In celebration of National Siblings Day, we’ve rounded up some of the greatest familial duos, trios and broods to grace the small screen.
Whether it was a blended bunch, three sisters being raised by a single dad, a set of twins reconnecting or a cartoon duo these siblings taught us the true meaning of family.
1 of 9 The Camden Kids
Living with six other siblings can’t be easy but Matt, Mary, Lucy, Ruthie, Simon, Sam and David found a way to make it work on 7th Heaven. The Camden siblings shared everything and showed a commitment to each other that made us all wish we were part of a large family like theirs. Sure there were disagreements, fights and all-out brawls, but at the end of the day the Camden kids could be counted on to have each other’s backs, which is all you can ask for in a sibling.
2 of 9 Ross and Monica Geller
Ross and Monica Geller had a contentious childhood. While Ross’ parents favored him, Monica tried to earn their affection, competing with her brother for her parents’ attention and love. The two held onto that sibling rivalry as adults on Friends but they eventually found a way to get along, grow closer and perform some spectacular dance numbers.
When Tia and Tamera Mowry popped up on Sister, Sister, we realized what we were missing by not having a twin sister. The girls are polar opposites in terms of personality but having an identical sibling does have its perks: mainly, you get to share a stylish wardrobe. Even though they grew up unaware of each other’s existence, dealing with their bickering parental figures and the pressures of high school forced Tia and Tamera to bond quickly and over the course of the show they gave us serious sisterhood envy.
Credit: 2016 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
4 of 9 The Big Three
Who else wishes they had a customized chant they shared with their siblings? The Big Three on This Is Us – Kevin, Kate and Randall – may be going through some difficult times on the show but they can always rely on each other for support. Sure, it took Kevin a long time to accept Randall as his brother and Kate has an unhealthy attachment to her twin brother that she’s trying to break, but through health crises, lost jobs and sick parents, they’ve been a solid trio.
5 of 9 Niles and Frasier Crane
As two psychiatrists who ascribe to different ideologies when it comes to treating their patients, you would think Niles and Fraiser Crane might have a rocky relationship but over the course of Fraiser, we saw the brother’s unconditional love shine through. Both bullied as children, the brothers developed a strong, lasting bond. While they were certainly competitive and envious of the other’s careers at times, they also displayed a commitment to each other that we all admired.
Credit: American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
6 of 9 The Brady Bunch
They became the Brady Bunch when their parents met and fell in love but Marcia, Jan, Cindy, Greg, Peter and Bobby became family over the course of the show. They went through everything together: puberty, romance, school elections, singing competitions, ill fated vacations and broken noses. They fought, they laughed and they stuck together in good times and bad.
7 of 9 Bart and Lisa Simpson
Bart and Lisa Simpson have a classic sibling rivalry on The Simpsons. They’re often at each other’s throats, arguing and coming to blows over their differences. She’s the intelligent, passionate, geeky saxophone player and he’s the apathetic troublemaker. In spite of how dissimilar they are, the two deeply care for one another. Lisa’s first word as a baby was her brother’s name and the two often team up to help each other and their family get out of sticky situations.
Losing a parent is tough but being raised by your clueless dad and two incapable uncles must have been really difficult for the Tanner girls. D.J., Stephanie and Michelle had to grow up surrounded by men who often had no idea how to handle the situations they faced like puberty and boy trouble. The girls often fought – Stephanie always wanted her older sister’s attention, D.J. wanted her independence and Michelle just wanted to be included – but they knew in order to survive in a house of men they were going to have to stick together.
Credit: 2005 CBS Photo Archive
9 of 9 Raymond and Robert Barone
Ray and Robert Barone’s relationship on Everybody Loves Raymond is a cautionary tale to parents everywhere on the effects of favoritism. Robert grew up jealous of his younger brother Ray, who was his mother’s favorite. He fought hard for attention from the family and that attitude followed him into adulthood. Though the two often pull pranks on each other and hurl insults back and forth, they care deeply for each other.
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