| "One for the Road" | |
|---|---|
| Cheers episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 11 Episode 26 |
| Directed by | James Burrows |
| Written by | |
| Featured music | Craig Safan |
| Cinematography by | John Finger |
| Editing by | Robert Bramwell |
| Production code | 271 |
| Original air date | May 20, 1993 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"One for the Road" is the final episode of the American television series Cheers. It was the 271st episode of the series and the twenty-sixth episode of the eleventh season of the show. It first aired on NBC on May 20, 1993, to an audience of approximately 42.4 million households in a 98-minute version, making it the second-highest-rated series finale of all time behind the series finale of M*A*S*H and the highest-rated episode of the 1992–1993 television season in the United States.[1][2] The 98-minute version was rebroadcast on May 23, 1993, and an edited 90-minute version aired on August 19, 1993.
According to estimates by NBC, the finale was watched by 93 million viewers, almost 40% of the US population at the time.[3]
In this episode, Shelley Long reprised the role of Diane Chambers, a character who is reunited with her former on-off love interest Sam Malone after six years of separation. Rebecca Howe continues her relationship with plumber Don Santry. Frasier Crane helps Woody Boyd write Woody's political speech. A semi-unemployed Norm Peterson wants a city job. Cliff Clavin wants a promotion from the Post Office.
The episode was filmed between March 31[4] and April 7, 1993.[5]
- ^ "NBC wins May sweeps; Cheers ratings No. 2 all-time." Toronto Star May 30, 1993, SU2 ed: C4. Web. January 6, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Margulies, Lee. "TV Ratings: Surprise! 'Cheers' Finale Powers NBC to Top." Los Angeles Times May 26, 1993. Web. January 6, 2012. In Los Angeles in 1993, "each rating point [equaled] 49,657 households."
- ^ Darowski, Joseph J.; Darowski, Kate (2017). Frasier: A Cultural History. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442277960.
- ^ Reinhold, Robert (April 2, 1993). "One Last Round as 'Cheers' Finale Is Taped". The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2017. The source does not detail the "penultimate episode."
- ^ "Final taping of Cheers ends in an abundance of hugs and tears". Point Pleasant Register. Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Associated Press. April 9, 1993. p. 8.