Happy National Siblings Day! Today is all about showing the person (or people) who are fortunate enough to share a parent (or two) with you some love. For many people, a sibling is a built-in friend and partner-in-crime through life’s ups and down. Others may find their sibling to be the bane of their existence and a reason why they sorely envy only children.
There are loads TV shows and films that prominently focus on sibling dynamics. Sometimes the entire plot is about sibling rivalries and adventures together. Other times, the siblings shine brightest on the series with their incessant pranks, arguments, and moments of solidarity.
It would be impossible to name all of the great fictional siblings in the world, but this list is a taste of a few wonderful ones:
Sister, Sister – Tia & Tamera
CBS Television Productions
The show’s title is Sister, Sister so it has to be on the list! Separated-at-birth twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell accidentally find each other and convince their parents to let them live under the same roof. Straight-laced Tia gets caught up in Tamera’s schemes, and Tamera convinces Tia that its okay to not be perfect all the time. Tia and Tamera argue and butt heads like all sisters, but they are undoubtedly in sync and a united front in the face of trouble—or an annoying neighbor named Roger.
Supernatural – Dean and Sam
The CW
The Winchester brothers are a classic sibling duo who have literally been through hell and back. The pair have taken down demons, saved lives, brought each other back from the dead, laughed, cried, hugged, and captured fans hearts for a whopping 15 seasons. Dean and Sam have a keen understanding and powerful devotion to each other that makes them 100% brother goals.
Black Lightning – Anissa and Jennifer
The CW
It’s rare to see Black female super heroes on TV, much less two sisters who feel incredibly real and grounded despite their advanced costumes and incredible powers. Anissa and Jennifer Pierce, respectively known as Thunder/Blackbird and Lightning, have developed a unique bond and understanding over the difficulties of vigilante life. They will do whatever it takes to keep Freeland (and each other) safe…and they look incredibly badass at all times.
Simpsons – Bart and Lisa
20th Century Fox Television/via GIPHY
The Simpson kids are perhaps the most famous animated siblings after 30 years on television. Lisa and Bart subvert the typical tropes about siblings by making the younger Lisa the responsible, mature overachiever, while her older brother Bart is the wayward child. Bart certainly gets under Lisa’s skin but he stands up for her when it matters.
Lisa is mostly cool with Bart being good-for-nothing because it makes her look better—a plus for being the middle child. We didn’t forget about Maggie, but she generally doesn’t have the same impact as her older siblings. Bart and Lisa can be terrible to each other but they know how to join forces and show love when it really matters.
Bob’s Burgers – Tina, Gene, & Louise
20th Century Fox Television/via GIPHY
The show might be called Bob’s Burgers but the real stars are the Belcher kids. Tina’s obsession with boy bands and butts, Louise’s constant schemes, and Gene’s wildcard antics (including songs that are bops) make up majority of the fun on the series. The kids have done everything from charge people to view a nude beach to working for a marijuana delivery business and it’s all comedic gold.
Game of Thrones – The Starks
HBO/via GIPHY
The Starks were a family of bosses long before they won the game of thrones. Arya and Jon (he’s a Stark in our eyes) played the game well with intelligence and physical prowess. Sansa proved that you could be both feminine and a formidable force. Robb went to war and did what he wanted to do, even though it cost him his life.
Rickon and Bran have some other (weird) stuff going on, but they stuck together through their travels to the North. The Starks separation managed to make the surviving siblings a united front when they finally had a joyous reunion. All hail the House of Stark.
Game of Thrones – The Lannisters
HBO/via GIPHY
The Lannisters siblings were truly wild, even by Game of Thrones standards. Incest, a sadistic child, murder, cruelty, walks of shame, bottles of wine, and the abuse of power only scratch the surface of their complicated world. But the trio gave fans lots of unforgettable moments, shady dialogue, and, at times, a few moments where the Cersei almost acts like a someone with a soul.
Jaime and Tyrion’s relationship fares the best out of this dynamic, with the former standing up for his brother. Tyrion also tries to reason with Jaime (and Cersei) to make the right decisions and protect them to the best of his abilities—even after all of their evil deeds. They reaped what they sowed, but it’s still sad to think of Tyrion losing his brother and sister.
Dexter’s Laboratory – Dexter & Dee Dee
Cartoon Network
Dexter is your everyday boy genius who wants to do experiments in his secret lab that he hides from his parents. But, his hyperactive big sister Dee Dee stands in the way by getting in and ruining all his progress. The banter between them, and Dee Dee’s ability to get past Dexter’s elaborate security measures, is always a good laugh. They get on each other’s nerves, but Dee Dee occasionally drops some valuable advice and Dexter sticks up for his sis.
