Showdown (Cheers)

Last updated

"Showdown"
Cheers episodes
Episode nos.Season 1
Episodes 21/22
Directed by James Burrows
Written by Glen and Les Charles
Original air dates
  • March 24, 1983 (1983-03-24)(Part 1)
  • March 31, 1983 (1983-03-31)(Part 2)
Running timeEach Part: 30 minutes with commercials
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Someone Single, Someone Blue"		Next →
"Power Play"
Cheers (season 1)
List of episodes

"Showdown" is the two-part first-season finale of the American television sitcom Cheers , written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. It originally aired on NBC (as separate Parts One and Two, respectively) on March 24 and 31, 1983. In the Cheers pilot, college-educated Diane Chambers was neglected by her previous lover and then hired as a waitress by bartender Sam Malone. Since then, they flirted and resisted each other throughout the season. In this two-part episode Sam's more-successful brother Derek becomes Diane's love interest, leaving Diane torn between Derek and Sam. In the end, Sam and Diane passionately embrace in the office.

Contents

The original airings initially scored low Nielsen ratings, but subsequent airings have enjoyed improved ratings. Its reruns aired three days before the show won five Emmy Awards out of thirteen nominations (including Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for this episode) in the 1983 Primetime Emmy Awards, and one week before the second-season premiere. Critical highlights of this episode are an unseen appearance by Derek Malone and Sam and Diane's cliffhanger kiss.

Plot

Part one

Bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) has been jealous of his brother Derek, who is more successful, better-educated, multi-talented and handsome, for years, and discovers that he is arriving in Boston on his private jet. Meanwhile, co-bartender Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) is offered a coaching job in Venezuela requiring fluency in Spanish. Derek (an unseen character voiced by George Ball) arrives unexpectedly at the bar and entertains the patrons with his talents, which include singing, playing a pool table,tap dancing and telling stories. Derek offers a job to regular patron Norm (George Wendt), teaches Coach Spanish (increasing his chances of being hired) and impresses waitress Diane (Shelley Long) with their common interests. Diane and Derek pair off (which bothers Sam). During his date with Debbie (Deborah Shelton), Sam hears Derek's private jet, where he carries Diane along.

Part two

A week later, Norm is fired from his own job (where the corporation has committed tax fraud) for "[taking] a long lunch". (Norm dubs himself the only "honest man" in the corporation, which he considers the reason for his termination.) Coach hears on the phone that he did not get the coaching job (which was already given to someone else), putting his efforts to learn Spanish to waste. Sam forgets another fiancée Cindy's (Peggy Kubena) name. Diane arrives at the bar after her trip with Derek, confessing to Coach that she is torn between her ideal mate Derek (who is committed to her) and her "bubblegum" Sam. Coach insists that Sam cannot express his feelings for her well. When Diane tells Sam she and Derek will be leaving immediately on another trip, Sam fires her.

After saying goodbye to everyone in the bar, Diane returns to the office and accidentally hits Sam's nose when she opens the door. Because of that, she is convinced that Sam was coming out of the office to say something to her. They argue, admit their feelings for each other, and come into the terms that their relationship with Derek is nothing compared to their potential relationship together. Sam and Diane embrace, but then Diane rejects his advances, i.e. attempts to kiss her. They insult each other and, at the end, kiss passionately.

Production

The two-part season finale was written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. [1] Before it aired, the NBC network announced that it renewed Cheers for a second season on March 13, 1983. [2] The show was filmed at the Stage 25 lot of Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, rather than at a local pub. [3] Paul Vaughn and Alan Koss are credited for their background appearances in both parts. [1] Lois de Banzie and Helen Page Camp [4] portray Carla's customers, who annoy her by randomly changing their orders until they choose "two boilermakers: Wild Turkey [whiskey] and Bud [beer]".

