Cheers’ 10 Best Episodes, Ranked

The beloved sitcom Cheers was filled with great episodes over the course of its 11-season run, but only 10 can be considered the absolute best. Cheers has been popular since it premiered in 1982, but it’s gained renewed relevance thanks to the new reboot of Frasier. The news has also made Cheers relevant again thanks to the upcoming British remake of Cheers. As the U.K. begins trying to recapture the magic of Cheers, it’s always helpful to look at the absolute highlights of the original show to see what the reboot is up against.

Cheers was primarily a comedy, but it was so much more than that. As its theme song suggests, it was a cozy show that could just as easily make audiences cry as it could make them laugh. Therefore, the best episodes of Cheers are not just the most hilarious, but they were also the most heartwarming, heartbreaking, or simply the most indicative of the show’s complexity. Humor does, however, play a major factor in how good each episode is, so there are plenty of laughs in the best episodes of Cheers.

10 “Simon Says”

Cheers Season 5, Episode 21

Sam (Ted Dnason) and Diane’s (Shelley Long) rocky relationship was the bedrock of the early seasons of Cheers, and they reached their absolute funniest in season 5. When Dr. Simon Finch-Royce (John Cleese) visited Frasier, he gave Sam and Diane some free marital counseling. However, Simon didn’t tell them exactly what they wanted to hear: he told them they were a terrible match. After pestering him to reconsider until he had a breakdown in his hotel room and declared them the greatest couple of all time, Diane smugly said “See?” to round out a hilariously delusional episode of Cheers.

Sam (Ted Dnason) and Diane’s (Shelley Long) rocky relationship was the bedrock of the early seasons of Cheers, and they reached their absolute funniest in season 5.

While “Simon Says” was hilarious, it also laid a lot of the groundwork for later episodes to explore why Sam and Diane wouldn’t work as a couple. It was a great set-up for Shelley Long’s departure from the show, and it also acts as a preview of Sam and Diane’s ultimate fate in the series finale. “Simon Says” also highlighted all the hilarious differences between them, such as Sam asking if Simon was “on the hopper” before Diane waxed poetic about how they would die in each other’s arms.

9 “Rebecca Redux”

Cheers Season 9, Episode 3

Though she only joined the cast of Cheers in season 6, Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) became an integral part of the show. Rebecca was mostly known for being more focused on her career than Sam, and for her desire to marry a rich husband. That latter quest got her in trouble in “Rebecca Redux,” as she decided to leave Cheers and start a new career after her boss and boyfriend was arrested. That new career, which she said was in “public relations,” ended up being as a presenter for the auto show where Rebecca had to deal with acid, fire, and boiling tar.

There are plenty of funny moments in “Rebecca Redux” that make it one of Rebecca’s most comedic episodes, but it also helped reestablish her place at the bar. As much as Rebecca wanted to live a life of luxury, “Rebecca Redux” showed that she had become a crucial part of Cheers. Even with a great replacement like Earl (Bryan Clark), the bar didn’t feel like home without her. In a way, that showed one of Cheers‘ greatest strengths: the ability to prosper long after one of its most important characters departed the series.

8 “Abnormal Psychology”

Cheers Season 5, Episode 4

Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) were somehow even more of a mismatched couple than Sam and Diane, but their relationship was always good for a laugh. After a particularly rocky start, Frasier and Lilith’s relationship rocketed to life in “Abnormal Psychology” after Diane gave Lilith a makeover and the two had a debate on live television. There was genuine chemistry between Grammer and Neuwirth in this episode, and even with all their psycho-babble their on-air flirting was hilarious to watch.

“Abnormal Psychology” also did two things really well for Frasier and Lilith. It firstly showed how great their comedic dynamic was. Grammer’s exaggerated physical comedy and cynical intelligence meshed perfectly with Neuwirth’s cold and more straight-faced humor, and they elevated each other even higher than they could get on their own. “Abnormal Psychology” also set the groundwork for the Frasier spinoff to happen eventually, as it was one of the earliest episodes to prove that Grammer could lead by himself.

7 “From Beer To Eternity”

Cheers Season 4, Episode 9

No list of the best Cheers episodes would be complete without mentioning the Bar Wars. Any of the chronicles of the feud between Cheers and Gary’s Olde Town Tavern could be among the best in the show, but the first was arguably the best of the bunch. “From Beer to Eternity” sees the Cheers gang go bowling, and it’s one of the few Cheers episodes that took place outside the bar. It’s also one of the few episodes that puts Sam on the back foot and doesn’t portray him as the cool and confident leader of Cheers, which is always fun to see.

Any of the chronicles of the feud between Cheers and Gary’s Olde Town Tavern could be among the best in the show, but the first was arguably the best of the bunch.

Aside from being a unique episode, “From Beer to Eternity” also got a lot done for the main cast of Cheers. As one of the first episodes Woody was in, it did quite a bit to introduce him to audiences and help him fill Coach’s shoes. It was also one of the few times that Diane got a chance to show a less uppity and pretentious side of herself, proving that she could do much more than be the butt of jokes.

6 “An Old-Fashioned Wedding”

Cheers Season 10, Episodes 25 & 26

Wedding episodes are no stranger to long-running sitcoms, and it’s fairly easy for them to fall into fan-service between two beloved characters. Cheers‘ best wedding episode, however, didn’t have that problem, as “An Old-Fashioned Wedding” brought Woody and his longtime girlfriend Kelly (Jackie Swanson) together at last. Because the wedding couple only had one main character to focus on, Cheers got to explore the rest of the cast in great detail, from Rebecca’s struggles to deal with high society to Norm’s insistence that Woody not get married.