The Powerpuff Girls – Blossom, Bubbles, & Buttercup
The Cartoon Network/via GIPHY
Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are the famous Powerpuff Girls. They are cute with big eyes and an even bigger appetite for fighting crime. They all have their distinct personalities that come together to make them pretty much unstoppable. The Powerpuff Girls are a reminder that you can be powerful yet sweet and to never, ever judge a book by its cover.
The Walking Dead – Daryl & Merle
Gene Page/AMC
The Walking Dead has had its share of sibling duos over the past 10 seasons. One of the earliest ones was crossbow/tracking expert Daryl and his brother Merle. Daryl was ready to kill Rick over his frankly awful brother, but later realized that his place among the group felt more like family than being with Merle.
The brothers found their way back to each other and managed to make amends before Merle sacrificed himself in an effort to protect Daryl. Merle has been gone for many seasons, but his influence on Daryl still plays a key role in the show’s narrative.
Practical Magic – Gillian & Sally Owens
Warner Bros
What’s better than sisters? Sisters who are witches, of course! Sally and Gillian Owens grow up with an unconventional life and a strong devotion to each other as adults. The sisters use the power of their love to break a family curse so they can have romantic love, too.
Hocus Pocus – Winifred, Sarah, & Mary
Walt Disney Pictures
There’s a good reason why Hocus Pocus has become a cult classic. Winifred, Sarah, and Mary are delightfully funny, soul-sucking witches who love to insult each other as they cause a lot of Halloween trouble. They look silly, they sing, and they are full of quotable lines that you can say all year long.
The Fresh Prince – Will & The Banks Kids
Warner Bros/via GIPHY
Will may not have the Banks last name, but he certainly became Carlton, Hillary, and Ashely’s brother. The Banks kids didn’t seem to have much of a sibling bond when Will first arrived in Bel-Air. But throughout the series, they all developed a unique relationship with him (and each other) through their antics and tough times.
Carlton gained a brother who would pick on him about being a square, but vehemently defend his right to be different to anyone else. Ashley picks up the best parts of Will’s free spirit that lead her towards a performing arts career. Hillary’s relationship with Will goes from classic sibling rivalry to a tight bond despite their different personalities. And Will, an only child, got a chance to experience the joy of having a brother or sister in your corner.
Stranger Things – Will & Jon, Nancy & Mike, and Erica & Lucas
Netflix
Stranger Things has its fair share of great sibling pairs. Jonathan Byers is a gold-star big bro who encourages Will to be his authentic self. He risks his life to keep Will safe and introduces him to some sweet music in the process. The Byers boys are tight-knit TV rarity: brothers who don’t seem to have any sibling rivalry despite an age gap.
Mike and Nancy’s normal antagonistic relationship grew into one of mutual respect as they formed a new connection during extraordinary circumstances. They call each other out on reckless and/or jerk behavior and respect each other’s strengths. And when Upside Down trouble arises, they are ready to join forces for the greater good.
The latest season gave us another great sibling duo by bringing Lucas’ sister Erica into the fold. They annoy each other greatly, but the Starcourt Mall helped her accept her nerdy ways and brought the duo closer. There’s nothing wrong with being an only child, but it must be super tough for Dustin to not have a sibling by his side. At least he has Dad Steve, right?
Sidenote: Mad Max is awesome…her brother Billy? Not so much. Good riddance Billy.
The MCU Gods – Thor & Loki
Marvel Studios
Thor and Loki’s relationship spans from Norse mythology to their infamous sibling rivalry in the Marvel comic and cinematic universe. Loki loves to concoct a scheme to undermine his big bro because, well, he is the God of Mischief. Thor gets annoyed, cleans up the mess, and tries to save his brother from his own ridiculousness—just like a typical older sibling. Their banter is unmatched and when it really matters they combine their powers to get things done.
Charmed – Prue, Piper, & Phoebe
CBS Television Distribution
This witchy trio is iconic. Piper, Prue, and Phoebe are the Charmed Ones who use the Power of Three to protect innocent people from the darker forces of the universe. The Halliwell sisters stuck by each other through defeating demons, love life drama, and heartbreaking death. Paige joined the drama later on as a half-sibling, but the original three are undoubtedly the superior team.
