The Last Hurrah for NBC’s ‘Cheers’ : Series End Signals Another Loss for Reeling Network

For TV viewers, it’s farewell to one of prime time’s few dependably witty comedies. For NBC, it’s another devastating loss as the reeling network sinks deeper into a quagmire.

The end of “Cheers” was increasingly likely--it’s been on since 1982--but the announcement that it will close its doors this spring is setting off reverberations nonetheless.

When it first arrived on NBC, starting slowly in the ratings, “Cheers” was considered a long shot by many industry observers who felt that a weekly show about a bunch of people in a bar would never last.

But when Paramount and the program’s creators--James Burrows, Glen Charles and Les Charles--announced Monday that it was last call for “Cheers,” the show had accumulated 111 Emmy nominations, more than any other series in TV history. It has earned 26 Emmy Awards, tying “Hill Street Blues” and trailing only “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which has 29.

For years a supreme ratings force in NBC’s domination of TV, it is also a power in syndication--with KTLA-TV Channel 5, for instance, running it seven nights a week.

But as NBC’s once-impregnable hold on Thursdays--led by the now-gone “Cosby Show”--crumbled this season, even “Cheers” seemingly began to be affected. Though still a ratings winner, it slipped to 16th last week in the national rankings.

“We are grateful to our loyal viewers over the years, but we feel it’s better to end the series too early rather than too late,” the producers said in a joint statement. A studio source said, “Obviously NBC is not doing well in the ratings, and if NBC is dwindling, who knows how much dwindling ‘Cheers’ would do?”

Joining the creators in the decision to halt the series, which is set in a Boston bar, was Ted Danson, who has starred in the show since its outset and is reported to make at least $250,000 a week from the program, in addition to other concessions that have raised the speculated amount to as much as $450,000 a week.

Some network sources believe that Danson’s desire to leave was the decisive factor. Said one source: “All the financial terms and conditions were agreed upon by NBC and Paramount for ‘Cheers’ to return in the 1993-94 season.” But Paramount, Burrows and the Charles brothers maintained it was a joint decision to stop.

Les Charles said, however, that Danson’s “yell might have been a little louder than ours. So maybe his vote counted a little more.” Added Burrows: “He had his personal reasons.” Charles said that, as with all those involved, “it was more a matter of feeling than logic.”

“It was time to leave,” said Danson, whose role as bartender Sam Malone propelled him to superstardom.

Danson’s co-star in “Cheers,” Kirstie Alley, who replaced Shelley Long in 1987 and plays Rebecca Howe, said: “All good things must come to an end, and luckily this one is ending while it’s still good. It’s been the best experience of my life.”

Added George Wendt, the quintessential barfly Norm Peterson in the show: “It was pretty much of a mutual decision (to end the series). We’ve been talking about it all year. But the reality is, it’s like somebody died almost. I’m a very sentimental type of guy and probably would never want to leave that kind of a watering hole. It’s been a quarter of my life. I hope we were funny.”

An NBC spokeswoman maintained that Warren Littlefield, president of the network’s entertainment division, was surprised at the show’s coming halt because of the previous arrangements to continue: “Surprise is pretty accurate.”

It turned out to be a black Monday for NBC because the network was also presented with the fact that CBS has made an offer to lure away its late-night star David Letterman--and now NBC must decide what to do.

Littlefield’s response to the decision to halt “Cheers” was brief and essentially rather businesslike considering the show’s huge contribution to the network’s past success:

“We, along with millions of ‘Cheers’ fans, celebrate what we feel is one of America’s all-time great television comedies. While we regret that this will be their last season, we respect their decision and are grateful to the talented producers, writers and cast for giving us an unparalleled 11-year run.”

While an NBC source said the network was “not happy” about the termination of “Cheers” and that negotiations for its planned renewal had been “completed quickly,” John Pike, president of Paramount’s network TV division, noted:

“The last four negotiations have been very difficult from an economic and creative viewpoint. How much further can you take this show? They certainly don’t want to do it in a trail-off mode.”

Like Burrows and Les Charles, Pike indicated that the series could have continued without Danson--writing has always been the show’s backbone--but that those in charge were not inclined to go on without the star.

In March, 1991, sources said that NBC agreed to pay Paramount $74 million for 26 episodes for the next season, considerably below the $120 million the studio originally asked. While the series has a large cast and high overhead, NBC increasingly had become a prisoner of its long-running hits, such as “Cheers” and “The Cosby Show,” because of the network’s weakening position.

Sources say NBC last season agreed to pay Paramount $2.25 million per episode, down from $2.5 million the previous year.

What is devastating to NBC is that, although “Cheers” is aging, the network has lost the one show that it could not afford to lose, especially now that it has fallen from first to last in the ratings. It is without question NBC’s remaining trademark series, it has been a frequent Top 10 show and its demographics have been acceptable in the network’s drive for a younger audience.

Going into its 11th season this fall, the successful tandem of “Cheers” and “Wings” was NBC’s last gasp in trying to hold on to Thursdays--the night that was the backbone of its six-year reign at the top.

What’s more, NBC, between its youth drive and the departure of Bill Cosby and Johnny Carson, had lost many of the top shows and names who had made it stand out in its high times. Gone from NBC this fall were “Matlock” (picked up by ABC), “In the Heat of the Night” (picked up by CBS), “The Golden Girls” (resurfacing at CBS as “The Golden Palace”) and “Night Court.”

“The Cosby Show” had called it a day, Carson retired from “Tonight” last May and Letterman has been unhappy at NBC and is clearly threatening to leave.

With “Cheers” departing, the once-bejeweled NBC Thursday lineup may be in tatters next season except for “Wings” and, if it returns, “L.A. Law,” which also has slumped. At the least, the important night will be up for grabs.

Fox’s move of “The Simpsons” to 8 p.m. Thursdays had already given “Cosby” trouble last season, and now the animated hit has walloped several shows with which NBC has tried to salvage the coveted time slot, starting with “A Different World.”

For viewers, all that really matters is that a remarkable ensemble in a remarkable series--Danson, Alley, Woody Harrelson, Wendt, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, the departed Long and the late Nicholas Colasanto--have delivered over the years in memorable style. The spectacular ratings go without saying. And now it’s time for one for the road.