Ask any 7 Little Johnstons fan group who their favorite sibling is, and you will get four different answers before lunch. Everybody has a favorite Johnston kid, everybody has a reason, and nobody agrees for long. With Season 18 premiering Tuesday, November 17 at 9pm ET/PT on TLC, the pecking order is shifting again. Here is our ranking of the four siblings carrying the show right now.
No. 1: Elizabeth — The Mom Era Changed Everything
Elizabeth Johnston, known to fans as Liz, sits at the top right now, and it is not close. She went from the daughter whose love story divided the family to the sibling with the most at stake: a wife, a mom to Leighton, and now expecting baby number two. TLC’s Season 18 announcement puts her pregnancy journey front and center, and the trailer has fans openly worried — and openly rooting — for her. Liz’s milestones feel like the whole family’s milestones, and that emotional gravity is why she holds the crown.
No. 2: Jonah — The Comeback Kid Fans Protect
Jonah Johnston has had the longest road, and fans have not forgotten it. The eldest sibling spent years as the family’s worry — the kid who moved out, moved back, and took his time finding his footing in car sales while being open about his anxiety. The show’s revelation that baby Jonah spent six weeks in the NICU reframed years of his parents’ protectiveness for many viewers. Now seven years into his relationship with Ashley, Jonah is the sibling fans defend hardest.
No. 3: Alex — The Jokester Growing Up in Public
Alex Johnston is the sibling fans watched grow up fastest — from the family jokester to a young man talking seriously about his future. His long-distance relationship with Allie Smith is one of the show’s steadiest storylines, and this week gave fans a new reason to cheer her on: according to reports, Allie earned the American FFA Degree, a top youth agriculture honor, and the family celebrated it. Alex has also spoken about hoping to get engaged next year, according to reports — an idea that split fans down the middle. Alex ranks third because his fan base is warm but watchful: everybody likes him, but everybody has an opinion about what he should do next.
No. 4: Emma — The Wild Card Fans Can’t Agree On
Emma Johnston is the hardest sibling to rank, which is exactly why she lands here. The youngest sibling, now 21, has built her own lane: a handmade jewelry business, a first job at a boutique, and a TikTok following of her own. She recently set the record straight herself, saying she does not have a boyfriend and is tired of the speculation. But she is also the sibling most likely to split a comments section: according to reports, fans read a recent Instagram Story — in which Emma called Jonah’s girlfriend her “other sister” — as a jab at the family’s ongoing rift. Others rushed to her defense, saying fans read far too much into a throwaway Story.
Why the Ranking Never Stays Put
The list never survives a season. Liz tops it today because she is becoming a mom again. Jonah climbed it because fans watched him grow up the hard way. Alex and Emma trade places every time one of them posts, speaks out, or steals a scene. The crown moves — so now it is your turn. Who tops YOUR ranking: Liz, Jonah, Alex or Emma? Drop your ranking below and make your case.
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