Ratings

Part One of the episode originally aired on NBC at 9:30 pm on March 24, 1983, opposite CBS's Simon & Simon and ABC's It Takes Two . [5] It was rated 51st out of 67 nationally broadcast programs, with a 13.6 Nielsen rating. [6] In Alaska, it aired on April 7 at 8:30 pm AKT. [7] It reran September 15, 1983 in the same time slot (opposite CBS's rerun of Simon & Simon and an ABC football game), [8] and was rated 28th of 66 nationally broadcast programs with a 15.9 rating and a 25 share. [9]

Part Two originally aired on March 31, 1983 at 9:30 pm, opposite CBS's Simon & Simon and ABC's It Takes Two; [10] it was rated 36th of 69 programs, with a 14.7 rating. [11] In Alaska, it aired on April 14 at 8:30 pm AKT. [12] It reran in the same time slot September 22, 1983 opposite CBS's rerun of Simon & Simon and the two-hour premiere of ABC's Trauma Center , [13] a week before the second-season premiere ("Power Play") [14] and three days before the Primetime Emmy Awards. [15] The episode was rated 23rd of 57 programs, with a 15.7 rating and a 24 share. [16]

Reception

In April 1983, a reviewer from United Press International found the office scene between Sam and Diane "hilarious". [17] In September 1983, television critic Rick Sherwood found the "sibling rivalry" plot "nothing new", but praised it as "fresh" and sophisticated. [18] Part One of this episode earned graphic designers James Castle and Brucy Bryant an award for Outstanding Individual Achievement of Graphic Design and Title Sequences at the 1983 Primetime Emmy Awards. [19] [20] At the same ceremony, Part Two of the episode earned James Burrows an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. [19] [21] Burrows and his crew also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1984. [22] [23]

Freelance writer Robert David Sullivan in his 2012 blog post ranked Part Two of this episode No. 96 of his top 100 all-time favorite episodes. Sullivan highlighted the cliffhanger kiss as a "landmark" in the increasing sitcom use of cliffhangers, but dismissed the sibling storyline as a cheap ploy to bring Sam and Diane together. [24] Lisa M. Dresner in her 2007 book The Female Investigator in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture also considered unseen character Derek Malone a writer's tool to bring the couple together. [25] David Hofstede in his 2006 directory 5000 Episodes and No Commercials called Sam and Diane's first kiss at the end as one of Cheers' greatest moments. [26] February 2012 reviews of the season finale on The A.V. Club website were positive. Noel Murray praised the episode's four-act structure (two in each part) and its subplots. Ryan McGee cited the concealed appearance of Derek Malone, Sam and Diane's first kiss and their volatile confrontation. [27] TV Guide and Amy Amatangelo of MSN Entertainment in, respectively, 2005 and 2013 called Sam and Diane's first kiss one of their own top-ten kisses. [28] [29] Alan Howell of WhatCulture! in April 2013 ranked Sam and Diane's first kiss third on his list of "[Five] Greatest Sitcom Kisses Of All Time". [30]

In 2009, TV Guide ranked "Showdown" #29 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes. [31] Joseph J. and Kate Darowski in their 2019 book rated Part 1 three out of four stars and Part 2 all four mainly for the Sam-and-Diane moment. [32] In June 2019, Vox critic Emily St. James noted that Part 2's ending inspired onscreen romances and an increase of cliffhangers in later sitcoms. [33]

Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger said that, in an episode from the third season of How I Met Your Mother , "Everything Must Go", the taxicab ride scene of regular character Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) and recurring character Abby (Britney Spears) features a homage to Sam and Diane's office scene from this episode, which includes lines, like "Are you as turned-on right now as I am?" and "More!" [34]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cheers</i> American television sitcom (1982–1993)

Cheers is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, for 11 seasons and 275 episodes. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Television and was created by the team of James Burrows and Glen and Les Charles. The show is set in the titular bar in Boston, where a group of locals meet to drink, relax, socialize, and escape from their day to day issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frasier Crane</span> Fictional character in the television series Frasier and Cheers

Dr. Frasier Winslow Crane is a fictional character who is both a supporting character on the American television sitcom Cheers and the titular protagonist of its spin-off Frasier and the latter’s 2023 sequel. In all three series, he is portrayed by Kelsey Grammer. The character debuted in the Cheers third-season premiere, "Rebound " (1984), as Diane Chambers's love interest, part of the Sam and Diane story arc. Intended to appear for only a few episodes, Grammer's performance in the role was praised by producers, prompting them to expand his role and increase his prominence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carla Tortelli</span> Fictional character in the series Cheers

Carla Maria Victoria Angelina Teresa Apollonia Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, commonly known as Carla Tortelli, is a fictional character in the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Rhea Perlman. Outwardly, at least, Carla is a sarcastic woman who often mocks and makes jabs at others. She had five children with her then-husband Nick when the series started and eight children with three different men when it ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lilith Sternin</span> Fictional character in the series Cheers and Frasier

