Sister, Sister
Opening Title
GenreSitcom
Created by
Starring
Theme music composer
  • Tim Heintz, Randy Petersen and Kevin Quinn (entire run)
  • Kurt Farquhar (seasons 5–6)
Opening theme"Sister, Sister" (main title theme)
Composers
  • Kurt Farquhar (seasons 1–2 and 4–6)
  • Paul A. Kreiling (season 3)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes119 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Suzanne de Passe
  • Suzanne Coston
  • (both; entire run)
  • Sy Rosen (seasons 1–2)
  • Brian Pollack & Mert Rich
    (season 3)
  • Leslie Ray & David Steven Simon (both; season 4)
  • Rick Hawkins (seasons 5–6)
Camera setupVideotape; Multi-camera
Running time26 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original network
Picture formatNTSC
Original releaseApril 1, 1994 (1994-04-01) –
May 23, 1999 (1999-05-23)

Sister, Sister is an American television sitcom starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as identical twin sisters separated at birth who are reunited as teenagers. It premiered on April 1, 1994, on ABC as part of its TGIF comedy lineup, and finished its run on The WB on May 23, 1999, airing 119 episodes over six seasons.[1] The cast consisted of the Mowry sisters with Jackée Harry and Tim Reid costarring as their respective adoptive parents, alongside Marques Houston as their annoying neighbor Roger. RonReaco Lee and Deon Richmond later joined the cast in the fifth season.[2]

The series was created by Kim Bass, Gary Gilbert, and Fred Shafferman, and produced by de Passe Entertainment and Paramount Network Television. As a result of ABC removing Sister, Sister from its TGIF lineup for its second season, ratings declined significantly and the network ultimately cancelled the series in April 1995.[3] The series was then picked up by The WB as a replacement for Muscle on its Wednesday night lineup, where it aired for an additional four seasons until May 1999. In 2018, a potential revival of Sister, Sister was confirmed, but was not pursued due to a lack of interest and copyright issues.[4][5]

Overview

In the pilot, the twins are reunited during a chance encounter shopping at a clothing store at the mall with their adoptive parents.[6]

Tia Landry (Tia Mowry) is the intelligent twin from inner city Detroit, where her adoptive mother, Lisa (Jackée Harry), works as a seamstress;[7] Tamera Campbell (Tamera Mowry) is the twin from the suburbs, where her adoptive father, Ray (Tim Reid), owns a successful limousine service. After their unexpected reunion, Ray reluctantly allows Tia and Lisa to move in because Lisa was about to take a design job in St. Louis, which would have separated the girls again. The girls' neighbor is nerdy Roger Evans (Marques Houston), an annoying teenager who is infatuated with both of them. Tia and Tamera would often break the fourth wall and address the audience. In the final season when the girls go off to college, Roger ceases to appear in the series because he was still in high school, though he does return as a guest in the final episode. By the fifth season, Tia and Tamera ended up with steady boyfriends: Tia's is Tyreke Scott (RonReaco Lee) and Tamera's is Jordan Bennett (Deon Richmond).

In the sixth-season episode "Father's Day", the twins meet their biological father Matt Sullivan (played by Tony Carriero), a white famous photojournalist who never married their mother, Racelle Gavin, because they never got the chance: she was asked to paint a mural in Florida and he was assigned "the opportunity of a lifetime" in the Middle East; when he left, Racelle told him she'd join him in Tel Aviv but never mentioned her pregnancy, and after 6 months she stopped writing. When she died, Matt wasn't allowed to see the girls because he couldn't prove he was their father, and when he searched for them later, he never found them because they had been adopted separately.

