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== Production ==
== Production ==
This episode was written by [[Glen and Les Charles]] and directed by [[James Burrows]].<ref>Bjorklund, p. 298.</ref> The show was filmed at Stage 25 lot of the [[Paramount Studios]] in [[Los Angeles]] instead of an actual local pub, transpired by the Bull & Finch Pub,<ref name=bull-finch>{{cite news|author=Lehman, Betsy|title=Cheers 'to the Real Cast'; Beacon Hill Pub Goes Hollywood - via TV|url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/294220180?accountid=35804|newspaper=[[Boston Globe]]|date=October 1, 1982|accessdate=April 19, 2012}} [[ProQuest]]: {{registration required}}.</ref> now called [[Cheers Beacon Hill]].<ref name=cheers-beaconhill>{{cite news|date=September 1, 2001|title='Cheers' pub reincarnated|author=Ferdinand, Pamela, from ''[[The Washington Post]]''|newspaper=[[Bangor Daily News]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=daBjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Qw0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1486%2C339965|page=G2|accessdate=June 21, 2012}} ''[[Google News]]''.</ref> In prior season, the setting of the show was exclusively and constantly the bar. This season premiere marks the first appearance of Diane Chambers's apartment, which is the first place to appear outside the bar, where Sam and Diane's relationship and Diane's life outside the bar are explored,<ref>{{cite news|page=30|newspaper=[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ro9TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nYYDAAAAIBAJ&dq=cheers%20diane's%20apartment&pg=5185%2C3095194|title=''Cheers'' Surges from Ratings Slump|agency=[[United Press International]]|date=September 30, 1983|accessdate=July 7, 2012 on ''[[Google News]] Archives''}}</ref> and which makes the show non-exclusive to the bar since then. Moreover, [[John Ratzenberger]], who had portrayed [[Cliff Clavin]] in the prior season and been billed at ending credits of the show,<ref> Bjorklund, pp. 281&ndash;295.</ref> is for the first time and has been since then billed in the opening credits of the show.<ref>Bjorklund, pp. 297&ndash;439.</ref> Also, Sam's brother, Derek Malone, from the previous episode is neither mentioned nor seen in this episode, and Derek has been mentioned again in only another episode "The Sam in the Gray Flannel Suit" (1988).
This episode was written by [[Glen and Les Charles]] and directed by [[James Burrows]].<ref>Bjorklund, p. 298.</ref> The show was filmed at Stage 25 lot of the [[Paramount Studios]] in [[Los Angeles]] instead of an actual local pub, transpired by the Bull & Finch Pub,<ref name=bull-finch>{{cite news|author=Lehman, Betsy|title=Cheers 'to the Real Cast'; Beacon Hill Pub Goes Hollywood - via TV|url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/294220180?accountid=35804|newspaper=[[Boston Globe]]|date=October 1, 1982|accessdate=April 19, 2012}} [[ProQuest]]: {{registration required}}.</ref> now called [[Cheers Beacon Hill]].<ref name=cheers-beaconhill>{{cite news|date=September 1, 2001|title='Cheers' pub reincarnated|author=Ferdinand, Pamela, from ''[[The Washington Post]]''|newspaper=[[Bangor Daily News]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=daBjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Qw0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1486%2C339965|page=G2|accessdate=June 21, 2012}} ''[[Google News]]''.</ref> In prior season, the setting of the show was exclusively and constantly the bar. This season premiere marks the first appearance of Diane Chambers's apartment, which is the first place to appear outside the bar, where Sam and Diane's relationship and Diane's life outside the bar are explored,<ref>{{cite news|page=30|newspaper=[[The Bulletin (Bend)|The Bulletin]]|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ro9TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nYYDAAAAIBAJ&dq=cheers%20diane's%20apartment&pg=5185%2C3095194|title=''Cheers'' Surges from Ratings Slump|agency=[[United Press International]]|date=September 30, 1983|accessdate=July 7, 2012 on ''[[Google News]] Archives''}}</ref> and which makes the show non-exclusive to the bar since then. Moreover, [[John Ratzenberger]], who had portrayed [[Cliff Clavin]] in the prior season and been billed at ending credits of the show,<ref> Bjorklund, pp. 281&ndash;295.</ref> is for the first time and has been since then billed in the opening credits of the show.<ref>Bjorklund, pp. 297&ndash;439.</ref> Also, Sam's brother, Derek Malone, from the previous episode is neither mentioned nor seen in this episode, and Derek has not been mentioned again until in only one episode "Paint Your Office" (1987) from the sixth season.<ref name=avclub/>


