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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ClassyCo" data-source="post: 211262" data-attributes="member: 7">I can certainly agree with you assessments. The first five seasons are very consumed by the Sam and Diane relationship, which goes through the typical ups and downs of sitcom shtick when it comes to a duo of dissimilar people trying to forego a romance. While their romance does dominate the earlier seasons, I would argue that some of the earliest episodes at least hint at the ensemble show the Charles brothers had envisioned. The talented Charles duo have always said that they felt they had written themselves into a corner with the Sam and Diane arc, which had become the show's driving force. They also regret their decision to serialize their stories instead of the series being solely episodic. The "Sam and Diane Years" of Cheers are sometimes considered better because of the writing and the general quality of the episodes themselves.  <img src="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/36300000/Sam-Diane-image-sam-and-diane-36372533-480-379.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Shelley Long decided to exit after the fifth season to pursue other career opportunities. While she expressed her opinions that she felt that she and Ted Danson had done some great work on the series, she felt the time had come for her to move on. Enter Kirstie Alley. Her entrance was an pivotal one, as she was quickly interested as the permanent female lead, and also because she bore no resemblance to Long, and brought different dynamics to the cast of characters. The last six seasons of Cheers drifts back into the ensemble sitcom that the Charles brothers initially brainstormed, which naturally opens slots for other characters, such as Woody, Carla, Frasier, Norm, and the rest of the gang, to be used to greater potential. The "Same and Rebecca Years" could really be called the ensemble years because that's basically what those mid-to-later seasons are. I can't really decide which era of the show that I prefer overall because as I continue watching the series I find gems on both sides of the fence. <img src="https://keyassets-p2.timeincuk.net/wp/prod/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/08/PA-3092233.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Apparently Shelley Long has a reputation of being rather difficult to work with. I know the cast and crew of Cheers have occasionally and often discreetly spoke of their thoughts that she caused tension. Bette Midler, who costarred with her in Outrageous Fortune, spoke on The Oprah Winfrey Show back in the 1980s that Shelley and she had a rough working relationship. The two women fought over top billing.</blockquote>

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