Season 1
September 30, 1982 – March 31, 1983
Year-End Rating: 13.1 (75th place)

Some show info: The friendliest bar in Boston opens its doors to a comic assortment of chronic misfits and eccentric regulars in a first year written under the careful supervision of Glen Charles, Les Charles, and first-year co-producers Ken Levine and David Isaacs. Along with executive story editor David Lloyd, they will contribute the bulk of scripts for the first season.

The freshman year is produced by Glen Charles, James Burrows, and Les Charles. Burrows also directs every episode, as he will--with few exceptions--for each of the seasons to follow. Tim Berry is the series's associate producer.

1. Give Me a Ring Sometime

Originally Aired: September 30, 1982
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael McGuire, John P. Navin, Jr., Erik Holland, Ron Frazier

On the eve of her intended elopement, Diane Chambers sits on a Cheers barstool and watches her life crumble before her eyes.

"Where better than here to study life in all its facets?" Diane asks, rationalizing why she has stooped to accept Sam's offer of a job as a cocktail waitress. "People meet in bars, they part, they rejoice, they suffer, they come here to be with their own kind."

It's a flimsy rationale from a perennial student who is suddenly confronted with the fact that her entire life has prepared her for nothing more challenging than serving drinks in a bar. In her shallow appraisal of Cheers, Diane even misses the irony that Sam and the gang have offered her sanctuary--even though they have just met--while the man with whom she planned to spend her life didn't think twice about dumping her on their doorstep. Though she complains that her stay at Cheers is a form of purgatory, Diane, too, has come to Cheers to be with her own kind. She just doesn't know it yet.

2. Sam's Women

First Aired: October 7, 1982
Writer: Earl Pomerantz
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Donna McKechnie, Donnelly Rhodes, Angela Aames


Diane chides Sam for dating women of limited intellect; and a visitor to Cheers demands to speak to the former owner.

The show's producers were well acquainted with writer Earl Pomerantz from his many contributions to Taxi during their own tenure on the series.

3. The Tortelli Tort

First Aired: October 14, 1982
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Ron Karabatsos, Stephen Keep

Sam is slammed with a lawsuit after Carla assaults an outspoken Yankees fan who dared to wander into Cheers.

4. Sam at Eleven

First Aired: October 21, 1982
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Fred Dryer, Harry Anderson, Rick Dees, Julie Brown

During a TV interview with a local sportscaster, Sam reveals how much he misses the spotlight of his major-league days.

The loudmouth sportscaster was played by Fred Dryer, who, along with film star William Devane, had been a contender for the role of Sam Malone in Cheers's original casting sessions.

5. The Coach's Daughter

First Aired: October 28, 1982
Writer: Ken Estin
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Allyce Beasley, Philip Charles MacKenzie, Tim Cunningham

Coach meets his daughter's fiancé, an obnoxious salesman who's so thoroughly detestable that even the Coach can't stand him.

Philip Charles MacKenzie would become better known as the flighty Donald on Brothers, cable TV's first sitcom; and Allyce Beasley found much greater renown as Miss DiPesto, the gal Friday of Moonlighting.

6. Any Friend of Diane's

First Aired: November 4, 1982
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Julia Duffy, Macon McCalman

An old school chum of Diane's arrives at Cheers and hankers for an afternoon of lustful abandon with Sam.

Julia Duffy, who, along with film star Lisa Eichhorn, was one of the actresses considered for the part of Diane in the series's early development, soon landed the plumb role of Stephanie, the self-absorbed maid on Newhart.

7. Friends, Romans, Accountants
First Aired: November 11, 1982
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: James Read, Kenneth Kimmins, Peter Van Norden

After a disastrous office party at Cheers, Norm tries to score points with his boss by fixing him up with Diane.

Norm succeeds only in losing his job--which helps explain how he was able to spend so much time at the bar. Norm, Cheers's all-purpose underachiever, was based on a real-life guzzler Les Charles remembered from his days as a bartender in college.

8. Truce or Consequences

First Aired: November 18, 1982
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Jack Knight

Carla calls a truce with Diane to reveal a shocking secret.

9. The Coach Returns to Action

First Aired: November 25, 1982
Writer: Earl Pomerantz
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Murphy Cross

Sam participates in an unwitting rivalry with Coach when both have designs on the same woman.

10. Endless Slumper

First Aired: December 2, 1982
Writer: Sam Simon
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Christopher McDonald, Anne Haney

Sam becomes an accident-prone wreck after he lends his good-luck charm to a Red Sox pitcher who's stuck in a slump.

11. One for the Book

First Aired: December 9, 1982
Writer: Katharine Green
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Boyd Bodwell, Ian Wolfe

An aging doughboy holds a lonely World War I reunion in Cheers; and a novice monk comes looking for one last night of debauchery before he checks into the monastery.

12. The Spy Who Came in for a Cold One

First Aired: December 16, 1982
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Ellis Rabb, Robert Evan Collins, Kurtis Woodruff

The gang at Cheers copes with an inveterate liar who's convinced Diane that he's a poet, while Carla is certain he's really a spy.

13. Now Pitching: Sam Malone

First Aired: January 6, 1983
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Barbara Babcock, Luis Tiant, Richard Hill, Paul Vaughn

Sam feels used when an attractive theatrical agent lands him a string of lucrative commercial endorsements in exchange for his romantic favors.

After Diane and Sam debate the barkeeper's options, Coach arrives to offer Sam his own no-nonsense solution--along with a well-placed kick in the pants. For all his confusion, the simple-minded Coach was often the only person in Cheers capable of straightforward thought. Glen and Les Charles admitted that their model for Coach Ernie Pantusso was baseball's legendary Yogi Berra, who was also well known for the peculiar logic of his public utterances.

14. Let Me Count the Ways

First Aired: January 13, 1983
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Mark King, Jack Knight, Steve Hanafin

Distraught over the death of her housecat, Diane finds few shoulders to cry on at Cheers during a Celtics game.

The script, the first of many written by Rhea Perlman's sister, Heide, opens with a precredit "teaser" scene, as did every episode of the series. Here, Diane arrives, bursting with enthusiasm after attending an Indian film festival--only to leave screaming in abject defeat a moment later, after Coach and Carla describe their own favorite Indian film, Fort Apache. Given the soap-operatic overtones of the show's continuing narrative line, the producers designed the opening teaser as a hook that would serve as an instant introduction to the show and its characters for the uninitiated--a useful weapon in the uphill ratings battle the series faced during the first year.

15. Father Knows Last

First Aired: January 20, 1983
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Mark King, Jack Knight

Diane attempts to prevent an injustice when Carla schemes to convince an unwitting computer programmer that he's the father of her baby.

16. The Boys in the Bar

First Aired: January 27, 1983
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alan Autry, Harry Anderson, John Furey, Michael Kearns, Kenneth Tigar, Lee Ryan, Jack Knight, Tom Babson

After Sam publicly supports an old teammate who has just come out of the closet, the regulars are convinced that Cheers is turning into a trendy gay hangout.

17. Diane's Perfect Date

First Aired: February 10, 1983
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Derek McGrath, Gretchen Corbett, Doug Sheehan

Sam unwittingly fixes Diane up with a man who was just released from a prison for the criminally insane.

The date begins when the ex-offender refuses to eat in an Italian restaurant where he once killed a waitress--and goes downhill from there. Andy Andy would return to Cheers about once a year over the next few seasons.

18. No Contest

First Aired: February 17, 1983
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Charlie Stavola, Renee Gentry, Paul Vaughn, Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, Tessa Richarde, Sharon Peters

Diane attempts to sabotage the Miss Boston Barmaid contest after she discovers that Sam entered her in the competition without her knowledge.

The cameo appearance of Bostonian Cheers fan, Speaker of the House Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, was a stunt designed to draw attention--and viewers--to the show during the first fledgling season.

19. Pick a Con... Any Con

First Aired: February 24, 1983
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Harry Anderson, Reid Shelton

Sam convinces Cheers's resident con man to stage an elaborate sting to retrieve Coach's money from a traveling card shark.

Stand-up comic and magician Harry Anderson--soon to be the star of Night Court--was typecast as Harry the con man.

20. Someone Single, Someone Blue

First Aired: March 3, 1983
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Glynis Johns, Duncan Ross, Dean Dittman, Paul Willson

Diane and Sam plan a marriage of convenience to protect her mother's fortunes from a bizarre stipulation in her late father's will.

Diane's mother is played by British stage and film actress Glynis Johns, in the first Cheers episode scripted by David Angell, who would become one of the show's chief contributors.

21. Showdown (Part 1)

First Aired: March 24, 1983
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: George Ball, Alan Koss, Paul Vaughn, Deborah Shelton

Sam can't conceal his resentment of his visiting brother--a rich and talented charmer with something to offer everyone, especially Diane.

22. Showdown (Part 2)

First Aired: March 31, 1983
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Lois DeBanzie, Helen Page Camp, Peggy Kubena

Sam's brother sweeps Diane off her feet with an invitation to Paris, but the waitress finds it harder to leave Cheers than she imagined.

"We didn't want to have two people just flirting with each other ad infinitum," explained Les Charles. So he and his brother, Glen, planned this season's finale--a quirky cliff-hanger that ends with the lovers poised on the brink of consummating their season-long tryst. It's an unlikely romantic encounter that begins when Sam pledges his feelings under duress--Diane has threatened to run her fingernails on the chalkboard if he doesn't--and ends with the lovers locked in a violent embrace. At least for the time being.

Season 2
September 29, 1983 – May 10, 1984
Year-End Rating: 16.6 (34th place)

Sam and Diane's well-contained passion finally bubbles to the surface when the pair form a tentative romantic alliance during the second season. Once again, the producers are Glen Charles, James Burrows, and Les Charles. The second-year story editors are David Angell and Heide Perlman. David Lloyd serves as executive script consultant, a function he will serve throughout most of the show's remaining seasons.

23. Power Play
First Aired: September 29, 1983
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alan Koss, Paul Vaughn

The gang at Cheers doesn't hold much hope for Sam and Diane's newly blossomed romance after Sam returns to Cheers early on the night of their first date.

"You've made my life a living hell," Sam complains, brushing aside the stuffed toys that litter the scene of their intended carnal pleasure. "I didn't want you to think I was easy," Diane retorts, setting the comic tone for the bumpy romance that ensues throughout the second season. The show's loyal fans were delighted to see Sam and Diane in each other's arms at last, but the couple's petty insecurities and power plays nearly doom the affair before it's begun.

24. Little Sister, Don'tcha
First Aired: October 13, 1983
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Vaughn, Paul Willson, Jerry Prell

Cliff falls for Carla's identical twin, a mousy woman who's actually more like her sister than anyone guesses.

Early on, Coach proclaims Cheers "a romantic bar. As many people fall in love here as get sick." But before the night is over, it's Cliff and Norm who declare their devotion--to each other! After Norm warns Cliff away from Carla's sister, the bewildered postman confesses that Normie is the best friend he's ever had--though the two do stop short of actually hugging. As Cliff points out, it's not like Norm pulled him from a burning car or anything. Rhea Perlman also plays Carla's twin sister, Annette Lozupone.

25. Personal Business
First Aired: October 20, 1983
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows

Norm and Diane each decide to expand their horizons, but for very different reasons.

26. Homicidal Ham
First Aired: October 27, 1983
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Severn Darden, Derek McGrath, Paul Vaughn, Alan Koss

Andy Andy returns to Cheers with a new career goal--he wants to be an actor.

Diane's criminally maladjusted blind date is up to his old tricks when he performs a strikingly realistic interpretation of the murder scene from Othello, with Diane as his unsuspecting Desdemona.

27. Sumner's Return
First Aired: November 3, 1983
Writer: Michael J. Weithorn
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Michael McGuire

To compete with Diane's brainy former beau, Sam tries to finish War and Peace in five days.

28. Affairs of the Heart
First Aired: November 10, 1983
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Don Amendolia

Carla rebuffs her latest suitor, convinced that any guy who's interested in her must have something wrong with him.

29. Old Flames
First Aired: November 17, 1983
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Fred Dryer, Elizabeth McIvor

An overbearing sportscaster wagers that he can put an end to Sam and Diane's romance within twenty-four hours.

30. Manager Coach
First Aired: November 24, 1983
Writer: Earl Pomerantz
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Herb Mitchell, Elliott Scott, Corey Feldman, Martin Davis

Coach undergoes a startling personality transformation when he volunteers to manage a Little League team.

31. They Called Me Mayday
First Aired: December 1, 1983
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dick Cavett, Walter Olkewicz, Ed Quinlan
Dick Cavett inspires Sam to write his memoirs; and Norm fumes when Vera dates his old high-school rival.

Broke, unemployed, and homeless after his separation from Vera, Norm has evolved into an almost heroically pathetic character. At his lowest ebb, he actually takes up full-time residence in his home-away-from-home when he secretly camps out in Sam's office after closing hours.

32. How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Call You Back
First Aired: December 8, 1983
Writer: Earl Pomerantz
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Harry Anderson

Diane insists on a week's separation from Sam to allow them both time to reevaluate the depth of their commitment.

33. Just Three Friends
First Aired: December 15, 1983
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Markie Post

Diane refuses to believe that her best friend finds Sam completely irresistible.

34. Where There's a Will
First Aired: December 22, 1983
Writer: Nick Arnold
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: George Gaynes, Alan Koss

The gang at Cheers lifts the gloom of a terminally ill customer, and in return he leaves them $10,000 in a hastily scrawled will.