Frozen – Anna & Elsa
Walt Disney Studios
We love a Disney story where sisters save each other! Anna and Elsa are the classic “two siblings who are nothing alike” pairing whose unyielding love for each other forms the crux of their story. They learn to respect each other’s wishes and are willing to forgo traditions and expectations to make sure that they both get what they want out of life. They express their love in different ways, but they both have a ton of heart.
Wakanda’s Royal Finest – T’Challa & Shuri
Marvel Studios/via GIPHY
The Black Panther and King of Wakanda and his genius younger sister are a sibling match made in heaven. Shuri is a witty tech whiz who isn’t afraid to get down to physical action. T’Challa is the man with a ton of responsibility and decisions on his shoulders who leans on his sister not only for her brilliant mind but also her friendship.
Shuri helps T’Challa strike a balance between tradition and innovation so he can be the king and warrior he needs to be in this age. He trusts her opinion and will do anything to protect her life. And they have the best sibling handshake in all the universes.
Full House/Fuller House – Stephanie & DJ Tanner
Michael Yarish/Netflix
The Tanner family is extremely sappy but fans want to hug them anyway. Full House gave fans a trio of sisters—DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle—who navigated the ups and downs of growing up with a dad and two uncles. In fact, the love for the Tanner girls and their G-rated drama spilled over into Fuller House, a spin-off series with pretty much the same premise as the original.
DJ is widowed with three kids and her sister Stephanie and BFF Kimmy move in to help her raise them while Michelle is MIA. Now, fans who agonized over DJ and Steve’s relationship get to commiserate with her woes as a mom in addition to her Steve romance. Yay for a dysfunctional, G-rated, and nostalgia packed TV sisterhood.
The Addams Family – Wednesday & Pugsley Addams
Paramount Pictures
It’s no secret that Wednesday and Pugsley are awesome in all of their iterations. They have two of the coolest and most loving parents on the block who encourage them to be themselves, even when it involves being normal.
The Addams kids like to guillotine doll heads, play with dynamite, and have nearly killed each other dozens of times, yet they seem to have a pretty healthy relationship void of sibling rivalry. They are creepy, kooky, and absolutely a scream together.
Marvel’s Dueling Sisters – Gamora & Nebula
Gamora and Nebula were bound to have complicated and tragic lives with a father like Thanos. Their turbulent and violent interactions were all underscored by what some real-life siblings probably feel towards each other.
Nebula seemed to only care about wanting to win some battle (any battle) against Gamora, but in the end she really just wanted a sister. She didn’t feel accepted, loved, nor like she had a purpose outside of being forced to compete with her seemingly superior sister. And Gamora may have been focused on winning and staying alive but she did what she could to make things right—including embracing her sister.
Aquaman – Arthur/Aquaman & Orm/Ocean Master
The Aquaman movie is a ton of fun, even when it comes to dueling brothers. Aquaman is the half-human brother who initially doesn’t want to be king of Atlantis. Ocean Master has carefully trained and prepared for the throne his whole life so he can completely wipe out humans. The last thing he wants is some outsider coming in to mess up his plans. The half-brothers battle it out a couple of times before coming to a mutual understanding…for now.
Halloween franchise – Michael Myers & Laurie Strode
Compass International Pictures
There’s nothing enviable about this twisted brother and sister relationship. There are a couple of different timelines for Laurie’s life in the Halloween franchise, but many of the films depict her as Michael Myers sister. Why did Michael want to kill his sister anyway? No one really knows. Many scary stalker moments and fights to the death later, they still remain a classic horror combo.
The Cosby Show – The Cosby Kids
The Cosby kids were a non-stop barrage of entertainment. They came together and infamously sang Ray Charles “(Night Time Is) The Right Time,” teased each other in the living room, and had heart-to-heart chats in their rooms. There were Gordon Gartrelle knockoff shirts, real-life Monopoly lessons about money, and fights over purple sweaters but also a ton of love between Theo, Sondra, Vanessa, Rudy, and Denise.
The Brady Bunch Siblings
Marcia Marcia Marcia! There honestly should have been a lot more drama with three girls and three boys coming together under one roof. But The Brady Bunch was all about family-friendly comedy, gender rivalry, a little jealousy, a football to the face, and learning how to navigate in a large blended family. Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marcia, Jan, and Cindy are still some of the most famous TV siblings of all-time, even though the show ended over 40 years ago.
