Thicker than Water is an American sitcom that aired on ABC, and was based on the British sitcom Nearest and Dearest. Eight episodes were originally ordered to be shown as a summer series, with tentative plans for eight more scripts to be prepared, if the series became popular. The series ran on Wednesdays 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from June 13 until August 8, 1973, a total of nine episodes.
Beryl Vertue, who had found success turning British TV series into popular American series (Till Death Us Do Part was the basis for All In the Family and Steptoe and Son became Sanford and Son) hoped to have similar luck turning Nearest and Dearest into a popular American series.
Sensible Nellie Paine and her womanizing brother Ernie were promised $75,000 each if they moved back home to live with their elderly father Jonas and run the family business, Paine's Pure Pickles, for five years. The only thing the siblings have in common is they both hate pickles. Their father shows no signs of dying soon, and enjoys seeing his grown children bickering.