For Your Consideration: The under-appreciated greatness of Cheers

The funniest part of that episode was Schwimmer playing Axel F on his mini electronic piano.

 

No, not at all.

Watched first two seasons (the post-Super Bowl episode, usually meant to hype this newish show, was absolute garbage. Still catch reruns sometimes. The wife is sort of a fan, and she likes that it irritates me. I make her watch old Robotech DVDs, she makes me watch Friends. That's what marriage is all about.

She laughs more at the Robotech than I do at Friends.

The first season was really good. The second and third were still solid, then it went off the rails.

Carrie was a moron, Samantha was a loudmouth, Charlotte was an idiot. The only one I could have been able to stand for more than five minutes was Miranda. But the show was well-done with Carrie's column infiltrating the narratives, and the city itself being almost a character.

But yeah, it wasn't for everyone.

 

Who are three people who have never been in my kitchen?

That was a part of Cheers that made it so good, too. They brought real life into their lives. Alex Trebek, Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Tip O'Neill, Admiral _______ (the diamond earrings episode), McHale, Luis Tiant, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry.
The bottle cap was so real. Things like that really made the show.

 

Cliff Clavin. Now there was a real, fleshed-out, original character.

 

Fair point, but was there a similar character in previous sitcoms now recognized as seminal?

 

Someone asked today how life was treating me .
I relied "Like a baby treats a diaper."
Thank you Norm Peterson.

 

Yes, but it was also a different dynamic.

 

"Norm!"
"How's it going, Mr. Peterson?"
"Poor."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"No, Woody, I mean pour."

 

"It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." Norm Peterson

 

Always loved the two barflies: Al, the old guy with the porkpie hat, and Paul, who would show up on occasion in the later years.

 

Woody: What's going on, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Let's talk about what's going IN Mr. Peterson.

 

The old guy, I believe, was Rhea Perlman's dad.