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
Line 38: Line 38:


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
This episode originally aired on Thursday, September 29, 1983, at 9:30pm ([[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]]) / 8:30pm ([[Central Time Zone|Central]]) on [[NBC]],<ref>Bjorklund, pp. 297-298</ref> competing against [[CBS]]'s ''[[Simon & Simon]]'' and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''It's Not Easy'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Today's Television|page=C15|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m2YcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iGEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5062%2C7207131|date=September 29, 1983|accessdate=July 10, 2012 at ''[[Google News]] Archives''|newspaper=[[The Pittsburgh Press]]}}</ref> and scored an 18.4 [[Nielsen ratings|Nielseon rating]] and a 29 share into the 19th place out of 65 nationally-broadcast programs.<ref>{{cite news|page=6B|title=''AfterMASH'' Wins Viewers|newspaper=[[The Miami Herald]]|date=October 5, 1983|accessdate=July 10, 2012, at ''[[NewsBank]]''}} Record no: 8303200181. {{registration required}}</ref> This episode earned writers [[Glen and Les Charles]] a [[36th Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination for an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series|Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series]] in 1984, along with other ''Cheers'' writers [[David Lloyd (writer)|David Lloyd]] of "Homicidal Ham" and [[David Angell]] of "Old Flames". The Charles brothers lost that award to Angell.<ref>Bjorklund, p. 458.</ref> Reviewers at the ''[[A.V. Club]]'' gave praise to this episode and considered the scenes of Sam and Diane the highlight of this episode.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 16, 2012|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avclub.com%2Farticles%2Fpower-playlittle-sister-dont-cha%2C69344%2F&date=2012-07-10|archivedate=July 10, 2012, by ''[[WebCite]]''|title=''Cheers'': "Power Play" / "Little Sister Don’t Cha" &mdash; S2 / E1-2|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/power-playlittle-sister-dont-cha,69344/|work=[[A.V. Club]]|accessdate=July 10, 2012|deadurl=no}}</ref>
This episode originally aired on Thursday, September 29, 1983, at 9:30pm ([[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]]) / 8:30pm ([[Central Time Zone|Central]]) on [[NBC]],<ref>Bjorklund, pp. 297-298</ref> competing against [[CBS]]'s ''[[Simon & Simon]]'' and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''It's Not Easy'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Today's Television|page=C15|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m2YcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iGEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5062%2C7207131|date=September 29, 1983|accessdate=July 10, 2012 at ''[[Google News]] Archives''|newspaper=[[The Pittsburgh Press]]}}</ref> and scored an 18.4 [[Nielsen ratings|Nielseon rating]] and a 29 share into the 19th place out of 65 nationally-broadcast programs.<ref>{{cite news|page=6B|title=''AfterMASH'' Wins Viewers|newspaper=[[The Miami Herald]]|date=October 5, 1983|accessdate=July 10, 2012, at ''[[NewsBank]]''}} Record no: 8303200181. {{registration required}}</ref> This episode earned writers [[Glen and Les Charles]] a [[36th Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination for an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series|Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series]] in 1984, along with other ''Cheers'' writers [[David Lloyd (writer)|David Lloyd]] of "Homicidal Ham" and [[David Angell]] of "Old Flames". The Charles brothers lost that award to Angell.<ref>Bjorklund, p. 458.</ref> Reviewers at the ''[[A.V. Club]]'' gave praise to this episode and considered the scenes of Sam and Diane the highlight of this episode.<ref name=avclub/>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 44: Line 44:


=== Notes ===
=== Notes ===
<references/>
<references>
<ref name=avclub>{{cite web|date=February 16, 2012|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avclub.com%2Farticles%2Fpower-playlittle-sister-dont-cha%2C69344%2F&date=2012-07-10|archivedate=July 10, 2012, by ''[[WebCite]]''|title=''Cheers'': "Power Play" / "Little Sister Don’t Cha" &mdash; S2 / E1-2|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/power-playlittle-sister-dont-cha,69344/|work=[[A.V. Club]]|accessdate=July 10, 2012|deadurl=no}}</ref>
</references>


== External links ==
== External links ==

Revision as of 17:41, 15 July 2012

"Power Play (Cheers)"

"Power Play" is the premiere of the second season of an American television sitcom Cheers, written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. It originally aired on NBC on September 29, 1983, and scored higher Nielsen ratings than the previous season. Ratings of the show were devestatingly low last season (1982–83); nevertheless, Cheers was renewed for the next season as announced in March 1983. During summer, reruns scored higher ratings than original airings. Three days before the second season premiered, the show won five Emmy Awards, including an Outstanding Comedy Series.

