The sixth season of Cheers is an American television situation comedy set in a Boston bar called "Cheers". It originally aired on NBC in the United States between September 24, 1987 and May 7, 1988. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles under their production company Charles Burrows Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Television. This season features the debut of Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe.
Background
Cheers survived low ratings in the first season and changes to the Thursday evening schedule of NBC's primetime block Must See TV, and retained its regular Thursday 9:00 pm Eastern / 8:00 pm Central slot. In its original broadcast run, 1987–88, Cheers was scheduled with The Cosby Show, A Different World, Night Court, and hour-long drama L.A. Law. An hour-long crime drama Hill Street Blues was moved from Thursdays to Tuesdays in 1986 and ended in 1987 after its seven-year run. The sitcom Family Ties moved from Thursday to Sundays in 1987–88.
Cast and characters
Ted Danson as Sam Malone, a bartender and ex-baseball player. Sam sells the bar to a corporation. Six months later, he becomes the bartender again but no longer owns the bar. Since his last breakup with Diane Chambers, a former waitress, he pursues many women but fails to impress some, especially classier ones. Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe, a corporate bar owner and manager. She is attracted to the head of the Lilian Corporation, Evan Drake (Tom Skerritt), who barely notices her. At the season finale, Evan Drake moves to Japan, depriving her from going beyond her puppy love for him. Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli, a bitter waitress and mother of eight children, including five from her first marriage. Carla marries Eddie LeBec after she becomes pregnant with their twin boy and girl. (The season incorporated Rhea Perlman's real-life pregnancy, which began before the sixth season premiered. Both Perlman and Carla were pregnant in the first season and in the third.) John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin, a postal carrier and loquacious bar know-it-all. Cliff and his mother Esther (Frances Sternhagen) move out of their home when it was demolished, so they move to a condominium. Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, a dim bartender Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist who is engaged to Dr. Lilith Sternin George Wendt as Norm Peterson, a part-time accountant and painter
Recurring characters
Bebe Neuwirth as Dr. Lilith Sternin, a psychiatrist and fiancée of Frasier Crane
Jay Thomas as Eddie LeBec, a retired hockey player who currently works as an ice show performer. He marries Carla after impregnating her with a twin boy and girl. Timothy Williams and Mandy Ingber as Anthony and Annie Tortelli, a young, married couple. Since the cancellation of the spin-off The Tortellis, Anthony and Annie Tortelli move from Las Vegas to Boston to live with Carla. They are kicked out by Carla for having a baby at their young age. Tom Skerritt as Evan Drake, Rebecca's corporate boss. Al Rosen as Al, an elderly bar regular.
Episodes
Production
When Cheers premiered in 1982, the creators intended it to be a comedy about a Boston bar, but they decided to focus on the romance between Sam and Diane that dominated the show for five seasons. James Burrows said the couple would have diminished the importance and relevance of the bar setting if Shelley Long had not left the show in 1987. With Diane Chambers written out in last season's finale, "I Do, Adieu", the producers planned to change the show's format without losing the bar. According to Les Charles, Sam was a straight man to Diane; with Diane gone, they made him more carefree and a "goof-off".
When Long decided to leave the show, the creators decided to find a new female lead who was unknown to television viewers, would not have blonde hair, and would not resemble Long. Brunette-haired actress Kirstie Alley, who appeared in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the miniseries North and South, and recent film Summer School, was one of the first actresses to audition for the role of Rebecca Howe, an executive businesswoman as Diane Chambers was originally conceived. Although Alley met all the criteria, the producers continued to audition actresses. None improved on Alley's portrayal of the character, so Alley was cast as Rebecca Howe.