TV-ography: Cheers

Near the end of its long primetime run, Cheers was occasionally hailed as the best sitcom ever to grace network schedules…but in its first season, the show finished at the bottom of the Nielsen ratings. As various participants testify in this entry in A&E's TV-ography series, Cheers' ratings took off when The Cosby Show's popularity exploded, elevating NBC's entire Thursday night primetime block and creating the network's venerable catchphrase for the evening, “must see TV.” Interviews of onscreen and offscreen Cheers folk recall the show's story from initial casting through the final episode, including a look at the real antipathy that developed (but has apparently since abated) between Ted Danson and Shelley Long (i.e., Sam and Diane), the painful transition from Coach to Woody necessitated by actor Nicholas Colasanto's death, and series finale (somewhat glossed over) that failed to live up to its incredible hype, setting a trend for over-anticipated endings (remember Seinfeld?). A well-crafted bit of television history that combines the stories of the series creators and the actors who brought those memorable characters to life, this is a no-brainer for media savvy collections. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (M. Tribby)