Hollywood has a bit of twin obsession but sometimes, seeing double isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Twins on TV shows is a pretty popular trope ranging from evil twins, twins who get into shenanigans together, and long lost twins who bump into each other and start a new life together.
Other times, twins are used solely as a plot device.
But really, there’s no shortage of switcheroo tomfoolery when twins are involved.
Sometimes, the actors are famous twin duos in real life, and other times, a sole actor is brilliantly pulling double duty.
Let’s take a look back at some of our favorite TV twins both fraternal and identical.
You may even come across a few doppelgangers.
Cheryl and Jason Blossom – Riverdale
Although Riverdale kicked off with Jason Blossom’s death, the red-headed athlete was very much a part of what molded Cheryl Blossom. She loved her twin, sometimes a little too much as we saw their twisted and possibly incestual relationship play out through many flashbacks. Jason becomes Cheryl’s motivation for most of Riverdale Season 1 as she mourns his death.
Zack and Cody – Suite Life of Zack & Cody
Zack & Cody were ‘the’ twins on the Disney Channel from 2005-2008. The wild brothers lived the “suite life” at the Tipton Hotel in Boston. Honestly, who didn’t want to live in a hotel after watching this series? Zack & Cody had their differences — one was studious ‘nerd’ while the other was a playful trouble maker — but they never ran out of adventures to pursue.
Tia and Tamera – Sister, Sister
Finding out you have a long-lost sister? Awesome. Finding out that you have a long-lost twin? Ten times more awesome. Tia and Tamera were polar opposites; Tia was the smart, honest and mature one while Tamera was funny, highly impulsive and always getting into trouble. But even though they disagreed, they were always there for each other and shared a wicked twin instinct.
Olive and Cal – Manifest
After the disappearance of Flight 828, Cal loses five years on his twin sister Olive. Though their twin bond isn’t broken, the age gap does take a toll on their relationship, and sometimes, it becomes hard to accept for Cal who feels like he lost his best friend.
Brenda and Brandon – 90210
Brenda and Brandon Walsh experience a culture shock after moving from Minnesota to the glamorous Beverly Hills neighborhood in LA. Everyone had a fondness for Brandon, even his twin who once said he was her best friend. Their bond only strengthens as the series progresses becoming the most enduring friendship.
Petra and Anezka – Jane the Virgin
In a classic telenovela twist, Petra finds out she has a long lost twin sister, Anezka, who has lived her whole life in a Czech orphanage. Anezka isn’t chic like Petra; she’s clumsy, jumpy and eager to please people, especially Petra. Eventually, she ends up terrorizing her life by poisoning her and assuming her identity. You know, normal twin stuff.
Michael and Lindsay – Arrested Development
Lindsay may have been adopted at the age of three, but for most of her life, she believed that Michael was her fraternal twin so they’ve earned a spot in this slideshow. Michael places family above everything else works strives to keep them together while Lindsay is rebellious with a jaded personality and a flair for the superficial. Out of all the Bluth’s she’s closest with Michael.
Nicky and Alex – Full House
When I say Full House twins, everyone automatically assumes I’m referring to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. But while the twins took turns playing the adorable Michelle Tanner, the character herself wasn’t a twin (‘Michelle Rides Again’ doesn’t count). However, the show did have twin boys, Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky’s bowl-haired boys, Nicky and Alex. In the Netflix reboot, Fuller House, the dudes make an appearance before embarking to follow their dreams of opening a food truck.
Phoebe and Ursula – Friends
Unlike the zany and creative Phoebe, her twin Ursula, who first appeared on Mad About You, was an evil pornstar. While Phoebe loved everyone, Ursula only loved herself. They couldn’t be more different, and that’s why they never really had a relationship. It probably didn’t help that she dated Joey whom Phoebe considered part of her “real family.”
Sarah and Helena – Orphan Black
Sarah and her daughter, Kira, are sought after by the Dyad institute because she and her twin sis, Helena, are the only clones capable of reproducing with Kira being the first offspring of one of the clones. Sarah wants a better life for them, and when she sees Beth’s suicide, she steals Beth’s identity, along with her money and boyfriend. But she soon learns Beth was embroiled in a deadly police conspiracy making her the newest target.
Josie and Lizzie – Legacies
Josie and Lizzie are twin daughters of Alaric Saltzman and Josette Laughlin. When Josette was killed by her evil brother Kai, Lizzie and Josie were magically transferred into Caroline Forbes via the Gemini Coven and she became their mother. Josie is very much like her real mother — level-headed, brilliant and caring. Lizzie, on the other hand, is a typical high school mean girl with rage burning inside of her that causes moods swings and powers that are harmful to others. Josie protects her sister and keeps her grounded, but Lizzie abuses that kindness forcing Josie to always be “second best.”
