One for the Road ( Cheers ) - wikipedia One for the Road ( Cheers ) `` One for the Road '' Cheers episode Sam and Diane, reunited after six years apart, decide to end their restarted relationship after their flight is delayed Episode no. Season 11 Episode 25 Directed by James Burrows Written by Glen Charles Les Charles Production code 271 Original air date May 20, 1993 Guest appearance ( s ) Mark Harelik as Reed Manchester Anthony Heald as Kevin Tom Berenger as Don Santry Shelley Long as Diane Chambers Episode chronology ← Previous `` The Guy Ca n't Help It '' Next → -- Cheers ( season 11 ) List of Cheers episodes `` One for the Road '' is the final episode of the American television series Cheers. It was the 271st episode of the series and the 25th episode of the eleventh season of the show. It first aired on NBC on Thursday, 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. The 98 - minute version was re-broadcast on Sunday, May 23, 1993, and an edited 90 - minute version aired on Thursday, August 19, 1993. 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 job. Cliff Clavin wants to be promoted by the Post Office. Contents 1 Synopsis 1.1 Background 1.2 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Promotion 4 Reception 4.1 Critical reviews 4.2 Ratings 4.3 Accolades 4.4 Aftermath 5 Notes 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 Further reading 9 External links Synopsis Background The television series Cheers follows the fortunes and inter-relationships of a group of Bostonians who meet regularly at `` Cheers '', their local bar. Sam Malone ( Ted Danson ), a ladies ' man, former baseball player, and bartender, and Diane Chambers ( Shelley Long ), a college graduate student, and cocktail waitress, had on - and - off relationships throughout first five seasons of the program ( 1982 -- 1987 ) until Diane left Boston to pursue a writing career in the season five finale, `` I Do, Adieu '' ( 1987 ). This was Shelley Long 's last contracted appearance as Diane Chambers. Six years after the season five finale, the Sam and Diane storyline is resurrected with a special guest appearance by Shelley Long and then concluded during the third part of this final episode. During season eleven there are many transformations before the finale. Woody Boyd ( Woody Harrelson ), another bartender at Cheers, is married to socialite Kelly Gaines ( Jackie Swanson ), expecting a child with her, and has been running to be a councilmember of the Boston City Council. Carla Tortelli ( Rhea Perlman ) has gone through husbands and flings and is currently a single mother. Norm Peterson ( George Wendt ) is still semi-unemployed. Cliff Clavin ( John Ratzenberger ) is still a postal carrier living with his mother. Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ) and Lilith Sternin ( Bebe Neuwirth ) face marital problems, including Lilith 's affair with another man. After her failed relationships with rich men in the past, the bar manager Rebecca Howe ( Kirstie Alley ) and the plumber Don Santry ( Tom Berenger ) start dating each other in the preceding episode, `` The Guy Ca n't Help It '' ( 1993 ). Meanwhile, Sam faces up to his sexual addiction and begins to attend group therapy. The episode ran for 98 minutes, including commercials, when it was originally broadcast. This episode was rebroadcast on August 19, 1993, but was trimmed to 90 - minutes. In syndicated and online reruns, this episode was split into three parts, but the DVD release has the original, uncut version. Plot The episode begins with Frasier writing a political speech for Woody, who has trouble doing it himself. Rebecca rejects plumber Don Santry 's ( Tom Berenger ) proposal accidentally because she is too excited to accept it, causing him to break up with her. Sam struggles with his sex addiction and wants to avoid watching Kim Alexis on television. Diane Chambers, making her first appearance on the series after six years, appears on television, accepting an award for outstanding writing of a television movie, surprising Sam. Diane calls Sam at the bar to thank him for the congratulatory telegram he sent earlier. Diane accepts Sam 's invitation to return