Reviews

The true nature of Norm's marriage to Vera is one of the truly inexplicable aspects of the series. By the final seasons, Norm was unsure of Vera's maiden name and whether his father-in-law was still alive. This episode is probably the last time Norm and Vera's relationship was taken seriously.

Norm and his neighbour Phyllis are starting to suspect that their respective spouses are having an affair. They eventually decide to hire a private eye to check up on Vera and Ron, and Norm spends most of the episode stewing over whether Vera is actually unfaithful. It's not exactly a hilarious premise, but there are a few good lines.

The subplot isn't much but it's pretty funny. Sam does a radio interview with his old buddy Dave, and refers to Diane as a former "Love Bunny," which naturally displeases Diane. Sam's awkward apology ("I apologize to her and indeed to women everywhere, both living and dead, whose sensibilities may have been offended") is yet another sign that, despite their protestations, Sam and Diane are destined to be together (in love or annoying each other) forever.

The main plot here is Carla-centric, and it's not bad. Noting that Carla's love life is experiencing a downturn, the guys concoct a fake date to respond to Carla's personal ad. They mean well, but of course everything goes awry when Carla falls hard for "Mitch," to the point where she ignores real suitors. If there's an underlying theme it's that the guys (especially Sam) like Carla despite her ornery nature.

The second plot is a whole lot sillier, involving Diane's newfound interest in mime. Mimes are an easy target for comedy, and the standard jokes about them being annoying are here in abundance. Don Lewis as Sotto is a good sport, and there's some fun slapstick to be had. Not an all time great but funny enough.

Rarely does an episode's theme get summed up by a single line of dialogue, but Diane does it here, as only Diane can: "Despite your assurances, you do not lend money with the sang-froid you claim."

It's been said that one should never lend large sums of money to friends - let alone employees/former girlfriends. Sam has evidently learned this, and decided to remedy it by lending with no expectations of getting it back. That's an interesting strategy, but Sam didn't count on Diane Chambers.

Diane needs the money to buy a rare Hemingway edition, and asks Sam for $500. Of course, it almost immediately goes wrong, as Sam begins to Blanche at Diane's other purchases. As with many episodes, it becomes a battle of wills between Sam and Diane, with Sam losing out.

This isn't anything special, but it's always fun to see Sam lose his cool. One nice touch is the choice of Hemingway. While Diane's "sensibilities" may not be "attuned to Hemingway," it makes sense that Sam might find Papa more his speed. Just don't read it in the bath!

The 1980s isn't exactly known as a high point for feminism. During the Reagan years women were sold the idea that they could succeed on their own without concerning themselves too much about sexism, systemic or otherwise.

By 1983 "Women's Lib" was associated with bra burning and unshaven legs. While Diane may seem like the ultimate girly girl, she's also proud of her intelligence, so she still retains the spirit of Gloria Steinem, at least in this episode.

Again, this is boilerplate sitcom material done well. Will Diane Chambers, Humanist take a stand against the demeaning Miss Boston Barmaid contest? Or will she succumb to materialism? What do you think?

This episode got a ratings boost by featuring a cold opening with Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, then the second most powerful person in Washington. It made sense to have a cameo from the most famous Massachusetts politician not named Kennedy, and O'Neill plays himself capably.

Cheers has done dream sequences before, but this is the first time dreams have fuelled an entire episode. Tropes like dreams-within-dreams and "It Was All A Dream... Or Was It?" can devolve into cliche, but here they work well.

Diane is upset by Andy Andy's release from prison, and sure enough he shows up with his new girlfriend, Cynthia* in tow. He has created a twisted narrative to impress her, and to Diane's dismay the rest of the bar goes along with it.

This is a funny, creepy episode perfect for Halloween, and while Cheers went back to the holiday a few more times it's a shame they didn't make it an annual tradition. What's really interesting is how the episode provides a window into Diane's psyche. We see Sam, Frasier and the rest of the gang through Diane's eyes, and it's clear that she is still stuck on her Magnificent Pagan Beast. The ending takes this into a whole new territory, landing on a perfect punchline.

*Cynthia is played by future Simpsons star Nancy Cartwright, making this an early meeting between the voices of Bart Simpson and Sideshow Bob. It's a fun bit of trivia, but sadly the future nemeses don't really interact much here.

There's not a whole lot going on here - much of the episode is anchored by Anthony and Annie, and their plight just isn't that interesting.