The Walking Dead – Sasha & Tyreese
Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC
Sasha and Tyreese came on the scene as weary survivors with a backstory that we will never know. This pair went through a lot as individuals with lost lovers and killer kids, but they were each other’s rocks in an unstable world. When they were together, Sasha and Tyreese were the perfect balance of love, pragmatism, and glimmers of hope. May they both rest in peace.
The Rain – Simone & Rasmus
Netflix/via GIPHY
A virus that exists in rain has been the nemesis of Simone and Rasmus. The brother and sister spent nearly six years without anyone else around in a bunker after their father left before encountering other people. Simone was tasked with taking care of him and she followed through, becoming a mother figure in his life. Now, their journey has turned into a perilous fight to save Rasmus and find a vaccine.
Locke & Key – Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode
Ken Woroner/Netflix
It took a long time for the Locke siblings to make their TV debut and it was worth it. Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode’s exploration of their new home filled with mysterious keys leading to magical doors is just the beginning of what should be a seasons-long coming-of-age adventure. The siblings parse through their father’s death, normal childhood woes, and a malevolent force as a united front.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events – The Baudelaire Kids
Eike Schroter/Netflix
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny have a sad and often weird life. They are apparently the only smart people in this universe who can recognize Count Olaf’s ridiculous disguises. They are smart, crafty, and stick closely together to uncover the secrets of their family.
Boy Meets World – Cory & Eric Matthews
Buena Vista Television/Touchstone Television
There were a ton of sometimes funny and always entertaining antics with Cory and Eric Matthews. Like most siblings with an age gap, they initially existed in their own separate worlds. But they grew closer as they got older and turned to each other for support throughout tough issues like finding yourself after high school, road trips, and alcoholism.
Married With Children – Kelly & Bud
Fox/Columbia Pictures
Kelly and Bud Bundy aren’t very smart, but they know how to deliver some scathing puns. They make a ton of jokes at each other’s expense, but won’t allow anyone outside their inner circle to hurt each other’s feelings.
The Walking Dead – Connie & Kelly
Jace Downs/AMC
Connie and Kelly are the most recent sibling addition to The Walking Dead. It’s clear that Kelly (like fans of the show) strongly admires Connie’s bravery and ability to survive in this world without being able to hear her enemies.
Connie, a strategist and optimist, supports Kelly through her tough hearing loss, reminding her that being deaf is actually a superpower. Right now, Kelly is trying to keep her chin up and hope alive after Connie has gone missing following the cave incident. There’s a surefire family reunion coming soon and fans can’t wait to see it.
Family Guy – Chris, Stewie, & Meg
20th Century Fox Television
The Griffin kids play a major role in a lot of Family Guy stories. Meg is well-known for being the forgotten child who is treated like trash when people do remember that she exists. However, Chris often goes to her for advice and they seem to mostly get along outside of normal sibling arguments.
Stewie isn’t always understood by his siblings but they have been known to team up with him for a few ill-fated adventures. He thinks they are both idiots but he is willing to be in their corner when it really counts.
Family Matters – Laura & Eddie Winslow
Warner Bros./via GIPHY
Laura was always down to drag Eddie over his terrible grades, and he would retort by calling out her “think she knows it all” ways. But the Winslow could always come together over one important thing: a strong dislike for Steve Urkel. Laura and Eddie had a sister once but she went to her room and never came back.
Mr. Robot – Darlene and Elliot
USA Network
The family who hacks together stays together. Darlene and Elliot’s tragic background and desire to bring an end to corporate greed led to a twisted anti-establishment tale. Elliot endures a lot in his mind and in the world at large, but he is able to depend on Darlene to help him through it all. Darlene is the real MVP that any brother (or human) needs in a scam, a crisis, or to simply step in and put someone in their place.
The Parent Trap – Hallie & Annie
Walt Disney Pictures
Once again, it’s a story about twin sisters separated at birth who randomly meet up years later. Hallie and Annie do the classic “trading places” bit and step into the other one’s very different life to force their parents to meet each other. They are full of pranks and mischief but their messiness works in the end.
Siblings can be annoying, frustrating, and downright mean. They snitch to see you get in trouble and embarrass you when you are trying to be cool. But, having a good sibling (or five) can have its perks. Your sibling can be a listening ear, a source for advice, and someone to commiserate with over your shared parent(s). They may be the one who pushes you to do your best, cheers you on when your glad, and wipes away sad tears.
Everyone isn’t fortunate enough to have a great sibling in their corner, so if you love your sibling then let them know it today!
Featured Image: Marvel
