One of the everyday enjoyments of life has been socialising which many of us have experienced throughout time. Although we have had British sitcoms that show that togetherness such as Only Fools and Horses, Phoenix Nights and Early Doors, it was our Atlantic neighbours who gave us the unique social experience on TV in the shape of Cheers. The premise was simple as it revolved around a group of people who bonded together in one place and made history over the course of eleven enjoyable series. A woman-chasing bar manager, a couple of irritating lovers, a feisty waitress, a couple of dopey barmen and a trio of loveable customers all spent their lives at the bar where everybody knows your name. And what perfect timing to make this list on the day the show celebrates its 30th anniversary….
WOODY: “What’s going on, Mr. Peterson?”
NORM: “The question is what’s going *in* Mr. Peterson. A beer please, Woody.”
#5 – Baby Crane says his first word
One of the elite running gags of Cheers was the constant times Norm Peterson would have his first name called back whenever he entered the bar greeting everybody. “Norm!” replied the customers. This became a recurring theme throughout the show and while Norm provided some cracking responses to the staff, it was this first clip which bounced back on him rather humourously. As Lilith criticises her husband Frasier for his decision to take baby Frederick into the bar, he insists that the little’un hasn’t picked up any bad habits from the place. Enter Norm. Upon giving his usual greeting, he is as shocked as everyone when little Frederick says his name back as his first word. Cue Lilith’s desperate attempt to pretend that it was actually ‘Mommy’!
#4 – Sam’s allergy comeback to Diane
Another strong dynamic of Cheers particularly in its early years was the will-they-won’t-they chemistry between Sam Malone and Diane Chambers. While the pair had their ups and downs when together, they also enjoyed throwing insults at each other when they weren’t with Diane having the upper-hand when it came to ridiculing Sam’s intelligence. But in this peach of a moment from Series 3, Sam gets his own back on his former lover when she contacts an allergy whilst living in new lover Frasier’s apartment. This allergy causes her to talk in a silly voice which Sam enjoys poking fun at as he pretends to have the same problem which leaves her humiliated. This moment showed that while they couldn’t stand each other, they belonged together….
#3 – Diane says goodbye
….Sadly for Cheers fans, nothing lasts forever as Sam and Diane would find out in the Series 5 finale where our blonde know-it-all decides to pursue her writing career elsewhere. Even for the show’s comedic brilliance, it also delivered in its dramatic material with Sam clearly reluctant to let his true love depart but knowing that it would probably be for the best when it came to her lifelong dream. His regretful response to her departure “Have a nice life” left many viewers distraught at one of television’s greatest couples going their separate ways. Just as emotionally-charged is the follow-up scene where Sam imagines himself as an old man sharing one more dance with the elderly Diane. Many people would have found that a touching ending to the show but luckily there was more to come though fans would have to wait a few years for the duo to reunite in the show’s nostalgic last episode.
#2 – Frasier runs with scissors
From 1984 to 2004, Kelsey Grammar became a household name in TV Land for playing the role of neurotic psychiatrist Frasier Crane in Cheers and then in his own spin-off show Frasier. Initially the character was introduced as Diane’s new boyfriend who would endure a similar fate to Sam when it came to his long-suffering relationship with the blond waitress. But even after splitting from Diane, he was kept on the show and became a regular character contributing his opinion about other people’s predicaments while making himself look foolish at times. This classic moment sees Rebecca trying to comfort Frasier who is feeling down after Lilith humiliates him on TV and makes him feel boring compared to Sam. His response is to prove he has a rebellious side but only makes himself look childish when he grabs a pair of scissors and runs around the bar. An hysterical moment which made Frasier legendary!
#1 – We Will Rock You
As stated in my introductory paragraph, Cheers has always been about the social unity of its bar staff and customers though sadly I could only pick one moment out of this or the iconic Thanksgiving food fight scene. However I went for this one given the way it not only allows the main cast to have fun but also the large group of extras who clearly enjoy themselves when a normal day at the bar turn into a rock concert. All it takes is a few footsteps and pencil-tapping to set things off as the likes of Norm, Carla and Woody start this excellently choreographed scene. Within a few seconds, other customers begin strutting their stuff with Sam getting involved and once we get to the real hand-clapping moves (complete with pool cues), we finally have Woody leading the sing-a-long to Queen’s We Will Rock You which gets the whole bar going. This gem of a scene is something you wouldn’t see in most sitcoms nowadays especially for an opening scene but it is exactly what made the show so special in its focus on everyday life and social gathering which has never been replicated by other sitcoms. Happy 30th anniversary Cheers, 275 episodes of pure genius!
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