Sister, Sister episodes have some classic songs replaced in syndication

The beloved 1990s teen sitcom Sister, Sister debuted on Netflix on Tuesday, but longtime fans may have noticed some subtle changes.

The song Slow Jam by Usher and Monica, which was featured prominently in the Cinderella-themed episode entitled Shoeless in 1998, has been removed from the show, according to a PopSugar report.

That report also reveals the change was made long before its streaming debut on Netflix, while one of the main stars, Tamera Mowry-Housley celebrated the show’s debut on Netflix with a throwback Instagram post. 

The song Slow Jam appears during a scene in Shoeless when Tamera (Tamera Mowry) slow dances with Jordan (Deon Richmond).

If you watch that scene on Netflix, or even on the complete series DVD set, that song has been replaced by the song Runnin by Bellringer, which wasn’t released until 2009, long after the show went off the air.

The song was changed when the series was put into syndication, likely due to the license rights for the song either expiring, or becoming too expensive to use in perpetuity. 

Fans also noticed a similar issue when songs featured on the UPN series Moesha were replaced when it arrived on Netflix exactly one month earlier.

Sister, Sister followed two twin sisters who were separated at birth and reunited as teenagers, with the show originally debuting on ABC as a mid-season replacement in 1994, though it was canceled after just its second season in 1995.

The show was quickly picked up by the nascent network The WB, where it aired for four more seasons before going off the air in 1999 after six seasons and 119 episodes. 

Tamera Mowry-Housley also took to her Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a throwback pic of her and her sister, while reminiscing on the show.

‘It all began here with my sissy! What a blessing to have inspired many at such a young age. Representation matters,’ Tamera began.

‘I’m so grateful and I am so excited for our generation to relive one of my fav jobs in history! And I’m ecstatic for the newer generation to discover this show, now on @netflix,’ she added.

‘I never thought in a million years #SisterSister would become an American classic. Thanks for supporting us throughout the years. I’m forever grateful,’ she concluded.

Tamera made headlines in July by revealing she was leaving her talk show The Real after seven years on the show.

Tia most recently starred on the Netflix series Family Reunion, with a crossover event featuring three other shows – Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, The Big Show Show and Mr. Iglesia – announced in July.