35. Battle of the Exes
First Aired: January 5, 1984
Writers: Ken Estin, Sam Simon
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem

Carla's insensitive ex-husband invites her to his wedding, which she attends with Sam in tow.

Dan Hedaya gives flesh to the previously only imagined horrors of Carla's ex-husband, Nick Tortelli, who would soon develop semi-regular status in the Cheers cosmos.

36. No Help Wanted
First Aired: January 12, 1984
Writer: Max Tash
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Barbra Horan

Feeling sorry for Norm, Sam reluctantly hires the unemployed accountant to do Cheers's income tax return.

37. And Coachie Makes Three
First Aired: January 19, 1984
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Eve Roberts

When Coach begins to spend his every waking moment with Sam and Diane, they decide to fix him up with an eligible woman of his own.

38. Cliff's Rocky Moment
First Aired: January 26, 1984
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Sam Scarber, Peter Iacangelo

Tired of hearing Cliff's opinions on everything under the sun, a Cheers patron finally challenges the verbose mailman to a fight.

39. Fortune and Men's Weights
First Aired: February 2, 1984
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Tim Cunningham

Diane worries that the uncanny predictions of an antique fortune-teller's scale might end the spell--and spell the end--for her and Sam.

The couple convince themselves that their fate rests on the very next card drawn from the fortune-teller's slot, but the cryptic legend reads, "Machine empty. Order more fortunes today." The screen goes black before they have time to comprehend the message, and we are left on our own to ponder their fate--at least for another week.

As the comedy traces the peaks and valleys in the continuing saga of Sam and Diane, their epic courtship begins to take on nearly operatic proportions. The show's creators admit a far greater debt to soap opera than Wagner, but still insist they never planned to carry the romance to such extremes when they started. "Initially there was no master plan," Glen Charles confessed, "but when it began to look like the show might actually stay on the air a second year, we knew we'd have to chart their relationship over a period of time. Now, at the start of every year, we sit down and figure out where we want Sam and Diane to be at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the season."

40. Snow Job
First Aired: February 9, 1984
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: James Gallery

Cliff is jealous of Norm's new friendship; and Sam concocts a far-fetched story so that he can slip away for a weekend skiing trip in Vermont.

41. Coach Buries a Grudge
First Aired: February 16, 1984
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows

Coach mourns the passing of an old friend until he discovers that the cad was once romantically involved with his wife.

42. Norman's Conquest
First Aired: February 23, 1984
Writer: Lissa Levin
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Anne Schedeen

The guys egg Norm into making a play for an attractive woman who's hired him to audit her books.

43. I'll Be Seeing You (Part 1)
First Aired: May 3, 1984
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Christopher Lloyd, Steve Giannelli

A temperamental artist offers to paint Diane's portrait, convinced that he can reveal the inner turmoil that Sam has inflicted on her soul.

Christopher Lloyd, late of Taxi, plays Philip Semenko, the haughty painter who comes between Sam and Diane.

44. I'll Be Seeing You (Part 2)
First Aired: May 10, 1984
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Christopher Lloyd

Diane jeopardizes her relationship with Sam when she poses for a portrait against his express wishes.

Once again, the Charles brothers script a darkly funny season finale. This one ends with the lovers pitched in a nose-pulling, slapstick standoff that's as harrowing as it is hilarious. "This is it!" Diane declares in comic desperation. "We have sunk as low as two human beings can sink. There is no degradation left!" Only after she's stormed out of Cheers for good does Sam allow himself to be taken in by the fragile melancholy of her oil portrait. In the episode's final, sad moment, the barman--who rebelled so violently against Diane's cultural superiority--now finds his only solace in the quiet appreciation of a work of art.

Season 3
September 27, 1984 – May 9, 1985
Year-End Rating: 19.7 (13th place)

Cheers's love story forms a triangle in the third season when Kelsey Grammer is introduced as Diane's new beloved, Dr. Frasier Crane. Producers for the third year are Ken Estin and Sam Simon; Heide Perlman is the season's executive story consultant; and David Angell serves as executive story editor. Glen Charles, James Burrows, and Les Charles will serve as executive producers for the remainder of the series's run.

45. Rebound (Part 1)
First Aired: September 27, 1984
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kelsey Grammer, Duncan Ross

Coach tries to reunite Sam and Diane after he sees the shambles their lives have become in the wake of their soured romance.

In flashback, Cliff reveals how Sam and Diane spent their summer vacation: Sam went back to the bottle and has emerged a boorish drunk, while Diane spent her hiatus in a rest home after a nervous breakdown. Though alcoholism and mental instability seem unlikely subjects for comedy, the wisecracking gang at Cheers keeps the bleaker aspects of this latest wrinkle in comic perspective. Diane also reveals a newly blossomed romance with her hapless psychoanalyst, Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammer--who makes his debut as Cheers's latest regular character in this episode. The character would, of course, eventually headline his own sitcom, Frasier, undoubtedly one of the most successful sitcom sequels of all time.

46. Rebound (Part 2)
First Aired: October 4, 1984
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: P.J. Soles, Kelsey Grammer

Diane's analyst helps Sam get back on the wagon; and Diane reluctantly returns to Cheers.

47. I Call Your Name
First Aired: October 18, 1984
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Sam Scarber

Frasier turns the tables on his patient when he seeks advice from Sam; and Cliff faces the wrath of a vengeful co-worker.

48. Fairy Tales Can Come True
First Aired: October 25, 1984
Writer: Sam Simon
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Bernadette Birkett

Cliff attends a masquerade party dressed as a suave ladykiller and discovers that sometimes clothes do make the man.

49. Sam Turns the Other Cheek
First Aired: November 1, 1984
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kim Lankford, Carmen Argenziano

Sam accidentally shoots himself in the rear while tussling with an irate husband and then builds his blunder into a tale of barside valor.

50. Coach in Love (Part 1)
First Aired: November 8, 1984
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Bette Ford, Ellen Regan

Coach and Sam make a play for a mother and daughter who wander into Cheers--and by the end of the evening, Coach finds himself engaged.

51. Coach in Love (Part 2)
First Aired: November 15, 1984
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Bette Ford

Coach refuses to believe that his new fiancée has dumped him just because she won a fortune in the state lottery.

52. Diane Meets Mom
First Aired: November 22,1984
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Nancy Marchand

Diane encounters unexpected wrath when she meets Frasier's mother for the first time.

53. An American Family
First Aired: November 29, 1984
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem

Carla is unexpectedly cooperative when her loutish ex-husband returns to demand custody of their son.

54. Diane's Allergy
First Aired: December 6, 1984
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows

Diane is convinced that the source of her sudden acute allergy can only be Frasier.

55. Peterson Crusoe
First Aired: December 13, 1984
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Howard Goodwin, Michael Griswold, John Marzilli

Diane bests Carla in an extemporaneous waitress competition; and Norm decides to chuck it all and start a new life in Bora Bora.

56. A Ditch in Time
First Aired: December 20, 1984
Writer: Ken Estin
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Carol Kane, Larry Harpel

Despite Diane's warnings, Sam gets involved with an unbalanced young woman who makes marriage plans after their very first date.

57. Whodunit?
First Aired: January 3, 1985
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: James Karen, Kelsey Grammer, Ernie Sabella

Frasier is appalled when one of his most respected colleagues admits that he's smitten with Carla.

After rebuffing the professor's advances and, finally, his proposal of marriage, the flinty barmaid offers a sad and sweet description of the white knight she's certain will one day walk through Cheers's door. Sweet, because it reveals the Tasmanian devil of a waitress as a misty-eyed dreamer; and sad, because--with a few minor adjustments--the man she describes could be Sam.

58. The Heart Is a Lonely Snipe Hunter
First Aired: January 10, 1985
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alan Koss, Tim Cunningham, Kelsey Grammer

Diane pressures the guys into taking Frasier along on a camping trip, where they can't resist having a little fun at the gullible psychiatrist's expense.

59. King of the Hill
First Aired: January 24, 1985
Writer: Elliot Shoenman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: John Hancock, David Paymer, Larry Harpel, Steve Giannelli

Sam reveals a vicious competitive streak when he returns to the mound in a charity ball game and then wages a marathon Ping-Pong match with Diane.

60. Teacher's Pet
First Aired: January 31, 1985
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows

While Coach studies diligently for a night school course, Sam discovers that his own grade-point average rises sharply once he begins dating the teacher.

61. The Mail Goes to Jail
First Aired: February 7, 1985
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Debi Richter, Troy Evans, Nick De Mauro, Al Rosen

Norm is charged with postal theft after he substitutes on Cliff's route as a favor to the ailing postman; and Diane gets wedged into a broken heating vent.

Trapping Diane in an air duct was one of the more creative solutions concocted to conceal Shelley Long's blooming pregnancy. The producers toyed with the idea of making Diane Chambers an unwed mother in the third season, until reason prevailed. "I don't think America would have stood for it," explained Glen Charles. "We figured Sam had to be the father, and the more we considered that, the less acceptable it seemed."

62. Behind Every Great Man
First Aired: February 21, 1985
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Alison La Placa

For his latest conquest, Sam sets his sights on an attractive reporter who's doing an in-depth survey of the Boston singles scene.

63. If Ever I Would Leave You
First Aired: February 28, 1985
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem

After his new wife dumps him to go on tour with a singing group called the Grinning Americans, Carla's ex-husband turns over a new leaf to win the waitress back.

64. The Executive Executioner
First Aired: March 7, 1985
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Richard Roat, Larry Harpel

After Norm is charged with the task of firing one of his fellow employees, he discovers a hidden talent as a corporate hatchet man.

65. Bar Bet
First Aired: March 14, 1985
Writer: Jim Parker
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael Richards, Laurie Walters, Thomas W. Babson

In the aftermath of a long-forgotten drunken bet, Sam stands to lose Cheers unless he can meet--and marry--Jacqueline Bisset by midnight.

66. Cheerio Cheers
First Aired: April 11, 1985
Writer: Sam Simon
Director: James Burrows

Diane decides to leave Cheers when Frasier is offered a job at the University of Bologna.

In a scene that generated more erotic heat than is usually registered on a situation comedy, Sam bids Diane farewell with a good-bye embrace that neither is anxious to release. Though the couple's separation bore the earmarks of classic melodrama, Diane's sudden trip to Europe was actually motivated by the writers' desire to conceal the actress's problematic pregnancy. "We thought it would be easier to sit her down behind sidewalk cafés," confides producer Glen Charles.

67. The Bartender's Tale
First Aired: April 18, 1985
Writer: Sam Simon
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Lila Kaye, Camilla More, Rhonda Shear, Tim Cunningham

To avoid any more on-the-job romantic entanglements, Carla insists that Sam hire a dowdy older woman as Cheers's new waitress.

68. The Belles of Saint Clete's
First Aired: May 2, 1985
Writer: Ken Estin
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Camila Ashland, Kate Zentall

Carla is hot for revenge when the high school teacher who once made her life miserable wanders into Cheers.

69. Rescue Me
First Aired: May 9, 1985
Writer: Ken Estin
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Martin Ferrero, James V. Christy, Dan Galliani, Susan Kase

Diane calls from Europe, hoping that Sam will talk her out of accepting Frasier's sudden marriage proposal.

Year-End Rating: 23.7 (5th place)


In the fourth year, Woody Harrelson joins Cheers's cast as the new bartender, Woody Boyd. Peter Casey and David Lee are the season's producers, along with Heide Perlman and David Angell. Writers Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner are the executive story consultants for season four.



70 Birth, Death, Love, and Rice First Aired: September 26, 1985
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Woody Harrelson


Sam tracks Diane to a convent, where she's taken to scrubbing floors in penance for the reckless debauchery of her recent European spree.


Frasier Crane, dumped by Diane and now at his lowest ebb, has finally earned a place at Cheers, where he will spend the better part of the fourth season nursing his wounds.



71 Woody Goes Belly Up First Aired: October 3, 1985
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Amanda Wyss


Woody begins a mysterious eating binge after his hometown girlfriend pays a surprise visit.


After Nick Colasanto's death in the third season, the producers tackled the delicate challenge of replacing the well-loved actor who had become firmly identified with the role of Cheers's bartender. Newcomer Harrelson's Woody Boyd bore little outward resemblance to Colasanto. Yet, like the Coach before him, the new bartender provided Cheers with a marshmallow center that took the sting off the show's occasionally bitter sarcasm. As Les Charles observed, "Our humor tends to have a hard edge. On Cheers, if you take that sweet and innocent guy away, it gets a little dark in the bar."



72 Someday My Prince Will Come First Aired: October 17, 1985
Writers: Tom Seeley, Norman Gunzenhauser
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Frank Dent


After she creates a lively fantasy life about the owner of a lost jacket, Diane rashly arranges a blind date with her imagined Prince Charming.



73 The Groom Wore Clearasil First Aired: October 24, 1985
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Timothy Williams, Mandy Ingber, John Ingle, Sherilyn Fenn


Carla hopes that the allure of Sam's bachelor lifestyle will dissuade her teenage son from his premature marriage plans.



74 Diane's Nightmare First Aired: October 31, 1985
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Derek McGrath, Nancy Cartwright


Diane dreams that the ex-con who once tried to strangle her is hiding out in Cheers's cellar.


