View source for My Sister Sam

{{Short description|American television sitcom (1986–1988)}}
{{Lead too short|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = My sis sam.JPG
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]
| creator              = Stephen Fischer
| developer            = Susan Beavers
| director             = [[Peter Bonerz]]<br>[[Zane Buzby]]<br>[[Matthew Diamond]]<br>James Gardner<br>[[Ellen Gittelsohn]]<br>[[Barnet Kellman]]<br>[[Steve Zuckerman]]
| starring             = [[Pam Dawber]]<br />[[Rebecca Schaeffer]]<br />[[Jenny O'Hara]]<br />[[Joel Brooks]]<br />[[David Naughton]]
| theme_music_composer = [[John Bettis]]<br>Steve Dorff
| opentheme            = "Room Enough for Two" performed by [[Kim Carnes]]
| composer             = Steve Dorff
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 2
| num_episodes         = 44 (12 unaired)
| executive_producer   = Diane English
| producer             = Danny Jacobson<br>Karyl Miller<br>Korby Siamis
| editor               = Dann Cahn<br>[[Tucker Wiard]]
| camera               = [[Multiple-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| runtime              = 22 minutes
| company              = [[Pony Productions]]<br>[[Warner Bros. Television]]
| channel              = [[CBS]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1986|10|06}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1988|04|12}}
}}

'''''My Sister Sam''''' is an American television [[sitcom]] starring [[Pam Dawber]] and [[Rebecca Schaeffer]] that was produced by [[Pony Productions]] and [[Warner Bros. Television]] and aired on [[CBS]] from October 6, 1986 to April 12, 1988.

==Synopsis==
The sitcom follows the lives of a 29-year-old San Francisco freelance photographer named Samantha "Sam" Russell and her 16-year-old sister Patti. Sam's life is turned upside down when Patti, who has been living with the sisters' Aunt Elsie and Uncle Bob in rural [[Oregon]] after the death of the girls' parents, shows up on Sam's door step and announces that she is going to live with Sam.<ref name="holston">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ijJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1002,2456805&dq=my+sister+sam+saturday&hl=en|title='My Sister Sam' needs a stronger focus|last=Holston|first=Noel|date=October 20, 1986|work=The Vindicator|page=21|accessdate=May 11, 2013}}</ref>

The supporting cast includes Sam's neurotic agent Jordan Dylan "J.D." Lucas, Sam's sarcastic assistant Dixie Randazzo and Jack Kincaid, Sam's womanizing photojournalist neighbor who frequently stops by her apartment.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/20/arts/tv-review-my-sister-sam-series-starring-pam-dawber.html|title=TV Review; 'My Sister Sam', Series Starring Pam Dawber|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=October 20, 1986|accessdate=May 11, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

==Cast==
*[[Pam Dawber]] as Samantha "Sam" Russell
*[[Rebecca Schaeffer]] as Patricia "Patti" Russell
*[[Joel Brooks]] as Jordan Dylan "J.D." Lucas
*[[Jenny O'Hara]] as Dixie Randazzo
*[[David Naughton]] as Jack Kincaid

==Production==
The series was created by Stephen Fischer and was developed by Pam Dawber's production company, Pony Productions (in association with [[Warner Bros. Television]]).<ref name="nytimes" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Dawber Moves From Mindy To TV Mogul|last=Terry|first=Clifford|date=June 6, 1987|work=Sun Sentinel|pages=11–D}}</ref> Dawber and her Manager, Mimi Weber, spent three years searching for the most ideal television series project for their company to co-produce, but after screening several of them, Dawber had not found one that truly spoke to her. In the midst of this search, she and Weber produced a few TV movies under the Pony Productions nameplate, in which Dawber played lead roles.

By late 1985, Stephen Fischer and Diane English submitted their screenplay to Dawber and Weber, one centering on the life and times of a young photographer on the fast track who takes in her teenage sister, titled ''Taking the Town'' (based on the phrase "taking the town by storm"). At last, Dawber found a fulfilling script, and the creative team (she, Weber, Fischer and English) had the pilot successfully pitched to CBS. The network gave it a berth on its successful Monday night sitcom lineup for its 1986-87 fall schedule, as ''Taking the Town'', with the title changing to ''My Sister Sam'' as summer pre-promotions ramped up.