Episodes

Main article: List of Sister, Sister episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
112April 1, 1994September 6, 1994ABC
219November 16, 1994April 28, 1995
322September 6, 1995May 15, 1996The WB
422September 4, 1996May 14, 1997
522September 10, 1997May 17, 1998
622September 13, 1998May 23, 1999

Characters

Main

The main original cast of Sister, Sister (from left to right), Tia Mowry, Jackée Harry, Tim Reid, and Tamera Mowry as Tia and Lisa Landry and Ray and Tamera Campbell

Supporting

Special guest appearances

Production

Throughout its run, the series was filmed in front of a live studio audience at Paramount Pictures, that provided the laugh track throughout the episode and utilize cheering sounds to signal the end of an episode.

For the first five seasons, the series often had Tia and Tamera, either together or separately, break the fourth wall by talking directly to the viewer.[7] During the ABC run, Tia and Tamera would address the audience on some of the goings on in the storyline involving them and occasionally other main characters, usually Roger. After the series moved to The WB, the breaking of the fourth wall was limited mainly to certain episodes and usually only in the teaser scenes and featured increasingly less often by the fourth season. For some of the episodes in the fifth season, it was included but was dropped by the middle of the fifth season. The sixth and final season was the only season that did not include it. Many of the episodes from the third season up to the sixth season also featured bloopers at the end of some of them, playing during the ending credits.

Theme song and opening sequences

Theme song

The series' original theme song was written and composed by Tim Heintz, Randy Petersen and Kevin Quinn.[8] Season one was the only season using the full version, with the short middle instrumental portion, vocalizations and the line "Living underneath one roof, no it won't be trouble-proof" dropped in season 2, though the short instrumental and vocalizations were restored in season 3. Performers for this version that was played from seasons 1-4 is unknown, as no evidence is revealed at this time, though many fans believed it was either Shanice or En Vogue. An updated version of the theme song was used starting in Season 5, composed by Heintz, Petersen, Quinn and Kurt Farquhar, who composed the music score for most of the series (save for Season 3, when the score was composed by Paul A. Kreiling), and performed by Tia and Tamera Mowry; this version used the same tune, but a slower tempo and lyrics that emphasized the two characters' differences and increased maturity. The season 5 version of the theme began with the end of the original theme prior to the start of the theme song. An instrumental version of the final theme was used as a closing theme for the final two seasons, though with the exception of the episode "Designer Genes", it was generally played over a blooper reel during the closing credits.

Opening titles

The opening sequence used in the first two seasons, designed by Twin Art, opens with the sound of two smacks and crying babies over a black screen as animated crying babies appear with the word "separated" between them, then showing Ray and Lisa each holding babies, which has real-life baby pictures of Tia and Tamera, with the word "adopted" appearing between both. Throughout the sequence, the main cast is shown in front of a white background with various animations around them, at one point Tia and Tamera push Lisa and Ray towards each other. It ends with Tia, Tamera, Ray, and Lisa at a couch with an animated roof over it (pushed overhead by Ray), which morphs into the title logo. The sequence was shortened with the theme song in season two and modified to include Marques Houston as Roger, who became a contract cast member that season (Houston, as Roger, is shown peeking from an animated door which Tia and Tamera promptly close on him).

Seasons 3 and 4 used a computer-animated sequence by Pittard-Sullivan, with the main cast's video headshots in a stop-motion effect, opening with two babies drifting away from each other into two backgrounds: one, the city (which is actually the pre-September 11, 2001 Manhattan skyline, despite the fact the series was set in Detroit) and the other, a country road with the word "separated" between them, then showing Ray and Lisa each holding babies in a similar manner as the previous sequence with a rotating "adopted", then showing the cast in front of different backdrops (some of which include cutouts of objects). It ends with Tia, Tamera, Ray, who is reading from a newspaper, and Lisa walking into each other, then getting themselves tangled together over changing cloud backdrops, one which features two roadsigns, before the title logo appears. The cast's surnames are animated and in a variant of the show's logotype. This was the only time the intro remained exactly the same, though, by season four, the intro became a bit outdated as Tia and Tamera dropped the wavy hair, tams and plaid outfits for straight hair and trendier fashions, and Roger stopped wearing braids.