This episode continues where the two-part season finale "Showdown" ended as a cliffhanger with Sam and Diane finally kissing. In this episode, Sam and Diane want to make love but struggle through obstacles, such as the bar's lack of good faith on the relationship, history of Sam's womanizing, and unique but less than usual moments in Diane's apartment, which is the first place to set outself the bar. When the romance goes wrong, Sam goes back to the bar and plans to be single, but Carla advises him to be a "man" and to give Diane all he has. In the end, they make love together in bed, despite more moments that would come between them.

Background

In last year's debut episode, "Give Me a Ring Sometime", a college-educated Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) was jilted by her fiancé and then hired as a waitress by a bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson), who is a former baseball player. Throughout the previous season, Sam and Diane flirted each other and abhorred each other as class and intellectually-levelled opposites.[1] In the first season's two-part finale, "Showdown" (1983), a successful, educated, and handsome Derek Malone, an unseen character, arrived into the bar and then cheered the crowd with his talents, much to dismay of a bartender Sam, who has been envious about his brother's success. Moreover, Derek and waitress Diane Chambers became a couple for sharing their common interests and then engaged, which makes Sam more jealous. At the end, in the bar office, they argue over each other and then gave themselves into their passionate embrace.

Nielsen ratings of Cheers were staggeringly low during its debut season (1982–1983). Nonetheless, NBC renewed the show, as announced on March 13, 1983, for the second season.[2] Meanwhile, Taxi and Fame, two shows that were originally NBC's 1982–83 Thursday lineup, were cancelled from the network. As announced in May 1983, the Fall 1983 Thursday lineup consisted of, in order of time sequence starting at 8pm (Eastern) / 7pm (Central), Gimme a Break!, Mama's Family, We Got It Made, Cheers and Hill Street Blues.[3] During the show's summer hiatus, ratings of the show had been increased by reruns into mostly the top 20 list.[4] One of episodes that reran was the two-part finale of the first season "Showdown", respectively, two weeks[5] and one week before the second season premiered.[6] Four days before this season premiere, the show received thirteen Emmy Award nominations and won five of them, including an Outstanding Comedy Series of 1982–83.[7][8]

Production

This episode was written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows.[9] The show was filmed at Stage 25 lot of the Paramount Studios in Los Angeles instead of an actual local pub, transpired by the Bull & Finch Pub,[10] now called Cheers Beacon Hill.[11] In prior season, the setting of the show was exclusively and constantly the bar. This season premiere marks the first appearance of Diane Chambers's apartment, which is the first place to appear outside the bar, where Sam and Diane's relationship and Diane's life outside the bar are explored,[12] and which makes the show non-exclusive to the bar since then. Moreover, John Ratzenberger, who had portrayed Cliff Clavin in the prior season and been billed at ending credits of the show,[13] is for the first time and has been since then billed in the opening credits of the show.[14] Also, Sam's brother, Derek Malone, from the previous episode is neither mentioned nor seen in this episode, and Derek has not been mentioned again until in only one episode "Paint Your Office" (1987) from the sixth season.[15]

Plot

This episode continues the cliffhanger moment of Sam and Diane's first kiss in the bar office from the previous episode, "Showdown", which concluded the show's first season. In the office, Sam and Diane become joyous about their embrace together. They plan to go somewhere "intimate" and "romantic". Sam suggests his apartment, but she declines because he made love to "four hundred women" in his place. Diane suggests a hotel where he did not make a fling with any woman because it is "more special", but Sam finds none, especially from the business phone directory. Then Sam finally suggests Diane's apartment, but she claims that hers is "filthy". Nevertheless, Sam does not mind that and assures her that a "filthy" aspect does not affect their beginnings together.

When they go outside the office, Sam and Diane announce to everyone in the bar that they will do it. However, everyone is unenthusiastic and has not said a positive thing about it. Diane is convinced that everyone in this bar has no good faith on and is cynical toward their relationship due to Sam and Diane's "different backgrounds". She chides everyone's "cynicism" and assures them that the relationship will work out. When they go inside her place, Diane's apartment turns out to be nice and neat, in contrast to "filthy" aspect. Sam goes into her bedroom, finds stuffed animals, which she adores and cherishes as her playmates, on her bed, and then mocks them. Diane feels hurt by Sam's comments and his "lack of imagination" and then, when he takes his pants off, kicks him out of her apartment.

