The bond between brothers is one of the strongest things that a story can be built around. We believe in their love for one another and we get hooked watching them go through their ups and downs. Sometimes, you can milk several seasons worth of content from one of these relationships.
In fact, there have been plenty of television series that lasted a long time where some of the main plots focused on brothers. From family friendly sitcoms to emotional dramas to shows based on monsters and vampires, siblings are at the core. Without further ado, these are the best brothers in television history.
Greg, Peter, And Bobby (The Brady Bunch)
There was pretty much no family more wholesome in television history than the Bradys. Mike Brady married Carol and moved in with his three sons, Greg, Peter, and Bobby. A lot of The Brady Bunch was centered around how these boys bonded with the new mother and sisters in their lives.
But a lot of it also had to do with Greg, Peter, and Bobby being there for each other at every turn. The three brothers were as pure as it gets on television. They always either did what was right or they learned from their mistakes rather quickly. It's an iconic series and these brothers are a big reason why.
Barney And James (How I Met Your Mother)
This is arguably the most interesting entry on the list. Barney Stinson was a key character in How I Met Your Mother but it's not like he was the one driving the plot forward. His brother James, played by a guest-starring Wayne Brady, only appeared in a handful of episodes.
Despite those things, Barney and James belong here. They were tremendous together. They were perfect wingmen for one another, they always had each other's backs, and they played a major part in the other one's wedding. Even when Barney was mad at James, seeing his reaction to discovering he'd become an uncle was incredibly touching.
Shawn And Marlon (The Wayans Bros.)
A lot of folks consider The Wayans Bros. to be one of the most underrated comedies of all-time. Shawn and Marlon Wayans played fictional versions of themselves on the series. Being brothers in real life gave them a level of chemistry that nobody else could match.
For 101 episodes, we watched as Shawn and Marlon got caught up in all sorts of antics. Though they had differing personalities, it never changed the fact that they were always there to lift the other one up. And who could forget their classic singing show opening? A legendary duet between brothers.
Cory And Eric (Boy Meets World)
Boy Meets World was one of the most emotional shows to come around in a long time. Following the lives of Cory Matthews and his friends and family, we grew to love this group throughout seven seasons. One of the best relationships was between Cory and his brother Eric.
Eric was always the much cooler older brother. Cory looked up to him and could never live up to him in certain aspects of life. The two often butted heads but that's just what siblings do. They were fiercely loyal to one another and it was among the most endearing qualities of either guy.
Randall And Kevin (This Is Us)
Though it's the most recent show on this list, This is Us has arguably made more people cry than the rest combined. Each episode is an emotional trip. The focus is on the "big three" siblings, Kevin, Randall, and Kate. Though Kevin and Randall aren't blood relatives, they mean the world to each other.
At every stage of their lives, the two were at odds. Yet they shared some touching moments. Kevin was only one there when Randall suffered through two of his worst panic attacks. It seems that even when they're fighting, they'd drop everything when the other has a need.
Klaus And Elijah (The Originals)
During season two of The Vampire Diaries, audiences were introduced to the Original vampires. Klaus Mikaelson was the vampire/werewolf hybrid that everyone was out to stop. His brother Elijah was among them. But the love between family led Elijah to save Klaus.
From there and into their spinoff, The Originals, we watched Klaus and Elijah have one of the most complex relationships on television. There were fights, betrayals, stakings, and sacrifices. Regardless of how evil Klaus got, Elijah always saw the good in him. The final scene where the two of them died together will always tug at the heartstrings of fans.
Tyrion And Jaime (Game Of Thrones)
Game of Thrones had more than a few brothers who could have made this list. Bran, Robb, Jon, and Rickon make up the Starks and they made a strong case. But in the end, we had to go with Tyrion and Jaime Lannister. Their relationship is so interesting because of how the rest of the family saw Tyrion.
Tywin was embarrassed by his dwarf son and Cersei loathed him. While Jaime was close to both of them, he always had a soft spot for Tyrion. Jaime helped Tyrion escape when his life was in danger and Tyrion always acted as a voice of reason for him.
Michael And Lincoln (Prison Break)
One of the reasons that great siblings are compelling to watch is because they would do anything for each other. But that concept was taken to a whole new level on Prison Break. Lincoln Burrows was falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death. His brother Michael Schofield was having none of that.
To save his brother, Michael planned a botched bank robbery so he could get locked up in the same prison as Lincoln. It was all to put a plan into motion to get them both out. The show went on for five seasons and while no act of brotherly love ever topped that, this bond drove everything that happened.
Stefan And Damon (The Vampire Diaries)
We're back to The Vampire Diaries. As soon as the series began, we were thrust into the complicated world of Stefan and Damon Salvatore. At first, we believe they're estranged vampire brothers who share feelings for the same human. But the show quickly showed us how much more they were.
Best friends as humans, things got messed up when they were turned. Stefan convinced Damon to fully become a vampire and it eventually drove a wedge between them. Throughout the course of eight seasons, these two sacrificed so much, including their own lives at times, for the other one.
Sam And Dean (Supernatural)
There honestly couldn't be another option to top the list. Sam and Dean Winchester are absolutely the best brother combination in television history. For over 300 episodes, they have been through everything. They fought all kinds of monsters, got possessed, died, and saved each other.
But even if you take out everything they've had to endure, they would top this list. Their banter is stellar and the chemistry between the actors is unmatched. These two are so charismatic that we would have a blast watching them do just about anything.