Some younger siblings automatically provide their families with love, laughter, and a fair share of practical jokes. Television writers take these facts and dial up the jokes for sitcoms. Middle children, babies of the family, and adult siblings all have opportunities to tease their brothers and sisters. When it comes to sitcoms, pranks, one-liners, and physical comedy are par for the course.
The 1990s and 2000s showcase some of the funniest younger siblings sitcoms have ever seen. Which of these cunning kids are ed as the funniest of all?
Stephanie Tanner (Full House)
Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin) is probably the funniest Full House sister. Stephanie is stuck in the middle between DJ and Michelle. She handles her middle child feelings quite well, embracing the challenges of growing up with equal parts seriousness and silliness. As cute as Michelle is with her catchphrases, Stephanie just gets funnier and funnier.
In a house full of laughter, the sister stands out for her bluntness, her corny jokes, and even her insults.
Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
Adult younger siblings can be just as comical as the kids. On Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005), Ray Barone lives very close to his parents and his older brother, Robert.
As much as Ray's personal life revolves around his wife and three children, he also spends a lot of quality time with Robert. The brothers are a fun juxtaposition, and Ray's casual, joking tone meshes well with Robert's low, slow responses. Ray loves Robert and experiences some of his funniest moments with him.
T.J. Henderson (Smart Guy)
Not only does the star of Smart Guy (1997-199) get to be a genius; he also gets to be both funny and adorable. T.J. Henderson (Tahj Mowry) brings out the humor in his unusual situation.
As a "ten-year-old wiz kid" in a high school full of teenagers, T.J. is faced with people and dilemmas that wouldn't have come up in elementary school. Sometimes his more mature setting equates to a serious tone, but T.J.'s daily school life shows just how hilarious the Smart Guy can be, too.
Matt McGuire (Lizzie McGuire)
Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004) is both a show about friends and a show about family. The important people in Lizzie's life tumble through her head, and she has her ups and downs with all of them. Her brother, Matt (Jake Thomas), is positively a riot.
He's a bright kid with a knack for innovative pranks and projects, usually at Lizzie's expense. With his silent friend, Lanny, Matt surprises viewers and makes them laugh with every slapstick physical comedy moment, quirky line, or brilliant montage.
Miley Stewart (Hannah Montana)
Hannah Montana (2006-2011) is Disney's most popular (but not only) double-life sitcom. Miley Stewart's (Miley Cyrus) split existence as a regular kid and a pop star provides the basis for much of the show's comedy.
Her inner circle is necessarily tight--just her dad, brother, and two best friends most of the time. All kinds of issues arise when the Hannah world bleeds into the Miley world, and the star attempts to handle her problems in ways that leave the audience laughing out loud.
Carlton Banks (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)
His preppy attitude, his musical outbursts, his smooth dance moves...Carlton Banks (Alfonso Ribeiro) really is a hoot on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996).
He's Hilary's younger brother and Ashley's older brother, and Carlton carves out a nice niche for himself as the middle child. As different as the cousins can be, Carlton and Will are a lively duo with great chemistry and comedic timing. Carlton continues to inspire fans to let loose, turn up the music, and "do the Carlton."
Niles Crane (Frasier)
Niles Crane from Frasier (1993-2004) has a lot in common with his older brother. Both Niles and Frasier are psychiatrists who appreciate what they consider to be the finer things in life. They esteem their music, art, cuisine, and home furnishings as the most sophisticated, but the brothers are often humbled by their kind but no-nonsense father, Marty Crane.
Niles is known for his neuroticism and odd relationship with his invisible wife, then ex-wife, Maris. He also makes viewers smile with his undying affection for Daphne Moon.
Louis Stevens (Even Stevens)
Louis Stevens (Shia LaBeouf) is the comedic cornerstone of Even Stevens (2000-2003). He is the youngest of three kids and is quite different from his perfectionist sister, Ren, and his athlete brother, Donnie.
Louis uses his comedic sensibilities as a coping mechanism when he falls short in life, but he also cracks jokes when things are going well for him. From wild schemes and childish pranks to subtle retorts, Louis brought a fresh dose of humor to the Disney Channel in his day.
Megan Parker (Drake & Josh)
Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh (2004-2007) reminded viewers that little sisters could be expert pranksters, too. Megan Parker (Miranda Cosgrove) tricks older brothers Drake and Josh again and again.
Whether her stunts involve food products, animals, or other elements, Megan knows just how to pull one over on her brothers. Viewers can tell by the look of sheer genius on Megan's face that her pranks are going to make quite a splash.
Al Lambert (Step By Step)
On Step by Step (1991-1997), Al Lambert (Christine Lakin) is the youngest girl in the combined Foster-Lambert household until her baby half-sister, Lilly, is born at the end of the fourth season.
Al is used to holding her own with an older brother and younger brothers, and her look in the early seasons of the show usually includes her signature backward ball cap. All the siblings are funny, but Al's ability to tell it like it is brings so much humor and warmth to her growing-up years.