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How to watch Cheers, Frasier, and the other spinoffs in order

Where everybody knows your name.

Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer

Published on Sun Aug 25 2024

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Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

In 1982 television viewers wandered in a Boston bar to grab a drink. Cheers delighted audiences as they got to know and love the patrons of the bar. Viewers tuned in each week to see Sam and Diane’s chaotic relationship, Carla’s sarcastic quips, useless trivia from Cliff, and dry humor from Norm.

Cheers lasted 11 seasons, and after the show concluded, bar patron and psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane was given his own spin-off. Frasier also enjoyed tremendous success, running for 11 seasons.

Thanks to the 2023 Paramount+ Frasier reval, Kelsey Grammer holds the honor of playing the same sitcom character for 40 years!

It’s been an incredible journey, and if you’re looking to start it from the beginning, Popverse is here to help. From Cheers to Frasier, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to watch the hit NBC sitcoms!

How to watch Cheers and Frasier in release and chronological order

Are you ready to grab a drink with Norm and Cliff? The great thing about watching Cheers and Frasier is that the release order is the same as the chronological order. All you have to do is start from the first episode of season 1, and keep watching. Of course, you might be confused about where The Tortellis fits in, and which of Frasier’s shows came first. Don’t worry, just follow this handy watch order, and you’ll be all set!

Other Cheers oddities

The cast of Cheers have filmed segments for other television specials. Most of these are short segments, rarely more than a few minutes long. They are mostly unconnected from the show and probably shouldn’t be considered canon. Since they are short and aren’t part of any ongoing television shows, we’ve left them off the main watch order. However, a guide to Cheers and Frasier wouldn’t be complete without mentioning these oddities.

Super Bowl XVII Pregame Segment (1983) - The Cheers gang prepare to watch the Super Bowl, much to Diane’s chagrin. This segment can be seen on YouTube.
Uncle Sam Malone (1983) - An educational short commissioned by the Department of Treasury. The Cheers barflies discuss the benefits of U.S. savings bonds. This special never aired on television nor has it been released on DVD. It was only aired during special savings bond drives. Curious viewers can watch the short online.
1986 World Series pregame segment (1986) -NBC sportscaster Bob Costas performs a mock interview with Sam Malone. The segment ends with Carla giving Costas her number. This segment can be seen on YouTube.
Mickey’s 60th Birthday (1988) - A television special celebrating Mickey Mouse’s birthday. At one point an amnesiac Mickey Mouse wanders into Cheers, where he strikes up a rapport with Rebecca. This makes Sam jealous. The special is available to view on YouTube.
Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary Celebration (1989) - The Cheers gang share their favorite memories of Disneyland. This segment can be seen on YouTube.
The Earth Day Special (1990) - The Cheers barflies discuss ways to help the environment. This segment can be seen on YouTube.

Do Sam and Diane end up together on Cheers?

Sam and Diane get together, but they don’t stay together. If you’re looking for the episode of Cheers where they first get together, that would be season 1 finale “Showdown Part 2.” The couple have an on-again, off-again relationship until Diane leaves the show in the season 5 finale “I Do, Adieu.”

Diane returns for the series finale, where she and Sam almost elope. However, they mutually come to the realization they aren’t right for each other. Cheers ends with Sam and Diane parting again, but this time on good terms.

What are the best Frasier episodes of Cheers?

Are you a fan of Frasier that has never seen Cheers? If you’re interested in exploring Dr. Crane’s backstory, I would recommend binging Cheers. Frasier doesn’t join the cast until season 3, but most of the show is very entertaining and worth the watch.

However, if your time is short (or Cheers isn’t your thing), then here is a playlist of the essential Frasier episodes on Cheers.

Cheers season 3 episodes 1 and 2 “Rebound Part 1 and 2” - Frasier’s first appearance.
Cheers season 3 episode 8 “Diane Meets Mom” - Frasier’s mother Hester Crane stops by Cheers and threatens Diane.
Cheers season 3 episode 25 “Rescue Me” - Frasier proposes to Diane in Italy.
Cheers season 4 episode 1 “Birth, Death, Love and Rice” - Frasier returns to Cheers and reveals that Diane dumped him at the altar.
Cheers season 4 episode 15 “The Triangle” - Sam and Diane attempt to help Frasier get his confidence back.
Cheers season 4 episode 17 “Second Time Around” - Frasier has a disastrous first date with Dr. Lilith Sternin.
Cheers season 5 episode 4 “Abnormal Psychology” - Sam and Diane play matchmaker between Frasier and Lilith.
Cheers season 5 episode 20 “Dinner at Eight-ish” - Old romantic secrets come out when Frasier, Lilith, Sam, and Diane have a disastrous dinner party.
Cheers season 6 episode 5 “The Crane Mutiny” - Frasier and Lilith get engaged.
Cheers season 6 episode 17 “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” - Frasier gets cold feet as he prepares for his marriage to Lilith.
Cheers season 7 episode 14 “I Kid You Not” - Frasier and Lilith ponder becoming parents. The episode ends with Lilith revealing she’s pregnant.
Cheers season 8 episode 6 “The Stork Brings a Crane” - Lilith gives birth to Frederick Crane
Cheers season 9 episode 24 “ Rat Girl” - Frasier tries to help Lilith cope with the death of her lab rat.
Cheers season 10 episode 16 “One Hugs, the Other Doesn’t” - The gang meets Frasier’s first wife, a children’s entertainer named Nanny G.
Cheers season 10 episode 20 “Smotherly Love” - Frasier tries to deal with Lilith’s overbearing mother.
Cheers season 11 episode 6 “Teaching with the Enemy” - Lilith tells Frasier she’s leaving him for another man.
Cheers season 11 episode 7 “The Girl in the Plastic Bubble” - Frasier threatens to jump off the roof of Cheers if Lilith leaves him.
Cheers season 11 episode 12 “Sunday Dinner” - Frasier tries to reenter the dating scene. It doesn’t go well.
Cheers season 11 episode 16 “Is There a Doctor in the Howe?” - Frasier and Rebecca almost get together, but their romantic tryst is interrupted by Lilith’s return.
Cheers season 11 episode 17 “The Bar Manager, the Shrink, His Wife and Her Lover” - Frasier and Lilith decide to give their marriage another shot.

