Andrew recommends Cheers

With a mammoth 275-episode count, a record-breaking finale, and more cast changes than Dancing with the Stars, Cheers has rightfully earned its place in pop culture history. Paradoxically, it seems, despite the endurance of the popular theme song, Cheers has recently been lost somewhere in history’s peripheral vision.Why isn’t this show syndicated on more popular networks?Why were DVD sales so poor?Why is its rating only an 8.1 on IMDB?Even the last few seasons that were released on DVD received bare-bones treatment and edited episodes filled with song replacements.

Cheers began in 1982 and debuted dead last in the ratings.Today’s TV executives would have kindly kicked the show to the curbside after just two or three episodes after such an embarrassing performance.Instead, thanks to the championing of NBC’s programming executive, the first season persevered and went on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.Gradually, the show built up its well-deserved audience (remaining in the top 10 for eight of its 11 seasons) and endured as a staple of Must-See-TV Thursday nights until its cancellation in 1993, when Ted Danson decided it was time to close up shop.

In spite of its talented cast and crew, and of NBC’s efforts, Cheers’ popularity rose mostly due to thundery romantic relationship between Sam and Diane, brilliantly played by Ted Danson and Shelley Long, respectively.Sam Malone, a former Red Sox pitcher and recovering alcoholic who owns and operates the basement bar, and Diane Chambers, his barmaid and perpetual student with a yearning to over analyze. Yes, this is the TV show that originated the will-they-or-won’t-they couple—paving the way for Maddie and David, Ross and Rachel, Niles and Daphne, Jim and Pam… the list is endless. Their story arc drives the first five seasons of the series, resulting in the best romantic couple to ever hit the small screen.The two bounce off some of the cleverest comebacks and share in some of the most viciously funny arguments and antics (especially when Frasier Crane enters, creating the mother of all love triangles) yet to be equaled by any romantic TV duo.

Anchored in this relationship, the rest of the show blushes with moments hinting to Neil Simon-type brilliance in terms of wit and intelligence.Diane tries her best to fit in with the lowbrow crowd of cruel and forever fertile waitress Carla Tortelli, mamma’s boy mailman Cliff Claven, and destined CPA loser Norm Petersen. And who can forget the dumb but loveable Coach, Sam’s former pitching coach, now working as Sam’s right-hand-bartender.

After refusing to renew her contract for a sixth season, Long bid farewell to the Boston pub and went on to an unfortunate (and sometimes underappreciated) film career.It was at the start of the sixth season that Kirstie Alley stepped onto the set as corporate tigress Rebecca Howe.Alley had big shoes to fill, but most would agree that she did the job.After all, the show stayed on NBC for another six seasons and went on to win more and more Emmys.

With a new female lead that didn’t attract as many storylines, the supporting characters on the set were given more breathing room to explore their characters.This new era of Cheers, unfortunately, isn’t anywhere near the level of quality the show achieved in years prior.The humor stands less refined, focusing more on wisecracks and gags than former comedic poignancy and highbrow references.The Diane years never underestimated the aptitude of its audience.With Rebecca, the ensemble feels like a bunch of bumbling over-the-hill duds pandering for one-liners and cheap jokes.Even Sam is left looking aged and, with his love interest gone, more pitiful.The only enduring characters that remain are psychiatrists Frasier and Lilith Crane—which easily explains why Kelsey Grammer was the one who received the spinoff that lasted an equally impressive eleven years. Perhaps this answers the question as to why DVD sales dipped towards the later end of the series, and why, even today, the network that airs the show on my cable carrier utilizes Sam and Diane to generate interest for reruns.

The Rebecca years feel more like a spin-off of the first five, rather than a continuation.Sam no longer owns the bar (though he later reclaims it in a later season in a ridiculous storyline). Diane is gone.Coach is gone (actor Nicholas Colasanto passed away towards the end of the third season, replaced by Woody Harrelson at the beginning of season four). It’s like when Mike and Gloria left for California and All in the Family became Archie Bunker’s Place.

Sam and Diane drive the energy of Cheers.If interested, watch the first 124 episodes.Diane makes an appearance in the shows memorable finale, giving us one last hope that Sam and Diane will tie the knot.For fans of the show, a viral video exists revealing an alternate ending with Sam and Diane actually going through with their wedding nuptuals at the end of season five.Many fans, myself included, stop watching reruns and Netflix episodes after Diane’s departure.It’s impossible to predict what may or may not have happened had Long stayed with the series.For us romantics, we can only harken to the wise verse Diane once quoted: “Of all the words of tongue or pen, no sadder are these…’It might have been.’”