The long-running saga of Andy Andy apparently comes to an end when the maladjusted murderer returns to Cheers as a healthy and honorable citizen. Alas, as it turns out, the unlikely events are merely part of a dream-within-a-dream that also features Diane's unlikely fantasy of Sam as a culture vulture with a pipe and smoking jacket.



75 I'll Gladly Pay You Tuesday First Aired: November 7, 1985
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: William Lanteau


Sam is understandably upset when Diane borrows $500, only to squander the cash on an Ernest Hemingway first edition.



76 2 Good 2 Be 4 Real First Aired: November 14, 1985
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael Alaimo, Don Lewis


The guys concoct an imaginary lonely hearts pen pal for Carla, but the ruse backfires when she rejects a real life prospect in favor of her dream date.



77 Love Thy Neighbor First Aired: November 21, 1985
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Miriam Flynn, Ernie Sabella, John F. Dryer, Carolyn Ann Clark


Norm and his neighbor's wife jump to conclusions about their spouses; and Diane is incensed when Sam describes her as his "former love bunny" on a radio show.


Even when confronted with his wife's adultery, Norm maintains his usual aplomb, though he does eventually leave his barstool--a sure sign of emotional upheaval for the uncommonly sedentary drinker. The burly accountant actually reveals a wistful side when he tells Woody a tender anecdote about the football game where he first set eyes on the cheerleader he would one day marry. But Woody is more interested in who won the game--a gag, typical of Cheers, that undercuts the sentiment at the precise moment before it grows leaden.


David Angell's script is refreshing in another way. Somehow, he's fashioned a script about adultery without resorting to any of the idiotic clichés that have rescued errant sitcom wives from their husbands' wrath since the dawn of the cathode ray tube: Vera wasn't secretly planning Norm's surprise party; she wasn't mistakenly overheard rehearsing lines from a play; nor was the man she'd been seeing really a TV producer planning to spotlight Norm on This Is Your Life. She actually was planning to cheat on poor Norm, but everything is resolved so that Norm, Vera, and the neighbor's wife are all allowed their full measure of dignity.



78 From Beer to Eternity First Aired: November 28, 1985
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Joel Polis


When Woody freezes up during the crucial frame of the Cheers bowling tournament, Diane takes it upon herself to rescue the bar's wounded pride.



79 The Barstoolie First Aired: December 5, 1985
Writers: Andy Cowan, David S. Williger
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dick O'Neill, Claudia Cron


Diane joins Sam and his new girlfriend on their first date; and Cliff is reunited with his long-lost father.



80 Don Juan Is Hell First Aired: December 12, 1985
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kenneth Tigar, Steve Minor


Sam is flattered when Diane's psychology class observes him as a case study in modern human sexuality.



81 Fools and Their Money First Aired: December 19, 1985
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Al Rosen


Inspired by his success in the Cheers football pool, Woody bets his entire life savings on an impossible long shot.



82 Take My Shirt, Please First Aired: January 9, 1986
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Robert Symonds, Frances Bey


Sam's ego takes a beating when he donates his retired baseball jersey to a charity auction--and no one bids on it.



83 Suspicion First Aired: January 16, 1986
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Hamilton Camp


As part of her latest psychology experiment, Diane dupes the gang at Cheers--and then faces the anxiety of awaiting their certain revenge.



84 The Triangle First Aired: January 23, 1986
Writer: Susan Seeger
Director: James Burrows


To lift Frasier's sagging spirits from a deep depression, Sam and Diane agree to pose as lovers once more--with dire consequences.



85 Cliffie's Big Score First Aired: January 30, 1986
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows


Cliff's in double trouble when Diane and Carla each consents to be his date for the mailman's ball.



86 Second Time Around First Aired: February 6, 1986
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: Tom Lofaro
Guest Stars: Jennifer Tilly, Bebe Neuwirth, Lou Fant


Sam's campaign to salvage Frasier's shrinking self-respect takes an unexpected turn after the bartender fixes him up with a woman who is guaranteed to be a sure thing.



87 The Peterson Principle First Aired: February 13, 1986
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Chip Zien, Daniel Davis


Norm discovers that a co-worker is having an affair with the boss's wife and wonders if he should use the information to gain a promotion.



88 Dark Imaginings First Aired: February 20, 1986
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Pamela Bach, Tim Dunigan, Christine Dickinson Lisa Vice, Jeré Fields


Sam refuses to acknowledge that he's not as spry as he once was, until he lands in the hospital from injuries he got on the racquetball court.



89 Save the Last Dance for Me First Aired: February 27, 1986
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem, Hal Landon, Jr., Nick Dimitri, Sinara Stull


Carla wants to win a dance contest in her old neighborhood so badly that she's willing to consider a temporary reunion with her ex-husband, Nick Tortelli.


The writers frequently alluded to Carla's Terpsichorean passion--an enthusiasm shared by actress Rhea Perlman, who regularly devoted one lunch hour a week to tap-dance lessons on the studio lot.



90 Fear Is My Co-Pilot First Aired: March 13, 1986
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Joseph Whipp


Sam and Diane get a chance to live dangerously when a daredevil pilot abandons them at the controls of his plane in midair.



91 Diane Chambers Day First Aired: March 20, 1986
Writer: Kimberly Hill
Director: James Burrows


To brighten Diane's spirits, the gang at Cheers grudgingly attends an evening at the opera.



92 Relief Bartender First Aired: March 27, 1986
Writer: Miriam Trogdon
Director: James Burrows


Sam takes on a new bartender and then reluctantly gives Woody notice when he discovers that he can't afford to keep them both.



93 Strange Bedfellows (Part 1) First Aired: May 1, 1986
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kate Mulgrew, David Paymer, Max Wright, Brad Burlingame, Carolyn Ann Clark, Mike Hagerty


Carla and Diane are each concerned when Sam's fling with a brash lady politician starts to develop into something more serious.


Diane had good reason to fret: Kate Mulgrew's Janet Eldridge was the first woman to pose a real threat to her relationship with Sam. "We wanted Sam genuinely involved with someone other than Diane," explained writer Glen Charles. "Rather than just having them say they loved each other, we let it run three episodes so that it would mean a little more."



94 Strange Bedfellows (Part 2) First Aired: May 8, 1986
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kate Mulgrew, David Paymer, Max Wright, Senator Gary Hart


Janet reveals a jealous streak when she insists that Sam fire Diane and sever his ties with the barmaid once and for all.


The character of strong, confident Janet Eldridge brings out colors we hadn't before seen in Diane--or in Carla either. Rarely have our sympathies for Diane been so deeply felt as when we spy her huddling under the bar after she overhears Sam's resolution to dump her--abandoned and painfully alone. Oddly, Sam echoes a similar emotion in the show's closing moments. After Diane has made the first of her grand exits, he cranes his neck for one last, longing glance at the woman who has haunted his every waking hour for the previous four years.



95 Strange Bedfellows (Part 3) First Aired: May 15, 1986
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kate Mulgrew, David Paymer


After Sam and Diane create a public scene during Janet's press conference, the councilwoman develops serious doubts about her future with the bartender.


Diane stages her most grandiose exit yet in a scene that slyly encapsulates the slapstick sadomasochism that has plagued their relationship from the start. As the TV cameras roll, Diane storms out of the bar--dragging Sam after her by the neck--before she abruptly slams the door on him, and Cheers, forever.


Or at least until the start of the next season.


In the show's final moments, Sam picks up the phone to tender a weary marriage proposal to the unseen voice on the other end. Of course, the cliff-hanger leaves us dangling--but few fans of the show were surprised at the top of the fifth year when Sam greeted Diane to replay for another season the sublime agony that only those two seemed to understand.

Year-End Rating: 27.2 (3rd place)


After her fourth-season debut in the role of Frasier's flinty romantic foil, Dr. Lilith Sternin, Bebe Neuwirth becomes a permanent fixture at the bar in season five, which opens with Sam's ill-fated proposal of marriage to Diane--and ends, not surprisingly, with Sam and Diane more than a few steps shy of their proposed trip down the aisle. David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee are producers for year five, which is co-produced by Tim Berry. Prominent members of the show's writing staff for the season include executive script consultant Bob Ellison, executive story consultants Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner, story editors Janet Leahy, Phoef Sutton, and Jeff Abugov, and creative consultant Tom Tenowich.



96 The Proposal First Aired: September 25, 1986
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows


The gang at Cheers tries to guess the identity of Sam's fiancée-to-be; and the anxious bartender looks for the perfect spot to pop the question once again.



97 The Cape Cad First Aired: October 2, 1986
Writers: Andy Cowan, David Williger
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Brenda Strong, William Garson, Don Perry, Sid Conrad, Kathryn White


Diane develops second thoughts about spurning Sam's marriage proposal after she discovers that he plans to spend a romantic weekend with another woman.



98 Money Dearest First Aired: October 9, 1986
Writer: Janet Leahy
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Richard Erdman, Paul Willson, Tom Babson


Hoping to find a quick end to his own financial woes, Cliff fixes his mother up with a wealthy suitor.


Broadway star Frances Sternhagen logs the first of many appearances in the role of Cliff's canny old mom, Esther Clavin. Though the actress had by then appeared in a number of feature films--including a memorable turn in 1981's Outland, which also featured John Ratzenberger in a small role--Sternhagen's reputation rested primarily on her New York stage work, which included starring roles in the Broadway productions of On Golden Pond, Equus, and The Good Doctor, among many others. According to Cheers producer Peter Casey, the show's cast and creative staff were justifiably proud that Cheers was so frequently able to attract actors of Sternhagen's stature to its guest cast list. "The show was so well-respected," recalls Casey, "that we found out we could get actors of an extremely high caliber to play these parts when they'd come up." Indeed, in the show's later years, Cheers casting director Jeff Greenberg would come to rely increasingly on Broadway-trained actors such as Keene Curtis, Harvey Fierstein, Marilyn Cooper, and Sada Thompson to fill the show's constant demand for solid guest stars and supporting players.



99 Abnormal Psychology First Aired: October 16, 1986
Writer: Janet Leahy
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Richard Herkert, Steve Giannelli, Alan Koss, Tim Cunningham


Frasier is distraught to discover that his opponent on a TV debate is to be none other than Dr. Lilith Sternin, an overbearing colleague whom he once dated.


According to producer Peter Casey, the addition of Bebe Neuwirth to the show's regular cast was a foregone conclusion from the moment the actress walked on stage for a short scene in the fourth-year episode "Second Time Around." "I don't think her scene was more than two or three pages," notes Casey, recalling Neuwirth's earliest appearance in the role of Dr. Lilith Sternin. "But she and Frasier were just funny right off the bat. Her deadpan delivery of everything in this sort of emotionless analytic tone was just perfect. So we brought her back for this second episode, which was also very funny. And by that time we knew we really had something going there."



100 House of Horrors with Formal Dining and Used Brick First Aired: October 30, 1986
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows


Carla discovers that the house she bought on Cliff's recommendation may be haunted.



101 Tan 'n Wash First Aired: November 6, 1986
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Steve Giannelli


The Cheers gang seems headed for financial disaster after they invest in Norm's latest business venture, a combination coin-op laundry and tanning salon.



102 Young Doctor Weinstein First Aired: November 13, 1986
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kristi Somers, Dennis Robertson, Barry Laws, Joseph Kell, Julian Barnes, Josh Clark, Paul Lukather, Melinda Cordell, J.J. Wall


In his desperation to impress Diane, Sam is reduced to impersonating a prominent surgeon in order to snag dinner reservations at an exclusive Boston restaurant.



103 Knights of the Scimitar First Aired: November 20, 1986
Writer: Jeff Abugov
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: J. Eddie Peck, Stephen Vinovich, Bill DeLand


Cliff nominates Norm for membership in his lodge; and Sam is skeptical of Diane's claim that she's met a handsome new suitor.



104 Thanksgiving Orphans First Aired: November 27, 1986
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows


Norm's skill in the culinary arts proves somewhat lacking when he's pressed into service as chef at the gang's ill-fated Thanksgiving feast.



105 Everyone Imitates Art First Aired: December 4, 1986
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Michael Holden


Diane is sick with envy when a poetry journal that has repeatedly rejected her work agrees to publish Sam's first poem.



106 The Book of Samuel First Aired: December 11, 1986
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Amanda Wyss, Katherine McGrath, John Brace, Pamela Hedges, Barbara Chase, Steve Giannelli


Diane plots to make Woody's hometown sweetheart jealous after the fickle girlfriend arrives at Cheers with her new fiancé in tow.



107 Dance, Diane, Dance First Aired: December 18, 1986
Writer: Jeff Abugov
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Marilyn Lightstone, Dan Gerrity


Frasier's efforts to shield Diane from her ballet teacher's criticism backfire when the deluded barmaid decides to quit her job and pursue a full-time career as a dancer.



108 Chambers v. Malone First Aired: January 8, 1987
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Troupe, Tom Babson, Hugh Maguire, Glen Vernon, Michael Keys Hall


Sam winds up facing assault charges after Diane rejects his latest proposal of marriage.



109 Diamond Sam First Aired: January 15, 1987
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Al Rosen


Sam assumes that he's saved a bundle when he buys a cut-rate copy of the engagement ring that Diane's had her eye on, though he soon discovers that the cheaper bauble was no bargain.



110 Spellbound First Aired: January 22, 1987
Writer: Kimberly Hill
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem


Carla referees a marital dispute between her ex-husband and his wife, Loretta, who's decided that she's ready to dump the philandering Lothario once and for all.