to Boston, but Sam reveals to Norm that he doubts her confirmation. The following day, Cliff wants to be promoted by the head of the postal department, Marty Feldman, who often hires his own relatives rather than hard - working employees by merit, like Cliff. Frasier fails to correct Woody 's grammar. Norm begs Woody to hire him as a city accountant. Rebecca arrives an emotional mess in the same dress she wore the previous day. Then Diane arrives with her `` husband '' Reed ( Mark Harelik ), surprising Sam. Sam uses Rebecca, who is grieving her love loss, as his pretend wife. At Melville 's restaurant, when Don enters and re-proposes, Rebecca finally accepts in front of the others, ruining Sam 's charade. After Rebecca and Don leave, Reed 's partner Kevin ( Anthony Heald ) arrives to confront him for `` cheating '' with Diane, who clearly was not married. Now alone at the table, after Kevin and Don leave, Sam and Diane both come to terms with the fact they have no family of their own. Diane admits to Sam that she broke her promise to return to him after six months in the episode `` I Do, Adieu '' ( 1987 ). In fact, her manuscript was rejected by publishers but then became a television movie prompting her to stay in Los Angeles for six years looking for greater success. When Diane bids Sam farewell and is about to leave, he stops her and convinces her they should rekindle their relationship for old times ' sake. The next day Woody gives Norm a job with the city. Rebecca marries Don but secretly regrets it, feeling he is too good for her. Cliff is promoted to postal assistant supervisor after giving Marty gifts. Sam and Diane walk in and announce their engagement. His friends disapprove. Having enough of their disapproval, and going years without a family, Sam leaves the bar with Diane. On the plane, they begin to reconsider their decision to be together again. As the flight is delayed, they return to the airport terminal and amicably agree to part ways. Diane goes to Los Angeles, and Sam returns to Cheers to see his friends again. While Sam and his gang celebrate the reunion, Rebecca announces happily that Don has a job with the sewer department and leaves excitedly with the tickets for their honeymoon trip. After the rest of the gang head home, Norm stays behind and tells Sam that he knew he would return to Boston for his `` one true love '', saying : `` You 'll always come back to her. '' After Norm leaves, someone ( Bob Broder ) knocks on the door. Sam replies, `` Sorry, we 're closed, '' then walks over and straightens a picture of Geronimo in honor to Coach Ernie Pantusso hanging on the back wall, and then exits into the corridor toward the pool room. ( In the original broadcast, after the closing credits, the text reads `` Thanks for having us over on all those Thursday nights. '' with the show 's logo appearing. ) ^ a Tom Berenger 's character Don Santry first appeared in the previous episode, `` The Guy Ca n't Help It ''. ^ b Time magazine implied the bar was Sam 's true love. However, one television critic from the Corpus Christi Caller - Times said, `` ( T ) he character Norm Peterson did n't tell Sam that the bar was his only true love. That sentiment was left to the viewer to surmise. '' ^ c Bob Broder was an agent for the show 's creators. ^ d See # Critical reviews. Cast Main cast Ted Danson as Sam Malone Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin George Wendt as Norm Peterson Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane Guest cast Shelley Long as Diane Chambers Tom Berenger as Don Santry Mark Harelik as Reed Manchester Anthony Heald as Kevin Kim Alexis as herself Mike Ditka as himself Mitchell Lichtenstein as Waiter Lena Banks as Stewardess Recurring cast Jackie Swanson as Kelly Boyd Paul Willson as Paul Krapence Tim Cunningham as Tim Steve Gianelli as Steve Alan Koss as Alan Philip Perlman as Phil Peter Schreiner as Pete Production Three hundred people attended the filming of the finale at Paramount Studios ' Stage 25 in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 31, 1993, from 7 : 20 p.m. to 2 : 15 a.m. Because of Shelley Long 's commitment to the CBS sitcom Good Advice, the