Despite having closed up for the night more than three decades ago,Cheersis a name (and show) that everyone still knows. The popular NBC sitcom ran for 11 seasons and was composed of 273 episodes; its memorable characters, iconic plots, and warm setting are still considered among the best of all time. It’s not only outlasted most other sitcoms of the time, but its television universe is set to continue as the recent reboot of the spin-off series,Frasier, has been renewed for another season.
Success was not always guaranteed forCheers, though. The show’s pilot debuted as one of the lowest rated of the season, but caught on during its sophomore year. Yet, even after it became one of themost popular shows on the air,it faced uncertainty when two beloved charactersdeparted the bar for different reasons. Luckily,Cheersproducers,Glen CharlesandLes Charles, saved the show with a well-thought-out cocktail of new characters and exciting situations.
The regulars of the Boston bar “Cheers” share their experiences and lives with each other while drinking or working at the bar where everybody knows your name.
‘Cheers’ Faced Two Character Exits Within Two Years
The memorable characters ofCheerswere a massive part of what made the show so relatable. Introduced in the pilot episode, Coach Ernie Pantusso was brought to the screen byNicholas Colasanto, and quickly became one of the show’s most beloved characters. Coach’s past professional relationship with bar owner, Sam Malone (Ted Danson), makes him a lovable father figure to the former baseball player, while his kind heart and slight naïveté makes him a great friend to Diane (Shelley Long), as she navigates her place in the bar and relationship with Sam.
Sadly, Coach made his final appearance on the show during the Season 3 finale, as Colasanto had been ill for most of the season, having not appeared in a full episode for many months. He only participated in the cold open of his last episode;Colasanto passed away on June 01, 2025, and Coach was revealed to have passed the following season. Season 4 saw the entry of Woody Boyd (played byWoody Harrelson), and having come to Boston from Indiana, viewers found out that Coach was the very reason for his visit to the bar. Woody tells Sam that he and Coach are pen pals, and that he’s come to finally meet Coach in person. Sam breaks the news to Woody (and to the audience) that Coach passed away, and while Woody is understandably crushed, he soon becomes Cheers' new bartender.
Before ‘Frasier,’ the Character Appeared in Two Other Sitcoms
Kelsey Grammer recently reprised his iconic role for a ‘Frasier’ revival.
The next shocking exit came when Shelley Long announced plans to departCheersafter Season 5, leaving the show to pursue a movie career. Not only was she one of the series' leads, but Sam and Diane’s will-they-won’t-they romance was essentially the show’s premise at this point, andremains the model for such an arc.The Season 5 finale sees Diane leave the bar to pursue a writing opportunity, and though she claims she’ll be back in six months, Sam knows better, and as she ascends the stairs out of Cheers, he mutters, “Have a good life.” Just as the show had found a replacement for Coach in between seasons, the spot left vacant by Long was also filled by the time Season 6 debuted.Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) was introduced as the bar’s new manager, after Sam sold the bar in between seasons. Often stern and unpredictable, the character was a vast departure from Diane, just as Woody was from Coach. But that’s exactly why they worked, and with them came an exciting new age forCheers.
‘Cheers’ Casting Changes Breathed New Life Into the Show
Cheershad slowly been integrating new characters into the show since the beginning of its third season. Originally conceived as a temporary character,Kelsey Grammer’s casting as Frasierproved so popular that he was upped to series regular. He brought a new dynamic to Sam and Diane’s relationship, and soon received story lines of his own. The show was quick to treat Woody and Rebecca in the same fashion, offering the characters starring plots and personalities that were, in many ways, the reverse of their predecessors.
Woody and Coach did share a similar, simple-minded vibe, but Woody’s stories and personality were unique to him. He developed a series-long romance with Kelly Gaines, leading to one of the show’s most iconic jokes, “The Kelly Song,” and often met patron’s quips with an unintentional sass. Coach’s humor came from being a lovable, well-meaning sweetheart, where Woody was a surprisingly quick farm boy. And in the tradition of Woody and Frasier, Season 4 also saw the addition of Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), who would become Frasier’s wife (and later ex-wife).
Rebecca was equally—if not more so—different from Diane. Where Diane’s humor came from being uptight and bookish, Rebecca’s came from a contradictory mix of ambition and total self-deprecation. There was also a new dynamic when it came to her relationship with Sam; where he was Diane’s boss and love interest, Rebecca was in charge of Sam, the bar, and often combated his advances. When she wasn’t busybeing a girlboss, she was often getting into emotional and physical trouble that required the efforts of all her bar friends to bail her out. One of her most memorable story lines involved her getting stuck under her boss' bed, requiring a cavalry led by Norm to help her escape. She even shook up the long-term fate of the show’s lead, when she and Sam share a several-episode arc in which they try to have a baby.
How Was ‘Cheers’ Able To Keep Its Staying Power?
While the show had survived Coach’s passing thanks to the addition of Woody, many wondered ifCheerscould go on without Diane. An article fromGQmentions thatCheerswriter,David Lee,recalls being shocked when he found out Long was leaving. “Our jaws dropped when we found out she was leaving,” he said, continuing that Sam and Diane’s relationship was “the glue that’s holding everything together.” PerGQ, producer,Ken Devine, said, “There was a lot of concern that Shelley leaving would cause the show’s downfall… so everyone’s livelihood was at stake.”
Despite the uncertainty that came with the passing of Coach and the departure of Diane,Cheerswould run an additional six seasons with its new cast and has since cemented itself asone of the great sitcoms of all time.Cheerscould have easily gone off the air after losing two of its most beloved stars, but whether because of the tragic passing of Nicholas Colastano or the exit of Shelley Long, there were plenty of times it seemed that the bar might close up. However, cleverly written new characters built into the ensemble not only saved the show, but brought with them exciting stories and their own iconic senses of humor.
