Cheers (TV Series) One for the Road (1993) User Reviews

A Finale done right

[atlbandit · 10/10 · 11 December 2015]

After 11 years .....the stakes were high in making a final episode worthy of all the consistent fun during one of TV's golden era....NBC's great Thursday nights...

This episode was funny, didn't shy away from anything, brought everyone together, didn't forget its past...I love how all the bar regulars were included.... the nods to how things have changed over the 11 years...and wrapped everything up in a nice bow...Even being a 3 episode arc it didn't seem too long.. THe laughs kept going to the very last scene...A great good-bye....

Now up...Frasier

Always gets me

[kcjanae · 10/10 · 25 March 2018]

I've watched Cheers from beginning to end more than once and this finale still gets me. This was a comedy done so well and the audience gets to know all the characters, making it a bittersweet ending. Hard to believe Frasier debuted so shortly after.

A memorable final scene

[justinmarshall987 · 10/10 · 8 December 2014]

"Cheers" started it's run in 1982 as a romantic comedy set in Boston bar, and finished in 1993 as a show about the bar itself, with comedy coming from just about every angle. Fittingly, "One For the Road" - the final episode of Cheers - encompasses both eras.

"Will they or won't they?" Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) rekindle one of popular culture's most memorable - and most mismatched - romances over the course of this 90+ minute episode.

Although "Cheers" stayed funny throughout its 11 seasons, it changed greatly after Shelley Long's 1987 departure - and "One For the Road" reflects that. Mixing the insanity (for lack of a better word) of Kirstie Alley's Rebecca Howe - and of later "Cheers" - with the earnest character studies of its early years, "One for the Road" shifts tone several times. Ultimately, it concludes in the same manner as the series began - as a character study - in one of TV's most memorable final scenes.

Overall, "One For the Road" is an unwieldy episode of "Cheers" - probably because NBC wanted more scenes so it could sell more Super Bowl-priced ads, but also because of the show's quirky history... It's not the funniest episode, but it's smart, urbane, and insightful - and like most episodes of "Cheers," the more you know the characters, the more it will likely resonate. 10/10

A great series finale

[ossie85 · 10/10 · 8 April 2023]

This remains one of the best episodes of 90s television. The episode was a fitting end to the long-running, beloved show, encapsulating everything that made Cheers so great - witty writing, heartfelt moments, and unforgettable characters.

In "One for the Road," the regulars of Cheers gather together for one last hurrah before the bar closes its doors for good (for the viewers anyway). The episode is full of hilarious one-liners and classic moments, as the characters reminisce about their time at the bar and say their goodbyes. Most impressive, is how true they were to the characters of Ted and Diane.

The writing, acting, and direction of the episode are all top-notch. The cast, which included the likes of Ted Danson, Shelley Long, and Kelsey Grammer, are all at the top of their game, delivering memorable performances that make viewers laugh and tug at their heartstrings.

Ultimately, "One for the Road" is a tribute to one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, a show that has become a cultural touchstone in its own right. It's a fitting end to a beloved series, reminding us all of the importance of friendship, community, and the power of a good laugh.

In short, I cannot recommend "One for the Road" highly enough. It's a must-watch for fans of 90s television and a shining example of what TV can achieve when it combines great writing, great acting, and great heart. Cheers to Cheers!

One for the Road (#11.25)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 14 July 2014]

And so this is it. The final episode of the show that was a huge hit for 11 years and that was an absolute success in the final episode with people even going to Skydome here in Toronto to see the finale on the big screen. Watching it now,about 20 years after the original air date I still felt pretty excited and yet sad. It is kind of upsetting to know that never again will I see a new story from the Cheers gang and I sure will miss that place where "everybody knows your name".

And Iam pretty happy how they ended it. I was happy to see Diane, but I did get upset that they wanted to go that way and end up getting Sam with her and out of Cheers. How thankful I am that they didn't! The story with Diane has been over seasons ago, the characters moved on. And Sam really belongs with his friends in his bar. The ending with all of them hanging out together sharing this final moments was just beautiful.

Rebecca & Woody vs. Diane and Coach

[m_rappaport-1 · 9/10 · 30 May 2015]

I watched Cheers from the very first episode, and the gag that told me it was going to be a great show was when Coach answered the phone, then said "Is there an Ernie Pantuso here?" Someone said, "That's you, Coach." "Speaking."

Wonderful.

And maybe the best throwaway joke in the whole series came when Sam and Diane were heading off to the office and Sam said, "We don't want to be bothered, Coach."

The classic response?

"Who does?"

Sorry, but Woody never compared. Coach was old and forgetful, Woody was young and dumb.

As for someone preferring Rebecca to Diane, I can't argue it, even though I preferred Diane. Both were necessary, because they could never have gotten 11 seasons out of one woman. But they got two lovely goodbyes out of Diane.

It was a great show, maybe one of the two or three best sitcoms ever, but shows that last that long don't get better as they get old.

Wow

[Med-Jasta · 10/10 · 18 January 2020]

How to end a show of 11 years? This is how. Nothing really changes but Sam is tested and comes back stronger than ever. A great message: it doesn't matter what you do as long as you love to do it. Most themes have been repeated millions of times but I don't believe I've seen this one done before.

They did the one thing I was hoping for, they give Norm the moment of heart. While it's always been subtle, Norm has always been the heart of this show.

A better than perfect end to one of the best and most consistent shows of all time.

These Are Precious

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 19 September 2019]

I have to admit that I never saw these final three episodes when the show was on for the first time. This is a three parter that brings back Diane Chambers and a host of complications that need to be resolved. Old romances and new ones. Woody takes the helm as a city councilman. Carla has a near heart attack when she sees Diane, who has won an Emmy award. There is a great scene at Melvilles as Diane and Sam try to pretend they are married. But there are thing that don't change and it's that connection and that love that come to the fore.

Rebecca vs. Diane

[jmcolbeck-869-325938 · 10/10 · 13 May 2014]

Rebecca was so much funnier than Diane, and an overall more interesting character. Kirstie stole the show in the final episode compared to Shelley.

I would have rather seen Sam end up with Rebecca, just because they were such good friends and didn't have the obvious "opposites attract" cliché going on.

The Rebecca years were superior in every way: better character development, more stories, and a Cheers beyond just Sam and Diane. In fact, that silent, dead-face reaction the bar gave Sam when he announced they were back together was the same one everyone watching expressed.

I'm sorry, but Woody was better than Coach.

The last season drug on a little bit, but the final episode (3 parts) was of excellent quality. Paul was also a gem in the last season.

The way they ended it was perfect though: the core cast lives on doing what we always want to remember them doing. Not a bunch of goodbyes.

Farewell to Cheers

[studioAT · 7/10 · 26 September 2017]

after 11 series 'Cheers' bows out in this bumper sized episode that shows that you don't always have to give audiences what they want in a finale for it to be a good one.

It's nice to have Shelley Long back as Diane, and though many viewers would perhaps have liked her to have ended up with Sam, the final scenes of the show remain very touching, with the sense that Sam had found some perspective about his life.

There are some lovely moments in this episode, though perhaps it was a little overly long.

The spin-off 'Frasier' would run for as long, but for me 'Cheers' was the better show.