finale 's bar scene ending, where the series main cast gather as their own respective characters, was shot without her on Wednesday, April 7, 1993, after the penultimate episode, `` The Guy Ca n't Help It '', was filmed completely on the same day. However, the ending was concealed from the general public and the studio audience until the episode was first broadcast. Before her special guest appearance in this episode, Shelley Long 's reprise as Diane Chambers was rumored in 1989 when she appeared with Ted Danson at the premiere of one of his movies, Cousins. A spokesperson for Paramount Television denied these rumors. Long appeared as herself for the 200th episode special in 1990, hosted by John McLaughlin, along with other surviving cast members at the time. United States President Bill Clinton was invited to be part of the finale, but declined the offer. Brandon Tartikoff, former executive of NBC and former chief of Paramount Studios, and Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau appeared in the finale as uncredited bar extras. Bob Broder, agent for the show 's creators, also made an uncredited appearance in the final moments of the show as the `` man '' who is told by Sam that the bar is closed. Promotion `` Bars across the country are holding parties tonight. At the 50,000 - seat SkyDome in Toronto, organizers are screening the last episode free and expecting the largest public gathering ever for a TV viewing. '' Daniel Cerone from Los Angeles Times, May 20, 1993 The final episode was promoted massively, including in the media, before its initial airing. NBC executives expected a rating of 65 percent of total television households. Sources on Madison Avenue estimated a Nielsen rating of 33 -- 40s and a share of 50 -- 70 ; one expected a rating of 37 -- 38 and a share of 60. Each 30 - second commercial for the original broadcast cost $650,000 ; the total number of commercials that aired on the initial broadcast was 25 to 30. NBC and its affiliates, such as KNBC, promoted the finale 's broadcast for a few weeks up to the day of the original airing on the network 's news programs, such as Dateline NBC and Today. KTLA, a Los Angeles station that reran Cheers in syndication, played a variation of the show 's theme song, `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '', during the week before the finale. Entertainment Tonight showed blooper reels of Cheers in the same week. Ratings of Season 11 episodes ( 1992 -- 1993 ) were growing in the weeks prior to the finale. Between April 1 -- 4, 1993, the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press ( now the Pew Research Center ) surveyed 1,011 people by telephone. Sam Malone was voted a favorite by 26 % and had a 15 % chance of a spin - off. Answering a question as to who he should marry, 21 % voted Diane Chambers, 19 % voted Rebecca Howe, 48 % voted for Sam to remain single, and 12 % had no opinion on this matter. Woody Boyd was voted a favorite by 18 % and had 12 % chance of a spin - off, and Norm Peterson was voted by 14 % and had 10 % chance of a spin - off. Newspapers counted down to the Cheers finale in different ways. The Washington Post covered the show 's background. The Star Tribune published stories related to Cheers, including one about local residents playing trivia games that that paid tribute to the show and characters such as Cliff and Norm ; the future of the fictional Sam Malone was addressed. The Deseret News asked its readers to send in their own fantasy finale endings before it was broadcast. Reception Critical reviews `` I do n't think we ever entertained that idea of Sam and Diane going off together. It seemed like ( we 'd be ) going backwards a little. I 'm not sure if that big of a portion of our audience would have been happy with it (. ) ( T ) here were people who loved Shelley, but a lot of people liked Rebecca better, or thought Diane was bad for Sam, and so on. '' Les Charles, GQ magazine Reviews of this episode at the time of its initial broadcast were mixed. John J. O'Connor from The New York Times called the episode `` overly long and uncharacteristically labored '' and considered its length `` a