Was it planned? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

barwars · 09-28-2003, 09:32 AM

Was the entire plot planned when Cheers began?\

Was the character of Frasier Crane in their heads from the beginning?

I know Shelley Long threw 'em a curve ball by quiting, but, up to that point.... was it all 1 master idea??

Brian Damage · 09-28-2003, 11:53 AM

I think the overall plot of Sam and Diane's up and down relationship was planned from the beggining. However, I think Frasier was created along the way.

CheersChild4life · 09-28-2003, 12:12 PM

Yeah.....the Sam+Diane thing was defenitly planned!

eringoblah · 09-28-2003, 12:50 PM

They had planned for the two to have a rocky courtship, but I seriously doubt much that happened after the first 2 seasons was laid out. Norm was also suppossed to get a divorce I heard.

NORM · 09-28-2003, 06:49 PM

No actually they said they knew Shelley was going to leave after her contract expired.

DianeChambers87 · 09-28-2003, 07:55 PM

In the begginning the two main characters were Sam and Diane, and YES the relationship was completely planned...the secondary characters were Carla and Coach, and then there was Norm. It was suppose to be more of a Romantic Comedy than an ensemble.

Then you know the chemistry started to really come through with everybody and they added Cliff to the cast. Both Ted and Shelley had their doubts about their contracts and in fact in the 3rd season were going to decide to either stay or leave. Shelley chose to leave and Ted to stay.

Frasier was just a character meant to drive a wedge between Sam and Diane, but because of Kelsey and the way the writers developed the characters it became apparent that his presence really worked on the set so they hired him as a cast memberfor the 4th season. This was all completely by coincidence so it wasn't planned.

then ofcourse coach Died and they found woody (which was a brilliant move by the way, getting almost the complete opposite of what you have...)

Then lilith was in one episode and they had good chemistry. Finally when they were sure shelley was leaving they brought lilith back to try to shift the focus of the Sexual tension from the Sam and Diane relationship to the Lilith and Frasier relationship...and to a certain extent it worked.

Then Kirstie was added who was sort of the friend of Sam....and that's the cast..

But most of the publicity shots for the pilot only had Sam and Diane in them, and it has been said that they were the focus in Cheers for the first 3 to 5 years.

NORM · 09-29-2003, 06:27 AM

Quote:

then ofcourse coach Died and they found woody (which was a brilliant move by the way, getting almost the complete opposite of what you have...)

Actually, Woody is like a reincarnated Coach. I liked that alot.

DianeChambers87 · 09-29-2003, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NORM
Actually, Woody is like a reincarnated Coach. I liked that alot.

Yes but the relationship went from being Father to Son...TO Son to Father....and the character of woody was very different from Coach's. Coach was a senile older man that had taken way too many hits to the head....what was woody's excuse lol? I also thought that as the years went by you saw more traces of Coach in Sam.

Father (Coach) Son (Sam)

Father (Sam) Son (Woody)

Sam: I was trying to protect you the way Coach protected me...and it worked just as well which scares the hell out of me.

barwars · 09-29-2003, 03:55 PM

I knew Frasier and Lilith were never planned, and obviously Woody wasn't, but it turned out great.

09-28-2003, 09:32 AM	#1
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	Was it planned? Was the entire plot planned when Cheers began?\ Was the character of Frasier Crane in their heads from the beginning? I know Shelley Long threw 'em a curve ball by quiting, but, up to that point.... was it all 1 master idea??

09-28-2003, 06:49 PM	#5
NORM #1 Wendt Fan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 19, 2002 Location: Wherever my wheels are rolling. Posts: 1,607	No actually they said they knew Shelley was going to leave after her contract expired.
	__________________ George Wendt Forever "Your nothing but a piece of ** child malester who should have been castrated with a dull knife first and then executed" "What do I care what you think, your gonna be out of a ing job next week. I gotta sit down, this *** won't stop staring at me I think he wants to me" "Oh I'm a low life? Really? Yeah well I hope that Cancer you got kills you, you dried up old " "Who do you have to ** to get a sandwhich in this place?" "Think about how fat I would be if I didn't work out" "I came, I drank, I stayed" - George Wendt http://wendtfan.tripod.com

09-28-2003, 07:55 PM	#6
DianeChambers87 Elizabeth B. Malone Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 16, 2003 Location: Swampland USA Posts: 5,178	In the begginning the two main characters were Sam and Diane, and YES the relationship was completely planned...the secondary characters were Carla and Coach, and then there was Norm. It was suppose to be more of a Romantic Comedy than an ensemble. Then you know the chemistry started to really come through with everybody and they added Cliff to the cast. Both Ted and Shelley had their doubts about their contracts and in fact in the 3rd season were going to decide to either stay or leave. Shelley chose to leave and Ted to stay. Frasier was just a character meant to drive a wedge between Sam and Diane, but because of Kelsey and the way the writers developed the characters it became apparent that his presence really worked on the set so they hired him as a cast memberfor the 4th season. This was all completely by coincidence so it wasn't planned. then ofcourse coach Died and they found woody (which was a brilliant move by the way, getting almost the complete opposite of what you have...) Then lilith was in one episode and they had good chemistry. Finally when they were sure shelley was leaving they brought lilith back to try to shift the focus of the Sexual tension from the Sam and Diane relationship to the Lilith and Frasier relationship...and to a certain extent it worked. Then Kirstie was added who was sort of the friend of Sam....and that's the cast.. But most of the publicity shots for the pilot only had Sam and Diane in them, and it has been said that they were the focus in Cheers for the first 3 to 5 years. Attached Images
	__________________ Strange Fascinations, Fascinating me

09-28-2003, 11:53 AM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	I think the overall plot of Sam and Diane's up and down relationship was planned from the beggining. However, I think Frasier was created along the way.

09-28-2003, 12:12 PM	#3
CheersChild4life Absolutely Fabulous Senior Member Join Date: Nov 23, 2002 Location: Somwhere Fabulous Posts: 2,814	Yeah.....the Sam+Diane thing was defenitly planned!

09-28-2003, 12:50 PM	#4
eringoblah Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 22, 2003 Location: emerald isle Posts: 99	They had planned for the two to have a rocky courtship, but I seriously doubt much that happened after the first 2 seasons was laid out. Norm was also suppossed to get a divorce I heard.

09-29-2003, 03:55 PM	#9
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	I knew Frasier and Lilith were never planned, and obviously Woody wasn't, but it turned out great.