Lilith Sternin, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D, A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Cheers and Frasier, portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth. The character first appears as a date for Frasier Crane, though mutual hostility and discomfort causes the evening to end badly. Several months later, Lilith meets Frasier again and, with some help from Frasier's ex-fiancée, Diane Chambers, they start a romantic relationship, eventually living together, marrying, and having a son, Frederick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Malone</span> Fictional character in the series Cheers

Samuel "Mayday" Malone is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Ted Danson and created by Glen and Les Charles. Sam is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox baseball team who owns and tends the bar called "Cheers". He is also a recovering alcoholic and a notorious womanizer. Although his celebrity status was short-lived, Sam retains that standing within the confines of Cheers, where he is beloved by the regular patrons. Along with Carla Tortelli and Norm Peterson, he is one of only three characters to appear in all episodes of Cheers. Sam has an on-again, off-again relationship with the bar waitress Diane Chambers for the series' first five seasons until her departure from the series. Then he tries to seduce Diane's replacement, Rebecca Howe, who frequently rejects his advances. Sam also appears in "The Show Where Sam Shows Up", a crossover episode of the spin-off Frasier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coach Ernie Pantusso</span> Fictional character in the series Cheers

Ernie Pantusso, commonly known as "Coach", is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Nicholas Colasanto from 1982 to 1985. Coach is Sam Malone's former baseball coach, who becomes a bartender at Cheers under Sam's ownership. He is not "worldly wise" but has some shred of wit. He had a daughter, Lisa, who appeared in the episode "Coach's Daughter", by his late wife, Angela.

"Give Me a Ring Sometime" is the pilot episode and the first episode of the first season of the American situation comedy Cheers. Written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows, the episode first aired September 30, 1982, on NBC in the contiguous United States and on October 14, 1982 in Alaska. The pilot episode introduces the characters at the Cheers bar in Boston: employees Sam Malone, Diane Chambers, Coach Ernie Pantusso, and Carla Tortelli; and regular customers Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin. In this episode, Diane, brought in by her fiancé, meets the employees and patrons of the bar. When she realizes that her fiancé has left her alone in the bar, Diane accepts Sam's offer to be the bar's waitress to start over.

"One for the Road" is the final episode of the American television series Cheers. It was the 271st episode of the series and the twenty-sixth episode of the eleventh season of the show. It first aired on NBC on May 20, 1993, to an audience of approximately 42.4 million households in a 98-minute version, making it the second-highest-rated series finale of all time behind the series finale of M*A*S*H and the highest-rated episode of the 1992–1993 television season in the United States. The 98-minute version was rebroadcast on May 23, 1993, and an edited 90-minute version aired on August 19, 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam and Diane</span> Fictional couple in the show Cheers

Sam Malone and Diane Chambers, collectively known as Sam and Diane, are fictional characters in the American sitcom television series Cheers. Sam is a working-class, baseball player–turned–bartender played by Ted Danson; Diane is a college-graduate cocktail waitress played by Shelley Long. Danson appeared on Cheers for its entire run of the series; Long was part of the regular cast from the 1982 series premiere until the fifth-season finale, "I Do, Adieu" (1987). Long returned for a special appearance in the 1993 series finale, "One for the Road."

"I Do, Adieu" is the fifth-season finale of the American television sitcom Cheers, written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. It aired on May 7, 1987, on NBC. During the fifth season, Sam Malone repeatedly proposes to Diane Chambers, and she refuses repeatedly until she accepts engagement in "Chambers vs. Malone" (1987). In the previous episode, "A House Is Not a Home", Sam and Diane bought a house together. Before this episode aired, Ted Danson decided to renew his contract with the show as Sam Malone, while Shelley Long decided to quit the series, which could conclude the on-and-off romance of "Sam and Diane" that went on for the first five years since 1982.

"The Boys in the Bar" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American situation comedy television series Cheers. It originally aired on January 27, 1983, on NBC in the continental U.S. and on February 10, 1983 in Alaska. It is co-written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs and directed by James Burrows. This episode's narrative deals with homosexuality, coming out, and homophobia. It was inspired by the coming out story of former Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player, Glenn Burke. In this episode, Sam's former teammate, Tom—portrayed by Alan Autry—reveals his homosexuality and Sam slowly becomes supportive of him. The bar's regular customers express their disdain toward Sam's support and fear that because of Sam's support of Tom, the bar will become a place full of homosexuals. The episode's Nielsen ratings at its initial airing were low but improved after subsequent airings on NBC. This episode has received more attention since.