miscalculation. '' Nevertheless, O'Connor wrote, `` Things did n't turn absolutely soppy, but nearly. '' Tony Scott of Daily Variety praised the writing, yet he found the finale `` overly long '' and described the last 30 minutes as `` limping. '' John Carman of the San Francisco Chronicle `` liked the finale '' and `` was choked up at the end '' ; nevertheless, he found Shelley Long 's special guest performance `` disappointing '' -- her `` cute pills '' were past `` their expiration date. '' Ann Hodges of The Houston Chronicle `` found the conclusion fitting '' but was not sad about the series ' cancellation. One reader 's letter in The Post-Standard pointed out the episode omitted mention of Coach Ernie Pantusso, one of original Cheers characters who died in 1985, and expressed disdain over this, even though the Geronimo picture was shown at the end to commemorate Coach. The reviews in later years were mostly positive. In 1998, A.J. Jacobs of Entertainment Weekly graded this finale a B+, calling it `` a satisfying nightcap '' and `` sharply written by the ( Charles brothers ) '', with its final moments `` classy as a flute of chilled Cristal. '' In 2006, Ron Geraci, author of the book The Bachelor Chronicles : A Dating Memoir, called it `` raw and moving '' and `` significant. '' In 2007, Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly called it one of his `` Five Best ( pre-Sopranos ) Series Finales. '' In 2007, Douglas Durden of The Richmond Times - Dispatch named it his fifth most favorite television finale of all - time. In 2009, the A.V. Club ranked it No. 3 in `` 10 American TV Series with Satisfying Endings '' in the book Inventory. In 2010, Sharon Knolle of The Huffington Post was relieved to see the final onscreen romance between Sam and Diane end rather than conclude with their marriage. In the same year, Oliver Miller of The Huffington Post was heartbroken by Sam and Diane 's on - screen `` absurd protracted double - gut - punch break - up '' in the episode. Claire Suddath from Time magazine called it one of top ten `` anticipated '' finales ever. In 2011, the finale was ranked fifth on the TV Guide Network special, TV 's Most Unforgettable Finales. In 2014, IGN ranked it number six of the top ten Cheers episodes. Ratings The episode aired on NBC on May 20, 1993, at 9 : 22 p.m. instead of 9 : 30 p.m., the regular time for Cheers, as the episode was scheduled to run 98 - minutes. The overall Nielsen rating was 45.5 ( approximately 42.4 million households ), 64 or 62 share, and the number of American viewers was either 80 million or 93 million. The broadcast in 29 major markets resulted an overnight 46.7 Nielsen rating ( 22 million households ) and 62 share. In the Los Angeles area, the finale scored a 44.5 rating for ( KNBC ) ; in the Minneapolis -- St. Paul market ( KARE ), a 54.8 rating and 72 share ; in New York City ( WNBC ), a 45.6 rating ; in the Hartford -- New Haven ( WVIT ) area, a 48 rating and 63 share ; and in Boston ( WBZ - TV ), the series ' setting, a 54.1 rating. The retrospective program, Cheers : Last Call !, hosted by Bob Costas, paid tribute to 11 years of Cheers and aired at 9 : 00 p.m. before the 9 : 22 p.m. finale. It received an overall 39.6 rating ( 36.9 million households ) ; the Los Angeles rating was 40.0. The finale reran on Sunday, May 23, 1993, from 7 : 22 p.m. to 9 : 00 p.m. ET with a Nielsen rating of 10.0. Cheers : Last Call !, which ran from 7 : 00 p.m. to 7 : 22 p.m. ET had a 7.4 rating. The finale reran again on Thursday, August 19, 1993, in a 90 - minute format from 8 : 00 p.m. to 9 : 30 p.m. and received a 9.4 rating. Accolades At the 45th Primetime Emmy Awards ( 1993 ), Robert Bramwell won Outstanding Achievement in Editing for a Series ( Multi-Camera Production ). Shelley Long lost the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series to Tracey Ullman ( Love and War ). Tom Berenger lost the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series to David Clennon ( Dream On ). James Burrows lost the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing in a Comedy Series to Betty Thomas ( Dream On ) Aftermath Before and after the production of Cheers had ended, the