10 Best Cheers Episodes, Ranked

“Cheers” ran for 11 seasons on NBC from 1982 to 1993. Today, it’s still considered to be one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. The series followed the employees and patrons of a local Boston bar called Cheers, an establishment owned and operated by the charming Sam Malone (Ted Danson), a former Red Sox relief pitcher. The show kicks off when a snobbish grad student named Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) starts working at the bar as a cocktail waitress.

The show’s other main characters included the sarcastic waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman), lazy but lovable barfly Norm Peterson (George Wendt), and know-it-all mailman Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger). Both Wendt and Ratzenberger weren’t originally meant to last more than three episodes, but they crushed their roles and became staples. The first three seasons also starred Nicholas Colasanto as Ernie “Coach” Pantusso, who sadly passed away in 1985. He was replaced by Woody Harrelson, who played farmboy Woody Boyd. Both Coach and Woody were kind-hearted and simple-minded. 

Kelsey Grammer joined the cast in the show’s third season as Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist and new love interest of Diane. Eventually, he married Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), who became another regular on the show. After season five, Long famously left the series, but Kirstie Alley then joined the cast, adding a hilarious character when the show needed it most. She played Rebecca Howe, an ambitious bar manager who could never seem to catch a break.  

Throughout its run, “Cheers” was nominated for 117 Emmys and won 28. That included 11 consecutive nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series, which it won four times. The series also spawned the popular spin-off, “Frasier,” which also ran for 11 seasons. 

With over 270 episodes, it’s difficult to choose only 10, but here are our picks for the best “Cheers” episodes. 

“Cheers” had a handful of exciting guest stars over the years, and one of the best was “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek. In “What Is… Cliff Clavin?,” the episode’s titular character, played by John Ratzenberger, earns a spot on the beloved game show. Throughout the series, Cliff was known for spouting out facts, so it made sense that he would apply. During the game, he is given some dream categories like “Stamps From Around the World,” “Beer,” and “Celibacy.” However, his best pal Norm Peterson (George Wendt) is in the audience, and he knows Cliff is going to blow it, despite an incredible $22,000 lead.

Sure enough, Cliff bets it all in the final round and loses, only to claim that his answer is technically right. The correct answer was, “Who are Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, and Joan Crawford?” Cliff wrote, “Who are three people who have never been in my kitchen?” Cliff put up a fight, but he left defeated. At the end of the episode, Trebek shows up at Cheers and tells Cliff he made him rethink the entire idea of the game, and he was considering quitting. Cliff convinced him to stay on the job, which Trebek did for another 30 years until his death at age 80. Turns out, Trebek only said that because he walked into the bar for a beer and saw Cliff, who “scared” him. 

There’s a fascinating story behind the “Cheers” and “Jeopardy” crossover episode, if you want to check it out. It was actually the B-plot of this episode too, a the main action focused on Sam Malone (Ted Danson) trying to find his little black book after it was stolen.  

A longtime staple of “Cheers” was the bar’s feud with Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern, and their first big battle happened in “From Beer to Eternity.” When the Cheers gang loses a game of baseball to the rival bar, they become determined to finally beat Gary at something. Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) suggests bowling, but a practice game proves they are not particularly talented in that sport either. The group believes their luck is changing when they learn Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) has a trophy-winning past in bowling. Unfortunately, Woody is afraid to play because he once maimed a man during a game back in Indiana. 

Just when all hope seems lost, Woody shows up at the bowling alley, determined to help Cheers beat Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern. Despite his best attempt, he freezes up and is unable to play. That is when the big twist of the episode is revealed. It turns out that Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) took a bowling class during her many years of academia. She steps in and helps win Cheers its first victory against Gary. 

The “Bar Wars” continued in season six and became a permanent fixture during the rest of the show’s run. Cheers lost to Gary’s plenty more times, but their bowling win remained an iconic piece of the bar’s history. In “From Beer to Eternity,” Gary was played by Joel Polis, but he shared the role with Robert Desiderio. Each man played the Cheers nemesis three times over the years, trading off the role. 

Harry Anderson had a recurring role as Harry the Hat on “Cheers.” The character was a hustler who would show up at the bar and con the regulars out of money. In his third episode, “Pick a Con… Any Con,” Harry ends up helping the Cheers gang. When Sam Malone (Ted Danson) learns that Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) is being scammed by a hustler named George (Reid Shelton), he enlists Harry to help Coach win his money back.

Many memorable moments make this a top-tier “Cheers” episode. Anderson’s performance as Harry is delightful, and he never stops being sly. There’s a great scene in which he tricks Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) twice in a row. Despite his constant duplicity, audiences still love Harry, which is why it stung when it looked like he had been working with Rick. Thankfully, that ended up being yet another trick, and the episode concludes with the reveal that Harry was secretly working with Coach.

