The Walt Disney Company created the series to follow on from its successful line of comedy series in the 2000s, including "Lizzie McGuire", "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" and "Hannah Montana". It was produced by It's a Laugh Productions, and premiered on Disney Channel on October 12, 2007. A made-for-television film adaptation, ' aired on the network in 2009 and was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program in 2010. The program last aired on January 6, 2012, ending to allow its actors to move towards more mature roles. After its conclusion, the cast returned for a stand-alone television special entitled ', which was released in 2013. All seasons have been distributed through digital download and on streaming service Disney+.