The series was intended to be a starring vehicle for Dawber, who found success on television opposite [[Robin Williams]] in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] sitcom ''[[Mork & Mindy]]''.<ref name="holston" /> Dawber later said that she wanted the focus of the show to be on the cast as a whole, stating, "I am not a comedian. I'm a reactor to all the zany people who revolve around me."<ref name="buck">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G-8wAAAAIBAJ&pg=1286,3391861&dq=my+sister+sam+pony+productions&hl=en|title=Pam Dawber reacts to people|last=Buck|first=Jerry|work=Kentucky New Era|page=4B|accessdate=May 11, 2013}}</ref>

''My Sister Sam'' was executive produced by [[Diane English]] and Mimi Weber and filmed at [[Warner Bros.|The Burbank Studio]].<ref name="buck" />

===Theme song===
The series' theme song, "Room Enough for Two", was written by Steve Dorff and [[John Bettis]] and performed by [[Kim Carnes]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Brooks|first=Tim|author2=Marsh, Earle F.|title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present|publisher=Ballantine Books|year=1995|edition=6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/718 718]|isbn=978-0-345-39736-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/718}}</ref> Dorff won a BMI TV Music Award in 1987 for his work on the series.

==Episodes==
{{No plot|section|date=December 2018}}

===Season 1 (1986–87)===
{{Episode table |background=#c1af5d |overall=5 |season=5 |title=30 |director= |writer= |airdate=25  |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = Samantha Russell, Man Stealer 
| DirectedBy = [[Ellen Gittelsohn|Ellen Falcon]]
| WrittenBy = Gary Murphy & Larry Strawther
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1986|10|6}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Patti's Party 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = [[Lisa Albert]]
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1986|10|20}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3 
| Title = Shooting Stars 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson 
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|10|27}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = What Makes Samantha Run? 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|11|3}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = Roomies 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = [[Karyl Miller]] & Korby Siamis 
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|11|10}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = The Aunt Elsie Crisis: Day One 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Karyl Miller
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1986|11|24}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7 
| Title = Teacher's Pet 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Lisa Albert
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|12|1}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 8
| Title = Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Ramona Schindelheim
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|12|8}} 
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 9 
| Title = Babes in the Woods 
| DirectedBy = [[Tom Cherones]]
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer 
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|12|15}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 10
| Title = Jingle Bell Rock Bottom 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = [[Diane English]]
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1986|12|22}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| EpisodeNumber2 = 11  
| Title = Club Dread 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon 
| WrittenBy = Larry Strawther & Gary Murphy
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|1|12}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| EpisodeNumber2 = 12  
| Title = Anything for a Friend
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|1|19}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 13 
| Title = Almost In-Laws 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Lisa Albert
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|1|26}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 14
| EpisodeNumber2 = 14  
| Title = Go Crazy 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|2|2}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 15 
| Title = Another Saturday Night 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Korby Siamis
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|2|9}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 16
| EpisodeNumber2 = 16  
| Title = Family Business 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Karyl Miller
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|2|16}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| EpisodeNumber2 = 17  
| Title = Making Up Is Hard to Do 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Dennis Danziger & Ellen Sandler
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|2|23}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 18 
| Title = If You Knew Susie 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|3|2}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d 
}} 
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 19 
| Title = Sister, Can You Spare a Fifty? 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Karyl Miller & Korby Siamis|t= Korby Siamis}}
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|3|16}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| EpisodeNumber2 = 20  
| Title = Exposed 
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Ramona Schindelheim & Diane English|t= Diane English}}
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|4|6}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 21 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 21
| Title = Campaign Contributions
| DirectedBy = Ellen Falcon
| WrittenBy = Ramona Schindelheim
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|4|13}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 22 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 22 
| Title = Fog Bound 
| DirectedBy = Burt Metcalfe
| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Stephen Fischer|t= Susan Beavers & Stephen Fischer}}
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1987|5|4}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = c1af5d
}}
}}