Anderson went on to star in “Night Court” as Judge Harry Stone. After the sitcom took off, Anderson made two more appearances on “Cheers.” He returned as Harry in the season six episode “A Kiss Is Still a Kiss” and the season 11 episode “Bar Wars VII: The Naked Party.” Sadly, Anderson passed away in 2018 at age 65. A “Night Court” revival debuted in 2023 and starred Melissa Rauch as Abby Stone, Anderson’s character’s daughter, but the series was cancelled by NBC in 2025.

In addition to the fun businesses with Harry, “Pick a Con… Any Con” is an early example of why Sam and Dianne were so captivating together. Their flirtations were bubbling at this point, making their romance feel inevitable. 

Many television shows have great Thanksgiving episodes, and “Cheers” is no exception. The series hit its peak in season five, which happened to be the final season to star Shelley Long as Diane Chambers. In “Thanksgiving Orphans,” the gang decides to get together at Carla’s (Rhea Perlman) house for the holiday. There are many great moments as the friends all hang out outside the bar. From Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) never getting a good look at the TV to Norm (George Wendt) bringing a raw turkey, the laughs in this Thanksgiving episode are nonstop. 

“Thanksgiving Orphans” truly becomes iconic at the end, when a food fight erupts. First, it’s just enjoyable to watch grown adults behave so ridiculously. Second, the show delivers a satisfying, almost-appearance by Norm’s wife, Vera. Throughout the entirety of “Cheers,” Norm’s significant other is never shown on screen. Five years in, fans thought the bit was coming to an end. Vera arrives at Carla’s, finally ready to meet Norm’s friends. Unfortunately, Diane throws a pie and accidentally hits her in the face, obstructing her from being seen, and continuing one ofthe sitcom’s longest-running jokes. While the food fight is fun to watch, it was not exactly easy to film. In fact, the scene came with a nightmarish stench.

Not only is “Thanksgiving Orphans” a hilarious episode, but it showcases the importance of found family. It also proves that escaping your actual relatives during the holidays does not always guarantee a drama-free day.

The two-part season 10 finale, “An Old-Fashioned Wedding,” saw Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) marrying his longtime girlfriend, Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson). Kelly first joined “Cheers” in season seven, and she was the perfect match for Woody, despite her extreme wealth. During their wedding, the Cheers gang spends the entire two-parter in the kitchen at the Gaines’ mansion, because the bar was hired to provide the reception’s liquor. In typical sitcom fashion, everything goes wrong, from Kelly tearing her dress to the minister dying in the kitchen. 

“An Old-Fashioned Wedding” feels like a classic comedic stage play, with all of the action coming through one small location. The problems continue to grow and become more extreme throughout both episodes. Everyone is trying to make sure Kelly’s father doesn’t find out she and Woody finally consummated their relationship ahead of the wedding. Meanwhile, the Gaines’ Dobermanns are wreaking havoc, and the replacement minister is a drunk who hates marriage. Not to mention the hilarious, non-stop physical bits involving a dumbwaiter.

Every cast member delivers some of their best work as the wackiness of the wedding unfolds. It is exactly the type of season finale that “Cheers” fans came to expect from the sitcom, and it ended up being the highest-rated episode of the penultimate season. It was also extremely nice to see Woody get a happy ending, especially considering how sweet and emotional he was throughout the show. In fact, Harrelson won the role ahead of the show’s fourth season by breaking down in tears.

Sam and Diane were the most famous romantic pairing of “Cheers,” but one of the best things about the show was the partnership between Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth). Lilith had appeared briefly in a season four episode in which she had a bad date with Frasier, but when she showed up again in “Abnormal Psychology,” everything changed. 

Frasier and Lilith were set to appear on a psychology talk show together, much to Frasier’s dismay. He claimed to hate Lilith, but Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) suspected Frasier had feelings for her. Frasier dismissed the theory, but when Lilth came to the set with her hair down instead of in her usual tight bun, Frasier was transfixed. The two become overwhelmed by desire on live TV, turning everything in their discussion sexual. Not only is it laugh-out-loud funny, but the start of their romance is a pivotal part of “Cheers.” Frasier and Lilith eventually get married, and Neuwirth became a series regular on the show. She won two Emmys for playing Lilith and was nominated again for guest-starring as the character on the “Cheers” spin-off, “Frasier.”

In 2023, a “Frasier” revival debuted on Paramount+ and made history by bringing back Neuwirth as Sternin for an episode. Even decades after their divorce, Frasier and Lilith continued to have intense sexual chemistry.

“Endless Slumper” was one of the first “Cheers” episodes to tackle a serious topic. It was well known that Ted Danson’s Sam Malone was a recovering alcoholic, and this marked the first time the character’s addiction was tested. When a Red Sox player named Rick Walker (Christopher McDonald) comes to Sam for advice about his slump, Sam lends him his lucky bottle cap. Rick’s game starts to thrive, but Sam finds himself having a string of bad luck. This includes being unable to perform his famous bar slide trick. 