"Home Is the Sailor" is the sixth-season premiere of the American television sitcom Cheers. It originally aired on September 24, 1987, on NBC. It is also the first episode including the fictional character Rebecca Howe, portrayed by Kirstie Alley, as the permanent female lead. It follows "I Do, Adieu", which was Shelley Long's last of her regular appearances as the female lead, Diane Chambers, who also left Boston on the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Chambers</span> Fictional character in the series Cheers

Diane Chambers is a fictional character in the American television situation comedy show Cheers, portrayed by Shelley Long and created by Glen and Les Charles. She is one of two main protagonists in the first five seasons of the series. After her fiancé Sumner Sloan abandons her in the Cheers bar in the pilot episode, Diane works as a bar waitress. She has an on-off relationship with the womanizing bartender Sam Malone and a one-year relationship with Frasier Crane, who later becomes a main character of the series and its spin-off Frasier. When Long left the series during the fifth season, the producers wrote her character out. After that, they added her permanent replacement Rebecca Howe, a businesswoman played by Kirstie Alley, in the sixth season. Shelley Long made a special guest appearance as Diane in the series finale, as well as in Frasier as a one-time figment of Frasier's imagination, and as the actual Diane in the crossover episode "The Show Where Diane Comes Back".

<i>Cheers</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 30, 1982 to March 31, 1983. The show was created and produced by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles, who previously worked on Taxi, another sitcom. Cheers was produced by Charles Burrows Charles Productions in association with Paramount Television. The concept and production design of the show were inspired by a public house in Boston, the Bull & Finch, which is now called Cheers Beacon Hill.

<i>Cheers</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 29, 1983 to May 10, 1984. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles and was produced by Charles Burrows Charles Productions in association with Paramount Television. The second season has been released on DVD as a four-disc set.

<i>Cheers</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 27, 1984 to May 9, 1985. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles under production team Charles Burrows Charles Productions in association with Paramount Television. The third season is available on DVD in a four-disc set.

<i>Cheers</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 26, 1985 to May 15, 1986. This season marks Woody Harrelson's television debut as Woody Boyd after Nicholas Colasanto, who portrayed Coach Ernie Pantusso, died during the previous season. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles, under production team Charles Burrows Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Television.

<i>Cheers</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 25, 1986 to May 7, 1987. This season marks the departure of Shelley Long as Diane Chambers, bringing an end to the Sam and Diane relationship. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles, in association with Paramount Television.

<i>Cheers</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth season of the American television sitcom Cheers aired on NBC from September 24, 1987 to May 7, 1988. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles under their production company Charles Burrows Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Television. This season features the debut of Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe.