When it was first broadcast, "Spellbound" was intended to serve as an unofficial introduction to The Tortellis, a short-lived Cheers spinoff that premiered in the time slot immediately following this episode's original network airing. But in spite of the auspicious circumstances surrounding its launch, The Tortellis soon proved a disappointment to all involved, and the series was quickly canceled--with few regrets--at the end of a single half-season on the air.



111 Never Love a Goalie (Part 1) First Aired: January 29, 1987
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Marc Arnott


Carla falls for the star goalie of the Boston Bruins hockey team; and Diane serves jury duty in a murder trial.


Los Angeles radio personality Jay Thomas joins the cast in the recurring role of hockey star Eddie LeBec, who would continue to make occasional appearances on the show through the end of the seventh season. A few years later, Thomas would land a starring role on Love & War, which would premiere on CBS in the fall of 1992.



112 Never Love a Goalie (Part 2) First Aired: February 5, 1987
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Brent Spiner, Suzanne Collins, William B. Jackson, Laura Waterbury, Linda Hoy


Superstitious Carla is convinced that she's the cause of Eddie's losing streak; and the defendant in Diane's murder trial pays a visit to Cheers.


The defendant in Diane's murder trial is played by Brent Spiner, who would soon discover far greater celebrity in the role of Lieutenant Commander Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which would premiere in first-run syndication in October, 1987.



113 One Last Fling First Aired: February 12, 1987
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tim Holland, Peter Schreiner, Marc Arnott, Tim Cunningham, Steve Giannelli, Larry Harpel, Alan Koss, Hugh Maguire


Diane grants Sam twenty-four hours to sow the last of his wild oats as an unattached bachelor.



114 Dog Bites Cliff First Aired: February 18, 1987
Writer: Joanne Pagliaro
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Anita Morris, Steve Giannelli


Cliff thinks twice about suing the attractive owner of a dog that took a nip at him; and Diane prepares to spend a week of quiet meditation at a Buddhist monastery.



115 Dinner at Eight-ish First Aired: February 26, 1987
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Al Rosen, Doris Grau, Zetta Whitlow


Frasier and Lilith celebrate their first week of successful cohabitation by inviting Sam and Diane to join them for an ill-fated evening of dinner and conversation.



116 Simon Says First Aired: March 5, 1987
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: John Cleese, Ray Underwood


Diane is only too eager to seek prenuptial advice from an eminent marriage counselor, until he reveals his prognosis for her future life with Sam.


According to producer Peter Casey, who co-wrote "Simon Says" with his partner, David Lee, former Monty Python mainstay John Cleese created quite a stir in the show's executive offices when he made it known that he was interested in appearing on an episode of Cheers. "Glen and Les and Jimmy were huge fans of Fawlty Towers," explains Casey, "so they were thrilled to have him on the show." The episode, which was tailor-made to suit the considerable comic abilities of its guest star, is thought by many to be among the show's very best. "It was one of my all-time favorites," admits Casey. "We all really enjoyed that one." And apparently, the show's creative staff wasn't alone in their positive assessment of the episode--the following September, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences would voice their approval by awarding Cleese an Emmy Award for his performance in this episode.



117 The Godfather, Part III First Aired: March 19, 1987
Writers: Chris Cluess, Stuart Kreisman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Cady McClain, Joe Colligan, Al Rosen


Sam is certain that he's entrusted his goddaughter to a perfect gentleman when he allows Woody to take her out on the town--a decision he soon comes to regret.



118 Norm's First Hurrah First Aired: March 26, 1987
Writers: Andy Cowan, David S. Williger
Director: Thomas Lofaro
Guest Stars: Tegan West, Neil Zevnik


Norm's extravagant descriptions of his new job fall under unexpectedly close scrutiny when the gang decides to pay him a surprise visit at work.



119 Cheers: The Motion Picture First Aired: April 2, 1987
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Tim Berry
Guest Stars: Doris Grau, Al Rosen


The gang shoots an improbably upbeat home movie of Woody's life at Cheers as a sop to the barman's skeptical small-town parents.



120 A House is Not a Home First Aired: April 30, 1987
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Billie Bird, Douglas Seale, Stephanie Walski, Marc Smollin, Stefanie Mason, Lou Bonacki, Penny Krompier


Sam and Diane buy their dream house, only to discover that it comes already furnished with another couple's dreams.



121 I Do, Adieu First Aired: May 7, 1987
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael McGuire, Walter Addison, Steve Giannelli


Sam and Diane's matrimonial plans are foiled by the eleventh-hour return of Diane's old beau, Dr. Sumner Sloan, who arrives with a tempting proposition for his former student.


Buoyed by the positive reception to her breakthrough performance opposite Bette Midler in the 1987 feature Outrageous Fortune, Shelley Long made the decision to leave her role on Cheers at the close of show's fifth season, a move that was designed to allow the actress more time to devote to her burgeoning big-screen career. In response, the show's writers crafted this fifth-year closer, which features the return of Diane's one-time mentor, Sumner Sloan, who arrives to tempt the barmaid away with the promise of a book contract. And so, it is not with a bang but a whimper that Diane Chambers finally abandons the security of that charmed circle where everybody knows her name, ready at last to face the grand challenges that she imagines await her beyond the bar's swinging doors.


It was an extremely clever exit premise, not least because it left the door open just wide enough to justify Diane's return should the show's producers ever want--or need--to bring the character back. And, according to producer Peter Casey, the inevitability of Diane's return in the series's final episode was an all but foregone conclusion in the minds of executive producers Jim Burrows and Glen and Les Charles. "I think they did want to leave that door open," recalls Casey, "if only because they were far-sighted enough to know that when they finally did wrap the show, they knew they were going to want to wrap things up with Diane, too."

Year-End Rating: 23.4 (3rd place)


Kirstie Alley arrives in the role of bar manager Rebecca Howe at the start of season six, thus inaugurating a new era in the show's narrative evolution--an era that is launched under the watchful gaze of Cheers creators Glen Charles, James Burrows, and Les Charles, who will continue to serve as the show's executive producers throughout the remaining seasons. Other prominent architects of the show's sixth-season refurbishing include returning producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee, executive script consultants Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner, creative consultant David Lloyd, executive script consultant Bob Ellison, and executive story editor Phoef Sutton. Tim Berry returns as the show's co-producer, and Mary Fukuto moves into the role of associate producer, a position she will maintain throughout the remainder of the show's long run.



122 Home Is the Sailor First Aired: September 24, 1987
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Jonathan Stark, Al Rosen, Steve Giannelli


Broke and depressed, Sam returns home from an ill-fated sailing trip to discover that his beloved watering hole is no longer the place it once was.


Upon his return to Cheers, the bartender has difficulty figuring out what to make of the bar's new no-nonsense manager--a quandary that had the show's writers equally stymied. "When Glen and Les Charles wrote the first episode with Kirstie," notes sixth-season producer Peter Casey, recalling the writing staff's difficult acclimation to the show's latest addition, "they saw Rebecca as a very cool character, a strong woman--or at least someone who put up the façade of being a strong businesswoman." Perhaps a little too strong, suggests Casey, who recalls that, as initially envisioned, Rebecca's steely edges made the character a less-than-perfect match for the more relaxed comic atmosphere that prevailed at the bar. "To be really honest," admits Casey, "we were having trouble figuring out where we were gonna plumb the humor from this character after the first five episodes that she was in."


To their great relief, explains Casey, the writers finally experienced a major breakthrough in their understanding of the character a few weeks later, during production of the season's sixth episode, "Paint Your Office." "There's a scene in that one where Rebecca finally opens up to Norm. They have a nice little chat, and you finally see that there is a soft side to her character. Once we saw that Rebecca was indeed a little insecure about what she was doing, the character started to open up."


In the view of Cheers writer Dan Staley, who would join the show's writing staff in season eight, the most significant element in Rebecca's comic evolution fell into place only after the show's producers discovered--and quickly learned to exploit--their leading lady's unique facility for stage crying. "At some point," observes Staley, "they discovered that Kirstie could cry a hundred different ways--all of them very funny. That's when they found out that Kirstie was actually very good at playing slapstick. And that's when they began to retool the character to fit these new colors." And so began a character evolution that would, as Staley notes, eventually prove quite dramatic. "If you look at the Rebecca character toward the end of the show and compare her to the character that was introduced in the sixth season, it's almost like you're seeing two different people."



123 "I" On Sports First Aired: October 1, 1987
Writers: David Isaacs, Ken Levine
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Fred Dryer, Catherine MacNeal, J. Stephen Coyle


Sam jeopardizes his already tenuous standing at Cheers when he accepts an opportunity to moonlight as a TV sportscaster.


Fred Dryer reprises his role as sportscaster Dave Richards, a character who first appeared on one of the show's earliest episodes. Since losing the part of Sam Malone to Ted Danson in the show's original casting sessions, Dryer had become well-known to prime-time audiences as the star of NBC's long-running adventure series Hunter.



124 Little Carla, Happy at Last (Part 1) First Aired: October 15, 1987
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Timothy Williams, Mandy Ingber, Janet Brandt


Carla and Eddie's wedding plans appear to be jinxed after the superstitious pair accidentally catch sight of each other before the ceremony.



125 Little Carla, Happy at Last (Part 2) First Aired: October 22, 1987
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Timothy Williams, Mandy Ingber, Ron Husmann


Sam is determined to defy the jinx that's cast a pallor over Carla's wedding plans; and Rebecca anxiously awaits the arrival of the bar's corporate manager.



126 The Crane Mutiny First Aired: October 29, 1987
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Ralph Peduto, Tim Cunningham, Alan Koss


Norm and Cliff convince a gullible Frasier that Rebecca has designs on him.



127 Paint Your Office First Aired: November 5, 1987
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows


Norm begins to see Rebecca in a more sympathetic light after he moves behind the scenes to paint her private office.



128 The Last Angry Mailman First Aired: November 12, 1987
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Kevin Dunn, Don Sparks


Cliff vows to defend his house from the wrecker's ball, despite his mother's apparent eagerness to let the bricks fall where they may.



129 Bidding on the Boys First Aired: November 19, 1987
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: Thomas Lofaro
Guest Stars: Sharon Barr, Gary Beach


Sam and Woody are talked into offering themselves up as bachelors-for-bid at a Cheers charity auction.



130 Pudd'n Head Boyd First Aired: November 26, 1987
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Anne Pitoniak, John Paragon, Brigitte


Amateur thespian Woody is delighted to land the part of Mark Twain, until he discovers that his convincing portrayal has attracted the attentions of an elderly patron at Cheers.



131 A Kiss Is Still a Kiss First Aired: December 3, 1987
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Harry Anderson


Rebecca calls on Sam to serve as her escort when she attends her boss's latest corporate bash.


Night Court star Harry Anderson returns in his occasional role as the bar's resident flim-flam man, Harry the Hat. The episode also features Tom Skerritt's debut as Rebecca's unrequited love interest, Evan Drake. An actor best-known for playing offbeat leading men in such films as M*A*S*H and Alien, Skerritt would eventually earn an Emmy award for his portrayal of small-town sheriff Jimmy Brock on the CBS drama series Picket Fences.



132 My Fair Clavin First Aired: December 10, 1987
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Karen Akers, Philip Arthur Ross


Cliff gives his date a beauty makeover that proves more effective than either of them expected; and Rebecca's nerves get frayed after she resolves to quit smoking.



133 Christmas Cheers First Aired: December 17, 1987
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Directors: James Burrows, Thomas Lofaro
Guest Stars: Jayne Modean, Harry Frazier, Michael Donavon O'Donnell, Hal Havins, Joseph V. Perry


Seasonal Santa Norm gathers a gaggle of his unruly fellow Kringles at Cheers; and Sam searches for an eleventh-hour gift for Rebecca.



134 Woody for Hire Meets Norman of the Apes First Aired: January 7, 1988
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Tim Berry
Guest Stars: Robert Urich, Paddi Edwards, Betty Vaughn


Cliff enlists an orangutan's help in making a monkey of Norm; and Woody tries to convince his skeptical pals at the bar that he's landed a role on Spenser: For Hire.


Spenser: For Hire star Robert Urich appears as himself.



135 And God Created Woodman First Aired: January 14, 1988
Writer: Jeffrey Duteil
Director: John Ratzenberger
Guest Stars: Peter Hansen, Jude Mussetter


Havoc ensues when Rebecca hires Sam and Woody to help out at a fancy dinner party that she's catering for her company's chairman of the board.



136 Tale of Two Cuties First Aired: January 21, 1988
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: Michael Zinberg
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Mandy Ingber, Timothy Williams, Bobbie Eakes, Paul Willson


A love-struck Annie Tortelli fills in for her mother-in-law during Carla's latest maternity leave.



137 Yacht of Fools First Aired: February 4, 1988
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Thomas Lofaro
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Dorothy Parke, Tom Astor, Eddie Frierson, Dominic Hoffman


Sam entertains fantasies of romance on the high seas when he and Rebecca set sail for a weekend cruise on Evan Drake's yacht.



138 To All the Girls I've Loved Before First Aired: February 11, 1988
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Karen Witter, Deke Anderson, Peter Schreiner, Hugh Maguire, Tom Babson


Frasier wrestles with a bad case of cold feet on the eve of his marriage.



139 Let Sleeping Drakes Lie First Aired: February 18, 1988
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Cec Verrell, Jay Bell


When Evan Drake hires Norm to paint his bedroom, Rebecca spots a golden opportunity to indulge in a little judicious snooping.



