Season five of Cheers is a major turning point for this show which ran an impressive 11 seasons. This season marks the end of Shelly Long’s (who plays Diane) tenure, and frees up a key opening in the cast – eventually filled by Kirstie Alley in season six. All of the regulars are back, including Sam, Woody, Carla, Frasier, Lilith, Norm, Cliff, and the aforementioned Diane. The laughs are contagious in each episode, and make you realize why this show was so popular for its entire eleven year run.
…eason five has lots of sub-plots, some of which are described in this brief season five synopsis provided by Paramount… “In Cheers: The Complete Fifth Season, Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long) make on-again, off-again wedding plans – including a marriage proposal that ends in an assault and battery charge! Not to be outdone, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) move in together; Woody (Woody Harrelson) finds himself abruptly engaged; Carla (Rhea Perlman) falls for a hockey goalie; and Cliff (John Ratzenberger) gets bitten by a dog … and becomes smitten with the dog’s owner. Will Norm’s (George Wendt) new job pan out? Will Carla get “birdzilla” cooked in time for Thanksgiving dinner? Will wedding bells finally chime for Sam and Diane? You’ll find all the answers – and unending laughs – in all 26 hilarious episodes of the season that marks the farewell appearance of Shelley Long as Cheers regular Diane Chambers.“
Video
Considering its age (19 years old), this set looks pretty good. The originally broadcasted 1.33:1 full screen transfer is good for what it is, but not great by any stretch of the imagination. The transfer has the standard grit and grain found in shows of this age, but the debris is not overwhelming. The colors are true for the time, and the overall visual look is good.
Audio
As found in most 80’s comedy series, the Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track provides all that you would need for the content. The dialog is clear, the laugh track is not overwhelming, and the front channels sound good. As expected, the soundstage is not full of action, but this show does not need such effects to sound good.
Special Features
Nothing to report here… not even a single trailer.
Final Thoughts
Season Five is a memorable season for Cheers It marks the end of Shelly Long’s tenure, and opens the door for Kirstie Alley’s. This show looks and sounds as it should for an almost 20 year old show. Some extras would have been nice, and the overall presentation here is pretty average; but the quality of the show still will drive sales for this set.
