Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the Disney Channel original series Even Stevens. It was written by Sarah Jane Cunningham and Susan Villandry, directed by KC Lynn DeStefano, and aired on November 3, 2001.

Plot
Another morning at the Stevens household, and Ren and Louis are fighting over use of the bathroom. Donnie shows Ren and Louis a videotape of a talk show named "Sibling Sessions" involving two other siblings in dispute. Ren feels that by appearing on the show they could settle their differences peacefully, while Louis insists that the boy is a sell out, until he hears that the prize for appearing is two tickets to an amusement park. Meanwhile, Nelson visits to tell Ren about Mandy Sanchez's continuing flirtations with Bobby Deaver(see Devil Mountain), and finds out about Donnie's failed efforts to learn French in order to woo a beautiful exchange student named Sandrine(Danica McKellar). Nelson, who has no problems speaking French offers to join their date as a translator, and exploits Donnie's stupidity in order to spend time with her.

Before Ren and Louis go on the air, they find out that due to low ratings, the talk show dramatically changes it's format from a serious public affairs program to a cheesy game show called "Sib Wars." The host even goes as far as to wear a bad rastafarian wig. Ren is repusled by the decision, but when Louis essentially calls her a coward, she changes her mind, and the battle is on. During the show, they both find that in the first round, contestants are required to answer a series of questions, something Ren thinks she'll beat Louis at with ease, until she finds out how absurd the questions truly are, and that they seem tailor-made for Louis or somebody like him. In the second round, both battle each other in a boxing ring with a plank diagonally across a pit filled with "a pudding-like substance."

The third round requires that one sibling humiliates the other severely, and is to be taped the next day. Louis only has a videotape of Ren brushing her teeth that he shows Twitty, until they spot Bobby Deaver in the halls with Mandy Sanchez passionatley kissing her directly on the lips, something Ren never got from him. This seems like gold. Despite being humiliated by Ren over his bedsheet, when Ren goes on camera to say hi to Bobby, who she plans to take to the amusement park if she wins, Louis refuses to show the tape and forefits the game. At home Ren visits Louis realizing this is something he usually wouldn't do. Louis reaches under his bed and gives her the videotape he was going to use against her, and the scene is cut to Ren breaking up with Bobby in school the next day. Louis tries to comfort her, but then persistently nags her into taking him to the amusement park, something she's uncertain she'll be in the mood to do for a long time.

Trivia

 * The break-up with Bobby Deaver was already alluded to in the episode Sadie Hawkins Day.
 * Neither Donna Pescow, nor Tom Virtue appear in this episode.
 * Final episode with both Brandon Davis and Bianca Lopez.