Being one of the few two-part episodes in Cheers history also helped “An Old-Fashioned Wedding” succeed. It gave the episode time to explore everything from Woody and Kelly’s relationship to their whacky family dynamics and even the catering staff. It was also one of the many times that Cheers emphasized just how much the patrons and staff of the bar meant to each other, and just how much of a family they became over the years.

5 “Endless Slumper”

Cheers Season 1, Episode 10

There were a few early episodes of Cheers that immediately established it wasn’t a typical sitcom, and “Endless Slumper” was one of the most effective. “Endless Slumper” follows Sam as he mentors a young Red Sox pitcher, Rick Walker (Christopher McDonald) through a slump. Sam ends up giving his lucky bottle cap to the pitcher, and it’s only after Rick loses the trinket that Sam reveals it helped him recover from alcoholism.

“Endless Slumper” isn’t just one of the most emotionally intense episodes of Cheers ever, it also added so many layers to Sam that helped turn him into one of the best and most nuanced characters in sitcom history. Though the emotional story of Sam’s struggle with alcoholism is the main attraction of “Endless Slumper,” it’s hardly the only thing the episode gets right. From the verbal abuse Carla hurls at Rick to Diane’s facial twitch, which she was sure she had cured through meditation, “Endless Slumper” has endless laughs.

4 “Thanksgiving Orphans”

Cheers Season 5, Episode 9

Cheers did several holiday episodes throughout the years, but the best of the bunch was season 5’s Thanksgiving special. In “Thanksgiving Orphans,” the entire bar winds up at Carla’s house after realizing none of them have plans for the holidays. What started off as a heartwarming moment for the group of friends quickly devolved into a savage food fight that even Diane joined in on (while she was wearing her period-accurate pilgrim costume). But, in true Cheers fashion, the hostilities ended and everyone got a wholesome ending to the holiday.

Cheers is always funny, but there are few episodes that are as fun as “Thanksgiving Orphans.”

Cheers is always funny, but there are few episodes that are as fun as “Thanksgiving Orphans.” The relationships that tied everyone at the bar together were on full display, and it’s probably the best display of just how strong their friendships were and how much chemistry they all had with one another. Plus, watching Sam shove mashed potatoes into Frasier’s hair is something you don’t see every day, which makes “Thanksgiving Orphans” endlessly rewatchable.

3 “What Is… Cliff Clavin?”

Cheers Season 8, Episode 14

Throughout Cheers, Cliff Clavin was known for his absurd fun facts and over-inflated sense of his own intelligence. One of the show’s best episodes, “What is… Cliff Clavin?” gave Cliff a chance to prove his knowledge, and he failed in spectacular fashion. With one of the best cameos in Cheers history – Alex Trebek appeared as himself – “What is… Cliff Clavin?” is hands down the funniest episode focusing on Cliff. Cliff’s breakdown on television and the way he inevitably lost was so in character that it even made Woody and Norm’s second-hand embarrassment in the audience hilarious.

A great part of “What is… Cliff Clavin ?” is how well it used the special format of a Jeopardy! episode. Even the categories Cliff had to answer from, which included “bar trivia” and “celibacy,” topics Cliff was incredibly well-versed in, were hysterical. Trebek’s normal Jeopardy! mannerisms and seriousness also paired so well with Cliff’s over-the-top antics when he lost that they created a truly special contrast. “What is… Cliff Clavin?” is one of the most inventive episodes of Cheers, and it proved that even after eight seasons, the show could still do something new.

2 “Coach’s Daughter”

Cheers Season 1, Episode 5

Like “Endless Slumper” before it, “Coach’s Daughter” was an early indicator that Cheers was much more than meets the eye. As the title suggests, “Coach’s Daughter” sees Coach’s daughter, Lisa (Allyce Beasley) visit the bar with her boarish fiancé. Coach reasonably couldn’t understand why his daughter was engaged to such a man, and he had a devastating conversation where he learned about Lisa’s self-esteem issues. In a moment that surely got tears flowing, Coach told his daughter how much she looked like his late wife and assured her that she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Aside from the massive emotional punch that “Coach’s Daughter” packs, the episode also has some hilarious moments. From the entire bar pitching in to disinfect everything the new janitor at a questionable science lab touched to Diane’s attempts to draw caricatures of the bar’s patrons, the entire episode was hilarious. It was also one of the rare times Coach was taken seriously as a character, and Nicholas Colasanto more than seized his moment in the spotlight. “Coach’s Daughter” had all the makings of a great Cheers episode.

1 “One For The Road”

Cheers Season 11, Episodes 26-28

Finishing out a series as beloved and long-running as Cheers on a high note is no easy task, and many lesser shows have fumbled at the finish line. Cheers, however, somehow managed to save its best for last, and it delivered a finale for the history books. The three-part episode “One for the Road” has gone down as one of the best finales in TV history for good reason. It’s a farewell that leaves the door open for the gang to reunite at Cheers one day, and it’s filled with bittersweet laughs and the same cozy feel the show always had.

The final moments of ”
One for the Road
” see Sam adjust a picture of Geronimo. That picture belonged to Coach’s actor, Nicholas Colasanto, who passed away in 1985. Ted Danson adjusted it in his honor.

The most impressive part of “One for the Road,” however, is how well it understands what Cheers meant to its viewers. After 11 years, Cheers had come to fulfill its intro and felt like a place “where everybody knows your name.” Its cast felt like old friends, and saying goodbye to them felt like a punch to the gut. “One for the Road” knew it had to convey how emotional such a farewell was, and it executed perfectly. It had the perfect amount of sentimentality to commemorate such an important show, and it’s easily the best episode of Cheers ever made.