The Cheers cast had a reunion in 2024 without Shelley Long, subtly revealing what the show’s best seasons are. More than thirty years since Sam Malone closed his underground Boston bar for the last time, Ted Danson was joined by his most prominent pub cohorts at the 75th Emmys stage for a special presentation. While it was far from the proper reunion project that could have been a revival series, it was more than enough to evoke nostalgia, especially since Cheers‘ set was created on the stage.
Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, George Wendt, and John Ratzenberger all appeared on-stage with Danson for the special Emmys reunion. The event was missing some key players from the cast of Cheers with Rebecca’s Kirstie Alley passing away in 2022, while Woody Harrelson and Bebe Neuwirth skipped the occasion for reasons unknown. Despite that, the Cheers gang still did a great presentation, with Wendt doing his signature “Norm” entrance. Subsequently, however, it was revealed that Long was supposed to be involved, raising questions about her absence.
Shelley Long’s Absence In The Cheers 2024 Reunion Explained
Long was meant to join Danson and the rest of the core cast at the Emmys.
Weeks after the event, Grammer revealed that Long actually signed up for the Cheers 2024 reunion and was meant to make an appearance. At the very last minute, however, she pulled out of it. Grammer didn’t reveal the reason behind Long’s decision to back out, and it sounded like even he doesn’t know the real reason why. Previously, he expressed his desire for her to reprise her role as Diane in the Frasier reboot season 2, hoping for the former lovers to get a better ending. Now, it’s interesting if this impacts the chances of that coming to fruition.
Cheers’ Post-Diane Seasons Are Its Best Years
Diane left Cheers at the end of season 5.
Diane was an original cast member of the Boston-set sitcom, and her love affair with Sam was the project’s primary asset when it first started, with its events kicked off by their meeting at the underground bar. However, Long exited Cheers at the end of season 5, leaving the show’s future at an uncertain place. The actor was convinced that having starred in a top-rated show would be enough for her to transition into doing movies. Miraculously, the NBC found a way to move past Diane.
Alley’s Rebecca was brought in to replace Diane, but she brought such a different energy that it didn’t feel like they were trying to replicate Cheers‘ earlier years. The show did play on the possibility of Sam getting together with Rebecca, but nothing came out of it. With romance no longer at the center of its storytelling after Diane’s departure, Cheers was able to fully embrace its ensemble nature. Each episode highlighted a core cast member and their storyline was integrated into the bar dynamics.
For the first five years of Cheers, it was defined by Sam and Diane’s will they-won’t they love affair. It was exciting and thrilling, so much so that it became the blueprint for succeeding complicated TV couples, including Friends‘ Ross and Rachel. That being said, it eventually grew stale towards the end of its run, and with the pair planning to get married, Cheers couldn’t just lean on the back-and-forth dynamic anymore. Diane leaving gave the series a way out from that arc before it became overdone.
Will Shelley Long’s Diane Return In A Potential Cheers Reunion?
Calls For A Cheers Reunion Have Been Going On.
There have been calls for a Cheers reunion project, especially in light of the Frasier reboot on Paramount+. The cast has gathered together on several occasions on the screen to celebrate different milestones for the series, and they claim that they routinely spend time with each other off-screen, but there still haven’t been any concrete plans to revive the show, even just for a limited run. There are also differing opinions about the possibility, with Danson squashing hopes that it may happen some time soon.
If a Cheers reunion pushes through, however, it’s curious if Long will be willing to reprise her role as Diane. For what it’s worth, she returned to the series in its final stretch as it revisited her and Sam’s love affair. Subsequently, Long also came back multiple times as the character in Frasier. Given this, depending on the specifics of the proposed project, Long may be open to the idea. That being said, it’s also curious if her decision to back out of appearing in the 75th Emmys can impact her stance on the matter.
Cheers
One of the most well-known American sitcoms of the 1980s and 90s, Cheers is primarily set in Boston at the Cheers bar, and features and ensemble cast that includes Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Pearlman, Kelsey Grammer, and George Wendt. Danson’s Sam Malone acts as the bar’s proprietor, and episodes depict the lives of Cheers’ staff and patrons during the bar’s operating hours. The series ran for 11 seasons and gave rise to popular spin-off shows such as Frasier.
- Release Date
- September 30, 1982
- Cast
- Ted Danson , Shelley Long , Nicholas Colasanto , Rhea Perlman , George Wendt , John Ratzenberger , Kelsey Grammer , Woody Harrelson , Kirstie Alley , Bebe Neuwirth
- Seasons
- 11
