Years After Cheers, Sitcoms Are Still Learning The Wrong Lesson From Sam & Diane

More than three decades after Cheers ended, sitcoms are still taking the “wrong lesson” from Sam and Diane’s romance, according to an entertainment analysis. Cheers, which NBC renewed despite struggling in early ratings, set sitcom benchmarks with its ensemble, hangout feel, and the influential will-they, won’t-they dynamic. Sam and Diane’s relationship ended midway through the show’s 11-season run when Diane left Boston at the end of season 5. The article argues later series stretched tension too long, rather than asking “should they?” and testing whether chemistry alone could sustain a healthy couple.