The cast and writing elevate the characters, giving Cheers one of the strongest ensembles in sitcom history. Everyone from the abrasive single mom Carla to the naive small-town bartender Woody gets great comedic bits intercut with genuinely touching character moments. My favorites are Fraiser’s cold, calculating wife Lilith and sarcastic barfly Norm, but I came to love every character by the end of the series.
The comedy writing in Cheers is second to none, with clever quips and dialogue alongside comically bizarre plots. Most episodes have fairly standard sitcom plots, letting jokes like Lillith explaining that her lab rats worship her as a Goddess do the heavy lifting. But the show has enough off-the-wall turns to keep things fresh, like the bar being held hostage or mailman Cliff Claven going on Jeopardy.