Emma and Sutton – The Lying Game
Emma Becker and Sutton Mercer are the modern-day Tia and Tamera. Separated at birth, unaware of each other, and leading completely different lives. Emma grew up in as a foster kid while Sutton was taken in by a wealthy family who allowed her to live out a normal teenage life. All of that changes when they find out about each other. Emma turns to Sutton after an encounter with her family and Emma assumes Sutton’s life while she searches for their birth mother.
Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin – Ringer
Bridget Kelly is a recovering drug addict and stripper who is under the protection of the FBI after seeing her employer and local crime boss commit murder. She agrees to testify against him, but fearing that he’ll kill her like he did other witnesses, she flees to New York to meet her estranged sister, Siobhan, a wealthy socialite. When Siobhan appears to commit suicide, Bridget assumes her identity only to find out that things aren’t always better on the other side. Both roles are played by Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Geller.
Kevin and Kate – This Is Us
Yeah, they are technically triplets, but the Big Three are iconic. Kevin and Kate are the surviving two triplets who are co-dependent. On This Is Us Season One, Kevin relies heavily on Kate, his assistant. He can barely function without calling her every five minutes. Though they’ve grown a lot as characters since then, the trio is always there for each other when it matters the most.
Nimah and Raina – Quantico
You may have struggled to tell apart Raina and Nimah on Quantico, but that was the show’s goal. The sisters looked exactly alike as they were both portrayed by Yasmine Al Massri and even dressed the same during their training at Quantico. On Quantico Season One they even masqueraded as one person, switching positions and fooling their fellow NATS as part of an FBI experiment. When it’s revealed that they are two different people, the only way to tell them apart is by the hijab — Nimah, unlike her sister, doesn’t wear one.
Liam and Eleanor – The Royals
The royal twins that cause the palace and Queen Helena plenty of headaches. Though Eleanor is the show’s wild party girl, Liam was also a playboy who would attend casual parties and abuse drugs. After their father’s death, however, Eleanor spirals and forms somewhat of an addiction while Liam steps up to become the next King of England. While Eleanor has a tough exterior, she’s vulnerable and has a hard time trusting anyone other than Liam, who is very loyal to his sister and protective over her.
Liv and Maddie – Liv and Maddie
Liv and Maddie share an unbreakable bond as identical twins, but they also lead significantly different lives. Maddie is a basketball star while Liv is a star on a hit TV show in Hollywood. When the two are forced to live together, Liv does what she’s good at — interjecting herself into Maddie’s life and stealing the spotlight.
Alex and Spencer – Pretty Little Liars
Where do I even begin to start with these two? Though we only met Alex Drake in the seventh and final season of Pretty Little Liars, her character had a huge impact on the way the ‘A’ and ‘A.D’ storyline played out. After kidnapping Spencer, it’s revealed that Alex Drake is Spencer’s identical twin sister — both are Mary Drake’s daughters — and the elusive A.D. Alex is definitely off her rockers as she’s responsible for Charlotte Drake’s death, Wren’s death, and the continuous torment of the liars, yet, she’s able to impersonate Spencer to a tee even fooling her closest friends.
Patty and Selma – The Simpsons
Patty and Selma, Marge Simpon’s older sisters, are identical twins with different hairstyles who have an affinity for smoking way too much. They’re similar in that they both work Springfield Department of Motor Vehicle and have a distaste for brother-in-law, Homer Simpson, but differ when it comes to relationships; Selma craves male attention while Patty is a lesbian.
Sheldon and Missy – Young Sheldon/ The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon and Missy are fraternal twins and polar opposites. Missy is sassy and bratty with a cheeky sense of humor who is constantly fighting Sheldon for her parents’ attention. Unlike Sheldon, who is described as a 9-year-old genius with a “once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science,” Missy doesn’t show much interest in schoolwork. Sheldon eventually graduates to the Big Bang Theory while Missy only appears in the first season and ten years later, for Sheldon and Amy’s wedding.
Elena and Katerina – The Vampire Diaries
Again, Elena and Katerina weren’t twins, but the dopplegangers looked so much alike, they could assume each other’s identity with ease thus fooling even the men that loved them. There were actually a few more Petrova-dopplegangers, but Elena and Katerina were the most prominent. Katerina was manipulative and served as the main antagonist till the series finale wheras Elena was an honor roll student who struggled to live a normal life surrounded by the supernatural.
