)
Yes, sharpen those stakes for the 20th anniversary of the debut of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on The WB (remember that network?!) and our formal introductions to the long-running careers of creator Joss Whedon (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Angel, The Avengers and Dollhouse) and star Sarah Michelle Gellar (Cruel Intentions, The Grudge, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Ringer and Scream 2).
Other notable TV debuts in 1997 include Ally McBeal, Behind the Music, Daria, Oz, South Park and The View.
March 23, 1987: The Bold and the Beautiful (30 Years)
It’s almost hard to believe, but the Forrester family — including Eric (John McCook) — has been influencing fashion and causing drama for three decades, becoming one of the most watched daytime soap operas in the world.
WATCH: How to Shoot a Steamy ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ Love Scene
April 5, 1987: Married… With Children (30 Years)
Lasting for 11 seasons, Married… went on to become the longest-running live-action sitcom on FOX before it ended on June 9, 1997. The family comedy also made stars of Ed O’Neill (Modern Family), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy) and Christina Applegate (Bad Moms).
Other notable 1987 debuts include The Tracey Ullman Show, which first introduced audiences to The Simpsons, and the animated DuckTales, which is being revived on Disney XD in 2017.
May 25, 1977: Star Wars (40 Years)
With so much excitement around the new Star Wars installments, it’s hard not to appreciate the original — later renamed Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope — that launched the careers of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and the late Carrie Fisher and introduced a world of fans to a galaxy far, far away.
Let’s not also forget that 1977 gave us Annie Hall, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Julia, Saturday Night Fever and Smokey and the Bandit.
MORE: 8 Questions You Had About ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Answered
May 29, 1992: Sister Act (25 Years)
This movie had everything: Whoopi Goldberg as Deloris Van Cartier in disguise as Sister Mary Clarence, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, a choral version of “I Will Follow Him,” a character named Joey, lots of God puns and an angry mobster played by Harvey Keitel.
In addition to Sister Act, 1992 also gave us Aladdin, The Bodyguard, Basic Instinct, Batman Returns, A Few Good Men, Malcolm X, The Mighty Ducks, My Cousin Vinny, Reservoir Dogs and Wayne’s World.
June 2, 2002: The Wire (15 Years)
The crime drama quickly became regarded as one of TV’s greatest shows of all time thanks to its realistic portrayal of urban life in Baltimore. Its gritty appeal never earned it any major awards or stellar ratings, but it’s the show that any TV critic will tell you to watch. It also happens to be President Barack Obama’s favorite TV show.
Other notable TV debuts of 2002 include Barefoot Contessa, MTV’s short-lived Clone High, Monk and The Shield.
MORE: Sonja Sohn Looks Back on ‘The Wire’ and Talks Diversity in Hollywood
June 20, 1997: My Best Friend’s Wedding (20 Years)
When it comes to the ’90s, it’s hard to ignore the box office power of Julia Roberts. But there was a brief moment from 1994 to 1996 when she starred in a few duds, including Mary Reilly and Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You. However, the moment was so brief it’s often overlooked because by 1997, she was back on top again with My Best Friend’s Wedding. The now-classic romantic comedy became a global box office success, even being remade by China in 2016. Roberts then finished out the ’90s with Conspiracy Theory, Stepmom, Notting Hill and Runaway Bride before earning an Oscar in 2001 for Erin Brockovich.
July 19, 2007: Mad Men (10 Years)
Created by Matt Weiner, Mad Men introduced audiences to the world of Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his fellow employees of the Sterling Cooper advertising agency set in 1960s New York. While initially released in the summer, it quickly became water cooler fodder and a hotly debated show. By the time it ended in 2015, it had won 16 Emmy Awards and was thought of as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
Other notable TV debuts include The Big Bang Theory, Damages, Dirty Sexy Money, Private Practice and The Tudors.