Furious at his own failures to satisfy Diane, Sam goes back into the bar and then plans to go back to womanizing again. However, waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) assures him that, although she despises Diane, Carla is the person who can bring Sam and Diane back together. Carla tells him that every woman, including Diane, submissively needs a man, advises him to be a man, and to give Diane all the satisfaction that he has. When he arrives back to Diane's apartment, Diane refuses to let him in, but Sam kicks the door open. Sam lifts and then kisses her, but then she "calls" the police and then changes herself into a nightgown.

Diane tells Sam that breaking the door open and his behavior would get him arrested. Stunned and shocked with disbelief, he wants to leave the place, but she threatens to reveal his apartment address. Then he wonders if she is right for him, but then they agree that "violence and hostility" are neither "romantic" nor appropiate, especially for a "romantic relationship". Nevertheless, to his delight, Diane tells Sam that she was marvelled by "the 'lift' part". They make up and are ready for their bedding together. Sam clears out the bed by carrying out all stuffed animals, but then, when Diane confesses that she did not actually call police, at the end, he furiously throws them out of the window.

Reception

This episode originally aired on Thursday, September 29, 1983, at 9:30pm (Eastern) / 8:30pm (Central) on NBC,[16] competing against CBS's Simon & Simon and ABC's It's Not Easy,[17] and scored an 18.4 Nielseon rating and a 29 share into the 19th place out of 65 nationally-broadcast programs.[18] This episode earned writers Glen and Les Charles a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for an Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1984, along with other Cheers writers David Lloyd of "Homicidal Ham" and David Angell of "Old Flames". The Charles brothers lost that award to Angell.[19] Reviewers at the A.V. Club gave praise to this episode and considered the scenes of Sam and Diane the highlight of this episode.[15]

References

  • Bjorklund, Dennis A (Unknown). Cheers TV Show: A Comprehensive Reference (e-Book ed.). Praetorian Publishing. ISBN 9780967985237. Retrieved June 27, 2012. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Notes

  1. ^ Bykofsky, Stuart D (29 April 1984). "Sam and Diane end their 'cheery' affair". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Canada. p. E4.
  2. ^ "Cheers for a second season". Beaver County Times. Beaver County, Pennsylvania: Beaver Newspapers, Inc. The Associated Press. March 13, 1983. p. D7. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  3. ^ Jory, Tom (May 11, 1983). "Taxi, Fame Get the Ax as NBC Announces Fall Lineup". Lexington Herald-Leader (Final ed.). Kentucky. p. D5. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Record no: 8301230394. (registration required)
  4. ^ Scott, Vernin (September 22, 1983). "Cheers Boosted by Reruns". Reading Eagle. United Press International. p. 37. Retrieved on July 6, 2012 at Google News Archives. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ^ "Prime Time! Thursday, Sept. 15". Observer-Reporter. Washington, Pennsylvania. p. C-2. Retrieved July 4, 2012 on Google News Archives. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  6. ^ "Hardcastle Races to a Nielsen Win". The Miami Herald (Final ed.). September 22, 1983. p. 6B. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Record no: 8303160048. (registration required)
  7. ^ Thomas, Bob (September 26, 1983). "Television's Best Honored at 35th Annual Emmy Awards". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Associated Press. p. B10. Retrieved July 5, 2012 at Google News Archives. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Note: Lexington Herald-Leader credits an author, not the Spartanburg.
  8. ^ Bjorklund, pp. 457-458.
  9. ^ Bjorklund, p. 298.
  10. ^ Lehman, Betsy (October 1, 1982). "Cheers 'to the Real Cast'; Beacon Hill Pub Goes Hollywood - via TV". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 19, 2012. ProQuest: (registration required).
  11. ^ Ferdinand, Pamela, from The Washington Post (September 1, 2001). "'Cheers' pub reincarnated". Bangor Daily News. p. G2. Retrieved June 21, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Google News.
  12. ^ "Cheers Surges from Ratings Slump". The Bulletin. United Press International. September 30, 1983. p. 30. Retrieved July 7, 2012 on Google News Archives. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ Bjorklund, pp. 281–295.
  14. ^ Bjorklund, pp. 297–439.
  15. ^ a b "Cheers: "Power Play" / "Little Sister Don't Cha" — S2 / E1-2". A.V. Club. February 16, 2012. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012, by WebCite. Retrieved July 10, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Bjorklund, pp. 297-298
  17. ^ "Today's Television". The Pittsburgh Press. September 29, 1983. p. C15. Retrieved July 10, 2012 at Google News Archives. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ^ "AfterMASH Wins Viewers". The Miami Herald. October 5, 1983. p. 6B. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Record no: 8303200181. (registration required)
  19. ^ Bjorklund, p. 458.

External links


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