===Season 2 (1987–88)===
{{Episode table|background=#A4948B|overall=5|season=5|title=30|director=|writer=|airdate=25|episodes={{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 23
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = Goodbye, Steve 
| DirectedBy = [[Barnet Kellman]]
| WrittenBy = [[Diane English]]
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|10|3}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 24
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2 
| Title = And They Said It Would Never Last
| DirectedBy = Barnet Kellman
| WrittenBy = Diane English
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|10|10}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 25
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3  
| Title = Deep Throat
| DirectedBy = [[Peter Bonerz]]
| WrittenBy = Dennis Danzinger & Ellen Sandler
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|10|17}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 26
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4  
| Title = Never a Bridesmaid
| DirectedBy = [[Matthew Diamond]]
| WrittenBy = Korby Siamus
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|10|24}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 27  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = Who's Afraid of Virginia Schultz? 
| DirectedBy = Matthew Diamond
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|10|31}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 28
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6 
| Title = Drive, She Said
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1987|11|7}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 29  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = Revenge of the Russell Sisters 
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1988|3|15}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 30
| EpisodeNumber2 = 8  
| Title = Play It Again, Sam 
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = Karyl Miller
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1988|3|22}} 
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 31  
| EpisodeNumber2 = 9
| Title = Ol' Green Eyes Is Back 
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = Diane English
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1988|3|29}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 32
| EpisodeNumber2 = 10
| Title = Life, Death and Admiral Andy 
| DirectedBy = [[Peter Baldwin (director)|Peter Baldwin]]
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer
| OriginalAirDate =  {{Start date|1988|4|12}}
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 33
| EpisodeNumber2 = 11  
| Title = It's My Party and I'll Kill If I Want To 
| DirectedBy = [[Steve Zuckerman|Stephen Zuckerman]]
| WrittenBy = Irene Mecchi and Diane English
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B 
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 34
| EpisodeNumber2 = 12  
| Title = Good Neighbor Sam 
| DirectedBy = [[Zane Buzby]]
| WrittenBy = Tom Palmer
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 35 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 13 
| Title = Patti, I Have a Feeling We're Not in Oregon Anymore
| DirectedBy = Zane Buzby
| WrittenBy = [[Tom Spezialy]]
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 36
| EpisodeNumber2 = 14 
| Title = The Art of Love 
| DirectedBy =
| WrittenBy =
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 37 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 15
| Title = Camp Burnout 
| DirectedBy =
| WrittenBy =
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 38
| EpisodeNumber2 = 16 
| Title = Grand Prize
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = Danny Jacobson
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 39
| EpisodeNumber2 = 17  
| Title = Walk a While in My Shoes
| DirectedBy = Stephen Zuckerman
| WrittenBy = Deborah Zoe Dawson and Victoria Johns
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 40 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 18 
| Title = The Wrong Stuff 
| DirectedBy = James Gardner
| WrittenBy = Korby Siamis
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 41
| EpisodeNumber2 = 19  
| Title = The Thrill of Agony, the Victory of Defeat 
| DirectedBy = James Gardner
| WrittenBy = Korby Siamis
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 42
| EpisodeNumber2 = 20 
| Title = The Good, the Bad and the Auditor 
| DirectedBy =
| WrittenBy =
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 43 
| EpisodeNumber2 = 21
| Title = Earthquake 
| DirectedBy = Peter Bonerz
| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Karyl Miller |t= Korby Siamis}}
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}  
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 44
| EpisodeNumber2 = 22 
| Title = A Day in the Lives 
| DirectedBy =
| WrittenBy =
| OriginalAirDate = Unaired
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = A4948B  
}}}}

