80's Region - 4th Round - Cheers vs The Simpsons

Publish date: 2024-05-09
This might be a moot point. But I'm going to do my best to give Cheers the boost it deserves.

Cheers is such a great show. Why you may ask? Numerous reasons. Which I will list here. Lists are great, by the way.

1) Loveable Characters

Sure The Simpsons have a few, but Cheers has a select few and they make their characters count.

Sam Malone - Former Red Sox pitcher turned bar owner. Alcoholic who is a commitment phobe. Very witty, charming, and always seems to be a mediator of sorts. He's also damn funny.

NORM! Petersen - Norm is Homer Simpson's inspiration. Bet you didn't know that. Well he is. Norm is lovable, funny, and a drunk. He's in that damn bar everyday. But it wouldn't be Cheers without him.

Cliff Claven - A book of knowledge and a dedicated mailman. His home life is funny and so is he. Notice a pattern here?

Carla - A little spitfire barmaid who takes shit from no one! One of the most underrated characters in TV history. She made her scenes count and was very funny.

Woody/Coach - I list them both because they played the same role. Coach was great. He was older school and many of the older gentlemen who watched the show. It was said when he passed away. However, Woody comes in, as a corn fed native of Indiana, who's naive to the ways of the world, yet is a bartender in Boston. Can't get any better than that.

Diane Chambers - The woman was the object of Sam Malone's affection. She was strong willed, a little bit snobbish, but carried every scene she was in. She was great and her character made that show even more successful.

Rebecca Howe - Her character was, well, different from Diane. She was a little more loose than Diane, but was as strong willed and seen through Sam's advances. Although she surrendered to temptation on occasion, she was a great part of the cast.

This show had enduring characters. It didn't need a smorgasbord of characters to be unique. It used what it had.

2) The setting

The sitcom was set in a BAR! How can anyone NOT love that? The majority of the show took place inside a tavern in Boston. It was unique for its time and in some cases, ahead of its time. When the show came out in the early 80's on NBC, it was a little racy. Which leads me to number 3.

3) Pushing the envelope

The show made no bones about being for adults. It was set in a bar, had sexual themes, and discussed some rather tawdry topics for its time. Some even say that it was one of the first shows to catch the eye of the FCC. It was never punished, but was one of the first shows to get that reputation of being targeted towards adults. It was ahead of its time.

So do yourself a favor, vote Cheers. Simpsons is great, but Cheers doesn't get the recognition it deserves. And without Cheers, you wouldn't have Homer Simpson. What up?

VOTE CHEERS!

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