Carla's son Anthony is hung up on his girlfriend Annie, and Carla is worried that they're moving too fast. She enlists Sam to show Anthony what the swinging bachelor life is like, but it backfires as Anthony sees Sam's lifestyle as pathetic. There's nothing particularly bad here, and Timothy Williams does a good Dan Hedaya impression, but in the end it feels like a warmed over plot from Happy Days or Facts Of Life.

There are a couple so-so subplots, including Diane's freakout during a job interview (a well they will revisit with different characters in later seasons, never very funny). There's also the start of Cliff's obsession with growing plants that look like things.

A stranger leaves his coat in the bar. Ever the romantic, Diane conjures up an image of the owner from the lining of his jacket and the scent of his pipe tobacco. When they finally meet, he's not exactly what Diane hoped for.

Stuart is charming, cultured, and funny - he's also what could be delicately described as "not conventionally attractive." Diane goes along with the date, partly to prove to Sam and the rest of the bar that she cares about more than looks.

This is another stealth Sam and Diane episode, with Sam lording it over Diane that she's just as shallow as she is. The episode works because Stuart really does seem like a decent guy - smart, clever, and self effacing about his pretentiousness. He's not a stock geek character; in fact except for his looks he's Diane's perfect match.

This is a smart, funny episode that never leaves the bar - a formula that will work for most of the best episodes of this season. But really, at its core it's all about Sam and Diane.

This is the first episode to focus on Woody, but he gets some good comedic support from the rest of the cast. Woody is fitting in pretty well, but he's still awkward with women. It turns out he's still pining for Beth, his old girlfriend from back home. The gang arrange to bring her to Boston, and soon Woody and Beth are back to their old habits of overeating.

What's clever about this episode is that the subplot dovetails neatly into the main plot. Frasier is having a crisis of confidence following his rejection by Diane and is trying to rebuild himself by doing menial work at Cheers. (Is this just an excuse to keep Frasier at the bar? Probably, but who cares?) When everyone tries to come up with a way for Woody and Beth to tackle their overeating, Frasier goes into psychiatrist mode and comes up with a textbook Freudian explanation - it's all about sex - and it turns out he's right! Now that Diane has left him, Frasier is free to be the pompous, angry blowhard we all know and love. The episode ends with a cute punchline where Sam and Diane prove that there's something to Frasier's theory.

Most Cheers fans will agree that the series can be divided into the Diane Years and the Rebecca Years. Without arguing which is better (Diane), it's easy to see them as two completely different shows that happen to share some characters. The changes in Season Four aren't quite as dramatic, but nevertheless the show isn't quite the same.

The first episode of Cheers Season Two began mere moments after the events of the Season One finale. Conversely, Season Three began several months after the last scene of the Season Two finale. With Season Four, the writers manage to do both: the cold opening begins a few days after Sam flew to stop the wedding, while the episode proper begins months later. It's a clever trick that works well, because there's a lot of plot to deal with.

Season Three's cliffhanger asked (as Diane might put it) "With whom shall Diane end up - Sam or Frasier?" As it turns out, the answer is "Neither," and Season Four will tackle the fallout of that decision.

Sam comes back to the bar first, demoralized by the events in Italy. Frasier comes next, humiliated by Diane and ready to take it out on Sam. The third member of the triangle is nowhere to be found, and soon Sam goes after her.

There's another big change as a new face shows up at the bar. The show has finally acknowledged the passing of both Nicholas Colasanto and Coach. At the time, some critics complained that the show handled Coach's death poorly. In their defense, the writers were dealing with an impossible situation. Sam's comment that he'd like to think Coach is still there is fitting. Characters will continue to refer to Coach, and "Nicky's" photo of Geronimo has become a permanent fixture on the set.

Filling the void left by Coach -or at least trying to- is Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, bright-eyed yokel from Indiana. Woody has his own kind of innocence, but he's no substitute for Coach. Whatever his good or bad qualities (and Woody does get annoying as the series goes on) his reactions lack the sweet weirdness Colasanto brought to Coach.

Even with all these changes, this is actually a pretty good episode. Frasier's inept "showdown" with Sam is very funny, and the scenes with Diane at the convent show they can still do goofy and smart at the same time. Having said all that, the show will never quite be the same again.

