Cheers (The Final Entry)
So, taking a break from packing (long story) to do a post up, seeing as how I have now finished all 11 seasons of Cheers! I started it, what, how many years ago? Stopped, started again, stopped for ages, started again... Anyways, this summer, I picked it back up and polished off seasons 9-11 (possibly season 8 as well... I can't remember now, haha).
20 min shows are always super easy to binge, but also, this show is a great brain cleanser if I watched something too intense close to bed and it was a great background show while working on wedding stuff for my friend this summer. Also great background for packing - I pretty much did season 11 entirely in the past week during packing. XD
As in previous Cheers related entries, I just have some random thoughts and ramblings. Warning: this got long.
Do I need to say spoiler alert for a show that's over 20 (30?) years old? Consider this a blanket spoiler alert for anyone who, for some reason, cares. XD
Honestly the main thing that made me even remember I'd previously posted about Cheers on my LJ was an ep where Fraiser and Rebecca make out. FRAISER AND REBECCA. WHAT EVEN.
(It's funnier considering that the way my DVD works is that if I let the credits play through, the little icon jumps to the next episode for me. If, as I most often do, I hit "menu" during the credits, the icon will be on the one I was currently watching and I move it manually to the next one. In this instance, I habitually flicked to the next episode, not realizing that it'd jumped up one for me. So I went from everything being normal, to the opening of what I thought was the next episode, featuring Fraiser and Rebecca climbing into to bed together!! I literally shouted "WHAT" so loud and then once it hit the opening title song, I realized I HAD to have missed something. XD)
So I backed up and watched how it happened and it actualy did kinda work, and past some making out, nothing serious actualy happened with them since Lillith came back in.
I hated seeing Lillith and Fraiser break up! Especially that the cause was Lillith cheating on Fraiser. BUT I am so, so glad it was eventually resolved. As... odd as Lillith and Fraiser are - or, Lillith, mostly - and all the bickering and cracks about her in particular, they were still weirdly sweet and fit together well. Thank goodness they got back together! Although, I know the spin-off Fraiser exists, and I'm like 99% sure that Lillith is not in it, so are they going to have some off screen divorce or something?! I hope not. I guess I'll find out when I someday get around to try tryihng Fraiser. XD
I didn't enjoy seeing Rebecca continuously soooooo downtrodden. I mean, that clearly was the schtick they bestowed on her character, but it seemed extra harsh in the last two seasons - she connnnstantly was down on herself for being the worst and such a loser, and always crying and making heinious mistakes (like accidentally burning down half the bar in the season 11 opener!!). It was kinda funny sometimes but mostly it just got extreme and painful - I didn't particularly enjoy those storylines, especialy because whenever she did something right, it felt like they'd immediately take it away or wreck it. That being said, it was great to see her end up with an "average dude" come the finale, instead of some richie rich like she'd been chasing since she first appeared on the scene.
Oh, but when Robin came back, all scruffy and tan! I never loved her and Robin before, but they slowly were growing on me, until they had Rebecca turn him down for being poor and Robin running off. When he showed up scruffy and tan in flannel in the final season, I actually squealed and was cheering so hard for Rebecca to go with him - which, of course, she didn't. XD But even though I was disappointed from a shipping standpoint, they made the storyline with him make sense and closed the door for good.
Speaking of Rebecca storylines though - her and Sam ended season 9 by saying they wanted to have a baby together, just as BFFs. The second I saw my Dad, I said, "THEY CAN'T HAVE A BABY, IT'LL WRECK THE SHOW." Because as we all know, moooost of the time on shows when the characters have a baby, it doesn't work or the tension/good drama goes out, it becomes tropey/stereotypical to a boring degree, and/or the baby character gets shuffled off to no man's land where it's sporadically referenced, so why did they even do it/have it in the first place? Ugh. Anyways, so luckily, after lots of "trying" and comedy therin, they decided not to, which I was relieved by. And I harbored hope that Sam and Rebecca would really get together forever then, but then the show did a nice job of growing them apart just enough to maintain the broship. Speaking as a shameless multi-shipper, they did a good enough job that I didn't even feel disappointed by that. XD
Most of the rest of it was same ol', same ol' - funny bits all over, some unexpected serious bits, tons of sitcommy, over-the-top nonsense as expected and appreciated. XD It's overall a fun show and defs was worth watching.