140 Airport V First Aired: February 25, 1988
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: George Wendt
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Peter Elbling, Robert Starr, Carol Navratil, Pete Gonneau, Michelle Davidson, Peter Schreiner, Tom Babson, Al Rosen, Copper Neal


Frasier tries to cure Carla's fear of flying; and Rebecca frets over an important restaurant critic's review of the bar.



141 The Sam in the Gray Flannel Suit First Aired: March 3, 1988
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: Tim Berry
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Pamela Bowen, Vincent Howard, George Shannon


Rebecca is dismayed to discover that Evan Drake has offered Sam an executive promotion that she'd had her eye on.



142 Our Hourly Bread First Aired: March 10, 1988
Writer: Susan Herring
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Thomas Ryan, Ron Boussom, Erik Menyuk


When Rebecca pleads poverty in answer to Sam and Woody's request for a raise, the bartenders resolve to improve the bar's financial profile by organizing a raffle.



143 Slumber Party Massacred First Aired: March 24, 1988
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Elizabeth Ruscio, Mandy Ingber, Timothy Williams, Cynthia Songe


Rebecca and Lilith stage a slumber party in an ill-fated attempt to lift Carla's sagging spirits.



144 Bar Wars First Aired: March 31, 1988
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Wade Boggs, Robert Desiderio, Tom Rosqui, Greg Collins, Phil Morris


The Cheers regulars recruit Boston Red Sox player Wade Boggs to help them wrest the bar's prized bowling trophy back from their arch-rivals at Gary's Old Towne Tavern.


The show's otherwise nearly unblemished record of casting continuity was slightly tarnished when the producers cast actor Robert Desiderio in the role of Gary for this episode, despite the fact the character had been played by a different actor--Joel Polis--in an earlier episode. Actually, the show's producers had every intention of bringing the original actor back for Gary's second appearance, until it was discovered--after the show had already been locked into the schedule--that Joel Polis was already booked that week. All of which left the producers little choice but to cast the equally capable Robert Desiderio, who would continue to trade off the role of Gary with Polis through the remainder of the show's run.



145 The Big Kiss-Off First Aired: April 28, 1988
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Carol Francis, Hugh Maguire, Alan Koss, Al Rosen


Woody and Sam lock horns in an unlikely competition to determine who can be first to steal a kiss from the unsuspecting Rebecca.



146 Backseat Becky, Up Front First Aired: May 5, 1988
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Skerritt, Ron Barker, Vincent Howard, George Shannon, Al Rosen


Sam helps a lovelorn Rebecca express her true feelings to the soon-to-be-departing Evan Drake.

Year-End Rating: 22.3 (4th place)


Cupid's arrow finds its mark behind the bar in season seven, when Jackie Swanson arrives in the role of heiress Kelly Gaines, who will come to play an increasingly large role in bartender Woody's romantic life over the course of the show's remaining seasons. Behind the scenes, longtime producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee are promoted to supervising producer status for the season, which is produced by Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner, and co-produced by Tim Berry. Other notable contributors to the show's seventh-season scripting sessions include co-producer Phoef Sutton, executive story editors Brian Pollack and Mert Rich, executive script consultant Bob Ellison, and creative consultant David Lloyd.



147 How to Recede in Business First Aired: October 27, 1988
Writer: David Angell
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Brian Bedford, Peter Schreiner, Al Rosen, Robert Pescovitz, Tim Cunningham


Sam receives a promotion in the wake of the bar's latest management shake-up, while Rebecca finds herself left out in the cold.



148 Swear to God First Aired: November 3, 1988
Writer: Tom Reeder
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Eric Christmas, Kim Johnston Ulrich, Shanna Reed


Playboy Sam struggles to live up to a celibacy vow he made during a moment of rash judgment; and Woody is cast as an unlikely understudy for the role of Moses.


Eric Christmas makes his debut as the bar's resident clergyman, Father Barry, who would continue to drop into the bar on an as-needed basis throughout the show's remaining seasons.



149 Executive Sweet First Aired: November 10, 1988
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alex Nevil, Gerald Hiken, Nathan Purdee, David Schall


In a desperate attempt to ward off the unwanted advances of her underage boss, Rebecca convinces Sam to pose as her steady beau.



150 One Happy Chappy in a Snappy Serape First Aired: November 17, 1988


Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alex Nevil, Gerald Hiken, Fred Asparagus, Marco Hernandez, Loren Farmer


Rebecca's elaborate scheme to keep her unwanted suitor at bay begins to unravel when Sam is dispatched to tend bar at a remote Mexican resort.



151 Those Lips, Those Ice First Aired: November 24, 1988
Writers: Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Isa Anderson, Alan Koss, Hugh Maguire


Carla is convinced that Eddie is having an affair with a figure skater from an ice show.



152 Norm, Is That You? First Aired: December 8, 1988
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jane Sibbett, George Deloy, B.J. Turner, Craig Branham, Al Rosen


Norm frets over the ribbing he'll get from the gang at the bar after he accepts a string of lucrative assignments as an interior decorator.



153 How to Win Friends and Electrocute People First Aired: December 15, 1988
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Robert Benedetti, Steve Bean, Ed Wright, Shirley Prestia, Andrew Lowery


Cliff goes to shocking extremes when he embarks on an ill-fated self-improvement campaign.



154 Jumping Jerks First Aired: December 22, 1988
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: J. Kenneth Campbell, Thomas Sanders, Hugh Maguire, Peter Schreiner


The guys at the bar put their courage to the test when they take to the skies for a death-defying skydiving excursion.



155 Send in the Crane First Aired: January 5, 1989
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Sandahl Bergman, Chelsea Noble, Patricia Morison


Rebecca taps Frasier to play the clown at a children's party; and Sam is forced to choose between an attractive woman and her equally fetching daughter.



156 Bar Wars II: The Woodman Strikes Back First Aired: January 12, 1989
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Joel Polis, Robert O'Reilly, Greg Collins, Vincent Pantone, Time Winters


Woody is the bar's designated mixer when Cheers competes against Gary's Old Towne Tavern in a Bloody Mary making contest.



157 Adventures in Housesitting First Aired: January 19, 1989
Writers: Patricia Niedzialek, Cecile Alch
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Michael Currie


Rebecca hopes to curry favor with her boss by volunteering to dogsit his prize-winning pooch.



158 Please Mr. Postman First Aired: February 2, 1989
Writers: Mert Rich, Brian Pollack
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Annie Golden, Howard Mungo


Romance blossoms in the post office when Cliff's new postal trainee develops a crush on him.


Annie Golden makes her debut as Cliff's new sweetheart, Maggie O'Keefe. The love-struck postal worker would continue to pay occasional visits to the bar throughout the show's remaining seasons.



159 Golden Boyd First Aired: February 6, 1989
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Tyrone Power, Jr., Richard Doyle, Gary Bergher


After Woody is bested by a blueblood during a party scuffle, the bartender plots to salvage his flagging self-respect by making a play for the wealthy bully's date.


Jackie Swanson arrives in the role of Woody's fiancée-to-be, heiress Kelly Gaines. Actor Richard Doyle also logs the first of many appearances as Kelly's father, Mr. Gaines.



160 I Kid You Not First Aired: February 16, 1989
Writer: Rob Burton
Story: Rick Beren
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jarrett Lennon, Jackie Swanson


Frasier and Lilith test their parenting skills when they babysit Carla's precocious six-year-old son.


Child actor Jarrett Lennon is introduced in the first of his occasional appearances as Carla's child prodigy, Ludlow.



161 Don't Paint Your Chickens First Aired: February 23, 1989
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Stefan Gierasch, Lisa Aliff, Sarah Marshall, Ralph Meyering, Jr.


Determined to prove her management skills, Rebecca signs on as marketing consultant for Norm's painting business; and Sam struggles to keep pace with a fitness-obsessed woman.



162 The Cranemakers First Aired: March 2, 1989
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Star: James R. Winker


A newly pregnant Lilith decides to become one with nature when she and Frasier embark on a woodland retreat; and Rebecca presses Woody to take a well-deserved vacation.



163 Hot Rocks First Aired: March 16, 1989
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr., Al Rosen


Rebecca flies in the face of protocol when she accuses a visiting government dignitary of pocketing her diamond earrings.


Admiral William J. Crowe, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appears as himself.



164 What's Up, Doc? First Aired: March 30, 1989
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Madolyn Smith Osborne


Sam implies that he's struggling with a bout of impotence in an effort to invoke the sympathies of Frasier's attractive psychology colleague, an expert on human sexual dysfunction.



165 The Gift of the Woodi First Aired: April 6, 1989
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Bruce French, Richard Doyle, Vaughn Armstrong


Woody runs afoul of Kelly's materialistic tendencies when he tries to present her with a heartfelt musical tribute in lieu of a more tangible birthday gift.



166 Call Me, Irresponsible First Aired: April 13, 1989
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jay Thomas, Ann Guilbert, Fredric Cook


Carla worries that Eddie, on the road with the team, will forget their second wedding anniversary.


Actress Ann Guilbert, fondly remembered for her role as Millie Helper on The Dick Van Dyke Show, contributes a cameo in the show's opening teaser.



167 Sisterly Love First Aired: April 27, 1989
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Marcia Cross, Richmond Harrison


Sam attempts to soothe a long-standing rift between Rebecca and her sister Susan.


Rebecca's feuding sibling is played by Marcia Cross, who would eventually return to prime time--with a vengeance--in the role of the decidedly deranged Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the Fox-TV melodrama Melrose Place.



168 The Visiting Lecher First Aired: May 4, 1989
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: John McMartin, Joanna Barnes, Fabiana Udenio, Nicholas Miscusi


The gang suspects that Rebecca may be crying "wolf" in more ways than one when she insists that a visiting authority on marital fidelity has been making passes at her.

Year-End Rating: 22.7 (3rd place)


Rebecca continues her star-crossed search for romance in season eight, when Roger Rees arrives to play the lovelorn bar manager's latest romantic foil, corporate raider Robin Colcord. Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, and Phoef Sutton serve as co-executive producers for the year, which is produced by Tim Berry and co-produced by the show's longtime film editor and sometime director, Andy Ackerman. Also on board for season eight are executive story consultants Brian Pollack and Mert Rich, executive story editors Dan O'Shannon and Tom Anderson, and creative consultants David Lloyd, Ken Levine, and David Isaacs.



169 The Improbable Dream (Part 1) First Aired: September 21, 1989
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Tony DiBenedetto


Rebecca's romantic fantasies are ignited by the arrival of a fabulously wealthy Wall Street raider, Robin Colcord.


Roger Rees debuts in the role of Robin Colcord, who would figure prominently in the show's storylines through the middle of the ninth season.



170 The Improbable Dream (Part 2) First Aired: September 28, 1989
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Webster Williams, Valerie Hartman


It's Sam who starts having nightmares when Rebecca's dreams of a romantic interlude with Robin Colcord appear to be coming true.



171 A Bar Is Born First Aired: October 12, 1989
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Tony DiBenedetto


Sam is determined to open a bar of his own, despite the fact that the site he's chosen for his new watering hole has clearly seen better days.



172 How to Marry a Mailman First Aired: October 19, 1989
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Annie Golden, Webster Williams


Cliff suffers a bout of temporary blindness when his post-office paramour returns from Canada with serious plans for their future together.



173 The Two Faces of Norm First Aired: October 26, 1989
Writer: Eugene B. Stein
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Eric Allan Kramer, Cynthia Stevenson, Rob Moran, Gordon Hunt, Mark Knudsen, J.C. Victor, Kristen Citron, Jacqueline Alexandra Citron


Norm transforms himself into a tyrant in an effort to whip his painting crew into shape; and Sam suffers a bout of separation anxiety after he sells his cherished Corvette.



174 The Stork Brings a Crane First Aired: November 2, 1989
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Victoria Hoffman, Monty Ash, Laura Robinson, Raymond L. Flynn


The bar's 100th anniversary festivities go up for grabs after Lilith unexpectedly goes into labor.


Boston's Mayor Raymond Flynn appears as himself.



175 Death Takes a Holiday on Ice First Aired: November 9, 1989
Writer: Ken Levine
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Anne De Salvo, Eric Christmas, Kevin Conroy, Thomas Haden-Church


Carla is stunned by the news that Eddie has met his maker in a bizarre hockey accident, but the real shocker comes when she discovers that she may not be his only surviving widow.


The following season, guest star Thomas Haden-Church would resurface in the role of maintenance man Lowell Mather on Wings, the long-running NBC sitcom created by Cheers producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee.



176 For Real Men Only First Aired: November 16, 1989
Writers: David Pollack, Elias Davis
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael Currie, Jay Robinson, Rick Podell, Michael Holden, Gilbert Girion, Melanie Kinnaman


Frasier flinches at the thought of witnessing the bris of his infant son; and Carla tries to convince Eddie's hockey team to retire her late husband's number.



177 Two Girls for Every Boyd First Aired: November 23, 1989
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Jeffrey Richman, Lisa Kudrow, Mark Kubr


Woody is skittish about kissing his leading lady in a production of Our Town; and the guys at the bar stage a beard-growing competition.


Guest star Lisa Kudrow would eventually land a featured role in the ensemble of Friends, which would debut under the direction of Cheers co-creator Jim Burrows in the fall of 1994.



178 The Art of the Steal First Aired: November 30, 1989
Writer: Sue Herring
Director: James Burrows


Rebecca and Sam spend a disquieting evening as unwitting prisoners of Robin Colcord's elaborate home-security system.



