Favorite TV Shows #4

4. Cheers (1982 - 1993) - A little known fact about "Cheers" is that it came VERY close to being canceled after only a few episodes. The premiere of "Cheers" was the least watched show on television, #77 out of the 77 shows that were airing at the time. After the first season the show was ranked #71 out of 77 shows. For some reason NBC decided to stick with it and since then it was in the top 5 shows for the next 9 seasons (and season 9 was the most watched show of the year.) Its final season "Cheers" fell to number 8, and NBC decided to let the show go while it was still a hit.

I have always idolized Sam Malone and I am pretty sure I have always wanted to become a bartender since I was a little kid because I loved "Cheers" so much. I am not sure why it took me so long to become a bartender, but when I finally did, it was as awesome as I imagined it to be. I pretty much get to be Sam Malone every day for the entire summer; except I traded the dark, gloomy, "Cheers" bar for a beautiful outside bar on the ocean.

Even before I became a bartender I always had a few "regular" watering holes that I would frequent as a customer. It is refreshing after a long day at work to walk into a place and see familiar faces and be greeted with smiles, high-fives, or handshakes. I am sure that almost everyone in their life has had a bar that they would attend on a regular basis and always felt welcomed. As a bartender I have made close friendships with some of my bar patrons, and on the flip side, have become very good friends with many of my bartenders over the years (we'll leave it at that.)

My point is that I think we were all a little jealous of the "Cheers" gang, and wished that we could be welcomed into their circle of friends. "Cheers" has made it impossible for me to want to sit at a table in a bar/restaurant. I can not even tell you the last time I have said anything to a hostess beside "we're just going to sit at the bar" as I blow past her and the dozens of people waiting for their precious table. I would take a seat at the bar any day of the week at any establishment. Sitting at the bar just paves the way to great conversations, entertainment, and even the potential for an occasional free drink or shot. When was the last time your waitress gave you a free beer or shot?

Pleas tell me what working class American doesn't feel this way EVERY SINGLE DAY when they get out of work.



"Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got;
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?"

...And I'm not going to say "ALL" but about 75% of us working Americans would like our little "get-away" to be the nearest watering hole to we can forget about everything we just had to endure at work.



A few other interesting tidbits:

* I know that I have mentioned some of my completely irrational fears as a child on the blog before, but this one may take the cake. I was TERRIFIED of the pictures in the opening. I loved the theme song so much, but I could not bare to look at the pictures. I was particularly frightened of the kid in the final shot of the opening. I seriously use to have nightmares about him.

I am referring to the kid in the bottom left corner of the picture. I just realized how ironic this is because now that I am an adult I look at him and think he looks like he was a lot of fun. He seems very silly, and he likes to throw back some adult beverages. We probably would have been BFF's if I was alive in 1900. Although I am 100% positive that, if I were alive in 1900, and in this circle of friends, that I would be the kid at the bottom right; disheveled and possibly a little buzzed, hamming it up for the camera.

 ^Can someone do some research and find out who these three fun guys are, maybe I can become facebook friends with one of their descendants.

* I loved Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), but once I realized he passed away I became scared to watch the first three seasons of the show. I didn't understand why he was still on TV if he had passed away. Boy, I was a dumb kid.

Top 10 Cheers Characters

10.    Lilith - Who wouldn't want Lilith as a wife?

9.     Frasier - I hated the TV show "Frasier" and it made me think less of the Frasier on "Cheers."

8.    Cliff - Talk about being Nosey. He always had an answer for everything. Mind your own business, Cliff.

7.      Rebecca - I think I always held a grudge against her because I missed Diane.

6.     Carla - Watching her be mean to others was funny, but I would never want to work with her or be friends with her.

5.   Coach - Rhode Island's own. It sucks that he died right when "Cheers" was getting to the peak of its popularity.

4.   Norm - Miserable when he walked in. Pleasant when he walked out. One of the many joys of beer.

3.   Diane- She may be my favorite female television characters of all time.

2.   Woody - He could easily be my number one, but to avoid any anger and shock from readers, I will place him at number two. It is pretty much a tie though, but we all known Ryan's Countdowns is not allowed to do ties.


1.     Sam - Despite my love for Woody, Sam is well deserving of the number one spot. He is an American icon.

* If you would like to come watch me in action, make sure you stop by the Windjammer this summer. Everything I learned, I learned from Sam Malone............. Except the frozen Island Oasis drinks. I learned those at new bartender orientation........... and my delicious Margarita's, I learned how to do that on my own........... and my tasty Long Island Ice Tea's, I learned that at bartending school.

But, pretty much everything else I learned from Sam "Mayday" Malone!