‘Cheers’ Star John Ratzenberger Explains Why There Will Probably Never Be A Reboot Of The Bar-Based Sitcom

Cheers fans have been waiting for news of a reboot of the long-running 1980s sitcom, but series star John Ratzenberger thinks Sam Malone’s bar may be closed for good. The actor who played mail carrier Cliff Clavin for 11 seasons on the hit NBC comedy told the Hollywood Reporter he doubts that the show will follow in the footsteps of fellow NBC hits Will & Grace and Mad About You and go the revival route. Ratzenberger believes Cheers’ last call will remain firmly in 1993.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, John Ratzenberger said he doesn’t think Cheers producers will ever toast a reboot, although he admits he would.

“I don’t think the producers want it,” Ratzenberger told THR.

“I don’t think they want a bunch of geezers sitting at the bar. I would love to see it, and I think the cast would, too. The audience is still there.”

As THR pointed out, Cheers’ co-creator James Burrows once said he “firmly” believes that “you should never go back.” Burrows went back on that by signing on to the recent Will & Grace reboot, a show he directed in its entirety during its original run.

In addition to Ratzenberger, Cheers starred Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Nicholas Colosanto, Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth and George Wendt. The four-time Emmy winning comedy debuted in 1982 and ended in 1993 after 11 seasons.

Over the years, the cast of former Cheers stars have had varying opinions on the subject of a reboot. Last year, Kristie Alley, who played bar manager Rebecca Howe for the final six seasons of Cheers, told talk show host Rachael Ray she would be down for a revival of the classic comedy, joking: ‘Well, I would, but I might be the only one at the bar.”

And in an interview with the Toronto Sun, George Wendt, who played bar regular Norm Peterson on the show, said he thinks a Cheers comeback is in the cards.

“I think some sort of reboot is inevitable whether it’s a movie or a show,” Wendt said. “Studios and networks do love brands, so because the brand is recognizable they might try to exploit that brand. As for a proper reboot with a 70-ish Sam Malone, I think that’s a very interesting idea. And hey, we’re still all alive. Coach died early, but it could be great fun.”

But while he seemed positive about the prospects of a Cheers reboot, pointing out that the 1993 series finally left the door “wide open for a sequel,” Wendt added, “But I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

Even if a reboot were to come to fruition, Cheers fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for Kelsey Grammer to make a return. The actor, whose Frasier Crane character was popular enough to headline a self-titled spinoff series, has been vocal about the fact that he has no intention of resurrecting his character.

“No, I’m very happy with what I’m doing now,” Grammer told the New York Daily News.

“I look back at the past as a very fond place and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Of course, it would be impossible to have a Cheers revival without Ted Danson on board, and the actor’s sentiments seem to echo those of John Ratzenberger’s. In an interview with USA Today, Ted Danson revealed he has no interest in reviving his role as Cheers bar owner Sam Malone.

“Oh, no,” Danson said in November.

“That’s a fun thing to play when you’re in your 30s — probably not so much in your 60s. I don’t know that it’d be funny to see 60-year-olds in a bar acting like adolescents. That becomes slightly pathetic. But look at Will & Grace: They’re doing great because they’re wonderful actors. I don’t think it’s because Cheers was lacking in any way, but I just think we’ve aged past that.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3glUDo2EfA