B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen into the ol’ VCR.

Growing up, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were pop culture royalty in my eyes. 

I watched every single movie and show. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t wear the clothing because there weren’t really any plus-size options, but I did have a LOT of the accessories, like the sunglasses and even the folding chair. 

I also still have The New Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley Game Boy Color game (and my Game Boy Color), which, like most of their games, is completely unbeatable. 

Video source: Longplay Universe

However, as we slowly found out, there was a dark side to the Olsen twins’ fame and fortune. 

Now, I’m not going to dive into any of the alleged struggles the Olsen twins faced or anything in that vein. 

I just don’t want to speculate about their personal lives, and I feel like the media has hounded them enough, as their public appearances are now few and far between. 

I hope that they’re both happy and healthy, and that’s the extent of what I’ll say about their personal lives. 

Moving on. 

I think the best way to tackle the Olsen twins’ pop culture empire is to divide it into three parts: The Movies, The Shows, and The Merchandise. 

I’m also going to throw out my top five favorite Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, just for kicks and gigs, so be sure to read through to the end. 

Alrighty, that should do us for introductions and disclaimers. 

Without further ado, let’s jump into the world of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. 

The Movies 

The Olsen twins began acting on Full House in 1987 at only six months old, and their film career wouldn’t be far behind. In 1992, the first in an extensive catalog, To Grandmother’s House We Go, was released as a made-for-TV movie on ABC. 

One year later, in 1993, Dualstar, the Olsen’s production company, would begin producing all of Mary-Kate and Ashley’s movies, including How the West Was Fun, Double, Double Toil and Trouble, and the beloved The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley collection. 

Soon after the initial Dualstar releases, Mary-Kate and Ashley would star in the ICONIC It Takes Two, as well as the You’re Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley’s… series. 

Video source: Cretchy Chretien

Then, in 1998, Billboard Dad was released, which kicked off all of the direct-to-video films we all came to know and love. The full list includes: 

• Billboard Dad 
• Passport to Paris 
• Switching Goals 
• Our Lips Are Sealed 
• Winning London 
• Holiday in the Sun 
• Getting There
• When in Rome 
• The Challenge  

Shortly after the release of The Challenge, the Olsen twins would bless us with one last film in New York Minute before stepping out of the spotlight for good. 

The Shows 

While the Olsen twins made cameos in several shows over the years, they starred in two shows together: Two of a Kind and So Little Time. 

Each show only ran for 22 and 26 episodes respectively, and unfortunately, like their direct-to-video releases, it’s almost impossible to find the episodes anywhere, outside of stumbling across a box set from a reseller. 

Upon further research (aka me doing a bunch of Googling), it looks like Two of a Kind was canceled, but from what I can tell, both shows fell victim to the Fox Family to ABC Family switcharoo (allegedly/in my opinion). 

There’s also one last show that I would be remiss to not mention: Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! Like the aforementioned two shows, it was canceled after one season on ABC’s One Saturday Morning. 

Video source: Evan’s Media Archive

The Merchandise  

Now, we can’t talk about Mary-Kate and Ashley without talking about all of the merchandise, of which there were legions. We’re talking books, video games, perfumes, you name it. But, the crown jewel of the Mary-Kate and Ashley merchandise was the fashion line. 

Now, I want to briefly pause to insert a trademark criticism here.  

I could never wear anything from their fashion line when I was growing up because the sizing was extremely limited. I’ve already talked about the fashion of the 2000s and its shitty size inclusion, so I’ll let you read more about my opinions here. 

I digress. 

Mary-Kate and Ashley had a clothing line for young girls that was available in Walmart. Walmart also carried their perfumes and makeup. I can’t find the *exact* dates their line was available, but it looks like most of the aughts?

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the Mary-Kate and Ashley dolls. The Olsen twins released Barbie-esque dolls that came dressed in everything from pjs to outfits from their shows and movies. I had SEVERAL, and I can’t thank KP enough for getting some of them for me because a) we didn’t have a lot of money and b) I’m sure she had to fend off a ton of other parents to get them for me. 

Video source: Analog Memories

My Favorites

We’ve finally reached the part of the program where I’m going to reveal my top five favorite Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. And, spoiler, it’s probably going to be controversial. 

In no particular order, here are my top five favorite Mary-Kate and Ashley movies: 

• It Takes Two 
• New York Minute 
• Our Lips Are Sealed 
• Billboard Dad 
• Passport to Paris 

I SAID WHAT I SAID.