The episode begins with a final cold opening featuring Nicholas Colasanto. The gag is a good one - Coach at his most Yogi Berra - and then we're off to yet another cliffhanger episode.

It's a pretty well done episode considering much of the drama is done over the phone. Frasier has asked Diane to marry him, and Diane calls to tell Sam. Is she trying to soften the blow? Or does she want Sam to object? Deep down we all know the answer before the characters do, but it doesn't matter. The triangle has reached its endpoint, and we're left wondering whom will Diane choose.

It's still pretty funny, especially the scene where Frasier and Diane have to console the maître'D over the death of *LUIGI* (chokes back sob). Navigating this social nightmare plays like a preview of Frasier's own show. You can easily imagine Frasier and Niles having to deal with this same situation.

Cheers is often neatly divided into the Diane Years and The Rebecca Years, but this is as much an inflection point for the series. Things won't be the same from here on in.

This isn't a bad episode, just a pointless one. Carla is convinced that the old lady who orders gin and grapefruit juice every night is actually the cruel principal from her old reform school. It's not exactly a mystery whether it's really her: the real question is how far will Carla go to get revenge.

Angry Carla is nothing new, and avenging old wrongs is a tired sitcom plot. Even the subplot (Cliff invents a Florida girlfriend) is dull. This is an episode that could have been redeemed by a few choice lines from Coach, but of course that's no longer possible. Finally, the ending is a precursor of the broad comedy that will plague the later seasons. This is just a placeholder to fill out the season.

This is a quintessential Bar Episode, even if some of it takes place thousands of miles away. A character walks into the bar, amuses and delights everyone, and is never seen again.

Sam has been scrambling to replace Diane, and Carla is annoyed that Sam is auditioning applicants as if they're potential dates. Lillian Huxley is the perfect choice: warm, competent, and entertaining, and not a source of sexual temptation. Sam agrees to hire Lillian, and soon the bar is echoing with bawdy songs and good times. Lillian's a hit!

Then, her daughter Carolyn - a sexy lingerie model - shows up. Sam has to resist temptation as well as deal with the advances of Lillian, who turns out to be just as randy as Sam himself.

This is a heck of a lot of fun, and Lillian is an all-time great one-episode character. Sam's attempts to navigate the affections of both mother and daughter are very funny, as is Sam's reaction when he finds out how Lillian's previous husbands died.

There's not a lot for Diane and Frasier to do in this one, but there's a funny bit when Frasier miscalculates the US-Italian currency exchange and tips a bellboy a lot more than he planned.

Two real life events in early 1985 affected the plotline of the last few episodes of Season Three. One was expected and happy, the other was unexpected and very sad.

The first event was Shelley Long giving birth to her daughter. The writers had planned for this, having Diane go to Europe with Frasier, so all her scenes could be filmed to hide her pregnancy. (Interestingly, Long had wanted them to write the pregnancy into the show; presumably the cliffhanger would have been whether the baby was Frasier's or Sam's).

The other event, of course, was Nicholas Colasanto's death. This episode was filmed in late 1984 to accommodate Long's pregnancy, and it ended up being Coach's last regular appearance in the series. The difference of a few months means that Colasanto appears a bit healthier than he did in "earlier" episodes. The scene where he says goodbye to Diane has an added poignancy.

There's a lot happening in this episode, most of centring around Frasier and Diane's imminent departure. Frasier is convinced that Sam and Diane still have feelings for each other, and paradoxically this almost brings them back together. Neither Sam nor Diane really know what they want, and poor Frasier is feeling the fallout.

It's painfully clear by this point that Norm Peterson is not much of a Company Man. He's practically an anti-Yuppie, someone who would rather sit on a barstool and drink beer than climb the corporate ladder. This makes him the exact wrong person to be a "corporate killer." By an odd twist, he turns out to be good at it.

This episode works like a fable: Norm feels awful about firing people, and his sympathy ironically makes him good at his job. Is it meant as a metaphor for the corporate world itself? Possibly, but more likely the writers just thought it was funny.

In the subplot once again Cliff's cowardice does battle with his anger. Cliff's neighbours are annoying him, and he sends a strongly worded letter (written with the assistance of Carla so it's extra nasty) he immediately regrets. Trying to retrieve an unfortunate message is as old as Greek tragedy, and here it introduces Cliff's post office rival Walter Twitchell. Again, this is a filler episode.