cast had moved on to other stages in their careers. Shelley Long appeared on the CBS show Good Advice before this episode, and resumed her work there. Ted Danson appeared in Made in America, which opened in theatres soon after the episode aired. Kirstie Alley participated in the film Look Who 's Talking Now. Woody Harrelson appeared in Indecent Proposal, with Demi Moore and Robert Redford already showing in theaters, and appeared in Oliver Stone 's Natural Born Killers. George Wendt appeared in an off - Broadway play. John Ratzenberger appeared in Fox 's Locals. Rhea Perlman took `` a break '' from acting for a while. Kelsey Grammer soon reappeared as Frasier Crane in the spinoff Frasier, set in Seattle, as the host of a new radio show with only occasional appearances of Lilith Sternin or their son Frederick during its 11 - year run. However, Frasier would eventually return to Boston for a visit, along with his brother Niles and father Martin ( played by David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney, respectively ). Before the first airing of this series finale, more than five hundred people, including the cast of Cheers ( except Shelley Long, Kirstie Alley, and Bebe Neuwirth ) ) and politicians such as William M. Bulger and past State Governor William Weld, participated at an afternoon celebration on Beacon Street near the Bull & Finch Pub in Boston, to celebrate the series ' ending. After the episode aired, the remaining cast appeared live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in the Bull & Finch Pub. According to host Jay Leno, the cast was so intoxicated they were unaware that they were being interviewed live. In 1997, one copy of this episode 's script was donated by George Wendt to the Handel and Haydn Society, a Boston music institution. It contained the autographs of eight cast members, including of Shelley Long, Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt. On February 15, 1997, it was stolen from the Boston Four Seasons Hotel. The high bid for it at the benefit auction was $1,000 before it was stolen. About one week later, the stolen script, in a manila envelope, was left at a church ; the Society then retrieved it. In March 1997, the autographed copy of the episode 's script was sold to the Bull and Finch Pub ( now Cheers Beacon Hill ) for $10,000. Notes Jump up ^ The episode, `` The Guy Ca n't Help It '', aired on May 13, 1993, one week before the series finale. However, the source does not mention the title of the `` penultimate episode ''. Jump up ^ The March 5, 1993, edition of Reading Eagle reported that the budget of each 30 - second commercial was estimated $600,000, according to NBC insiders. Later articles report, otherwise, that each was $650,000 estimate. Jump up ^ The margin of error in the survey was ± 3, according to sources. Jump up ^ These are the times in the areas of Eastern and Pacific Time Zones. Of Central and Mountain, the finale aired at 8 : 22 p.m. instead of 8 : 30p. m., a regular time for Cheers. References Jump up ^ `` NBC wins May sweeps ; Cheers ratings No. 2 all - time. '' Toronto Star 30 May 1993, SU2 ed : C4. Web. 6 January 2012. ( subscription required ) ^ Jump up to : Margulies, Lee. `` TV Ratings : Surprise ! ' Cheers ' Finale Powers NBC to Top. '' Los Angeles Times 26 May 1993. Web. 6 January 2012. In Los Angeles in 1993, `` each rating point ( equaled ) 49,657 households. '' ^ Jump up to : Stevenson, Jennifer L. `` Cheers Last Call ! Series : Entertainment '' Tampa Bay Times 20 May 1993 : 8B. Print. ( subscription required ) ^ Jump up to : `` Television : Thursday Prime Time. '' The Telegraph 19 August 1993 : 48. Google News. Web. 17 January 2012. List of Nielsen ratings for television programs that aired on August 15 -- 21, 1993 appears in either edition of August 22 -- 28, 1993, of all newspapers, usually either Wednesday or Thursday. ^ Jump up to : Suddath, Claire. `` The Lost Finale : Top 10 Most Anticipated TV Endings. '' Time 23 May 2010. Web. 2 June 2012. Jump up ^ Liner, Elaine ( May 21 -- 22, 1993 ). `` TV 's favorite bar turns off the tap ''. Corpus Christi Caller - Times. Texas. p. A1 -- via NewsBank. Record no. : 113001A60C3FB35B ( registration required ). ^ Jump up to : `` Who was the last customer on Cheers ? ''. The World as Seen by a TV Comedy writer. Ken Levine. