The classic '90s sitcom starring Tia and Tamera Mowry is now available to stream on Netflix! In many ways a television reimagining of The Parent Trap, the twin-fueled comedy Sister, Sister ran from 1994 until 1999, completing its full series run after 6 seasons.
A revival in the vein of Fuller House was confirmed in 2018, but there has been little information on the potential comeback since then. Despite its popularity during its time, there are many details of the comedy series that haven’t aged well, while others are just as good as when it first premiered.
Didn't Age Well: Roger Evans
Teen crushes are one thing, but their annoying neighbor Roger's desperate behavior was far from innocent proclamations of love. He habitually sneaked into their house, watched them sleep, and made innuendos about his desires to be physical with one or both twins, despite them rejecting his advances.
There was a very “boys will be boys” and “that’s just how Roger is” vibe to other characters’ reactions to his behavior. There is even a plot where both twins fall for him. Roger secretly dates them both, and then purposely instigates them fighting over him.
Timeless: The Unexpected Family Trope
Stories revolving around family dynamics are a sitcom staple, but even more successful than average families are the unconventional ones. Full House was about a father raising his three daughters with his brother-in-law and his best friend. Modern Family is about all the different types of families there are in the modern world.
Sister, Sister likely saw success because it explored the idea of twins separated at birth discovering each other as teenagers and their very different parents moving in together.
Didn't Age Well: Fat-Shaming Comments
There are many things that were acceptable in the 1990s that are now considered rude and offensive. Jokes about characters' weight and body image is one of those things. Tia's mother, Lisa, sometimes makes what would have been considered then as harmless jokes, but now they would be considered fat-shaming.
In one episode, she tells the girls that if they are ever worried about their weight, they should stand next to a heavy person so that they look thinner. Comments like that just wouldn’t fly in 2020.
Timeless: It Tackled Serious Issues
The show takes on some serious issues that are not usually delved into in family comedies, including the topic of adult men pursuing teenage girls. When Tia and Tamera win a radio show contest to go backstage to meet a rapper, the musician openly flirts with them.
They tell him that they are 14-years-old, and his only reply is “fourteen’s cool”, then talks about writing a song about them that goes “twin booty’s a thing of beauty”. The girls are uncomfortable, and make the responsible choice to leave before it goes any further.
Didn't Age Well: Teenagers Dating Older Men
Despite avoiding a potentially dangerous situation in the episode with the rap artist wanting to party with 14-year-old girls, there are still many times when Tia and Tamera talk about seeing college men while they are in high school.
While this is not exactly abnormal for teen girls, the part that didn’t age well is that there were times when Lisa encouraged it. She would reminisce about how she used to lie about her age to go to college parties and date college boys, when she probably should have been having a different talk with them.
Timeless: Confident Women
One important thing that Lisa helped teach Tia and Tamera was to be confident and to believe in themselves. Lisa was a strong woman that carried herself with confidence and enthusiasm for life and new experiences. She was unafraid to take chances and assert herself. She had doubts at times, like anyone else, but overall she knew her worth as a person and as a designer, and actively sought out opportunities to share her work with others. These traits were also evident in Tia and Tamera as they grew older.
Didn't Age Well: Gender Identity Jokes
Though they were few and far between, the show occasionally poked fun at gender identity issues. There were a couple throwaway comments about a man being a woman now. There was also an episode about how a beautiful student came back from Summer break and was now "ugly" and manly. The character was suddenly, inexplicably played by a man.
Tia and Tamera spent the entire episode terrified that the same thing would happen to them, and it led them to seek out information on their birth mother (specifically to assure themselves that they would grow up beautiful).
Timeless: Teen Drama
Teen dramas and comedies are popular for many reasons, but one of them is that they are relatable to audiences everywhere. Worrying about getting into college, finding a first job, crushing on a classmate, or struggling with parental problems are topics that most people wrestled with at one time or another.
Seeing the issues that everybody has worried about in the past dealt with in a comedic way can be both funny and nostalgic.
Didn't Age Well: The Twin Jokes
Male characters in the show regularly made joking comments about Tia and Tamera being identical twins with the clear subtext of sexual interest. They were in high school. It may be common enough from fellow students, but regardless, the idea of joking about wanting to be with identical twin sisters at the same time is still pretty creepy, especially given their age and that it was not always teenagers making those jokes about them.
Timeless: Sisterly Love
The bond between sisters and positive family messages are timeless. Tia and Tamera don't always get along, but they are always there for each other when it counts. The show presents an uncommon situation in a sweet and relatable way. Whether they need their space and want their own bedrooms, or they're struggling to have an identity outside of their "twin-ness", in the end they are still the best of friends.