Sisters (American TV series)

Did You Know?

• Sela Ward won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994.
• Swoosie Kurtz was nominated for the same award in 1993 and 1994.
• The series received eight Emmy Award nominations over its run.

Overview

The show centers on four sisters in Winnetka, Illinois, whose father, a doctor named Thomas Reed, was often absent and obsessed with work. Their mother, Beatrice, turned to alcohol to handle his neglect and infidelities. Because he wanted sons, Thomas gave each daughter a masculine nickname: Alexandra became Alex, Theodora became Teddy, Georgiana became Georgie, and Francesca became Frankie.

For its first two seasons, every episode opened with the sisters talking together in a steam bath, a weekly ritual. Starting in the 1992-1993 season, that was replaced by a black-and-white montage showing the sisters as children and adults. At first, only character sounds played over the opening, but in fall 1993, a piano theme by John Debney was added. Many episodes included flashbacks where the characters interacted with or watched their younger selves, played by different actresses. Though it was a drama with soap opera plots, the show had a quirky, offbeat feel similar to CBS's Northern Exposure.