The final two seasons used a music video-style sequence, designed by Paramount Digital Design; Marques Houston remained in the sequence despite his appearances on the series decreasing midway through the fifth season. For the sixth season, he was replaced in the sequence by RonReaco Lee and Deon Richmond. Because alternate takes of the same footage was used from the season before, viewers often notice that Lee and Richmond are digitally inserted in the group shots with the remaining original cast, as evidenced by a dim white glow around their bodies.

Syndication

U.S. broadcast and cable syndication

After being picked up by The WB in 1995, reruns of the first two seasons of Sister, Sister were broadcast in early primetime as part of the network's then-newly launched Sunday night lineup during the 1995–1996 season, in addition to the first-run episodes of the series that aired on the WB's Wednesday night schedule.[3] The series has been aired on various broadcast television networks in the U.S. after the series finale. From September 1998 to September 1999, Paramount Domestic Television (now CBS Television Distribution) distributed the series to Fox, The WB and UPN network affiliates, such as WWOR-TV (who aired the show reruns weeknights at 6:30pm in New York City) around the United States, airing depending on market. In some markets such as New York City (6:30pm), Philadelphia (5:30pm), Washington, D.C. (5pm & 5:30pm), Atlanta (2:30pm), and Bakersfield (9am & 9:30am), reruns of Sister, Sister were replaced by reruns of The Hughleys in September 2002.

The series formerly aired reruns on BET, Disney Channel, ABC Family, WGN America, Up (formerly GMC TV), Centric, Hub Network, Logo TV, VH1 (In early 2021), and Fuse. The series currently airs on MTV 2.[9][10][11]

Disney Channel airings had most episodes edited for content deemed by the channel as unsuitable for its pre-teen audience; the edited Disney Channel versions were also the syndication package of the show that aired on sister network ABC Family, with the exception of the season two episode "Tattoo" that was omitted from Disney Channel airings. GMC also airs episodes with content the channel deems inappropriate usually muted or removed entirely, ranging from mild suggestive dialogue said by Roger to tame phrases such as "shut up", "butt", "dumb" and "pervert"; whereas the airings on other channels were the original syndicated prints.

As of 2021, the series is available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, and Paramount+ in the US.[12][13][14]

International syndication

In Australia and New Zealand, the series was aired on Nickelodeon and the Seven Network; in the United Kingdom, Sister, Sister was aired on Nickelodeon, and on Channel 4 between 1995 and 2000[15] as the channel had the terrestrial rights to the show. In the UK, Nickelodeon aired Sister Sister again in 2009 but only showed episodes from the first four seasons. It currently airs on Trace Vault in the UK, which also shows classic Teenage comedies like Kenan and Kel and Moesha in addition to music videos. It also aired in Ireland, on RTÉ2.

In Latin America, Sister, Sister used to air on Nickelodeon in the late 1990s and early 2000s. On October 21, 2009 it debuted on open television Rede Record, but was taken off on October 30, 2009, the cause for this is unknown.

In Spain, the TV series was aired during the late 90's and early 00's on Antena 3 on its morning first children's programme, Megatrix, renamed as Cosas de hermanas.

On October 5, 2020, the series began streaming on Netflix in a number of other countries.[16]

Home media

CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) released the first and second seasons of Sister, Sister on DVD in Region 1 in 2008 and 2009.[17][18] As of September 2014, these releases have been discontinued and are out of print.

On May 4, 2015, it was announced that Visual Entertainment Inc. (VEI) had acquired the distribution rights to the series for Region 1 (encompassing the United States and Canada).[19][20] It was subsequently announced on December 28, 2015, that VEI (through its deal with CBS Television Distribution) would release a complete DVD set of the series, Sister, Sister: The Complete Collection (which includes all six seasons), in Region 1 on January 19, 2016,[21] the release date was then pushed back to March 18, 2016.[22] The Mowry twins 2000 television film Seventeen Again is also included as a bonus disc on the Complete Collection set. On May 26, 2017, VEI released separate Seasons 1–3 and Seasons 4–6 sets of the series. Due to copyright issues, these releases are heavily edited.[23]