Nick Tortelli is back, and he's hit rock bottom. His lovely bride Loretta has left him, and he's now begging Carla for a second chance. Is Nick sincere in his willingness to change, or is he just trying to con Carla into taking him back? Well, what do you think?

This is a good Bar Episode, with everyone getting a chance to interact with the comically sleazy Nick. Norm and Cliff have a funny moment when Nick threatens to burn himself with a match but chickens out ("there are rules to this?"). Diane is in Do Gooder mode, swayed by Nick's new commitment to "Miss Carla." Even Barfly Steve gets in a couple great lines. And, like Godzilla meeting Mothra, we have the worlds-colliding moment where Nick meets " someone with whom" he has "absolutely nothing in common," Dr Frasier Crane. This is a filler episode, but a good one.

This is yet another episode that could have worked in Season One, as it plays off Sam and Diane being attracted to each other but unwilling to admit it.

Paula Nelson is witty, attractive, and much more cultured than Sam's usual bimbettes. Sam prods Diane for info on the great masters of art, and Diane is willing to provide. However, Diane begins to suspect that Sam has ulterior motives, and thanks to some good old fashioned misunderstandings she's convinced Sam wants her back.

By highlighting tension between Diane and Frasier, this seemingly innocuous episode also sets the stage for the finale. Diane's perfect relationship has become less than perfect, and she's heading for some tough choices.

Coach's absence is explained in a way that is quintessentially Coach. Of course Coach would be too nice to decline an invitation to a family reunion just because he's not actually part of the family. And of course the Black family would accept their "Uncle Whitey" with open arms. Nicholas Colasanto may be gone, but Coach's gentle weirdness lives on.

A Guy Walks Into The Bar, and while he recognizes Sam, Sam doesn't recognize him. Turn out he's Eddie Gordon (Michael Richards, in between Fridays and Seinfeld), a drinking buddy from Sam's last epic bender.

Eddie reminds Sam of a wager they made: Sam has to marry Jacqueline Bissett or else Eddie owns Cheers. The race is on to find somebody - anybody - named Jacqueline Bissett so Sam can win the bet.

This is a decent episode but nothing special. Richards makes for a suitably sleazy "villain," and the interaction with the other Jacqueline Bissett and the gang is pretty funny. However, the loss of Nicholas Colasanto is felt here. Since Colasanto had already filmed scenes for Diane's departure later in the season, they had to explain his absence here. The reason here isn't particularly inventive, but it's definitely true to the character.

This is a difficult episode to watch for two reasons. The first is that one of the main characters does something truly reprehensible to another. The second involves behind-the-scenes knowledge.

Cliff's cowardly nature has been well established by now, but by letting Norm take the rap for finishing his route, Cliff sinks to new levels of weasel behaviour. He eventually does the right thing, but it's no surprise that Norm is still angry. Cliff's rationale for selling out Norm is more pathetic than funny. For once Carla's insults seem appropriate.

The other reason this episode is tough one is seeing a clearly ailing Coach. Nicholas Colasanto passed away less than a week after this aired, and his frailty is evident. Coach will later appear in a few scenes that were already filmed, but it's deeply sad seeing him so ill.

This episode still gets a passing grade for a few funny bits, most notably Diane's attempt to clear the furnace ducts (and the resultant Señor Wences tribute). But the sadness surrounding Coach puts a pall over the proceedings. The classic period of Cheers is coming to an end.

There is nothing particularly special about this episode, but it's a high point of Season Three. It simply takes a standard sitcom plot and does it very, very well.

Diane is delighted to discover that Sam is going back to school - until she finds out it's high school. Sam -who dropped out to play pro baseball - needs to take one night school course in geography in order to graduate. Coach goes along as moral support, and ends up being at the head of the class. Sam is also doing well - mostly by seducing the teacher.

This is just full of memorable lines ("with probing tongues?" "No, with a thumbtack!"; " Boy, that lady has got a mean mouth on her for a 73-year-old."; "I know what creek you're up.") Diane's scolding of Sam is also hilarious. But what really makes this episode special is Coach's musical tribute to that Balkan country whose chief export is chrome.

As noted in the trivia page, this is the last episode to feature Coach as a main character. Nicholas Colosanto died less than two weeks after this episode aired, and his loss changed the series forever. While there are other, more poignant episodes, this profoundly silly episode is the best way to remember him.