"The Gift of the Woodi" is the nineteenth episode of the seventh season of the American television sitcom, Cheers, written by Phoef Sutton and directed by James Burrows. It originally aired on April 6, 1989, on NBC. In this episode, Woody Boyd sings a self-penned song "Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly...", also called "The Kelly Song", as his birthday gift to his girlfriend Kelly Gaines. Cliff plans to popularize his invention "beetabaga", a vegetable hybrid of rutabaga and beetroot. Rebecca wants to downgrade her sexual appeal in attempt to impress her superiors. The song has been praised by the critics. It also was performed by a couple other performers and actor Woody Harrelson himself a few times, portrayer of Woody Boyd.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Bjorklund, pp. 294–295.
  2. ↑ "Cheers for a second season". Beaver County Times . Beaver County, Pennsylvania: Beaver Newspapers, Inc. The Associated Press. March 13, 1983. p. D7. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  3. ↑ Lehman, Betsy (October 1, 1982). "Cheers 'to the Real Cast'; Beacon Hill Pub Goes Hollywood - via TV". Boston Globe . ProQuest   294220180. ProQuest: (registration required).
  4. ↑ Bjorklund, p. 295.
  5. ↑ "Thursday, March 24, 1983". Los Angeles Times . March 20, 1983. Television Times, p. 28.
  6. ↑ "Television Ratings". Los Angeles Times (microfilm). March 30, 1983. p. 8, Part VI (Calendar). Nielsen ratings are based on 83.3 million homes with at least one television set in 1983.
  7. ↑ "Television (Thursday)". Anchorage Daily News . April 7, 1983. p. E-9. Retrieved August 30, 2012– via Google News Archive.
  8. ↑ "Prime Time! Thursday, Sept. 15". Observer-Reporter . Washington, Pennsylvania. p. C-2. Retrieved July 4, 2012– via Google News Archives.
  9. ↑ "Hardcastle Races to a Nielsen Win". The Miami Herald (Final ed.). September 22, 1983. p. 6B – via NewsBank. Record no: 8303160048. (registration required)
  10. ↑ "Television Schedule". Los Angeles Times (Microfilm). March 31, 1983. p. 8 at Calendar section (Part VI).
  11. ↑ "Television Ratings". Los Angeles Times (microfilm). April 6, 1983. p. 7, Calendar section (Part VI).
  12. ↑ "Television (Thursday)". Anchorage Daily News. April 14, 1983. p. D-8. Retrieved August 30, 2012– via Google News Archive.
  13. ↑ "Prime Time! Thursday, Sept. 22". Observer-Reporter . Washington, Pennsylvania. p. C-2. Retrieved July 5, 2012– via Google News Archives.
  14. ↑ Bjorklund, p. 298.
  15. ↑ Thomas, Bob (September 26, 1983). "Television's Best Honored at 35th Annual Emmy Awards". Spartanburg Herald-Journal . Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Associated Press. p. B10. Retrieved July 5, 2012– via Google News Archives. Note: Lexington Herald-Leader credits an author, not the Spartanburg.
  16. ↑ "Hotel, Hardcastle Help ABC Win Nielsen Ratings". The Miami Herald (final ed.). September 28, 1983. p. 5B – via NewsBank. Record no: 8303180486. (registration required)
  17. ↑ "Bixby, Hartley Battle for Laughs". Telegraph Herald . April 1, 1983. p. 2, Entertainment section. Retrieved July 28, 2012– via Google News Archive.
  18. ↑ Sherwood, Rick (September 15, 1983). "Cheers episode is charming". Wilmington Morning Star . Wilmington, North Carolina. p. 5C. ISSN   0163-402X . Retrieved June 28, 2012. Rick Sherwood's article appears in other newspapers, according to Google search results.
  19. 1 2 "Cheers". Emmys.com. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  20. ↑ Bjorklund, p. 458.
  21. ↑ Bjorklund, p. 457.
  22. ↑ "36th Annual DGA Awards: Honoring Outstanding Directorial Achievement for 1983". Directors Guild of America Award . 1984. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  23. ↑ "1980s - DGA Award Winners for: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television". Directors Guild of America Award . Archived from the original on November 28, 2004. Retrieved June 28, 2012– via Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
  24. ↑ Sullivan, Robert David (January 20, 2012). "Top 100 sitcom episodes of all time, No. 96: "Showdown (Part II)", Cheers". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012.
  25. ↑ Dresner, Lisa M. (2007). "Notes — Chapter 3". The Female Investigator in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 199. ISBN   978-0-7864-2654-6.
  26. ↑ Hofstede, David (2006). 5,000 Episodes and No Commercials: The Ultimate Guide to TV Shows on DVD (2007): What to Watch, What to Buy. New York: Back Stage Books, an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 57. ISBN   978-0-8230-8456-2. LCCN   2006928029 . Retrieved July 9, 2012– via Google Books.
  27. ↑ "Cheers: "Showdown", S1 / E21-22". The A.V. Club . February 2, 2012. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2012– via WebCite.
  28. ↑ Amatangelo, Amy. "Best Kisses, Worst Couples". MSN Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  29. ↑ TV Guide: TV on DVD 2006. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. 2005. p. 99. ISBN   0-312-35150-X . Retrieved July 9, 2012– via Google Books.
  30. ↑ Howell, Alan (April 23, 2013). "5 Greatest Sitcom Kisses Of All Time".
  31. ↑ "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  32. ↑ Darowski, Joseph J.; Darowski, Kate (2019). "The Episodes: An Opinionated Compendium". Cheers: A Cultural History. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 156–157. ISBN   9781538113875. LCCN   2018056821.
  33. ↑ St. James, Emily (12 June 2019). "25 Episodes That Changed Television". Vox. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  34. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (May 12, 2008). "HIMYM, "Everything Must Go": G-CWOK tested, dog approved". New Jersey On-Line . Retrieved February 19, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.