Reception

Ratings

Season Episodes Nielsen ratings TV Season Network
Avg. ratings share Ranking
1 12 11.2 (estimated) No. 33 1993–1994 ABC
2 19 10.1[citation needed] No. 60 1994–1995
3 22 3.0[citation needed] No. 142 1995–1996 The WB
4 22 3.4[citation needed] No. 135 1996–1997
5 22 3.0[24] No. 149 1997–1998
6 22 3.6[25] No. 133 1998–1999

Awards and nominations

1998 – Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series – George Spiro Dibie (Nominated)
1997 – Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series – George Spiro Dibie (Nominated)
1996 – Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series – George Spiro Dibie (Nominated)
1995 – Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series – George Spiro Dibie (Won)
2000 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Won)
2000 – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Jackée Harry (Won)
2000 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tim Reid (Nominated)
1999 – Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Won)
1999 – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Jackée Harry (Won)
1999 – Outstanding Comedy Series (Nominated)
1998 – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tim Reid (Nominated)
1996 – Outstanding Comedy Series (Nominated)
1996 – Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Nominated)
1998 – Favorite Television Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Nominated)
1998 – Favorite Television Show (Nominated)
1997 – Favorite Television Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Won)
1996 – Favorite Television Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Won)
1996 – Favorite Television Show (Nominated)
1995 – Favorite Television Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Won)
1999 – Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Supporting Young Actor – Deon Richmond (Nominated)
1997 – Best Performance in a TV Comedy: Guest Starring Young Performer – Verner, Robin Marie (Nominated)
1997 – Best Performance in a TV Comedy: Leading Young Actress – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Nominated)
1996 – Best Performance by a Young Actress: Guest Starring Role TV Series – Selico, Krista Sherre (Nominated)
1996 – Best Performance by a Young Actress: TV Comedy Series – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Nominated)
1995 – Best Youth Comedian in a TV Show – Marques Houston (Won)
1995 – Best New Family Television Series (Nominated)
1995 – Best Youth Comedian in a TV Show – Victor Togunde (Nominated)
1995 – Best Youth Comedienne in a TV Show – Tia & Tamera Mowry (Nominated)
2017 – Choice Throwback Tv Show – Sister Sister (Nominated)

Potential revival

In June 2012 interview with TV Guide, both Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry have said they would like to reunite the cast for a reunion film. They were thinking of doing a "Twins in the city" plot, like the twins in New York City.[26]

In 2017, rumors started developing about a potential continuation of Sister, Sister, both Tia and Tamera have confirmed that talks are ongoing and that a sequel series is very close to happening.[27][28]

In October 2017, Tia Mowry stated in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that a revival of the series was "definitely closer than ever" and that she is "getting excited" about the possibility. She also said that she believed Jackée Harry and Tim Reid would be a part of the revival if it were to take place.[29]

On January 16, 2018, while appearing on Steve, Harry confirmed the revival, stating that "it's happening".[4]

In 2019, the reboot was put on hold indefinitely. Tia commented, "To be honest with you, I hate to pop the balloon. [A revival of] Sister, Sister kind of looks dead right now," and cited rights issues as part of the reason for the reboot not moving forward.[5][30]

