The Good: Character development, Moments of humor
The Bad: Repetitive jokes, Long stretches that are not funny
The Basics: Characters actually develop (or begin to) in Cheers Season 7, a season plagued by repetitive, predictable jokes and redeemed by some exceptionally funny executions of lines and hilarious ideas.
With any long-running comedy series, there are ebbs and peaks in the quality of the series. Humor is hard to maintain for years, especially with characters who begin as archetypes or when the series uses a fairly static location. In the case of Cheers, the seventh season is where the cracks truly begin to show. At this point, so many of the jokes are telegraphed and the absurd nature of the protagonist - aging lothario Sam Malone – is beginning to truly wear thin. But, ironically, this is the season where I came in as a kid, so as I share Cheers with my wife, I find myself thrilled on a very visceral level that the professional in me recognizes as the simple excitement of recognition. The “definitely maybe” kiss between Sam and Rebecca was one I knew was coming simply by a vague remembrance of Rebecca’s outfit from seeing it all those years ago.
Cheers Season Seven is the point where a running gag begins with the corporate owners of Cheers, where Sam and Rebecca begin frequently switching up positions as Manager and waitress/bartender at the bar based on whichever corporate goon is currently in power. This is the season that also has more development in actual relationships, namely the relationships between Carla and Eddie and Frasier and Lilith. Frasier and Lilith’s lifestyle actually helps Norm out; their near-yuppie lifestyle helps Norm get an interior design business off the ground and keeps connecting him with good clients! This season is marred by long stretches that are not particularly funny and writing that is fairly predictable, but pulled up by some absolutely hilarious gags and great deliveries of some pretty audacious jokes.
The seventh season of Cheers finds the new corporate owners being shaken up. One manager is suddenly promoted, assigning Sam to manager of Cheers, the next minute, he is out and Rebecca is promoted back to her old position. This leads Rebecca to feel a strong sense of futility – the Company seems willing to make any yahoo in the world a Vice President except her! – though she remains strong in the face of Sam’s constant advances. While they avoid having a romantic relationship, Norm avoids Vera (with additional help from the Cranes hooking him up with yuppies to do interior design work for) and Frasier and Lilith continue their unlikely and doomed marriage.
Lilith gets pregnant fairly early in the season and that change makes her even stranger than usual; she compels Frasier to move out into the wilderness with her, based on a desire that they eat only what they kill and live based on what they can actually make. Cliff continues delivering the mail and is a virtual nonentity this season. As the season progresses, Sam tries to come up with increasingly elaborate ways to attempt to bed Rebecca, all of which fail.
As always, Cheers is largely episodic, but is more about the characters than elaborate situations that they get put into. In the seventh season the primary characters include:
Sam – Is made manager of Cheers for financial reasons by the corporate parents. When he thinks he got a woman pregnant, he is relieved to know that he is not the father. That leads Carla to force him to make good on a promise to not have sex for three months. He is sent to Cancun for a month by the new manager to get him away from Rebecca. Lilith comes to him to learn how to drive. He tries very hard to do the wrong thing when it comes to dating a mother and daughter at the same time. He becomes obsessed with beating Gary at the Bloody Mary Contest. He dates a young woman who loves the outdoors, who taxes him almost to the point of death. He befriends the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff after visiting the U.S.S. Constitution. When he hits relentlessly on a friend of the Cranes, he is actually diagnosed as a sexual compulsive! He begins hitting on Rebecca's movie star sister when she comes to visit.
Rebecca – After making a fool of herself with the new corporate leader, Stone, she is replaced as Manager of Cheers. When Stone is replaced, she is hit upon by the new – very young – executive. She decides only to date people who could advance her career and sees Woody dating one of the executive's daughter as a chance to get someone in Corporate in her corner. She begins managing Norm's painting career. She comes to believe that the Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff stole her earrings! She has Lilith make her over!
Carla – Becomes the enforcer of Sam’s deal with god after Rebecca comes under her direct supervision. She becomes horribly suspicious of Eddie Lebeck when Eddie’s ice show takes on a Russian figure skater. She lets the Cranes babysit her genius child and is frustrated when they bond. On her second anniversary, she is depressed when Eddie is not able to return for the event.
Woody – Gets a colony of bees that he accidentally infests the office at Cheers with. He chickens out with Norm and Cliff when they make a drunken pact to skydive together, though he tries hardest not to lie. He is also, ultimately, the first to leap when the guys go again! After being unappreciated at Cheers, he infiltrates Gary’s Olde Time Tavern to help Cheers win the Bloody Mary Contest. He starts dating the boss's daughter, after having his butt kicked by her yuppie boyfriend. He is forced to go on vacation by the corporation, so he reluctantly plans a trip to Italy. He ends up staying at the airport, where he has a surprisingly good time.
Frasier – Counsels Sam on keeping his pledge of abstinence, advising him to take up the piano for the duration of his pledge to god. He and Lilith work to redecorate their home after Ivan makes preposterous recommendations for their place. He goes on a driving tour of the U.S. with Lilith. Lilith gets a pair of small French underwear for him. After deciding he should not be a parent, he gets Lilith pregnant. While Lilith is pregnant, she goes a little crazy. After rashly quitting his job and letting Lilith make his clothes, he eagerly returns to city life. He begins to loathe Lilith's mother when she comes to visit.
Cliff – After Rebecca refuses to get him Patriots tickets from Corporate, he takes a strong stand against communism. He has his appendix removed and no one comes to visit him in the hospital. He falls for a postal intern, but she turns out to be not as dedicated to the service as he is.
and Norm – While painting for the Cranes, he overhears a famous designer recommending terrible things for their home, he volunteers his talents for interior decorating. When he does a great job, he is recommended to some yuppies who only like his decorating because they think he is gay and he has to pretend to be gay with Sam. He starts AAAA Painting with Rebecca and he decorates the Crane's child's nursery.
The bulk of the characters have been on Cheers for three or more years by this point, so the acting is predictably honed. Kirstie Alley continues to gel with the more seasoned cast as the erratic Rebecca and she pulls the role off well. Bebe Neuwirth is given more airtime than in prior seasons as Lilith and she mixes nicely with the ensemble. This season she is allowed to do more than simply appear stony or as a sex kitten, so her range continues to be illustrated well.
Cheers Season Seven is erratic, but worthwhile; the laugh track is more noticeable now because so many of the jokes the audience laughs at are ones that viewers who have been watching for the past six seasons are likely not to find nearly as audacious. Still, this is one of the better seasons because when the humor lands, it really sticks and the characters actually develop.
For other works in which Bebe Neuwirth appeared, visit my reviews of:
Frasier
Jumanji
“First Contact” - Star Trek: The Next Generation
7/10
For other television reviews, please check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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