This is yet another attempt to recapture the magic of Season One, and it's only moderately successful. It's mostly a S & D episode with a very tenuous premise: Sam's competitiveness wins out over his horniness.

We begin with a throwback as Coach buys something useless for the bar. There's some cute interplay with Sam and Coach ("Satisfaction guaranteed." "Or what?" "Gee, I forgot to ask.") but it's mostly just a set up for the ping pong match at the end.

Sam pitches in a charity softball game against a bevy of Playboy Bunnies (the most gratuitous guest star spot until the final two seasons). Sam lets his desire to win beat out his desire to court them, and Diane lords it over him. As always there's a few funny lines but this is just treading water.

If one could point to an episode where Frasier truly became a part of the cast, it's this one. Ironically, it's all about Frasier's anxiety about being left out.

Frasier is going through a tough time, and Diane asks Sam to let him tag along on the gang's fishing trip. The guys haze Frasier by sending him on a "Snipe Hunt," which horrifies Diane. Everything gets thrown for a loop when it turns out Frasier likes it! Or does he?

Sam seems genuinely suprised when Diane tells him that Frasier thinks of him as a friend ("What a boo-bootiful guy") and feels a bit of remorse. But Frasier isn't the rube Sam thinks he is...

This where Frasier truly comes into his own as a character, rather than just The Other Boyfriend. This is the first time we see Frasier's manic energy and bombastic delivery that will become part of his character. He's still the bar's nerd, but the guys won't underestimate him from now on.

There's not much of a subplot, but any trivia nut can relate to Coach and Carla's dilemma. Eventually you'll run out of stumpers...

This is yet another retread, this time of Father Knows Last from Season One. Dr. Bennett Ludlow ("THE Bennet Ludlow?") is not as nerdy as Marshall, but he's still an odd match for Carla: a reserved intellectual in his 60s, he also happens to be Frasier's mentor and idol.

There's some funny bits (including a cute routine involving Carla, Sam, Coach, and the phrase "none of your damn business") and Carla has fun lording her relationship with Dr. Ludlow over the aghast Frasier and Diane. Also, Sam gets a moment where he gets to gloat over being right about Carla's romance with Dr. Ludlow. However, this is nothing special, and seems to be designed to write in Rhea Perlman's real life pregnancy.

There's nothing particularly wrong with this episode, but it's one of the weaker ones from Season Three. It's basically a retread of Any Friend Of Diane's with a twist: instead of a depressed intellectual, Diane's friend is prone to obsessive romantic attachments.

There's very little new ground broken here, and frankly Amanda (Taxi veteran Carol Kane) doesn't seem like Sam's usual type. Even the subplot (Norm's quest for a baby name) is a non starter - although "Sonar is a beautiful name" is an all time Coach line. The final scene - where Diane comes up with a novel way to get Amanda to give up on Sam - redeems things a bit, but this is a dull episode.

This is another back-to-basics episode: no scenes outside the bar, no guest stars, just the regulars. Both stories are pretty good, and add up to a solid half hour.

The title story involves a standard sitcom plot: a character has a brush with death that causes them to question everything. Norm is not exactly the biggest go getter in the best of times, but here he drops out of it all, promising to sail to Bora Bora. Of course he doesn't, instead hiding out in Sam's office.

This is a fun episode, with contributions from everyone (Coach's "I'm sure somebody will explain it to me later" is a funny refrain). It all ends up with Cliff's confession of his lifelong dream, which is... something else.

The other plot has Diane and Carla competing for tips. It's been a while since we've had a Diane Vs. Carla story, and this is a good one. Carla plays off Diane's desire to be seen as a competent waitress to needle her mercilessly.

If there was any doubt that Frasier was a good addition to the cast, it's gone by the end of this episode. This could only work as a Sam-Diane-Frasier episode, and each player brings something to the party.

Diane moving in with Frasier seems to upset Diane more than it does Sam, and her anxiety is manifested as an allergy to Frasier's dog Pavlov. Diane goes through a series of sniffles, sneezing and stuffiness, culminating in a bizarre voice change. (Long adds funny voices to her comedic reepertoire here, and her timing is perfect.) Frasier tries to be understanding of Diane's plight but can't hide his annoyance. Sam, of course, is smug about the whole thing.

The subplot involves a series of gag gifts for Carla's birthday. It's nothing special, but it's pretty funny.