References

  1. ^ Werts, Diane (April 3, 1994). "Ascent of a woman". The News Journal. p. H1. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  2. ^ Kopotsha, Jazmin (July 30, 2020). "Sister, Sister Really Needs To Make A Comeback". Grazia. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Richmond, Ray (May 23, 1995). "Out with the Old, in with New at Fox, WB Network". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2014.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
  4. ^ a b Alexander, Princess-India (January 17, 2018). "Actress Jackée Harry on 'Sister, Sister' Reboot: 'It's Happening'". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Jamie Primeau (July 2, 2019). "A 'Sister, Sister' Reboot Isn't Likely, Says Tia Mowry, But There's A Very Good Alternative". Bustle.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  6. ^ Bark, Ed; Williams, Scott (April 1, 1994). "Twins separated at birth reunited on 'Sister, Sister'". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 8E. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  7. ^ a b "'Sister, Sister' story of identical twins". The Daily News Journal. April 3, 1994. p. 7. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  8. ^ Scott, Tony (November 15, 1994). "Sister, Sister Hair Today …". Variety. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  9. ^ "Fox and The CW Upfront 2007–08: Fall 2007 Schedule; ABC Family Adds 'Sister', '8 Simple Rules'". Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2007.
  10. ^ Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com (September 2, 2010). "BET Fall 2010 Schedule Has 3 New Sitcoms; Network TV Fall Preview Specials for 2010 – SitcomsOnline.com News Blog". Blog.sitcomsonline.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  11. ^ "'Fresh Prince' Comes to TBS in May, 'Sister, Sister' to WGN in the Fall; TV Land Awards Prev Includes Spoof 'Ugly Betty...White'". Archived from the original on May 2, 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2007.
  12. ^ Stewart, Shelby (July 30, 2020). "Netflix to add 7 iconic, wishlist-topping Black television shows to its roster". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "Sister, Sister". CBS All Access. April 1994. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Bjornson, Greta (February 2, 2021). "'Moesha,' 'Sister, Sister' and More Land on Hulu to Kick Off Black History Month Celebration". Decider. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  15. ^ Alistair McGeorge (February 17, 2016). "Sister, Sister: Where are they now? See what Tia, Tamera and more have been up to". Mirror.co.uk. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  16. ^ Schneider, Michael (December 10, 2020). "'Sister, Sister,' 'Girlfriends' and Other Beloved Black Sitcoms Are Finding New Life on Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020. Following the success of the shows on Netflix in the United States, the service also expanded its acquisition rights on "Sister, Sister," "Girlfriends" and "Moesha" last month to Netflix in Canada, the U.K. and across Africa.
  17. ^ "Sister, Sister DVD news: Announcement for Sister, Sister – The 1st Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. July 14, 2008. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  18. ^ "Sister, Sister DVD news: Announcement for Sister, Sister – The 2nd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. February 23, 2009. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  19. ^ Lambert, David (May 4, 2015). "Sister, Sister – Real-Life Twins Tia and Tamera Star in the '90s Show That's Getting New DVDs". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  20. ^ Lambert, David (September 14, 2015). "Sister, Sister – Oh, Brother! What's Happening With the Sisters on DVD? Studio Says..." TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  21. ^ "Sister, Sister DVD news: Release Date for The Complete Collection". TVShowsOnDVD.com. December 28, 2015. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  22. ^ "Sister, Sister DVD news: Release Date for The Complete Collection". TVShowsOnDVD.com. February 3, 2016. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  23. ^ "Sister, Sister DVD news: Announcement for Seasons 1-3 and Seasons 4-6". TVShowsOnDVD.com. April 28, 2017. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  24. ^ "Final Ratings for '97–'98 TV Season". sfgate.com. May 25, 1998. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  25. ^ "TV Winners & Losers: Numbers Racket a Final Tally of the Season's Shows". Archived from the original on October 29, 2009.
  26. ^ Ross, Robyn (October 2, 2011). "Tia and Tamera Mowry Talk Season Finale, Babies, and a Sister, Sister Reunion". TV Guide. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  27. ^ Lindsay Kimble (July 21, 2017). "Sister Sister reboot moving forward, Tamera Mowry says". Ew.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  28. ^ "Tia Mowry Says a 'Sister, Sister' Reboot Is In the Works". BET. June 29, 2017. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  29. ^ "Tia Mowry Says 'Sister, Sister' Reboot Is 'Closer Than Ever': 'I'm Getting Excited' (Exclusive)". TVonline.com. October 6, 2017. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  30. ^ Randee Dawn (November 12, 2019). "'Sister, Sister' reunion! Tia Mowry, Jackée Harry together in trailer for special". Today.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2020.