George Wendt is being honored in a variety of tributes and statements following his death this Tuesday. Though Wendt appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout his career, including Gung Ho, Spice World, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, he was by far most famous for playing everyman barfly Norm Peterson in the cast of Cheers, the hit NBC sitcom. Wendt died on May 20, 2025, at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 76. 2u2t11

Ted Danson opens up about why he didn't reprise his iconic role as Sam Malone for the Frasierreboot. Even though Kelsey Grammer returned as Dr. Frasier Crane for the short-lived Frasier revival on Paramount+, the series was often dinged for one glaring omission. Despite how Dr. Crane returns to Boston, he never visits the unforgettable bar from Cheers. He also isn't visited by any of his old Bostonian friends when he returns to the city to reconnect with his son.

It’s surprising how many prominentTV stars can have their most famous characters be total opposites to one another. After all, it's not unusual for an actor to be typecast as a particular kind of character. This means when they subvert expectations and end up portraying a figure that couldn’t be any more different from their most notable role, it can be rather unexpected. However, these unusual castings can sometimes help crystallize a series into some of the best TV shows of all time.

Kelsey Grammer elaborates on his rift with Cheers co-star Ted Danson that lasted for 30 years. In the NBC sitcom set in a Boston bar, which aired for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993, Grammer played the psychiatrist Frasier Crane and Danson played the former MLB pitcher turned bartender Sam Malone. Grammer's character eventually headlined his own spinoff series Frasier, which originally aired for 11 seasons from 1993 to 2004 before returning for a revival in 2023, though it was canceled after two seasons.

A successful remake of the classic sitcom Cheers looks more doubtful than ever, with the news that a reboot of its spinoff Frasier has been cancelled by Paramount+ after two seasons. Until a few months ago, Cheers was simply a beloved and acclaimed American comedy from the 1980s, doing the syndication rounds on daytime TV across the world. Given what’s happened to Frasier following the lukewarm reception of its remake, it’s probably best that things stayed that way.

Cheers is a fantastic and hilarious TV show, and there are plenty of other great titles to watch for those who love it. The hit ‘80s show is one of the best sitcoms of all time, and despite ending decades ago, many still revisit Cheers time and time again. The story of Ted Danson’s Sam Malone and the various staff and regulars of the titular bar stands out for many, but once viewers are done watching it, they’re often left looking for something new to check out.

Although Ted Danson is still best known for Cheers, the actor's more recent cult hit sitcom proves that he had a bigger range than viewers might expect. Ted Danson’s role as Cheers' bartender, Sam Malone, was a big part of what made the show work. The ‘80s sitcom boasted an incredible ing cast including George Wendt, Rhea Perlman, and future superstars Woody Harrelson and Kelsey Grammer, but it was Danson’s chemistry with co-star Shelley Long that made the series sing. The best episodes of Cheers proved the pair were irreplaceable, but this doesn’t mean the series fulfilled their entire potential.

Frasier Crane is one of the most notable characters in Cheers, and his best episodes establish why he is such a great figure. Cheers stands as one of the best sitcoms of all time and introduces Frasier during season 3 as Diane’s psychiatrist, but his popularity later results in his own brilliant spin-off, Frasier. Many of the best episodes of Cheersfeature Dr. Crane at his best, and he continues to keep audiences entertained with his pompous attitude yet likable personality.

There are several amazing stories in Cheers, and each main character typically has at least one episode that showcases the best parts of their personality. The best episodes of Cheersare fantastically funny and memorable for this exact reason. However, the most important elements of Cheers’ characters aren’t necessarily always connected to comedy. These episodes also contain heartfelt moments and plotlines that demonstrate just why they are so crucial to the show.

Though it's primarily a comedy, Cheers had more than a few heartbreaking episodes, and these 10 are the most likely to get the tears flowing. One of the most beloved parts of Cheers is how heartwarming it is, and how realistic its entire cast seems. Every character at the bar seems like a genuine person, and part of the way the show managed to make them so relatable was by giving them real problems. That also meant that some episodes of Cheers could get very dark and sad, and they could truly tug at the heart strings.