OH OH BUT THE FINALE DUDES -
Okay, so the last disc of the dvd had a screenshot of Sam and DIANE!? And I freaked out, because were they seriously going to bring her back after six seasons/years and have Sam end up with her?! I was interested to see if they could make it work - the last disc had like 5 eps left, so I figured it could be done. Turns out, she shows up in the finale, and there's a good bit where Sam and Rebecca pretend to be married to show up Diane, who's married. Once Sam's cover is blown, so is Diane, so neither are actually married, and there's some snappy bickering and talk of what once was, which was a good book end to their relantionship back when. They even made me almost want it, despite it making no sense, really, lol. And despite me never enjoying them as a couple.
They even go so far as Sam and Diane announcing that they're getting engaged - to below zero enthusiasm from the bar at large - and Sam storms off, seeking a new life with Diane, quitting the bar, turning his back on everyone. I thought "THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN POSSIBLY END IT LIKE THIS" but thought "but what if they do". LUCKILY, once on the plane, Sam and Diane have second thoughts and say their goodbyes and move on. Which made the whole thing work and make sense again. XD
The episode wraps up with the usual gang back in the bar smoking cigars and talking about important things in life, with some none-too-subtle comments to the audience via character speeches to each other along the lines of 'don't be sad it ended, be happy that it happened' sentiments. Last to leave, Norm tells Sam that Sam will always, always come back because he could never leave the love of his life. Sam is like "??" and Norm says, "think about it" and leaves. Then there's a beautiful quiet scene as Sam mulls this over, then silently realizes it's the bar, it's Cheers, and runs his hand over the bar. He goes around and fixes some pictures and smiles wistfully, then heads into the darkened back room.
It was a real nice send off, especially sicne my Dad said he was always disappointed with the finale??? He said his problem with it - according to what he remembered - was that it ended with a "business as usual" type of vibe, that tomorrow, Cliff and Norm would be back on their stools and Woody and Sam would be tending bar, and Fraiser and Carla and Rebecca (and Paul and Phil....) would all be there, but you wouldn't be seeing it anymore. You wouldn't be in on it anymore. And in his opinion, that's why it wasn't a good finale, because there was no "closed ending". Without having seen the finale, I argued that that was the perfect kind of finale for Cheers - that's what you'd want from it. Because what's the alternative? Closing down the bar? Everybody moving away, onto bigger and better things? That'd be 1000 times more depressing.
Now having seen it, I disagree still - what they did was a really good send off. It WAS closed, in a way. They put Sam and Diane to bed once and for all - no more open ended question with her. Woody's married to Kelly and (hilariously) a city council guy. You know he'll bumble through his term and be beloved despite knowing nothing, and probably end up being re-elected. Fraiser and Lillith are back together and raising Fredrick, and will be coming into the bar on a near daily basis as usual. Clif and Norm went through tons of experiences but you know they're not leaving. Carla, same. Rebecca's on her honeymoon, finally happy and "not a loser", and though she crows about "checking in", you know she's going to be back the day after her honeymoon. XD
And Sam realized he is happiest in his home, in his bar, with the love of hise life, and he's going to be okay - he went through all kinds of personal change in the last season and there's sure to be more. Maybe he'll be a bachelor forever, maybe he'll find The One. Showing a closed ending either way on him in that respect would have felt wrong though. This, was so, so much better and fit with the character and the show.
ANYWAYS THIS HAS TURNED INTO AN ESSAY WHICH I DIDN'T INTEND. XD
(I don't think I know anyone who watches/has watched/cares but that's okay. Pretty much just posting my own rambling thoughts for me to look back on whenever, lol. Really, I should do that with more tv shows so I remember things about them more. I binged BSG a few years ago and I only barely remember it., oops.)
In other TV news: have y'all watched Stranger Things? I got on board the train of people freaking out over it and IT'S AMAZING. I see why people were losing their crap.
Okay. Back to packing.
~Red