The Heart of Cheers

Mention your favorite Cheers episode and why

Thanks for sharing your feelings here with me.

I always appreciate reading people’s thought on this odd couple.

I went through the same struggle when I first watched this, knowing all too well Diane would leave at some point. I was quite young back then and had no clue about the surrounding matters concerning her upcoming absence. Finding out, I found it troublesome too. I found it unfair to everyone: Shelley as a person, Diane as a developed, beloved character and us as viewers and fans.

I believe their relationship (Sam and Diane’s) in season 5 very much represents the uncertainty of the staff. Not knowing whether Shelley would stay made the writing seem incoherent and at times immature. I think it was their ‘golden middle’ going either way with these two depending on Shelley’s decision - even though they probably knew, she would choose to leave. They gave Shelley a taste of the frustration with all the turmoil in the relationship between Sam and Diane in this season as well a taste of what a happy life for Sam and Diane together could be (the positive moments). As we know, she wished Sam and Diane together, so this must have been tougher than tough.