Towards the end of the episode, Sam reveals to Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) that the bottle cap was from the last drink he ever had. Now that it was out of his possession, he found himself getting the itch for alcohol again. After confessing his desire to drink again to Diane, Sam learns Rick lost the bottle cap, so he opens a beer. In a tense moment, Diane tries to stop him, and he shuts her down. However, it turns out he only wanted to get his mojo back by trying his bar slide trick again. When he succeeds, he claims that cap as his new good luck charm. 

The episode is extremely effective because it takes the time to recognize the difficulties of owning a bar as a recovering alcoholic. Danson delivers a powerful monologue about how the bottle cap kept him from drinking during tough times, and it gives greater insight into his past struggles. Throughout the show’s 11 seasons, Sam only fell off the wagon once. He started drinking again in the season three premiere after his first big breakup with Diane. 

It was later revealed that Danson was initially uncomfortable playing Sam, but that was due to the character’s womanizing, not his addiction. 

“Dinner at Eight-ish” marked Bebe Neuwirth’s first return to “Cheers” as Lilith Sternin after the dynamite episode “Abnormal Psychology.” Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith announce they are moving in together, and they want Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) to be their first dinner guests. Similar to “An Old-Fashioned Wedding,” most of the episode takes place in one location and feels like a stage play. 

Unsurprisingly, things quickly go wrong when Lilith and Fraiser get into a fight. Every time something gets smoothed over, another dramatic moment causes Lilith to lock herself in the bathroom. She is especially upset to learn that Fraiser and Diane had previously been engaged. Meanwhile, poor Sam just wants to eat dinner. 

Not only does “Dinner at Eight-ish” have many humorous moments, but it is also a rarity in “Cheers.” Neuwirth only appeared in three episodes of the series during Long’s time on the show. While they did have some interactions in “Abnormal Psychology,” it is beyond enjoyable to see the two women share the screen for most of an episode. They both have extreme idiosyncrasies that are quite contrasting from one another, and it is a shame there were not more episodes that featured both of them. However, there is a two-part episode in the ninth season of “Frasier,” titled “Don Juan in Hell,” in which the famed psychiatrist has imaginary conversations with the women from his past. During this, Neuwirth and Long appear together. 

The three-part series finale of “Cheers” is considered one of the best television endings, and it marked the return of Shelley Long as Diane Chambers. When Long left the series at the end of season five, she was met with backlash. Fans couldn’t forgive her for closing the door on Sam and Diane, but when she came back for “One for the Road,” most welcomed her. 

In classic “Cheers” fashion, Diane returns to Boston and both she and Sam pretend they’re married to other people. Unsurprisingly, their lies fall apart. Diane’s fake husband turns out to be gay, and his partner crashes their dinner. Meanwhile, Sam made Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) pretend to be his fake wife, but Rebecca was going through a breakup of her own and was a mess.

The best thing about this chaotic reunion was getting to see Diane and Rebecca together. While the “Diane versus Rebecca” debate is one of the most longstanding in pop culture, there’s no denying that both women had great presence, and seeing them share the screen was special. It was also a delight to see Diane interact with everyone from the bar again. 

Sam and Diane decide to rekindle their romance, and Sam announces he’s leaving Cheers. The former couple eventually realizes they’re making a mistake, and Sam returns to the bar to share a beautiful moment with the show’s longstanding regulars. The series ends with a customer coming to the door, and Sam saying, “Sorry, we’re closed.” He then goes to straighten a picture of Geronimo, which was a nod to the late Nicholas Colasanto (Coach). Sam then exits towards the pool room, marking the show’s ending. It was such an emotional send-off that it had the cast in a disastrous drunken state. 

The two-part season one finale of “Cheers” is a showcase of everything that made the sitcom great. In “Show Down,” the gang learns that Sam (Ted Danson) has a brother named Derek, whom Sam dislikes because he’s better than him at everything. Sam’s insecurities deepen when Derek starts dating Diane (Shelley Long), bringing their season-long “will they, won’t they” dynamic to a head. 

A clever aspect of “Show Down” is that Sam’s brother is never seen on-screen. Despite being in the bar for the entirety of “Part One,” Derek is always concealed. When Diane reveals to Sam that Derek has asked to fly her to Martha’s Vineyard, he pretends not to care. This leads to a memorable exchange. Sam keeps asking Diane to stay in a whisper, but when she asks him to clarify, he pretends he didn’t say anything. The episode ends with Diane muttering, “I’d rather stay with you,” but she also pretends it didn’t happen.

In the second episode, Diane starts dating Derek and decides to quit Cheers. However, she has trouble getting out the door. She keeps going back to Sam’s office to fight with him. Naturally, everyone in the bar is invested in their drama, and one of the funniest moments of the series happens when Sam opens his office door to discover everyone listening in. Eventually, Sam and Diane’s explosive conversation leads to a kiss. The season ends with them finally getting together, officially kicking off one of the most famous television romances.

While season one of “Cheers” ended with a bang, the show almost crashed and burned in its first season. The ratings were terrible, but “Cheers” was saved by critical acclaim and word of mouth. If NBC hadn’t believed in the show, it never would’ve lasted another decade.