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Cheers: The Peterson Principle (1986)
Yet another Norm career episode
We know the drill at this point: Norm has a chance to get ahead at work, but doing so presents an ethical challenge. This particular one is mildly interesting, because there is no single answer.
Would snitching on his coworker be wrong? Or does Norm's boss deserve to know about his wife's infidelity? There's an added twist when Norm defends Vera's honour, but it's still not much.
The B plot shows that despite his claims Frasier is not over Diane. The really weird part, however, is everybody huddling to watch Frasier's slides in the first place. Isn't there a game on or something? What kind of bar is this?
Cheers: Second Time Around (1986)
Another great Frasier episode
Just two episodes after Frasier's triumph in The Triangle, here's another one that focuses on the good doctor. This one is also significant because it introduces yet another classic character.
As with Frasier himself, Lilith Sternin is introduced as a minor character - this time the decidedly un-fun date for Frasier. It's clear that the writers saw potential for something more here, and in true Cheers fashion we know we'll be seeing more of her.
Having said that, this episode is all about Lilith's polar opposite. When Sam sees that Frasier needs a pick-me-up, he suggests some no-strings-attached fun with one his old girlfriends. Enter Candi Pierson (with an I - "like Gandhi"), bimbo with a heart of gold. Jennifer Tilly has a voice and demeanour that had been missing since the era of the Screwball Comedy - her forebears are Jean Harlow, Judy Holiday and Thelma Todd.
What's interesting about this episode is that Sam is once again exactly right - Candi really is what Frasier needs to cure his blues. Unfortunately, Frasier takes this a bit too far and decides to marry the good time gal...
This episode even manages to bring it all back to Sam and Diane, as Frasier's near-miss trip down the aisle reflects on their own fractured relationship. This is a fun episode all around, as bubbly as Candi's voice.
Cheers: Cliffie's Big Score (1986)
Cliff The Creep
Up until this point Cliff has been a lovable loser - often the butt of Carla's jokes, he nonetheless seems more goofy and awkward than creepy. Here, he finally goes from dope to actively repellent.
"Guy Ends Up With Two Dates" is a staple plot of many weaker sitcoms, but Cheers has made silk purses out of sow's ears before. Unfortunately, they can't pull it off here. Cliff manages to be both obnoxious towards Carla and predatory towards Diane. The only things keeping this episode from being a total disaster are the funny cold opening (where Sam talks his way out of a verbal thrashing from angry date) and Cliff's weirdo coworker Lucas (CARLA: What'd he say? NORM: I can't believe it matters). This is a lowlight of the Diane years, and an unfortunate harbinger of things to come.
Cheers: The Triangle (1986)
Frasier hits it out of the park
At this point in the series Frasier Crane was in a tenuous position. He had played a major role in Season Three as Sam's rival for Diane's affections, but he had less to do in Season Four. With this episode he proves that he's an essential part of the show.
As the episode begins Frasier is depressed due to his professional and personal failures. So Sam and Diane come up with a scheme to help Frasier feel like a therapist again. Sam feigns depression and consults Frasier. Frasier decides that Sam still loves Diane, which pleases nobody.
What's great about this episode is that while Frasier is the focus, both Sam and Diane are firing on all cylinders, needling and squabbling with each other. It all culminates in Frasier's brilliant, angry tirade about their "Ménage A Boobs."
The subplot (Cliff enlists Norm to paint his house) isn't anything special, but the gang's philosophical discussion of Roadrunner cartoons adds a great counterpoint to the main storyline. This is one of the great episodes.
Cheers: Suspicion (1986)
Diane Vs Paranoia
This is another short story episode, this time closer to Saki or Roald Dahl. The plot is simple: Diane tries to conduct a psychological experiment on paranoia and ends up falling victim of her own paranoia.
Diane decides to "introduce a foreign element" into the bar: a sullen, intimidating-looking customer who orders coffee and says nothing for hours. The rest of the bar reacts as Diane predicted, arguing and even accusing each other until Sam confronts the patron.* When the gang finds out, Sam cryptically says "we don't *get mad,*" implying that they plan to get even...
Diane spends the rest of the episode wigging out over their possible revenge, even enlisting Frasier to spy on the crew. The climax allows for Shelley Long to show off her best goofiness.
This is a silly episode, but it ties into Diane's character arc for the season. With Coach gone, Diane feels even more of place than when she started working at Cheers. How this will be resolved will lead to the season's cliffhanger...
Cheers: Take My Shirt... Please? (1986)
Sam's Fading Star
Sam's character arc for Season 4 is all about dealing with the fact that he's not getting any younger. Other episodes have Sam feeling threatened by Woody's youth or realizing his stud days won't last forever. Here Sam faces his waning fame as a sports star.
Diane, of course, complicates things by trying to protect Sam's feelings. Had she let the jersey stay in the auction - presumably to end up on Mr. Bobo's table - this would have been a very different episode. Whether it would have been sadder or funnier is hard to say. As it stands this is a pretty good S&D episode, ending with yet another confrontation in Sam's office.
