Another round...
K. Gittins | CA USA | 06/05/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Cheers" is the highly-rated sit-com based around characters who frequent a Boston bar of the same name, owned by Sam Malone (Ted Danson) an ex-professional baseball pitcher and recovering alcoholic.In this, the third season, we are introduced to waitress Diane's (Shelley Long) post-Sam new boyfriend, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), a snooty psychologist, who appears in a handful of episodes. Perhaps his best episode is when the guys reluctantly take him fishing, but leave him holding the bag in a snipe hunt. He turns the tables on them in the end, though. In the last episode cliff-hanger, he proposes to Diane.We also meet Carla's ex-husband, Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya), who is only a few rungs up the evolutionary ladder. He has a new blond bombshell bimbo wife "Low-Ret-ta". He appears in a few episodes, and is possibly the funniest character of all.The special features are so-so overall:1. Virtual Vera, Shrink-Warped: Introducing Frasier Crane, and Carla's Whipping Boy are just short clips of/about those characters from the episodes. Nothing new at all.
2. Cheers Bar Tour - in this, Dahl Delu talks about some of the items found around the bar, such as the Indian statue, the piano, etc. It becomes filler at the end, however, when clicking on the soda-fizzer, cash-register and ice-box only results in sound effects. Worst of all, clicking on the juke-box results in hearing the theme song for the 26th time.
3. Nice piece on Nicholas Colasanto ("Coach") who died shortly after the season ended.This is probably the best season so far."
Goodbye, Coach...Hello, Frasier
jenbird | Havertown, PA | 07/22/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another delightful addition to your collection, the complete 3rd season of "Cheers." As with previous installments, the features are a little skimpy; "Virtual Vera," "Shrink-Wrapped: Introducing Frasier Crane" and "Carla's Whipping Boy" are themed groups of clips from the third season itself...thanks, but I'll just catch the amusing moments in the actual episodes. Why not some commentary from the actors on these subjects, instead? Or how about a look at the actual Vera, portrayed via voice by George Wendt's real-life wife.
"Cheers" the DVD gives Nicholas Colasanto as skimpy a goodbye as "Cheers" the TV series gave to Coach Ernie Pantusso (who was written out of episodes with various flimsy excuses in the second half of the 3rd season and was finally written off the show completely at the beginning of the 4th with one sentence from Diane: "I was so sorry to hear about Coach."). In a wee little six minute segment, Ted Danson (who can't seem to keep his facts straight -- Nick died in February, not "over the summer"), Rhea Perlman and George Wendt talk about what a wonderful, sweet man Nick was and the impact he had on their lives and the show. Ted says it best when he declares that Nick was "all the sweetness in 'Cheers.'"
(On a related note, the decline of Nick's health is evident in the show itself, as Coach loses weight and almost loses his voice, which make some of the episodes hard to watch, although Nick gave an Emmy-worthy performance until the very end.)
Despite my little grumbles about the continuing lack of good extras, I still have to give this set five stars, as the quality of the show itself it just stellar. Shelley Long, the new addition of Kelsey Grammar and the rest of the cast are in top form, as always. Even after 20 years, "Cheers" remains a classic not to be missed."
There is no better........
Johny Bottom | Jacksonville, NC | 06/19/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Of al the countless shows that are being released on DVD, thank God I have my Cheers. I would be an axe-wielding maniac if I didn't get my daily dose of Cheers. Season 3 is great, but some tradgedy did fall. After Season 3, the beloved Coach is gone. However we are introduced to Kelsey Grammer as the 'new guy' Dr. Frasier Krane. The season starts out with Cliff returning from his Florida vacation, and Diane has returned from a mental hospital in Connecticut. Sam has fallen off the wagon and is chasing skirts with little blood in his alcohol stream. With Coach's private urging, Diane works at Cheers again with Frasier's approval.So sets the stage for the 25 episodes contained in Season 3. I'm not greedy or anything, but I'm already waiting for Season 4."
Maximum Mirth
Mr. N. Peach | Matlock UK | 01/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The finest season of all, all the cast are spot on and the scripts cut like a sarcastic knife. Never beaten by any comedy series ."