Double Trouble

 April 4, 1984, Double Trouble premiered on NBC.

The series ran from April 4, 1984 to March 30, 1985 and starred identical twins Jean Sagal and Liz Sagal as Kate and Allison Foster, teenage sisters navigating life under the care of their widowed father. It was built around the familiar “twins in mischief” sitcom concept seen in earlier hits like The Parent Trap and The Patty Duke Show.

The show initially centered on the twins in Des Moines, Iowa, along with their father Art Foster, played by Donnelly Rhodes, and often used their high school life and a dance studio setting to highlight both comedy and the sisters’ real life dance skills. One twin was written as more serious and responsible, while the other was more carefree and impulsive, driving much of the series’ contrast-based humor.

After low initial ratings, the series was retooled and relocated to New York City in its second season, with Barbara Barrie joining the cast as Aunt Margo Foster after Donnelly Rhodes departed. Despite the changes, the series lasted only two short seasons before ending in 1985.