1. Davis & Alexis
Show: Schitt’s Creek
When it comes to memorable screen moments, Alexis (Annie Murphy) going “Ew, David” at her brother (Dan Levy) ranks pretty high, the words having made it to everything from a coffee mug to a T-shirt. Belonging to the severely dysfunctional Rose family that loses almost all its money overnight, David and Alexis’s constant bickering brings on many of the ha-ha moments in this gem of a show. But over six seasons, the relationship between the two evolves, from not wanting to share a room at the Schitt’s Creek motel to planning to move in together into an apartment in New York. David asking Alexis to walk him down the aisle on his wedding day is definitely the “awww” moment of the show. And it doesn’t get better than that curtain call in Season 6 when she rests her head on his shoulder and they bid adieu to their parents.
2. Fleabag & Claire
Fleabag & Claire. The Telegraph
Show: Fleabag
Like most siblings, Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Claire (Sian Clifford) protect and frustrate each other in equal measure. The two couldn’t be more different from each other, with Fleabag opting for a carefree and circuitous life, while Claire is the one always armed with a meticulous plan.
While Season One saw them drifting apart without much care on either side, the second season deepened the relationship between the two, starting with Claire’s miscarriage, which leads to mutual moments of fierce protectiveness, which, of course, is highly alien territory for Fleabag. For many fans of the show, Fleabag’s depiction of the sisters’ relationship, still shaky but better than before, is the true love story of its second season.
3. Dean & Sam
Dean and Sam. The Telegraph
Show: Supernatural
They are not the average siblings. Well, how can they be, given that the Winchester brothers have, over 15 seasons and 327 episodes of the smash-hit series Supernatural, been entrusted with the legacy of hunting down monsters, demons, ghosts and every other supernatural being out there. Dean (played by Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) feature somewhere at the top of the list of best-known siblings on TV, their identity on the show superseding any other screen appearances the two have made individually.
Functioning like cowboys, the brothers traverse the country in their ’67 Impala, obliterating evil, but never being far from it themselves. Dean, the older of the two, has always had a protective instinct towards Sam (having been told from a young age to “watch out for Sammy”), something that connects them when they have had their differences, with Sam showing a tendency to slide over to the ‘dark side’. Even in a show infested with demons and monsters, what resonates the most is the bond that the brothers have and their shared experiences of tragedy and loss. The fact that the two are such amazing lookers (I am Team Dean, by the way) definitely helps!
4. Thor & Loki
Thor and Loki. The Telegraph
Films: The Thor Series and The Avengers Franchise
I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again”— Loki to Thor
Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) have, of course, had a tenuous relationship, being on opposite sides of the moral divide, but in their younger years, the two were close. Loki is Thor’s adopted brother, and even though their childhood was relatively free of resentment, Loki, on learning of his true origins, became spiteful and angry, and turned against his stepfather Odin. Thor and Loki’s relationship later became marked by anger and jealousy, even though Thor always wished for Loki to return home.
The two exemplify the line, ‘There’s a thin line between love and hate’. The princes of Asgard have appeared together in five Marvel films, and there’s been a blow-hot, blow-cold relationship between them, their constant verbal sparring keeping fans entertained. The most tender moment of this relationship was Thor collapsing over Loki’s body, sobbing and vowing vengeance, in Avengers: Infinity War.
5. Kevin, Randall & Kate
Kevin, Randall and Kate. The Telegraph
Show: This Is Us
They are known as “The Big Three”. The much-feted This Is Us revolves around the interpersonal relationships between the Pearson siblings — Kate (Chrissy Metz), Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown). Though Randall and Kevin have had a strained relationship for most of their lives, they have also come through for each other when it really mattered. Kevin skipped the opening night of his play to comfort Randall when the latter had terrible anxiety. Likewise, when Kevin was struggling to learn his lines for the plays in the football team in high school, Randall taught him a memorisation technique, which he continued using later.
The series is a heart-tugging exploration of family, with the relationship between the siblings often taking centre stage. We still love the Season 2 finale where Kevin and Randall do their best to make sure Kate’s wedding day is perfect. When she goes missing, they set out to find her and are hilarious as they attempt to put on a calm front for the guests and their family.
6. Anna & Elsa
Anna and Elsa. The Telegraph
Films: Frozen
When it released in 2013, Frozen stormed the global box office, creating a solid fandom of its own. While a winner of a soundtrack and some brilliant animation contributed immensely, the film won hearts for its touching story, depicting the sisterhood between Anna and Elsa. Though Elsa’s (voiced by Idina Menzel) powers are in many ways the very thing that keep her and Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) apart for so long, it’s also these same powers of being able to control and create ice and snow that give Elsa the strength that she struggles to find elsewhere (Anna is the first person who tells her sister that her powers are beautiful). Anna’s strength of personality and conviction make her powerful in ways that make up for her lack of powers. Thus, the two complement each other perfectly. Or as the film says, “Some people are worth melting for”.
7. Bart & Lisa
Bart and Lisa. The Telegraph
Show: The Simpsons
When it comes to dysfunctionality, few can match up to the Simpsons. The famous sibling relationship on the much-loved show is, of course, that between Bart (voiced by Nancy Cartwright) and his younger sister Lisa (voiced by Yeardley Smith). In terms of attitude and personality, Bart and Lisa couldn’t be more different. While Lisa, a child prodigy, is a tad conservative, highly intelligent and politically conscious, Bart chooses to live life a little more on the wild side. But the two share a bond that is instantly relatable for all siblings. While at the beginning, Lisa was projected as being as mischievous as Bart and was dubbed “the female Bart”, she evolved quickly, but the bond between the two stayed strong.
There have been some lovely moments between the two on screen, like Lisa “buying back” Bart’s soul and Bart engaging the help of Michael Jackson, a rubbish bin bongo and his lucky red hat to come up with the memorable Happy Birthday Lisa song. And do you remember Bart throwing himself on the sword to save Lisa from getting punished for stealing the Teacher’s Edition books? Awwww!
8. Monica & Ross
Monica and Ross. The Telegraph
Show: Friends
Ross: “I grew up in a house with Monica, okay. If you didn’t eat fast, you didn’t eat.”
On a show where a group of dysfunctional but endearing individuals come together to form a surrogate family of sorts, it’s almost easy to forget that Monica (played by Courteney Cox) and Ross (David Schwimmer) are actually siblings. The equation between the two brings on a lot of laughs on the show. Ross’s relationship with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) meant he started spending most of his time at hers and Monica’s apartment, prompting the siblings to revert to their pre-teen days, with Ross making funny imitations of Monica’s voice while she threw insults his way. The most juvenile arguments were when the two squabbled over who got to use the bathroom and which channel they would watch on TV.
From being fiercely competitive (remember them fighting over the ‘Geller Cup?’) to spilling each other’s secrets (like when we learnt that Monica was unable to tell time till she was 13 and that Ross stayed up late all night to watch Golden Girls), the two are a riot.
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