== Release ==
''My Sister Sam'' premiered on October 6, 1986, scheduled between ''[[Kate & Allie]]'' and ''[[Newhart]]'', both hit shows for CBS.<ref name="nytimes" /> The series earned solid ratings and was ranked #21 by the end of its first season.<ref name="akron">{{cite news |date=October 22, 1987 |title=Saturday, Time Slot Slams 'Sam' Into 71st Place, Down 50 Notches |page=C6 |work=Akron Beacon Journal}}</ref> Due to its success, CBS renewed the series for a second season.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 9, 1987 |title='Once a Hero' Is No Hero to ABC - Axed |work=The Fresno Bee}}</ref> CBS then moved ''My Sister Sam'' to Saturday nights opposite ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'', which was a part of [[NBC]]'s successful Saturday night comedy lineup.<ref>{{cite news |last=Donlon |first=Brian |date=October 8, 1987 |title='Max Headroom' could be headed for the ax |page=3D |work=USA Today |url=/USAToday/access/55749523.html?dids=55749523:55749523&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+08%2C+1987&author=Brian+Donlon&pub=USA+TODAY+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=%60Max+Headroom%27+could+be+headed+for+the+ax&pqatl=google |accessdate=May 11, 2013}}</ref> By the end of October 1987, the show's audience had dwindled to one of the lowest on network TV ranking at #71.<ref name="akron" /><ref>{{cite news |date=October 14, 1987 |title='My Sister Sam' Loses Views In Move To Saturday Lineup |page=D6 |work=Akron Beacon Journal}}</ref> The series was put on hiatus in November 1987 but remained in production while the network decided its fate.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 8, 1987 |title=CBS Adding Two New Series and Returning An Oldie In New Shuffle |page=6B |work=The State}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gliatto |first=Tom |date=March 8, 1988 |title=CBS Shuffle |page=1D |work=USA Today}}</ref>

CBS brought the series back to the air on March 15, 1988, due in part to letters from fans and the
[[1988 Writers Guild of America strike]] which affected the production of other television series for CBS and the other two major television networks ([[NBC]], [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]). CBS chose to move ''My Sister Sam'' yet again to Tuesday nights.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Malley |first=Kathy |author2=Gratteau, Hanke |date=March 22, 1988 |title=Gopers On the Go |page=14 |work=The Chicago Tribune |url=/chicagotribune/access/24674324.html?dids=24674324:24674324&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+22%2C+1988&author=Kathy+O%27Malley+and+Hanke+Gratteau&pub=Chicago+Tribune+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=GOPERS+ON+THE+GO+.+.+.&pqatl=google |accessdate=May 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Matt |first=Roush |date=March 9, 1988 |title='Molly Dodd' gets a date; 'Night Court' will move |page=3D |work=USA Today}}</ref> By April, ratings had failed to improve and the series was again pulled from the lineup. CBS announced the series' cancellation in May 1988, leaving 12 episodes of the second season unaired.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 27, 1988 |title=CBS Pulls Plug on '&' Shows |page=1B |work=Miami Herald}}</ref>

=== Syndication ===
After the series was canceled by CBS, the [[USA Network]] picked up syndication rights and eventually aired all 44 episodes, including those never shown on CBS.<ref>{{cite news|title=Short-lived series find new life on cable|date=May 5, 1991|work=Austin American-Statesman|page=8}}</ref>

=== Home media ===
The show's pilot episode appeared on the bonus disc ''Warner Bros. 50 Years of TV Commemorative: Volume 2''. It was packaged with some releases of ''[[Murphy Brown]]'' Season 1 DVD set.

==Reception==

=== Awards and nominations ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
|+ '''Awards and nominations for ''My Sister Sam'''''
|-
! Year
! Award
! Result
! Category
! Recipient
|- 
| 1987 || BMI Film & TV Awards || {{won}} || BMI TV Music Award || Steve Dorff 
|-
| 1987 || [[Primetime Emmy Award]] || {{nom}} || Outstanding Costume Design for a Series || [[Bill Hargate]] (costume designer)<br><small>(For episode "Jingle Bell Rock Bottom")</small>
|-
|}

==Rebecca Schaeffer's murder==
On July 18, 1989, more than a year after ''My Sister Sam'' had been canceled, series cast member Rebecca Schaeffer was fatally shot in the doorway of her Los Angeles apartment building by [[Robert John Bardo]], an obsessed fan from [[Tucson, Arizona]], who had been stalking her for three years.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Beth |date=July 14, 1995 |title=A Fan's Fatal Obsession |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/07/14/six-years-ago-rebecca-schaeffer-was-fatally-shot/ |access-date=May 11, 2013 |publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> The following month, Pam Dawber, Joel Brooks, David Naughton and Jenny O'Hara reunited to film a [[public service announcement]] for the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in Schaeffer's honor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tom |first=Green |date=August 16, 1989 |title='Sister Sam' cast honors slain co-star |page=1D |work=USA Today}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb title|0090487}}
*{{epguides|id=MySisterSam}}

[[Category:1980s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1986 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1988 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Television series about sisters]]
[[Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios]]
[[Category:Television shows set in San Francisco]]
[[Category:CBS sitcoms]]