179 Feeble Attraction First Aired: December 7, 1989
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Cynthia Stevenson, Michael Holden, John Pappas


Norm is unsettled by the discovery that he's become the object of his former secretary's romantic obsessions.


Norm's secretary is played by Cynthia Stevenson, reprising the role she'd played in "The Two Faces of Norm" a few months earlier. The actress would go on to play a choice role in the 1992 film The Player, before returning to prime time as a star of the 1995 series Hope & Gloria.



180 Sam Ahoy First Aired: December 14, 1989
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Tim Cunningham, Patrick Maguire, Stephen Burks


Sam faces a seagoing surprise when he borrows Robin Colcord's yacht to compete in a local regatta and finds Rebecca stowed away in the hold.



181 Sammy and the Professor First Aired: January 4, 1990
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Alexis Smith, Stack Pierce, Dietrich Bader


Rebecca is unnerved by Sam's romantic involvement with her business professor; and Carla faces an IRS audit.



182 What Is . . . Cliff Clavin? First Aired: January 18, 1990
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Alex Trebek, Greg E. Davis, Bernard Kuby, Johnny Gilbert


Cliff tries game-show emcee Alex Trebek's patience when the pontifical postman is booked as a quiz-show contestant on Jeopardy.


Quizmaster Alex Trebek and Jeopardy announcer Johnny Gilbert appear as themselves.



183 Finally (Part 1) First Aired: January 25, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Bill Medley, Gail O'Grady, Crystal Carson


Rebecca is forced to revise her plans for a romantic evening alone with Robin after the mercurial millionaire invites Sam to tag along on their date.


Guest star Gail O'Grady would eventually earn considerable acclaim for her portrayal of Donna Abandando, the outspoken administrative assistant on NYPD Blue, which would debut on ABC in the fall of 1993.



184 Finally (Part 2) First Aired: February 1, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Bill Medley, Valerie Karasek, Gilbert Girion, Alan Koss, Carol Robbins


Still flying high after her date with Robin Colcord, Rebecca's spirits tumble abruptly back to earth when she discovers her unfaithful millionaire in the arms of another woman.


Pop singer Bill Medley--one-half of the musical Righteous Brothers--appears as himself in both installments of this two-part episode.



185 Woody or Won't He? First Aired: February 8, 1990
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Melendy Britt, Bill Geisslinger, Richard Doyle, Robert Gallo


Woody is at his wit's end when he begins to suspect that Kelly's mother has designs on him; and Cliff is determined to get the better of the bar's mechanical bull.



186 Severe Crane Damage First Aired: February 15, 1990
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Phyllis Katz, Lorelle Brina, Donna Fuller, Marsha Kramer, Marti Muller, Audrey Rapoport


Sam creates quite a stir when he appears on a local talk show with Lilith to promote her new pop psychology book, Good Girls, Bad Boys.



187 Indoor Fun with Sammy and Robby First Aired: February 22, 1990
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Mark Arnott, Tim Cunningham, Peter Schreiner


Rebecca's plans for a perfect romantic date with Robin are derailed when the millionaire is side-tracked by a childish game of one-upsmanship with Sam.



188 Fifty-Fifty Carla First Aired: March 8, 1990
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Anne De Salvo, Steve Devorkin, Michael Holden


Carla agrees to split her late husband's estate with his other widow, until she discovers that Eddie was carrying a substantial life-insurance policy when he died.



189 Bar Wars III: The Return of Tecumseh First Aired: March 15, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Robert Machray, Tim Donoghue, Phil Therrien


The theft of the bar's wooden Indian mascot kicks off the latest skirmish in the gang's ongoing war with the guys at Gary's Old Towne Tavern.



190 Loverboyd First Aired: March 29, 1990
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Richard Doyle, Tony DiBenedetto, Trish Ramish


Woody suffers premature separation anxiety when Kelly announces her intention to continue her schooling in France.



191 The Ghost and Mrs. LeBec First Aired: April 12, 1990
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Georgia Brown, Kevin Conroy, Michael Rupert


Carla consults a mystic after her dead husband's ghost pays an unexpected visit.



192 Mr. Otis Regrets First Aired: April 19, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Christine Cavanaugh, Eric Bruskotter, Colin Wells, Barry Zajac


Sam irritates Rebecca with his boast that he's had a romantic encounter with her arch-rival on an elevator.



193 Cry Hard (Part 1) First Aired: April 26, 1990
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Jonathan McMurtry, Eden Bodnar


Rebecca is crestfallen to discover that Robin Colcord has been using her as an unwitting accomplice in a ruthless game of corporate espionage.



194 Cry Harder (Part 2) First Aired: May 3, 1990
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, Phoef Sutton
Story: Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Jonathan McMurtry, Ron Canada, Peter Schreiner, Michael Holden, Christopher Darga, James Nardini


Rebecca faces her bleak romantic prospects after Robin Colcord is indicted on insider trading charges; and, after being richly rewarded for his own role in bringing Robin's crimes to light, Sam offers the distraught bar manager a compassionate shoulder to cry on.

Year-End Rating: 21.3 (1st place)


Sam meets a worthy foil when Keene Curtis is introduced in the role of restaurateur John Allen Hill in the show's ninth season, which is once again co-executive produced by Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, and Phoef Sutton. Tim Berry and Andy Ackerman are producers for the year, which is co-produced by Larry Balmagia, Brian Pollack, Mert Rich, Dan O'Shannon, and Tom Anderson. Other important players on the show's ninth-season roster include story editors Dan Staley and Rob Long, creative consultants David Lloyd, Ken Levine, and David Isaacs, and executive script consultant Bob Ellison.



195 Love Is a Really, Really Perfectly Okay Thing First Aired: September 20, 1990
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Eric Christmas, Edmund Gaynes, Christopher Abraham


Sam struggles hard to remain discreet about what went on behind closed doors during his spontaneous romantic interlude with Rebecca.



196 Cheers Fouls Out First Aired: September 27, 1990
Writer: Larry Balmagia
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Kevin McHale, Joel Polis, James Hornbeck, James Nardini, Lee Vines


The players from Gary's Old Towne Tavern cry foul when Sam recruits a basketball pro to play on the Cheers team as the rival bars prepare to face each other on the court.


Boston Celtics star Kevin McHale appears as himself.


Though not officially numbered as such, this episode would serve as the fourth installment in the "bar wars" series that had been launched with Ken Levine and David Isaacs' eponymously titled sixth-season entry, "Bar Wars"--an episode that was itself inspired by Peter Casey and David Lee's fourth-season show, "From Beer to Eternity."



197 Rebecca Redux First Aired: October 4, 1990
Writers: Phoef Sutton, Bill Steinkellner, Cheri Eichen
Story: Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Bryan Clark, Perry Anzilotti, Randy Pelish, Timothy Fall, Tony DiBenedetto, Peter Schreiner, Stanley Bennett Clay, Paul Cira


Rebecca takes a dim view of her post-Cheers employment prospects after she's forced to accept part-time work as an auto-show model.



198 Where Nobody Knows Your Name First Aired: October 11, 1990
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Arsenio Hall, Catherine MacNeal, Ron Ulstad, Paul Willson


Rebecca tries to play it cool when her rival for Robin Colcord's attentions boasts about her own lock on the jailed financier's affections.


Talk-show host Arsenio Hall contributes a cameo appearance, as himself, in this episode.



199 Ma Always Liked You Best First Aired: October 18, 1990
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Rocky LaPorte, John Posey, Paul Willson, Peter Schreiner, Ken Foree, James F. Dean


Cliff's mother takes a shine to Woody, whom she fancies to be the son she never had.



200 Grease First Aired: October 25, 1990
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Sheldon Leonard, John Reger


Norm launches a campaign to keep his favorite local eatery from closing its doors.


The legendary actor and television pioneer Sheldon Leonard guest stars as Sid Nelson, the feisty proprietor of Norm's favorite all-beef restaurant, The Hungry Heifer.



201 Breaking in Is Hard to Do First Aired: October 31, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Clive Rosengren, John Boyle, Edward Penn, Paul Willson, Philip Perlman


Rebecca schemes to arrange an unscheduled conjugal visit with the incarcerated Robin Colcord; and Frasier and Lilith cope with the demands of parenting a gifted child.


Rhea Perlman's real-life dad, Philip Perlman, logs his first credited appearance on the show with this episode. Perlman's elderly barfly, Phil, would be a fixture at the bar throughout the show's remaining seasons.



202 The Cheers 200th Anniversary Special (one hour) First Aired: November 8, 1990
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, Phoef Sutton
Directors: James Burrows, Andy Ackerman


Political pundit John McLaughlin hosts a retrospective look at highlights of the show's first eight and a half seasons.


Designed to commemorate the filming of the show's 200th episode, this hour-long special was anchored by an in-depth panel discussion with the series's creators, as well as most of the show's past and current cast, including Shelley Long.



203 Bad Neighbor Sam First Aired: November 15, 1990
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Carl Mueller, Sandy Edgerton, Tamara Mark, Phil Perlman, E.E. Bell, Aileen Fitzpatrick, Fred Slyter


Sam finds himself caught up in a feud with the haughty owner of Melville's restaurant, John Allen Hill.


Keene Curtis--best known for his long-running role as Little Orphan Annie's Daddy Warbucks in the Broadway warhorse Annie--debuts in the role of John Allen Hill in the 200th Cheers episode filmed.



204 Veggie Boyd First Aired: November 22, 1990
Writers: Rob Long, Dan Staley
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Everett, Debbie Gregory, John Cervenka, Philip Perlman, Michael Holden, Tony DiBenedetto


Woody lands a job as spokesperson in a commercial for a new vegetable drink; and know-it-all Cliff faces unexpected competition from the bar's new trivia napkins.



205 Norm and Cliff's Excellent Adventure First Aired: December 6, 1990
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Klunis


Norm and Cliff ferment a feud between Sam and Frasier; and Woody finds himself addicted to a televised home-shopping show.



206 Woody Interruptus First Aired: December 13, 1990
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Anthony Cistaro, Michael Keenan, Douglas MacHugh, Paul Willson, Tony DiBenedetto


Woody's girlfriend Kelly returns from overseas with an attractive Frenchman in tow; and Cliff decides to have his brain cryogenically preserved after his death.


Anthony Cistaro debuts in the role of Frenchman Henri Fourchette, who would continue to make regular appearances at the bar throughout the show's remaining seasons.



207 Honor Thy Mother First Aired: January 3, 1991
Writers: Brian Pollack, Mert Rich
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Sada Thompson, Keene Curtis, Oceana Marr, Josh Lozoff, Carol Ann Susi, Randy Pelish


Carla rebels against her domineering mother after the dotty matriarch issues an impossible deathbed decree.


Carla's eccentric Mama Lozupone is played by Sada Thompson, a veteran character actress best-remembered by TV audiences for her portrayal of Kate Lawrence on ABC's mid-'70s dramatic series Family.



208 Achilles' Hill First Aired: January 10, 1991
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Valerie Mahaffey, Eric Christmas


Sam hopes to get John Allen Hill's goat by romancing the restaurateur's unsuspecting daughter; and Carla is convinced that the bar's foosball table is possessed.



209 Days of Wine and Neuroses (Part 1) First Aired: January 24, 1991
Writers: Mert Rich, Brian Pollack
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Calvin Jung, Paul Willson, Shad Willingham, Kristine Knudson


Rebecca debates the wisdom of accepting an ill-timed marriage proposal from Robin Colcord; and Frasier fancies himself a crooner after the bar installs a karaoke machine.



210 Wedding Bell Blues (Part 2) First Aired: January 31, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Bobby Hatfield, Ray Stricklyn, Paul Willson, Ron Abel, George Case


In spite of her initial doubts, Rebecca appears surprisingly gung ho as the hour of her wedding approaches.


The singer Bobby Hatfield, formerly of The Righteous Brothers, appears as himself.



211 I'm Getting My Act Together and Sticking It in Your Face First Aired: February 7, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Jeff McCarthy, Paul Willson, Jan Gan Boyd


Rebecca struggles to recover from her break-up with Robin; and Frasier attempts to regale the gang with a reading from Dickens.



212 Sam Time Next Year First Aired: February 14, 1991
Writer: Larry Balmagia
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Barbara Feldon, Mike Dukakis, Roger Eschbacher, Gibby Brand, Don Took


Sam finds himself unexpectedly incapacitated on the eve of his annual Valentine's Day tryst with an old girlfriend.


Sam's anniversary waltz partner is played by Barbara Feldon, who co-starred as Agent 99 on the long-running 1960s sitcom Get Smart. Former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Dukakis also logs a brief appearance in the episode's pre-credit teaser.



213 Crash of the Titans First Aired: February 21, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Jeremiah Morris, Paul


Willson, Philip Perlman, Tony DiBenedetto, Peter


Schreiner, Adele Baughn, Anadel Baughn


Rebecca and Sam compete for John Allen Hill's favor after word leaks out that the bar's long-term lease may be up for grabs.



214 It's a Wonderful Wife First Aired: February 28, 1991
Writer: Sue Herring
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Anthony Cistaro, Heather Lee, Peter Schreiner, Tony DiBenedetto


The bar celebrates Frasier's birthday, but it looks as though the party may be over for Norm when his wife, Vera, lands a job upstairs at Melville's.