MORE: Every Woman Don Draper Has Slept With on ‘Mad Men’
Aug. 21, 1987: Dirty Dancing (30 Years)
Everyone had the time of their life in the summer of 1987 thanks to this teen romance film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Set in the 1960s, the film followed a decade-long trend of nostalgia for the ’50s and ’60s that included American Graffiti, Christine, Grease, The Outsiders, Porky’s and Stand by Me. Although it never spawned a sequel, a re-imagining, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, was released in 2004 and a TV remake is set to air on ABC in 2017.
In addition to Dirty Dancing, 1987 also gave us Adventures in Babysitting, Fatal Attraction, Full Metal Jacket, Good Morning, Vietnam, Lethal Weapon, Moonstruck, The Princess Bride, Three Men and a Baby, The Untouchables, Wall Street and Witches of Eastwick.
Sept. 19, 2007: Gossip Girl (10 Years)
While adults got Mad Men, teens got Gossip Girl. Much like its predecessors (Beverly Hills, 90210, Dawson’s Creek, The O.C. and Popular), the show paired twentysomething stars with the dramatic setting of high school. While it’s easy to write off as another provocative show, season one was damn near perfect. And just like Mad Men, there was plenty of boozing, cheating, plotting and New York in the background.
It should also be noted that 2007 is the same year that gave us Greek (July 9) on ABC Family. The college drama is set to return with Greek: The Reunion, a TV movie on Freeform.
MORE: 13 Bits of Horrible Parenting Advice Blake Lively Should Not Take From ‘Gossip Girl’
Oct. 17, 1997: I Know What You Did Last Summer (20 Years)
Following the breakout success of Scream, which came out the year before and revitalized the horror genre, screenwriter Kevin Williamson gave fans a new franchise starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The film also starred Gellar, in what turned out to be a breakout year for the actress, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. While the film franchise didn’t have the lasting power of Scream, it did give fans Hewitt twirling in the street, yelling at the sky, “What are you waiting for, huh?”
Nov. 9, 2007: No Country for Old Men (10 Years)
The Coen brothers’ neo-thriller about 1980 West Texas became a box office and awards season hit largely due to standout performances by Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of hired hitman Anton Chigurh. But really, all anyone can remember is Bardem’s horrible haircut, which was a precursor for some curious hair seen on the actor in Love in the Time of Cholera, Skyfall, The Counselor and the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Other notable films released in 2007 include Atonement, Gone Baby Gone, I Am Legend, Knocked Up, Ratatouille, Superbad, Transformers, There Will Be Blood and Zodiac.
MORE: Why Javier Bardem Doesn’t Watch His Own Performances
Nov. 13, 1987: The Running Man (30 Years)
Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name about a dystopian future about a reality show on which prisoners attempt to escape death, The Running Man was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s second box office hit of the year, following Predator, which came out on June 12. While Predator launched a long-running franchise and earned its place alongside Alien as one of the most popular sci-fi action films, it’s Running Man that’s reached a unique milestone in 2017. This year is the same as when the film took place. It seems the dystopian future it predicted didn’t quite come true, but Schwarzenegger is now the centerpiece of another reality show: Celebrity Apprentice.
Dec. 19, 1997: Titanic (20 Years)
Remember when Leonardo DiCaprio wasn’t a household name? It’s almost inconceivable at this point. But in 1997, DiCaprio was still a budding star, coming off the success of 1996’s Romeo + Juliet with Claire Danes and the Oscar-nominated Marvin’s Room. Of course, the actor would become an international sensation thanks to the massive success of Titanic, which earned over $ 2 billion worldwide. It was also Kate Winslet’s biggest film at the time, earning her a second Academy Award nomination.
Other notable film releases in 1997 include Air Force One, As Good as It Gets, Con Air, Contact, Face/Off, The Fifth Element, The Full Monty, Good Burger, Good Will Hunting, Men in Black, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and Soul Food.
Dec. 21, 1967: The Graduate (50 Years)
During what was a classic year in film, 1967 not only gave us the Mike Nichols dramedy starring Michael Douglass and Anne Bancroft, but it also gave us Bonnie and Clyde, The Dirty Dozen, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, The Jungle Book and Valley of the Dolls.
MORE: A Look Back at Mike Nichols’ Most Memorable Films
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