Tournament Semifinals: Cheers vs. The Love Boat

[icecream]

Cheers won many Emmys, and its series finale with over 80 million viewers was second only to M*A*S*H all time for scripted shows. It launched two spin-offs: The Tortellis which was a flop, and Frasier which tied its parent show's 11 seasons. Cheers aired from 1982-1993 on NBC, it anchored their Thursday night comedy block helping launch shows like Night Court and Seinfeld. Set in a bar starring Ted Danson as former baseball player Sam Malone. Shelley Long was the female lead for the first five seasons, snooty Diane Chambers. Starting in season 6 Kirstie Alley replaced her as Rebecca Howe. Rhea Perlman played Sam's hot headed bartender Carla Tortelli. George Wendt played alcoholic Norm Peterson and John Ratzenberger played his best friend know-it-all Cliff Clavin. Kelsey Grammer was brought in for a 6 episode arc at the start of season 3 playing Dr. Frasier Crane. That arc quickly turned into a series regular role for the rest of Cheers, then his own Frasier spin-off. Kelsey holds a record for 20 years playing the same character, also for being Emmy nominated as the same character on three different shows (Wings from the same producers was the third show). Later on Bebe Neuwirth was added to the Cheers cast playing his wife Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane. For the first three seasons Nicholas Colasanto played Coach Ernie Pantuzo, who followed Sam from baseball to the bar. Nicholas died irl, so Coach was killed off as well. Woody Harrelson replaced him at the start of season 4 as Woody Boyd, a young bartender from my home state of Indiana.
How it got this far
1st Round: defeated The Nanny 13-4
2nd Round: defeated Fawlty Towers 11-2
3rd Round: defeated The Mary Tyler Moore Show 8-4
Quarterfinals: defeated The Dick Van Dyke Show 9-4

Since this site considers The Love Boat a sitcom, it made my tournament although I consider it a light drama. The Love Boat aired nine seasons and 249 episodes on ABC from 1977-1986, outlasting Gavin MacLeod's previous successful sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He starred as Captain Merrill Stubing on a cruise ship. There were several famous guest stars who played the passengers. Captain Stubing's crew was purser Gopher Smith (Fred Grandy), bartender Isaac Washington (Ted Lange), doctor Adam Bricker (Bernie Kopell), and cruise director Julie McCoy (Lauren Tewes). A good addition who became a regular in season 3 was Merrill's daughter Vicki Stubing (Jill Whelan). Lauren Tewes left at the end of season 7, Pat Klous replaced her as sister and new cruise director Judy McCoy. In season 8 Ted McGinley also joined the cast as photographer Ace Evans.
1st Round: defeated Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 8-5
2nd Round: defeated Barney Miller 10-4
3rd Round: defeated Head of the Class (1986) 10-4
Quarterfinals: defeated Family Ties 10-4

I am expanding the voting period to 8 days. Winner will be part of the three show finals. Loser will compete in the 4th place match.

[AMackII]

I can still see Cheers to win it big

[James28]

I say Cheers wins the whole tournament, if it has to be. Short runners don't deserve the win, or any prizes for that matter. Not The Munsters. Not Gilligan's Island. Cheers is the greatest sitcom of all time, single- or multi-camera.

[Bonniegirl]

I voted for " Love exciting and new " !!

[icecream]

Cheers defeats The Love Boat 11-4 and will advance to the three show finals. The Love Boat will compete in the 4th place match.