Lizzie McGuire is a popular Disney Channel live action television show. Its target demographic is preteens and teenagers. The TV show was created by Terri Minsky. The show's creatively offbeat, mixed media format (the show's producer Stan Rogow says the visual look of the show was partly inspired by Run Lola Run) stood out from the rest of the Disney Channel's programming - and in essence, became the channel's flagship show.

The series stars Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire, Lalaine as Miranda Sanchez, Adam Lamberg as David "Gordo" Gordon, and a moody but funny Cartoon Lizzie (also known as Toon Lizzie or Animated Lizzie) as Lizzie's psyche. Robert Carradine of Revenge Of The Nerds fame stars as Lizzie's father. Jake Thomas plays her brother, Matt.

The show depicts Lizzie, a seventh grader, encountering social problems with her schoolmates, teachers and family. She can always count on Miranda and Gordo's friendships, no matter what. She is a fashion setter and as so has the envy of her school's most popular girl, Kate Sanders, played by 16-year-old Ashlie Brillault. Kate likes trying to make Lizzie's life impossible, but Lizzie always manages to outsmart Kate and always comes out on top.

Cartoon Lizzie is an animated character in the show. Cartoon Lizzie represents the title character's inner thoughts. Addressing the audience directly in the manner of a Greek chorus, she is voiced by series star Hilary Duff.

Lizzie and Gordo have always felt certain attraction towards each other, but 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.

The show often has a subplot involving Matt, and his friends Lanny Onasis, Christian Copelin , and Melina, 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.

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

At the end of the show, 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".)

A movie based on the show, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, was released on May 2, 2003. It was second at the box office in its opening week.

The show was later cancelled after only 65 episodes. Disney has a limit to all of its shows, that says only 65 episodes can be filmed. Also, Hilary Duff's people said she wasn't getting paid enough for a proposed spin-off taking Lizzie into High School on ABC.

The character of Lizzie continues to be merchandised by Disney, especially through a large set of books, which include novelizations of the episodes, original Nancy Drew-style mystery stories in the Lizzie McGuire Mysteries series, and "Cine-manga" pictorial adaptations (published by TOKYOPOP) with still shots from the show presented in manga style.

Episodes

• Rumors - January 12, 2001
• Picture Day - January 19, 2001
• When Moms Attack - January 26, 2001
• Pool Party (Pilot) - February 2, 2001
• I've Got Rhythmic - February 9, 2001
• Jack Of All Trades - February 23, 2001
• Aaron Carter's Coming to Town - March 23, 2001
• Misadventures in Babysitting - April 6, 2001
• Election - April 20, 2001
• I Do, I Don't - April 27, 2001
• Bad Girl McGuire - May 4, 2001
• Between a Rock And A Bra Place - May 11, 2001
• Come Fly with Me - June 1, 2001
• Random Acts Of Miranda - June 8, 2001
• Lizzie's Nightmares - June 22, 2001
• Obsession - June 29, 2001
• Sibling Bonds - August 3, 2001
• Rated Aargh - August 10, 2001
• Gordo and the Girl - August 17, 2001
• Educating Ethan - August 24, 2001
• Lizzie Strikes Out - August 31, 2001
• The Untitled Stan Jansen Project - September 21, 2001
• Last Year's Model - September 28, 2001
• Night of The Day of the Dead - October 5, 2001
• Facts of Life - October 12, 2001
• Scarlet Larry - November 9, 2001
• Gordo and the Dwarfs - November 16, 2001
• Lizzie and Kate's Big Adventure - November 30, 2001
• The Courtship Of Miranda Sanchez - December 7, 2001
• Gordo's Video - January 1, 2002
• Gordo's Bar Mitzvah - January 18, 2002
• First Kiss - February 8, 2002
• El Oro De Montezuma - February 22, 2002
• Mom's best Friend - March 8, 2002
• The Rise and Fall of Kate - March 15, 2002
• Working Girl - March 29, 2002
• And The Winner Is - April 26, 2002
• The Longest Yard - May 17, 2002
• Just Friends - June 14, 2002
• Those Freaky McGuires - June 28, 2002
• In Miranda Lizzie Does Not Trust - July 5, 2002
• Over The Hill - july 12, 2002
• Best Dressed For Much Less - July 19, 2002
• You're A Good Man, Lizzie McGuire - July 26, 2002
• Just Like Lizzie - August 9, 2002
• Lizzie in the Middle - August 23, 2002
• Inner Beauty - August 30, 2002
• Movin' On Up - September 13, 2002
• Party Over Here - September 20, 2002
• She Said, He said, She Said - November 22, 2002
• Xtreme Xmas - December 6, 2002
• Lizzie's Eleven - January 1, 2003
• Dear Lizzie - January 24, 2003
• Clue-Less - January 31, 2003
• Bye Bye Hillridge Junior High - February 7, 2003
• Bunkies - February 21, 2003
• A Gordo Story - February 28, 2003
• Grubby Longjohn'sOlde Tyme Revue - March 14, 2003
• The Greatest Crush Of All - March 21, 2003
• Grand Ole Grandma - April 4, 2003
• My Fair Larry - May 16, 2003
• The Gordo Shuffle - June 13, 2003
• My Dinner With Dig - August 15, 2003
• Just One Of The Guys - November 21, 2003
• Magic Train - February 14, 2004

External links

• IMDB - Lizzie McGuire (TV Series) http://us.imdb.com/Title?0273366
• TVTome -- Lizzie McGuire http://www.tvtome.com/LizzieMcGuire/
• The Disney Channel's official Lizzie McGuire web site http://psc.disney.go.com/disneychannel/lizziemcguire/index.html

Music

• Lizzie McGuire Soundtrack