My home DVD library is filled with complete seasons of my favorite old TV shows, mostly from the 1970s and 1980s, including M*A*S*H, The Odd Couple, Laverne & Shirley and more. So I was thrilled to review [amazon_link id=”B006OKOWDG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Fan Favorites: The Best of Cheers[/amazon_link], fan-picked episodes from the iconic sitcom that ran on NBC from 1982 to 1993.
But with 11 seasons to choose from, it’s hard to believe that fans could narrow down their favorite episodes to nine. (Why nine? Why not ten? I found myself looking for an episode to make it even).
For those of you who’ve never seen Cheers, it centers around the Boston-based bar of the same name and its owner Sam “Mayday” Malone (Ted Danson), his on-again-off-again girlfriend Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), and other quirky bar patrons and staff, including Ernie “Coach” Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), barmaid Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman), customers Norm Peterson (George Wendt), Cliff Claven (John Ratzenberger), Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) and so many more. The show earned 28 Emmys, more than 100 nominations, and spawned its Frasier spinoff that also ran for a decade.
Cheers fans chose the pilot episode from season one, several episodes from season five, including Woody’s wedding from season ten, and one of my favorites, Thanksgiving Orphans.
One of their best selections, Diane’s Perfect Date, introduces us to ex-con Andy, who makes a re-appearance in Diane’s Nightmare in season four (which wasn’t included, but I would have added to round the DVD off to an even ten episodes).
Also missing from this list, in my opinion, is episode 96 from season five — The Proposal, where Sam is ordered by the court to propose to Diane, which he tries to do throughout the episode to no avail.
I also would have put Severe Crane Damage on this list. That includes the infamous scene of Frasier Crane “running with scissors.” Like I said, it’s hard to narrow down 11 seasons to just nine episodes.
There aren’t any outtakes or bloopers, just the episodes, but it’s a nice addition to your own library, especially if you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford to purchase all 11 seasons. At least you’ll have some of the funnier episodes to watch.
Episodes Include:
- Give Me a Ring Sometime (Pilot: Season One, Episode 1): A jilted Diane meets the Cheers crew for the first time and Sam, despite his better instincts, offers her a job.
- Diane’s Perfect Date (Season One, Episode 17): Sam and Diane agree to set up blind dates for one another and disaster ensues.
- Pick A Con, Any Con (Season One, Episode 19): This won the Facebook poll as favorite episode. When Coach is swindled, the crew hatches a plan to get his money back.
- Abnormal Psychology (Season Five, Episode 4): A pushy Diane works to put Frasier and Lilith together.
- Thanksgiving Orphans (Season Five, Episode 9): A Thanksgiving potluck is held at Carla’s new home.
- Dinner At Eight-ish (Season Five, Episode 20): When Sam and Diane are invited to a dinner party with Frasier and Lilith, the evening becomes a night of psychological warfare.
- Simon Says (Season Five, Episode 21): Sam and Diane find out they are mismatched after a couples counseling session.
- and 9. An Old Fashioned Wedding Parts 1 & 2 (Season Ten, Episode 25 and Episode 26): It’s the wedding day of Woody and Kelly, and the crew offers its services for a night of secrets and revelations.
Fan Favorites: The Best of Cheers was released on DVD March 6, 2012. Rated TV-G. Buy it on Amazon.
Also check out these other Fan Favorites: The Best of Happy Days; The Best of Frasier; The Best of the Odd Couple; The Best of the Honeymooners.
Are you a Cheers fan? Got a favorite episode?
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