The 35 Best Blended Family TV Shows
List of the best television shows that feature blended families. The theme of many of the top television shows through the generations is that family is not just the group you’re born into. Today, many TV shows feature characters who consider their friends and coworkers to be their family,while others show a tight bond with their makeshift families. No matter what the genre or content of the show, most shows heavily feature the idea of family. However it’s much rarer for a show to feature a blended family, which is essentially two or more familial groups that come together to form one big family. The infrequent television trope began with The Brady Bunch, a family of six step brothers and sisters who viewed the world in their own, naïve way.
Throughout the years on television the idea of the blended family has popped up in new and interesting ways. Often these shows feature step parents getting to know their new children, such as Step by Step, while others feature adopted children, like Diff’rent Strokes and Webster. Families like the one in Full House began with friendships who became actual family,while others like Modern Family include step-families and adopted families.
What shows best showcase blended families? The shows on this list are known to have people who may not have started off life as family, but became close through blended circumstances. When you're done, be sure to check out our list of the best movies about adoption.
- 1Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis
- Premiered: September 26, 1969
Six kids, two parents, and one iconic house make this blended family sitcom a timeless classic. This groovy show highlights the hilarious antics and growing pains encountered as they navigate life together, making it one large, happy family.
- 2John Stamos, Bob Saget, Dave Coulier
- Premiered: September 22, 1987
A heartwarming comedy series focusing on a widowed father, his three daughters, and their two uncles who all live under one roof. Chock-full of laughter, love, and lessons, this show truly exemplifies the importance of family, regardless of biological ties.
- 3Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell
- Premiered: September 23, 2009
A hilariously diverse family dynamic takes center stage in this ensemble mockumentary. With intertwining storylines of an extended clan that includes same-sex spouses, adopted children, and a May-December marriage, there's never a dull moment.
- 4Patrick Duffy, Suzanne Somers, Staci Keanan
- Premiered: September 20, 1991
Laughter, love, and chaos ensue when two single parents with three kids each decide to get hitched. As they learn to navigate their new family dynamics, the members of this blended bunch find that sometimes, even the most mismatched families can create the perfect harmony.
- 5Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jackée Harry
- Premiered: April 1, 1994
Separated-at-birth twins are unexpectedly reunited, and their adoptive parents decide to move in together. The series follows the sisters and their respective families learning to embrace their newfound sibling bond and create an unconventional yet loving household.
- 6Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges
- Premiered: November 3, 1978
When a wealthy man adopts two African American brothers from Harlem, their lives change overnight. This sitcom tackles the serious and the funny aspects of life in a blended family, all while delivering a message that love transcends any differences.
