Cheers revolutionized sitcoms in many ways, and one of the most significant changes came 33 years ago with a shocking choice. Many sitcoms from the 80s and 90s have fallen out of the pop culture zeitgeist, but Cheers has maintained its cultural relevance 33 years after it ended, with new generations getting introduced to the series in the decades since. Although some of the jokes are dated, the show has aged pretty well. The theme song perfectly represented the show, and it feels like a warm hug. Plus, it changed the sitcom genre for the better.
The eleven-season NBC show popularized third space settings where people could gather to find comfort and escape their loneliness. It perfected the “hangout” format that anchors so many of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. The rapid-fire banter and ensemble chemistry influenced so many great comedy writers. Plus, Sam and Diane also became the first major “Will they? Won’t they?” in comedy television, laying the groundwork for everything that came after.
From beginning to end, the TV show was innovative, and nothing makes this clearer than the finale. In the last episode of Cheers, the show changed television with the shocking yet correct decision that Sam and Diane don’t have a romantic happily-ever-after, instead finding their happy ending by parting ways.
Though there are many great contenders, Sam and Diane stand out as one of the best couples to come from the sitcom genre. They are the prototype for the “Will they? Won’t they?” couple, as they were the first on TV. They brought the dynamic from screwball comedy movies to the small screen. What’s more, Shelley Long and Ted Danson had electric chemistry. They bounced off each other perfectly.
That being said, I believe the reason Sam and Diane remain one of the best sitcom couples is that they knew when to quit. Shelley Long leaving Cheers was sad. I loved Diane. However, it was also a blessing in disguise. The couple was already starting to lose a bit of their magic in season 5, and the two just weren’t good for each other long-term.
Shelley Long stunned audiences and the Cheers team when she chose to leave at the end of season 5 because she wanted to focus on her film career and family (via TV Line).
Great chemistry and repartee don’t make two people compatible. Sam and Diane fought constantly. They spent more time trying to change each other than enjoying each other’s company. Both wanted a partner who would put them first, and neither of them was ready to sacrifice their passions. They had opposite life paths, and staying together would’ve required one of them to give up their career aspirations for the other.
Rather than Diane giving up her literary dream at the end of Cheers season 5 and growing to resent Sam, the two let go. Rather than Sam giving up his bar at the end of Cheers, going to Los Angeles, and growing to resent her, Sam and Diane knew that it was time to quit. They didn’t hold on to something so tightly that they grew to hate each other. Instead, they said goodbye on their own terms, which was a revolutionary way to end a sitcom.
Cheers Established That Will-They-Won’t-They Couples Don’t Always Need Happy Endings
While Cheers introduced the “Will they? Won’t they?” couple, it didn’t create the idea that these relationships need happy endings. Instead, the show made it very clear that Sam and Diane could be the great romantic love of each other’s lives, but they still had to earn their happy ending. The couple getting married in the finale would have felt disingenuous. Even the writers team knew that. Cheers writer Kevin Levine said this on his blog, By Kevin Levine:
“The final episode was conceived and written by Glen & Les Charles. I remember discussions in the room about how to resolve the Sam & Diane relationship and if memory serves, there was never any intention of getting them together at the end. And I must say, I agreed with that decision then and still do.”
Frankly, the two spent years apart. The show would have needed a longer story arc to make their marriage seem like a logical choice. Plus, Sam and Diane just weren’t right for each other. Ultimately, the two could have gotten married and had a short period of happiness, but they probably would have driven each other nuts and divorced. Even Ken Levine expressed the belief that their marriage would have been good-intentioned but “[ended] with restraining orders.” Instead, they parted on bittersweet but good terms in the Cheers finale.
On top of that, the fact that they don’t end up together actually sends a meaningful message about love. Forever is never promised, and a relationship doesn’t have to last for it to be significant. Sam knew this.
He wanted to marry Diane, but he selflessly encouraged her to follow her dreams, earnestly telling her to have a good life. When she says that she’ll be back in six months, he responds, “You never know. You could die, I could die, the world could end. One of us could bump our heads and wander the streets the rest of our lives with amnesia. Or maybe, one of us will decide we want something else.”
In the end, he was right. Diane didn’t come back for six years because she wanted something else. Still, Sam and Diane loved each other. Their parting ways doesn’t change the time that they shared. Ultimately, Cheers laid the foundation for future romantic dramas and sitcoms to feature meaningful romantic arcs, even if their “Will they? Won’t they?” couples end with “won’t they.” Sitcoms don’t go this route nearly enough, but those that do are memorable.
- Release Date
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1982 – 1993-00-00
- Showrunner
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James Burrows, Glen Charles, Les Charles, Ken Estin, Sam Simon, David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee, Bill Steinkellner, Cheri Steinkellner, Phoef Sutton, Tom Anderson, Dan O’Shannon
- Directors
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James Burrows, Andy Ackerman
- Writers
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James Burrows, Glen Charles, Les Charles
