Cheers
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Screen for YOUR familyParent's Guide to Cheers
Cheers (1982) is an iconic American sitcom set in a bustling Boston bar, serving as a social hub for a diverse group of regulars and staff. The series primarily focuses on the romantic tension between the charming, womanizing bar owner Sam Malone, a former baseball player and recovering alcoholic, and the intellectual, often sarcastic waitress Diane Chambers. After Diane's departure, the show introduces the neurotic corporate manager Rebecca Howe, continuing the theme of complex workplace romances. Over 11 seasons, Cheers explores themes of friendship, community, and the search for belonging in everyday life, often with a comedic lens that navigates adult relationships, mild suggestive humor, and frequent alcohol consumption. The show is generally suitable for mature teen audiences and above, due to its themes and content.
Things to Consider
Romance and Sexual Content
Romance and sexual tension are central to 'Cheers,' particularly through Sam Malone's character, who is a notorious womanizer. The show features pervasive suggestive themes, implied sexual activity, and discussions of romantic and sexual relationships, often with a comedic but adult approach.
Sam Malone is consistently portrayed as a 'lothario' and 'womanizer,' frequently pursuing and having 'flings with many not-so-bright 'sexy women''. His on-again, off-again relationships with Diane Chambers and later Rebecca Howe are characterized by intense sexual tension and frequent flirtation. Rebecca Howe's character arc includes her becoming increasingly 'neurotic, insecure, and sexually frustrated' in her romantic pursuits, often longing for wealthy partners. Carla Tortelli's personal life also frequently revolves around her many children by different fathers and her various romantic entanglements.
Substance Use
Substance use, primarily alcohol, is a pervasive and central theme in 'Cheers,' given its setting in a bar. Characters are frequently shown drinking, and Sam Malone's status as a recovering alcoholic is a recurring plot point. While there's an effort not to show drunk driving, the portrayal of heavy and continuous drinking is constant.
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Additional Context
Best For Ages
TV-PG (Parental Guidance Suggested). This recommendation is based on the official TV Parental Guidelines rating and reflects the show's inclusion of mild suggestive themes, infrequent coarse language, and pervasive substance use (alcohol). It is most appropriate for viewers aged 12 and older, who can understand and contextualize the adult relationships and themes.
Good to Know
Cheers was considered groundbreaking for its time in addressing homosexuality in its first season, demonstrating a progressive stance for early 1980s television. The show also made a conscious effort to avoid depicting characters drinking and driving, often featuring characters staying at the bar or implying safe transport, which was a notable public service message for a show centered around a bar. Although characters are consistently shown consuming alcohol, the actors predominantly drank non-alcoholic 'near beer' or colored water during filming.
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