 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Cheers
- Syndicated, TV Land
- Genre: Comedy
Common Sense Media says
Laughs are on tap in this classic sitcom.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this classic 1980s bar-set sitcom is chock-full of sexual innuendo and sarcastic put-downs. The main character is a womanizer who talks constantly about getting women into bed, albeit through euphemisms only. The central joke is that he wants sex but doesn't want a commitment. Characters drink constantly, though rarely get drunk (Sam is a recovering alcoholic). All characters, though women a bit more frequently, are on the receiving end of biting insults.
What's the story?
Set in a Boston bar, CHEERS is one of the 1980s' best-loved sitcoms. Well-drawn characters and funny writing made the show a huge hit, and it spawned several spin-offs, most notably Frasier. Bar owner Sam "Mayday" Malone (Ted Danson), a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, is a good-hearted womanizer who's a little on the dim side. Through the first half of the series' 11-year run, Sam and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) engage in a love-hate relationship bolstered by snippy remarks and short-lived tender moments. When Long left the cast, Kirstie Alley stepped in as Rebecca Howe, the bar's new manager and Sam's new female sparring partner. The ensemble cast includes several memorable and much-loved characters, like Norm (George Wendt) the hen-pecked, mostly unemployed accountant who regularly occupies the corner bar stool; Cliff (John Ratzenberger), the mailman and bar know-it-all; Woody (Woody Harrelson), the innocent, dull-witted bartender from the Midwest; and Carla (Rhea Perlman) the caustic, kid-saddled waitress.
Is it any good?
Cheers' humor, while expertly executed, is aimed squarely at adults. Not only does almost all of the action take place in a bar, with characters who drink constantly (though they never seem drunk), but sexual innuendo and sarcastic put-downs make up the bulk of the jokes. For example, Sam, talking about his hard-earned date for the evening, says she's "a tough nut to crack," and says she'll be going on "all the rides in Sammy's Magic Kingdom" later that night.
Jokes at the expense of women are common, from Norm's constant complaints about his unseen wife, Vera, to comments about Cliff's mother ("a hyena on bennies"). And Woody and Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) get their share of ribbing for being less than bright. Some viewers may find some of the humor offensive, like when Sam talks about a waiter at an Indian restaurant as a "300 pound Hindu with a goiter," but most of the jokes fly by so quickly that it's hard to stay focused on a single incident.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about alcohol. How would the scenes be different if the customers were drinking real alcohol? Or if they were set somewhere besides a bar? Would Cheers be as funny in an office setting? Do you think Norm and Cliff are alcoholics? What's your family's relationship with alcohol? Also, why is Diane interested in Sam? Do you think opposites attract? When they do, is the relationship viable in the long run?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
cheers sucks
This was the most boring,unfunniest show in the history of television.Nothing but a bunch of lonely drunks looking for acceptance.
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AGE
not good
It's OK. I watch Frasier, so I assumed I would like Cheers. This show gets a little boring. A lot of characters have major character flaws. Carla has a bad temper and is always getting accidentally pregnant. Sam is a womanizer. Norm drinks beer every day for hours. Diane is pretty snobby. Overall, I love the theme song, but don't like the show.
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AGE
This show is vey boring.
I remember seeing this a few times, and it was very boring. Pass it if you get a chance to see it.
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AGE
Where Everybody's Known Your Name since 1982
Cheers - One of the funniest, most critically acclaimed, most superbly written and acted sitcoms ever to grace television. This is aimed at adults, although families with older children can watch it too, indeed, I first watched Cheers at the age of 17.
Sam, the lead character, is a promiscuous womanizer - not for kids! This being said, he is an example of what alcohol can do to you - he was an alcoholic. Diane and Rebecca are strong leading women, although Diane is somewhat snobbish and Rebecca can be a bit angsty. Carla, the waitress, is always hilarious with her insults, another thing younger children and teens shouldn't hear. Coach and Woody, whilst being somewhat thick, have warm, friendly natures and are good examples on how people should behave in general. Then there's Frasier and Lillith, everyone's favourite intellectuals, who are quite New Age and too progressive for young minds. Finally, resident barfiles Norm and Cliff - one's a resident alcoholic who's always bickering about his wife, whilst the other is a never-ending walking trivia book. Both add much of the humour to the show.
At the end of the day, under 15s shouldn't watch this, as along with the adult themes, it gives the wrong idea about alcohol - if you drank beer like Norm does in real life, you'd be dead by the time you were 40, if not before then!
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AGE
Hilarious
Cheers is hysterically funny! I love this show! It's really funny, though there is a lot of innuendo. But definitely a great show, teenagers will love this!
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AGE
"You wanna be where everybody knows your name..."
Cheers is a fantastic show. Yes, it takes place at a bar and yes, there are quite a few innuendoes and what-not, but there are also a lot of great values. Cheers is about friendship more than anything, regardless of gender, class, intellect, etc. I actually think this is a great show to teach children about acceptance. For example, it shows that a lazy, unemployed "barfly" (Norm), a self-observed, womanising, bartender (Sam), and a rigid, demure, socially-inept psychiatrist (Lilith), all have hearts of gold and are very good friends. Cheers is a very warm environment, you feel very close to the characters, and can relate to at least one of them. Cheers is a gem, especially compared to the trash that's on television today (Family Guy, the Vampire Diaries, Jersey Shore, etc.)
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Networks: | Syndicated, TV Land |
| Cast: | Kirstie Alley, Shelley Long, Ted Danson |
| Genre: | Comedy |
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