The voice of Norm's wife is provided by George Wendt's real-life spouse, Bernadette Birkett. The actress had earlier appeared on the show--in a different role--in the third-season episode "Fairy Tales Can Come True."



215 Cheers Has Chili First Aired: March 14, 1991
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, Phoef Sutton
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Robert Machray, Peter Schreiner, Stanley Bennett Clay


Sam is skeptical of Rebecca's latest marketing brainstorm, an ill-conceived plan to transform the bar's pool room into a chili parlor.



216 Carla Loves Clavin First Aired: March 21, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Danté Di Loreto, Nathan Davis, Jessie Scott, Paul Willson


Carla is forced to observe an uneasy truce with Cliff after she discovers that the postman has been chosen to serve as a judge in the annual Miss Boston Barmaid contest.



217 Pitch It Again, Sam First Aired: March 28, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Michael Fairman, Henry Woronicz, Zachary Benjamin, James Reynolds, Peter Kevoian, Michael Cannizzo, Joel Anderson, Victoria Barrett, Leanne Griffin


One of Sam's old baseball rivals shows up to challenge the former pitcher to one final battle on the mound.



218 Rat Girl First Aired: April 4, 1991
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Beth Toussaint, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Andre Miripolsky, Peter Schreiner


Lilith grieves the passing of her favorite lab rat; and rotund Cheers regular Paul is taken aback by the unexpected advances of an attractive young woman.



219 Home Malone First Aired: April 25, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Andy Ackerman
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Anthony Cistaro, Kevin and Christopher Graves, Paul Willson, Peter Schreiner, Philip Perlman, Gary Lee Davis, Norm Compton, Steve Hulin


Sam plays part-time papa when Frasier and Lilith draft him into service as Frederick's babysitter; and Woody has his hands full when Kelly lands a part-time job at the bar.



220 Uncle Sam Wants You First Aired: May 2, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Pete Willcox, Kevin and Christopher Graves, Tress MacNeille, Paul Willson


Sam is surprised to discover that playing surrogate dad to Frasier's kid has put him in touch with his own latent parental yearnings.

Year-End Rating: 17.6 (4th place)


Although Sam and Rebecca indulge a sudden urge to become parents in the show's tenth season, it's Woody and Kelly who finally tie the knot in the season's grand finale. Les Charles, Glen Charles, and James Burrows continue to serve in their ongoing capacity as executive producers in season ten, when they are joined by fellow executive producers Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner, and Phoef Sutton. Dan O'Shannon and Tom Anderson are supervising producers in the tenth season, which is produced by Tim Berry and co-produced by Dan Staley and Rob Long. Also returning to the show's masthead are creative consultants David Lloyd, Ken Levine, and David Isaacs and executive script consultant Bob Ellison.



221 Baby Balk First Aired: September 19, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Star: Bruce Wright


Prospective parents Sam and Rebecca seek pre-natal advice from Lilith and Frasier when they discover that the road to conception is somewhat rockier than anticipated.



222 Get Your Kicks on Route 666 First Aired: September 26, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Anthony Addabbo, Paul Willson


The guys embark on an ill-advised road trip; and Carla's cousin Frankie finds temporary employment at the bar.



223 Madame LaCarla First Aired: October 3, 1991
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: Tom Moore
Guest Stars: Georgia Brown, Jeffrey Richman, Jim Brochu, Barry Zajac, Peter Schreiner


Carla is surprised to discover that her soon-to-retire mystic advisor has chosen the barmaid to serve as her successor in the fortune-telling trade.



224 The Norm Who Came to Dinner First Aired: October 10, 1991
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: Tom Moore
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Peter Schreiner, Philip Perlman


Frasier and Lilith find themselves saddled with an unwanted house guest when Norm is laid low by a back injury while painting their living room.



225 Ma's Little Maggie First Aired: October 17, 1991
Writers: Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Annie Golden, Paul Willson


Cliff's mother takes an unexpected shine to her son's girlfriend; and Rebecca's latest attempt to increase her fertility leaves Sam cold.



226 Unplanned Parenthood First Aired: October 24, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Leah Remini, Josh Lozoff, Jarrett Lennon, Phillip Perlman, Paul Willson, Risa Littman, Thomas Tulak, Danny Kramer, Sabrina Wiener


Sam and Rebecca get a first-hand look at the harsh realities of parenthood when they babysit Carla's unruly brood; and Cliff volunteers to direct Woody's latest home movie.



227 Bar Wars V: The Final Judgment First Aired: October 31, 1991
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Robert Desiderio, Rick Cramer, Paul Willson, Phil Perlman, Christopher and Kevin Graves


The gang wonders if the latest prank in their ongoing war with Gary's Old Towne Tavern might actually have scared arch-rival Gary into an early grave.



228 Where Have All the Floorboards Gone? First Aired: November 7, 1991
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kevin McHale, Lynn McHale, Glenn Ordway, Philip Perlman, Paul Willson, Tim Cunningham


The Boston Celtics' Kevin McHale is driven to distraction after the gang drags him into a barside debate over the number of bolts in the floorboards of the Boston Garden.


Basketball star Kevin McHale and his wife, Lynn, appear as themselves.



229 Head Over Hill First Aired: November 14, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: John Ratzenberger
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Paul Willson, Jordan Lund, Ken Magee, Philip Perlman, Peter Schreiner


Sam accuses Carla of sleeping with the enemy after the randy barmaid enjoys a fling with John Allen Hill.



230 A Fine French Whine First Aired: November 21, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Anthony Cistaro, Sonje Fortag, Jeff Heston, Paul Willson, Peter Foxon Miker, Nancy Arnold, Ron Ray, Bill Gratton


Woody is forced to put his engagement plans on hold while Kelly debates the wisdom of entering into a paper marriage with her French friend, Henri.



231 I'm Okay, You're Defective First Aired: December 5, 1991
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Julie Lloyd, Donald Hotton, John Serembe, Rob Neukirch, Philip Perlman


Sam begins to doubt his own ability to deliver the goods when Rebecca returns from her fertility specialist with a glowing medical report.



232 Go Make First Aired: December 12, 1991
Writer: Phoef Sutton
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Ric Coy, Gerry Gibson, Sharon Case, Stephen Preusse, Paul Willson


Sam and Rebecca re-evaluate their baby-making plans after they spend an eye-opening weekend at a honeymoon retreat.


According to Cheers producer Dan Staley, Sam and Rebecca's half-hearted run at parenthood was doomed well before the couple finally decided to throw in the towel at the conclusion of this episode. "Nobody liked that story arc," recalls Staley. "It was such a bizarre idea, that two people who weren't romantically involved would suddenly decide to have a baby together. It was hard to find the comedy in that situation--it just seemed like one of those ideas that might make sense in Hollywood circles, but went right over the head of everybody else in the country." Under the circumstances, it's hardly surprising that there was little debate over the producers' decision to jettison the storyline with this episode. "By that time," observes Staley, "it was obvious to everyone that the story arc wasn't going to work, so we just decided to end it there. It was over fast, but I still get chills thinking about some of those shows."



233 Don't Shoot . . . I'm Only the Psychiatrist First Aired: January 2, 1992
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, David A. Levy, Steve Nevil, Harvey Evans, Paul Willson, Michael Holden, Philip Perlman, Richard Doran


Barber Woody bungles his attempt to give Sam a trim; and Norm and Cliff wreak havoc with Frasier's therapy group.



234 No Rest for the Woody First Aired: January 9, 1992
Writers: Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Celeste Holm, Jackie Swanson, Richard Doyle, Sy Richardson, Paul Willson, Marc Epstein


Dead tired from working the graveyard shift, Woody practically has to be propped up for his first meeting with Kelly's grandmother.


Hollywood veteran Celeste Holm plays Grandmother Gaines.



235 My Son, the Father First Aired: January 16, 1992
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Josh Lozoff, Paul Willson, Philip Perlman, Neal Lerner


Carla is stunned when her son announces that he plans to enter the priesthood; and Cliff takes his stand-up act to a local comedy club.



236 One Hugs, the Other Doesn't First Aired: January 30, 1992
Writers: Cheri Eichen, Bill Steinkellner
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Emma Thompson, Christopher and Kevin Graves, Paul Willson, Thomas Tulack, Danny Kramer, Edward Joseph Derham, Jonathan Daniel Harris, Jennifer Williams


Lilith is none too pleased when an old flame of Frasier's who has made good as a children's singer invites the psychiatrist and his family to one of her recitals.


Future Oscar winner Emma Thompson guest stars as the children's troubadour, Nanny Gee. The original material sung by Thompson's character was composed for the episode by Cheers musical director, Craig Safan, along with writers Cheri Eichen and Bill Steinkellner.



237 A Diminished Rebecca With a Suspended Cliff First Aired: February 6, 1992
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Harry Connick, Jr., Raye Birk, Paul Willson, Jim Norton


Woody's visiting cousin finds himself hopelessly smitten by Rebecca; and Cliff protests the postal service's adoption of non-traditional uniforms.


Singer Harry Connick, Jr. guest stars as Woody's visiting cousin.



238 License to Hill First Aired: February 13, 1992
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Paul Willson, Philip Perlman, Stephen Rowe, Frank M. Schuller, Lenny Citrano, Nancy Stephens, Robert Gossett, Ralph P. Martin


Rebecca struggles to placate a roomful of thirsty patrons after she discovers that the bar's liquor license has lapsed.



239 Rich Man, Wood Man First Aired: February 20, 1992
Writer: Daniel Palladino
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Jarrett Lennon, Vili Kraljevic


After spending a vacation in merrie olde England with Kelly, Woody returns to Cheers a changed man; and Sam shows no mercy when he agrees to act as Frasier's personal trainer.



240 Smotherly Love First Aired: February 27, 1992
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Marilyn Cooper, Wes Stern, Rebecca Staab, Fredd Wayne, Paul Willson


Frasier tries to convince Lilith to stand up to her overbearing mother; and Rebecca casts a dispassionate eye at Norm's bulging bar tab.


Lilith's domineering mother, Betty Sternin, is played by veteran stage actress Marilyn Cooper, whose long list of Broadway credits included starring roles in Woman of the Year, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Broadway Bound, among many others.



241 Take Me Out to the Ballgame First Aired: March 26, 1992
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: John Finn, Anthony Starke, Paul Willson, Philip Perlman, Lance Slaughter, Michael Wiseman


Sam attempts a major-league comeback; and Frasier is in danger of winding up in the dog house after he misplaces Lilith's pet lab rat, Whiskers.



242 Rebecca's Lover . . . Not First Aired: April 23, 1992
Writers: Tracy Newman, Jonathan Starke
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Harvey Fierstein, Jackie Swanson, Kirby Tepper, Peter Kelleghan, Ben Mittleman, Philip Perlman, Paul Willson, Joel Fredericks, Jana Robbins, Barry Zajac


Rebecca launches an ill-considered campaign to rekindle the very cold embers of an old high-school romance; and Sam mourns the loss of his stolen car.


Rebecca's high-school flame is played by Harvey Fierstein, the playwright and star of the acclaimed Broadway hit Torch Song Trilogy, which was later made into a film of the same name, with Fierstein reprising his leading role.



243 Bar Wars VI: This Time It's For Real First Aired: April 30, 1992
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: Rick Beren
Guest Stars: Harry Guardino, Senator John Kerrey, J.C. Quinn, Bari K. Willerford, Larry Brandenburg, Paul Willson, Larry Paulsen, Cleto Augusto


The Cheers gang wonders if the mysterious new owner of Gary's Old Towne Tavern might actually be an organized-crime boss.


Veteran actor Harry Guardino plays tough guy Frank Carpaccio. Also featured in a cameo role is U.S. Senator John Kerrey.



244 Heeeeeere's Cliffy First Aired: May 7, 1992
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Johnny Carson, Doc Severinsen, Frances Sternhagen, Joshua Mostel, Paul Willson, Nicolas Mize, Angel Harper


Norm convinces Cliff that Johnny Carson plans to use one of the postman's one-liners on The Tonight Show, a bluff that backfires when Cliff books passage to Burbank to watch the taping.


Johnny Carson and Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen appear as themselves.



245 An Old-Fashion Wedding (one hour) First Aired: May 14, 1992
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Milo O'Shea, Richard Doyle, Colleen Morris, Mark Voland, Daniel Gerroll, Richard Merson


Despite odds that seem hopelessly weighted in favor of disaster, best man Sam is determined to see that Woody and Kelly's wedding ceremony proceeds without a snag.

Year-End Rating: 16.1 (8th place)


After a nearly unprecedented run of eleven prime-time seasons, the creators of Cheers finally decide to call it quits with a record-length valedictory season that will ultimately increase the show's already bulging comic inventory by no less than twenty-eight all-new half hours. Executive producers for the show's farewell season are Dan O'Shannon and Tom Anderson, who share the title with the show's creators, Glen Charles, James Burrows, and Les Charles. Dan Staley and Rob Long are co-executive producers for the show's final season, which is produced by Tim Berry and co-produced by Tom Leopold. Other notable contributors to the show's eleventh-season story sessions include executive story consultant Rebecca Parr Cioffi, story consultant Kathy Ann Stumpe, and story editors Fred Graver and Sue Herring. And rounding out the show's writing staff for season eleven are executive script consultant Bob Ellison and veteran creative consultants David Lloyd, Ken Levine, and David Isaacs.