Should I include Wings in my Cheers/Frasier watch order?

Wings is not a spin-off of Cheers, but it does take place in the same fictional universe. Several characters from Cheers made guest appearances on Wings. The show was created by Peter Casey, David Lee, and David Angell, three producers who had previously worked on Cheers. The trio also helped create Frasier in 1993.

This is a long way of saying that if you enjoyed Cheers and Frasier, then you’ll probably love Wings.

If you have the extra time, I would recommend including Wings in your Cheers/Frasier watch order. However, if you only want to watch the crossover episodes, here is a playlist….

Wings season 2 “The Story of Joe” - Norm and Cliff visit Nantucket for a fishing trip.
Wings season 3 “Planes, Trains, & Visiting Cranes” - Frasier and Lilith come to Nantucket for a seminar. This guest appearance earned Kelsey Grammer an Emmy nomination, and inspired him to approach Casey, Lee, and Angell to create a show for him. In other words, this episode led to the show Frasier.
Wings season 4 “I Love Brian” - Rebecca Howe appears and tries to sneak into a rock star’s hotel room.

Why isn’t Niles in the Frasier reboot?

You may have noticed that the 2023 Paramount+ streaming series is missing a Crane brother. Although David Hyde Pierce was approached to reprise his role as Dr. Niles Crane, the actor declined. Pierce had stated that he was more interested in doing other projects, and didn’t feel the show needed him.

While Niles isn’t a character in the Frasier reboot, he has been mentioned numerous times. Niles and Daphne’s son David is part of the main cast. Other characters have referred to phone conversations with Niles, indicating that he and Daphne are doing well back in Seattle.

As of this writing there are no plans for Niles to appear on the series, but Grammer and the producers are open to the idea.

What other shows are set in the same universe as Cheers and Frasier?

The Cheers/Frasier universe is bigger than you think. Here is a brief rundown of some of the other shows Cheers and Frasier are connected to.

St. Elsewhere - A 1985 episode titled “Cheers” features appearances from Norm, Cliff, and Carla. However, later episode of the series references Cheers as a fictional show. The final episode of St. Elsewhere reveals that the show takes place in a child’s imagination. This raises lots of questions about canon and shared television universes, so interpret that as you will.
The Simpsons - The 1994 episode “Fear of Flying” features a segment where Homer Simpson wanders into Cheers. Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, Woody Harrelson, George Wendt, and John Ratzenberger reprise their roles as Sam, Carla, Woody, Norm, and Cliff. Interestingly, Frasier can be seen, but Kelsey Grammer didn’t record any lines. It should be noted that Grammer voices the recurring Simpsons villain Sideshow Bob. It goes without saying, but this shouldn’t be considered canon.
Caroline in the City - Niles Crane and Daphne Moon appear in the 1995 episode “Caroline and the Bad Back.”
John Larroquette Show - The title character calls into Frasier’s show in the 1995 episode “More Changes.”

It should be noted that diving too deep into the concept of the Cheers/Frasier universe will result in discrepancies. For example, Caroline in the City also had a crossover with Friends. By that logic, wouldn’t this mean that Friends takes place in the same universe as Cheers? Not exactly, because the character Joey watches Cheers in one episode of Friends.

Just sit back and enjoy the show, and don’t worry too much about how canon works in a shared television universe.

Where can I watch Cheers and Frasier?

Paramount+ is the place where everyone knows your name. Well, maybe they don’t know your name there, but the streaming service does have all of Cheers and both versions of Frasier. If you’re including Wings in your watch order, the streaming service also has the complete series.

The only thing missing is the Tortellis, which is no great loss. If you’re a completist and want to watch The Tortellis, the entire series has been uploaded to YouTube.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.