Ep 5. Twinning

This is Life with Lisa Ling takes viewers on a deep dive into the extraordinary world of human experiences, societal norms, and customs that shape our lives in a unique way. In season 6, episode 5, Twinning, the show explores the fascinating and complex relationship between twins, a bond that goes far beyond what meets the surface.

Lisa Ling takes a deep dive into the world of twins by examining the similarities and differences between them. The episode sheds light on the fascinating and complex relationship that twins share with one another. Ling speaks to multiple sets of twins to gain insight into their dynamic relationships and how their bond can be both a blessing and a curse.

The episode begins with Ling introducing two sets of identical twins in which one set lives lives as one gender, and the other as another gender. Ling delves into the differences and similarities of such twins and highlights how societal norms may have influenced their choices. She speaks about how gender and social categorization affects twins and poses the question of whether society itself has changed what it means to be twins in modern times.

In an attempt to further understand the connection between twins, Ling takes part in an experiment that aims to study the simultaneous brain activity of twins. This experiment reveals that twins have a telepathic bond where their brains fire in unison, even when they are miles apart. The experiment demonstrates how twins have an inexplicable connection that goes beyond human understanding.

The series then follows two sets of twins as they deal with the challenge of one twin being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Ling explores themes of the bond that twins share, the struggles that come with such a loss, and how exactly the remaining twin deals with the unforeseeable future. Ling notes how the remaining twin is left on their own, where the bond once shared with their twin has now been severed. In this episode, Lisa also speaks with a few individual twins who lost their twins under different circumstances and the emotional hurdles they had faced.

Ling also speaks with a set of fraternal twins, where one twin is an overachiever, while the other is not. Ling learns about how the twin who is an underachiever often feels insecure about the relationship shared with their twin. Ling delves into just how difficult this may be for some twins since a twin's success often becomes an unspoken benchmark for their own success.

In the conclusion of the episode, Ling speaks with multiple twins who were separated at birth and how they dealt with it. The show highlights the difference between growing up with a sibling or growing up alone and how that experienced shapes a person's outlook on life and relationships.

This episode of This is Life with Lisa Ling portrays the intricate and unique relationship between twins and their unconditional bond. It details the ups and downs, the differences, and similarities of being a twin, and how being a twin is often much more meaningful than we could ever imagine. Twinning is an eye-opening episode that provides a fresh perspective on the mystery of the bond shared between twins.