246 The Little Match Girl First Aired: September 24, 1992
Writers: Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Keene Curtis, Robert Machray, Amanda Carlin, Peter Keleghan, Peter Kevoian


Rebecca tries to lay the blame on faulty wiring after she accidentally sets fire to the bar.



247 The Beer Is Always Greener First Aired: October 1, 1992
Writer: Tom Leopold
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Glenn Shadix, Matthew Glave, Julia Montgomery, Rosa Nevin, Paul Willson, Alan Koss, Tim Cunningham, Philip Perlman, Spencer Beglarian


Carla discovers far greener pastures--and substantially increased tips--when she lands a temporary job at another bar during Cheers's post-fire rehabilitation.



248 The King of Beers First Aired: October 8, 1992
Writer: Dan O'Shannon
Director: John Ratzenberger
Guest Stars: Cliff Bemis, Cameron Thor, Paul Willson, Joe Costanza, Bradford English, William Long, Jr., Mirron E. Willis


Norm thinks that he's found his dream job when he signs on as beer taster for a local brewery; and Rebecca tries her luck on the bar's new slot machine.



249 The Magnificent Six First Aired: October 22, 1992
Writer: Sue Herring
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Anthony Cistaro, Eddie Jones, Sondra C. Baker, Jennifer Gatti, Jeri Gale, Leilani Jones, Patricia Clipper, Maria Pecci, Tim Cunningham, Alan Koss, Philip Perlman


Sam pits his homegrown charms against Henri's continental savoir-faire when the two playboys vie for the unofficial title of "world's greatest ladies' man."



250 Do Not Forsake Me, O My Postman First Aired: October 29, 1992
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: John Mahoney, Annie Golden, Derek McGrath, Cameron Watson, Paul Willson, Tim Cunningham, Jack Kenny, Leland Orser, Steve Giannelli


Maggie O'Keefe returns to Cheers with startling news for Cliff--he's going to be a father; and Rebecca commissions a songwriter to compose an advertising jingle for the bar.


The episode's teaser features Derek McGrath in a reprise of his role as Andy Andy, the ex-con who made life miserable for Diane Chambers in the show's early years. Another familiar face in the episode's guest cast is John Mahoney, who appears here as jingle writer Sy Flembeck; the actor would be reunited with at least one of the show's cast members the following season, when Mahoney would land the part of Frasier's dad, Martin, on the Cheers spinoff series Frasier.



251 Teaching With the Enemy First Aired: November 5, 1992
Writer: Tom Anderson
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Don Gibb, Larry Brandenburg, Barry Zajac, Philip Perlman, Michael Buchman Silver


Rebecca can hardly believe her eyes when she spies Frasier's wife, Lilith, in the arms of another man.



252 The Girl in the Plastic Bubble First Aired: November 12, 1992
Writer: Dan O'Shannon
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Peter Vogt, Brian Smiar, Tim Cunningham, Patrick Shea


Frasier is ready to toss himself from a ledge after Lilith informs him that she plans to spend the coming year in an underground biosphere with her new lover.



253 Ill Gotten Gaines First Aired: November 19, 1992
Writer: Fred Graver
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Jackie Swanson, Richard Doyle, Robert Cornthwaite, Sondra Currie, Christopher and Kevin Graves, John Valentine, Thomas Tulak, Danny Kramer, Sabrina Wiener


Kelly's father is convinced that Woody is trying to blackmail him; and Rebecca's Thanksgiving feast for the gang goes predictably awry.



254 Feelings . . . Whoa, Whoa, Whoa First Aired: December 3, 1992
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: Rick Beren
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Jackie Swanson, Erick Avari, Paul Willson, Tim Cunningham, Philip Perlman, Eric A. Payne


Carla is reluctant to reveal her true feelings after John Allen Hill suffers a heart attack.



255 Daddy's Little Middle-Aged Girl First Aired: December 10, 1992
Writer: Rebecca Parr Cioffi
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Robert Prosky, Jackie Swanson


Rebecca's dictatorial father commands her to move back to San Diego; and Woody and Kelly attempt to iron out the kinks in their own living arrangements.


One-time Hill Street Blues co-star Robert Prosky is cast as Rebecca's tyrannical father, Navy Captain Franklin Howe. The part was actually a homecoming of sorts for the well-known character actor, who had some years earlier been offered the part of Coach in the show's original pilot. But though scheduling difficulties forced the actor to forfeit the role--which was eventually played to great effect by Nick Colasanto--the show's producers were only too pleased to invite the actor back to the bar when this plumb guest-starring role finally presented itself a decade later. Also present in the episode's guest cast is Ethel Kennedy, who contributes a cameo in the show's teaser.



256 Love Me, Love My Car First Aired: December 17, 1992
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Dana Delany, Shane Sweet, Toni Elizabeth White, Amanda Costello


Sam is determined to get his Corvette back from the widow of the man who bought it from him; and Rebecca becomes attached to the pig that Woody plans to cook for Christmas dinner.


Dana Delany, late of ABC's Vietnam-era series China Beach, guest stars as the widow who inherits Sam's car.



257 Sunday Dinner First Aired: January 7, 1993
Writer: Fred Graver
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Kristen Cloke, David Froman, Marilyn Rockafellow, Jonathan Emerson, Toby Ganger, Charles Esten, Colin Drake, Ruth Engel, Paul Willson, Laura Gardner, George Milan, Richard Danielson, Chris and Kevin Graves, Tim Cunningham, Alan Koss


Frasier mistakes his secretary's intentions after she invites him to her house for Sunday dinner; and Norm and Cliff videotape a family reunion.



258 Norm's Big Audit First Aired: January 14, 1993
Writer: Tom Leopold
Director: John Ratzenberger
Guest Stars: Sharon Barr, Paul Willson, Tim Cunningham, Steve Giannelli, Alan Koss


A determined IRS auditor makes a play for Norm; and Sam attempts to prevent the gang from watching one of his old games on TV.


Sharon Barr, who had previously guest starred as one of the bachelor-bidders in the sixth-year episode "Bidding on the Boys," returns to play the IRS agent in this episode--one of the rare instances where the show's producers violated their own long-standing "one actor-one role" casting rule.



259 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Bar First Aired: January 21, 1993
Writer: Rebecca Parr Cioffi
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Roger Rees, Robert Machray


A newly destitute Robin Colcord returns to Cheers hoping to retrieve a cache of money he'd stashed there before his arrest.



260 Loathe and Marriage First Aired: February 4, 1993
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jean Kasem, Dan Hedaya, Keene Curtis, Jackie Swanson, Leah Remini, Josh Lozoff, Dennis Cockrum, Barry Zajac


Carla's daughter, Serafina, ferments a minor family crisis when she insists that her wayward father, Nick, be allowed to give her away at her upcoming wedding.



261 Is There a Doctor in the Howe? (Part 1) First Aired: February 11, 1993
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Paul Willson, Tera Hendrickson, Tim Cunningham, Alan Koss, Peter Schreiner


Still reeling from the shock of his recent marital difficulties, Frasier turns to Rebecca for romantic consolation.



262 The Bar Manager, the Shrink, His Wife and Her Lover (Part 2) February 18, 1993
Writer: Kathy Ann Stumpe
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Keene Curtis, Peter Vogt, Paul Willson


Lilith pays a surprise call on Frasier, with her newly deranged fiancé--now armed and dangerous--not far behind.


Guest star Peter Vogt returns in the role of Lilith's slightly off-center paramour, Dr. Louis Pascal.



263 The Last Picture Show First Aired: February 25, 1993
Writers: Fred Graver
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Pat Hingle, Michael Winters, Nick Oleson


Carla and Rebecca contemplate mutiny after Sam leaves the bar's former owner in charge; and Cliff leads the guys on a nostalgic excursion to a local drive-in theater.


Veteran character actor Pat Hingle plays the bar's former proprietor, Gus O'Malley.



264 Bar Wars VII: The Naked Prey First Aired: March 18, 1993
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Harry Anderson, Robert Desiderio, Paul Willson, Maurice Roëves, Jayson Kane


Sam enlists the help of con man Harry the Hat in the latest round of the bar's ongoing feud with the denizens of Gary's Old Towne Tavern.


Longtime Night Court star Harry Anderson once again reprises his occasional role as the bar's resident bamboozler, Harry the Hat.



265 Look Before You Sleep First Aired: April 1, 1993
Writer: Rebecca Parr Cioffi
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Peter MacNicol, Keene Curtis, Bernadette Birkett, Gordon Clapp, Deirdre Imershein


Sam embarks on an increasingly futile search for a bed to sleep in after he accidentally locks his house keys in the bar.


Film star Peter MacNicol guest stars as the hotel clerk in this episode. Also featured in the episode's supporting cast is Gordon Clapp, who would figure prominently in the ensemble cast of ABC's NYPD Blue the following season.



266 Woody Gets an Election First Aired: April 22, 1993
Writers: Dan O'Shannon, Tom Anderson, Dan Staley, Rob Long
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Spanky McFarland, Philip Baker Hall, Peri Gilpin, Clarke Gordon, Paul Willson, LaTanya Richardson, Stephen Parr, Jerry Penacoli


Frasier nominates Woody for a city council seat as a prank, only to find himself amazed when the bartender's campaign actually begins to gain momentum.


Former Our Gang star Spanky McFarland contributes a cameo in this episode. Also featured in the guest cast is Peri Gilpin, who would reappear as Frasier's able assistant, Roz, on Frasier the following season.



267 It's Lonely on the Top First Aired: April 29, 1993
Writer: Heide Perlman
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Jackie Swanson, Philip Perlman, Paul Willson


Carla is overwhelmed by remorse in the wake of a recent romantic indiscretion, until Sam bolsters her waning self-confidence with a surprising revelation of his own.


Filmed out of broadcast sequence, this show bears the distinction of being the last-produced episode of Cheers.



268 Rebecca Gaines, Rebecca Loses (one hour) First Aired: May 6, 1993
Writer: David Lloyd
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Frances Sternhagen, Jackie Swanson, Richard Doyle, George Hearn, Robert Cornthwaite, Paul Willson, Calvin Remsberg, Renata Scott


Rebecca jumps to the conclusion that Kelly's father has designs on her; and the gang suspects foul play when Cliff's mother appears to have vanished without a trace.



269 The Guy Can't Help It First Aired: May 13, 1993
Writers: David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Tom Berenger, Sharon Lawrence, Paul Willson, Gilbert Lewis, Bradford Bancroft, Steve Kehela


Rebecca wonders if she's finally found Mr. Right when she begins dating a plumber; and Sam makes a break with the past when he joins a support group for sexual compulsives.


Film actor Tom Berenger, best-remembered for his starring role in the 1986 Oscar winner Platoon, is well-cast as Rebecca's earthy romantic interest, Don Santry. Also featured in this episode's guest roster is Sharon Lawrence, who would land a choice role in the cast of ABC's NYPD Blue the following season.



270 One for the Road (two-hour special) First Aired: May 20, 1993
Writers: Glen Charles, Les Charles
Director: James Burrows
Guest Stars: Shelley Long, Tom Berenger, Jackie Swanson, Mike Ditka, Kim Alexis, Mark Harelik, Anthony Heald, Paul Willson, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Tim Cunningham, Steve Giannelli, Alan Koss


When Diane Chambers turns up for an unexpected visit, Sam is determined to convince his former fiancée that he's discovered domestic bliss at last; and Rebecca finds a happy denouement to her own romantic woes when her whirlwind courtship with plumber Don Santry leads to matrimony.


Originally intended to run in a one-hour time slot, the last episode's running time was expanded by an additional half-hour during the show's final production week, after it became clear to all concerned that trying to wrap up eleven seasons' worth of loose ends in anything less than an hour and half would've proved a difficult task indeed. It's unlikely that the show's producers received any argument on that decision from the programmers at NBC, who rather shrewdly positioned the show's 97-minute grand finale as the centerpiece of "Last Call," the gala two-hour spectacular that would serve as the show's last hurrah on prime time. The series's closing night festivities were kicked off with a special twenty-two minute Cheers mini-retrospective hosted by NBC sports announcer Bob Costas.


By the time Cheers left the air at the close of the 1992-93 prime-time season, the series had long since distinguished itself as one of the most popular programs in the history of the medium. But perhaps the greatest measure of the show's lasting legacy can be seen in its ongoing influence on the better comedies that dot today's prime-time landscape, where Cheers's trademark blend of high comedy and understated wit continues to inform and inspire situation comedies as varied in texture and approach as Murphy Brown, Roseanne, Seinfeld, Friends, and, of course, Frasier.


None of which should come as a surprise to readers of the present volume, who will by this point have little difficulty recognizing Cheers's unique status as the latest link in a comic dynasty that stretches at least as far back as I Love Lucy. And, as Cheers marches forth to assume its rightful place in the hallowed company of the medium's most-beloved classics, it's not hard to imagine Sam Malone standing up at the end of his bar to lead a toast.


Raise your mugs, he might propose, and toast the Ricardos and the Kramdens; here's to the Petries, the Bunkers, and the Hartleys. To all those TV families who, in good times or bad, never failed to leave their porch lights burning.


To the cabbies at Sunshine Taxi and the staff of the WJM Six O'Clock News; to the die-hard detectives of the Twelfth Precinct, and the tireless surgeons of the 4077th. To all the misfits and miscreants who beckoned us to join their gang on those nights when we had nothing better to do. It was an invitation we found hard to resist--even when we did have better things to do. And, finally, a toast to all those sitting at the bar. To tomorrow's classics, and all those reruns yet to come.


Cheers

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