The subplot (Norm trying to show a client he's not a lazy barfly) is pretty much a retread of the subplot in Any Friend Of Diane's, now with added Cliff.
Cheers: Fools and Their Money (1985)
Sam tries his best, still screws up
As James Burrows once explained, if Coach was the befuddled father figure of the show, Woody is the naive kid of the group. In this episode Sam tries to step in the role of big brother and still manages to mess it up.
Woody has been killing it in the weekly football pool, and the gang talks him into doing a parlay with a bookie. Woody wants to bet $1000 (his life savings) while Sam tries to talk him out of it. Of course, Woody wins, and Sam reveals to Diane that he didn't make the bet.
This is yet another bar episode, and while the plot isn't particularly complicated, it provides nuance to Sam and Woody's friendship. Diane has a couple funny moments where she tries to help Sam do the right thing:
SAM: While I'm at it, why don't I just tell him that I meant to bet on all on all winning teams since 1975.
DIANE: Can you do that?
The ending (no spoilers) reveals a new aspect of Sam's personality, or rather his shallowness (" We're talking about my car, Woody!"), and concludes in a truly bizarre way. The only subplot - involving Frasier's pedantic corrections of Diane's grammar - isn't anything special, but it's fun to have the Doc around.
Cheers: Don Juan Is Hell (1985)
Another key Sam and Diane episode
This is the first episode to outright say that Sam's sexual appetites might be a full-on addiction. Fortunately, it still manages to be funny enough to avoid falling into Very Special Episode territory.
After writing her paper about "Trevor" ("Why not Duke?"), Diane realizes that her conclusions will hurt Sam. Of course, Sam thinks the paper is complementary until Diane spells it out for him.
The plot ends, as so many classic episodes do, with the pair hashing it out in Sam's office. It manages to be both serious (when Sam realizes what Diane meant) and funny (when Sam and Diane explore the erotic charms of their favourite musical genres)
The subplot is also funny, as Woody challenges Carla for sports trivia supremacy. It's nothing special, but Carla and the guys get off a few good lines.
Cheers: The Bar Stoolie (1985)
Standard main plot, weird subplot
The title story recycles another standard sitcom plot: a regular character confronts an estranged parent. Often it's the parent (usually a dad) of the jerk character on a show, so here it's our Cliffie. Cliff Sr is obnoxious, self-centered, and unreliable - in other words a perfect explanation for Cliff Jr's behaviour. They don't do a whole lot with this one, and Cliff Sr shows that a character who thinks they're hilarious is often not that funny at all.
The subplot is more than a bit weird. Why does Claudia want Diane to hang out with her and Sam? Is it too big a stretch to suggest she might be attracted to... Diane? A later sitcom like Friends (or even Frasier) might have made this explicit, especially during the 90s era of "Bisexual Chic." As it stands, the fact that the ever-horny Sam doesn't even say the word "threesome" suggests that at this point Sam is not too fond of Diane.
Cheers: From Beer to Eternity (1985)
The Rivalry Begins
This is the first and best episode to center on the rivalry between Cheers and Gary's Old Towne Tavern. The fact that it's the only one to feature Diane is part of it.
Cheers has always had its share of "villains" (Nick, Sumner, Andy Andy) but this is the first time the bar itself had a nemesis. Gary is a lovably obnoxious heel, taunting Sam and the gang the best he can. There's also the tension of whether Woody will step up and help win the bowling tournament.
In the end, it's the least likely character who saves the day (with an even less likely bit of trash talk). The old magic is still there, at least for now.
Cheers: Love Thy Neighbor (1985)
Norm's Marriage Faces Another Test
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.
Cheers: 2 Good 2 Be 4 Real (1985)
Another Two-Story Episode
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.
Cheers: I'll Gladly Pay You Tuesday (1985)
A Fool And His Money...
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!
Cheers: No Contest (1983)
Diane Is Woman, Hear Her Roar
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: Diane's Nightmare (1985)
A Look Into Diane's Subconscious
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.
Cheers: The Groom Wore Clearasil (1985)
A Dull One
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.
Cheers: Someday My Prince Will Come (1985)
Shallow Diane
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.
Cheers: Woody Goes Belly Up (1985)
Not A Bad Start For Woody
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.
Cheers: Birth, Death, Love and Rice (1985)
The Dawn Of Cheers 1.5
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.
Cheers: Rescue Me (1985)
End Of An Era
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.
Cheers: The Belles of St. Clete's (1985)
Meh
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.
Cheers: The Bartender's Tale (1985)
Just A Fun Episode
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.
Cheers: Cheerio, Cheers (1985)
Change Is Coming
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.
Cheers: The Executive's Executioner (1985)
Corporate Norm Is An Unhappy Norm
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.
Cheers: If Ever I Would Leave You (1985)
One Of The Better Nick Episodes
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.