| Season Number: | 7 |
| Bgcolour: |
|
| Starring: | Ted Danson Kirstie Alley Rhea Perlman John Ratzenberger Woody Harrelson Kelsey Grammer George Wendt |
| Num Episodes: | 22 |
| Network: | NBC |
| Episode List: | List of Cheers episodes |
The seventh season of Cheers, an American television sitcom, originally aired on NBC in the United States between October 27, 1988, and May 4, 1989. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles under production team Charles Burrows Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Television.
This season premiered on October 27, 1988, after a long period of reruns, indirectly led by the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike.[1] At the time of the premiere, Night Court moved to Wednesdays, prompting the new series Dear John to fill in that spot. Besides Cheers and Dear John, other series in the Thursday night lineup for the 1988–89 season were The Cosby Show, A Different World, and L.A. Law.[2]
Recurring characters
See also: List of Cheers episodes.
Specials
Writers and producers David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee left the series in March 1989 for an upcoming production company, which became Grub Street Productions,[4] which would later produce Wings and Frasier.
This season landed in fourth place with an average 22.5 rating and 35 share as of April 20, 1989.[5] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette described the character of Rebecca Howe as "annoying", and expressed pleasure at rumors that Joan Severance (originally set to play Susan Howe, a role eventually portrayed by Marcia Cross) could replace Kirstie Alley, contending that Shelley Long's departure in the fifth season was still affecting the series.[6] Another syndicate columnist Joe Stein found the sixth and seventh seasons "good [yet] somewhat watered down", and found Rebecca not as "compelling" as her predecessor Diane. Conversely, Herb Caen of the San Francisco Chronicle praised this season, including the cast ensemble and their performances, but still missed departed characters Coach and Diane.[7]
Todd Fuller of Sitcoms Online called this season "strong".[8] David Johnson of DVD Verdict rated the story 90 percent and the acting 95 percent, praising its episodic approach and departure from story arcs, like Sam and Diane's relationship or Rebecca's failed attempts to win Evan Drake last season. He praised Alley as "a solid comic force" for her "over-the-top portrayal of neurosis".[9] Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk gave this season three and a half stars out of five and gave a replay value of four, calling it "good" and its episodes "fun and amusing".[10] Current Film called this season a "strong roll" with "fine performances".[11]
In the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards (1989), this season won three Emmys: Outstanding Comedy Series of 1988–1989, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Woody Harrelson), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Rhea Perlman). In the 3rd Annual American Comedy Awards, Perlman was awarded as the Funniest Supporting Actress for her character Carla Tortelli.[12]
| Cheers: The Complete Seventh Season | ||||||
| Set Details | ||||||
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| Release Dates | ||||||
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||||
| November 15, 2005 | May 18, 2009 | April 27, 2009 | ||||
Set Search Limits", select "Range", select "Motion Pictures" at "Item Type", type "1988" at left box and "1989" at right box, either hit "Enter" or click "Set Search Limits"Cheers", and hit "Enter" or click "Begin search"