Siblings who grow up together in the same household are each other’s first friends and frenemies, role models, and guinea pigs upon whom they practice their social skills. With the number of stories that people have that begin with”One time, my brother and I …” or “My sister and I used to…,” it’s no wonder this dynamic has been the fodder for TV shows since the medium began.
From the wholesome gangs of 7th Heaven, Eight Is Enough, and The Waltons to the chaotic broods of Shameless and Married with Children, and all the sibs in between (Parenthood, The Partridge Family, The Cosby Show, Party of Five, Roseanne, Family Ties, and of course, Brothers and Sisters) the audience watches these sibling relationships play out, with some being real standouts.
Blue Bloods: Danny, Erin, Jamie, & Joe Reagan
The most sanctimonious law enforcement family on television spawned three cops and a DA: rough and tumble Danny, who went from high school to the military to the NYPD; the brilliant and rebellious Erin, who broke with tradition and became a lawyer; the equally brilliant Jamie, who graduated Harvard then became a beat cop; and undercover detective Joe — may he rest.
Because Erin and Jamie are “educated,” they’re often at odds with “go-from-his-gut” Danny. At the end of the day, though (or week, which concludes around the dinner table), they agree to disagree because they’re Reagans and Reagans stick together. Pass the potatoes and the bottle of Jameson.
Happy Days: Richie & Joanie Cunningham
They’re the perfect example of the quintessential teens of the 1950s. They live in a home (as well as a town and world) where everything is just “oh gosh, swell!”
Richie is a “good guy” – wholesome, clean-cut and the general voice of reason, so he’s a tough act to follow. Knowing she can’t fill his penny loafers, Joanie goes in the opposite direction – playing, to the hilt, the annoying kid sister trope, leading her to spy on her brother, especially when he’s making out with Lori Beth, and making sassy remarks — even to her mom and dad. Richie is often like the third parent, administering the often-heard dictum: “Joanie, go to your room.”
The Brady Bunch: Greg & Marcia
The two eldest of this blended family, which also included Peter, Jan, Bobby, and Cindy, were teens and had the most fun storylines. The ’70s sitcom had a very antagonistic boys-vs-girls vibe and given the zeitgeist of the decade, even though Marcia proved she could hold her own, it was Greg who saved the day, which was both sweet and condescending.
Evidence of this is when Team Marcia and Team Greg wanted to each use family resources to buy something, with a House of Cards challenge as the decider. When Marcia’s charm bracelet flattened the structure, off the boys went to the store, only to return with an option the whole family could enjoy.
The Simpsons: Bart & Lisa
Bart loves and protects his baby sister Maggie, but his relationship with Lisa is more complicated and realistic. Yes, they fight, but he also stands up for her. Lisa’s first word was “Bart,” so there is admiration there, even though she refers to him as “The Usual Suspect” due to his predilection for troublemaking. Lisa is as accomplished as Bart is mischievous.
After playing a prank on the First Church of Springfield, Bart sells his soul to Milhouse for five dollars then regrets his decision. He tries to reverse the situation to no avail and it is Lisa who comes to his rescue and gets his soul back for him.
The Addams Family: Wednesday & Pugsley
Indeed, they were creepy and kooky, mysterious, spooky, and altogether “ooky,” but they were all they had (Thing, notwithstanding.) The macabre brother and sister were brought up in an “others-do-their-thing-we-do-ours” home by two supportive parents and were taught to embrace who they were, giving them a strong bond.
Pugsley did not judge Wednesday’s choice to behead her dolls and when she’d strap him to the family’s electric chair, well, it was all clean fun, at least for the Addamses.
Friends: Ross & Monica Geller
Because they’re only two years apart, “Mon” and older brother Ross were not just siblings, but friends. The paleontologist and chef shared a love of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Ross was a big fan of Monica’s cooking and she owed her weight loss to him because when they were teens she overheard him refer to her as “fat” (as problematic as this whole storyline was, full of fat-shaming).
When they argued, they seemed to regress to childhood with their disagreements turning into bickering and teasing, such as when Ross accused Monica of cheating during the gang’s football game and, indeed, wrestling. They always had each other’s backs though, especially when it wasn’t their day, week, month, or even their year.
Beverly Hills 90210: Brandon & Brenda Walsh
The fraternal twins from Minnesota were thick as thieves, yet had very different personalities. Brandon was a born leader, while “Bren” followed the crowd, desperate to be part of it. Luckily, when they moved to the land of sunshine, convertibles, and Rodeo Drive, they fell in with the same clique, so he could keep an eye on her.
Despite this, the two teens lived their own lives. Brandon had a job at the Peach Pit, he was president of the Student Council, and de facto big brother to all, saving everyone–most of the time–from themselves. Brenda had Dylan. When the latter took off to study acting in London, her brother was supportive but didn’t seem too broken up about it, especially after Valerie moved in.
Gossip Girl: Jenny & Dan / Serena & Eric
The BK Humphreys and the Manhattan van der Woodsens may have grown up in different boroughs, with contrasting financial situations and clashing values, but their sibling dynamics mirrored one another’s.
As the elders, Dan and Serena care-take their younger family members, like when Dan punched out Chuck for attempting to physically assault Jenny and Serena helped break out Eric from the facility his mother put him in after he engaged in self-harm. Clearly, one can’t put a price on brotherly/sisterly love.
Schitt’s Creek: David & Alexa Rose
These two rude, entitled peas in a Richie Rich pod do grow closer when their family goes from being haves to have-nots. Older brother David — a former gallerist and professional snob — previously only dealt with his socialite and teen model sister (always away on location) when she’d find herself “taken hostage on David Geffen’s yacht by Somali pirates for a week,” and he’d have to help get her to safety.
In Schitt’s Creek, they now live in close quarters, where she’s completing her high school education and he uses his business acumen and innate sense of style to open a store. They both end up more likable, both to the locals and to each other.
This Is Us: Kevin, Kate & Randall Pearson
They’re called “The Big Three” and they even have a chant: “First came me. And Dad said, ‘Gee!’ And then came me! And Mom said, ‘Whee!’ And then came me. And they said, ‘That’s three!'”
Successful actor Kevin, nicknamed “Number One,” has none of that first-born swagger. In fact, he always felt Kate and Randall got all the attention. He never refers to Randall as his brother until adulthood but proves his love by missing a big job opportunity to go with him to the hospital. Because their father passed away by the time Kate got married, both Kevin and Randall walk her down the aisle.