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016. Some sources claimed director James Burrows was the `` man ''. ^ Jump up to : Reinhold, Robert ( 2 April 1993 ). `` One Last Round as ' Cheers ' Finale Is Taped ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` 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. Jump up ^ `` Cheers will be back, but Diane wo n't ''. The Telegraph ( Nashua ). Associated Press. March 28, 1989. p. 22. Jump up ^ Duffy, Mike ( November 7, 1990 ). `` Cheers to serve 200th round of laughs ''. Bangor Daily News. Knight - Ridder Newspapers. p. 24. Jump up ^ `` President invited to attend last call for Cheers ''. Portsmouth Daily Times. April 2, 1993. p. B1. Retrieved January 8, 2012. Jump up ^ Cerone, Daniel. `` Separation Anxiety in Prime Time Same night, same station, over the years, we grow to love our favorite TV characters. So when a show like ` Cheers ' ends, a bit of our soul goes too. '' Los Angeles Times 20 May 1993 : A1. Web. 1 June 2012. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Stevenson, Jennifer L. `` ` Cheers ' finale ? Not so fast -- and not so hot Series : Entertainment. '' St. Petersburg Times ( St. Petersburg, Florida ) 22 May 1993, City ed. : 8B. Print. ( subscription required ) ^ Jump up to : Du Brow, Rick. `` Will Cheers Top MASH, Dallas Ratings ? '' Los Angeles Times 15 May 1993, Library ed : F11. Print. ^ Jump up to : O'Connor, John J. ( 21 May 1993 ). `` Critic 's Notebook -- ' Cheers ' Is Dead, but There 's Always the Wake ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 8 January 2012. Jump up ^ Elliott, Stuart ( 14 May 1993 ). `` The Media Business : Advertising -- Sponsors are toasting the ' Cheers ' finale at a price of $650,000 for every 30 - second spot ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 8 January 2012... Jump up ^ Rosenberg, Howard. `` Three ` Cheers ' and a Lot More After All the Hype, How Can Everybody Not Know Their Names ? '' Los Angeles Times 20 May 1993 : F1. ProQuest. Web. 23 January 2012. ISSN 0458 - 3035. ( registration required ) Jump up ^ Mills, Kim I. `` TV viewers glad Sam stayed single. '' The Sunday Gazette ( Schenectady, New York ) 2 May 1993 : A3. Google News. Web. 21 January 2012. Jump up ^ Leefler, Pete. `` Show Piles Up Viewer Cheers. '' The Morning Call ( Allentown, New York ) 2 May 1993 : A01. Web. 17 January 2012. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Shales, Tom. `` Cheers -- A Last Toast to the Happy Half - Hour. '' The Washington Post 20 May 1993, Final ed. : D01. Web. 12 January 2012. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ `` Minnesotans stand to make it big with trivia game. '' Star Tribune 16 May 1993. Web. 12 January 1993. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ `` Malone alone. '' Star Tribune 20 May 1993. Web. 12 January 2012. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Pierce, Scott D. ( April 8, 1993 ). `` Goodbye Cheers : Cast feels somber as series nears end of 11 - year run. Final episode is May 20 ''. Deseret News. Jump up ^ Raftery, Brian ( October 2012 ). `` The Best TV Show That 's Ever Been ''. GQ. Jump up ^ O'Connor, John J ( 30 May 1993 ). `` Television View -- A Few Qualms From a Fan Of ' Seinfeld ' ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 8 January 2012. Jump up ^ Scott, Tony. `` Cheers : One for the Road. '' Daily Variety ( Los Angeles ) 24 May 1993. Rpt. in Variety and Daily Variety Television Reviews 1993 -- 1994. Ed. Howard H. Prouty. New York : Garland Publishing, Inc., 1996. Google Books. Web. 9 January 2012. Jump up ^ Moore, Frazier. `` Nation 's critics cheer final episode. '' Oxnard Press - Courier 22 May 1993 : 7. Google News. Web. Jump up ^ `` Readers raise glass to Cheers finale ''. The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. May 22, 1993. p. C6. Record no. at NewsBank : ( ( 1 ) ) ( registration required ). Jump up ^ Jacobs, A.J. `` Some Farewell -- Some Fare Not So Well. '' Entertainment Weekly 29 May 1998. Web. 2 February 2012. Jump up ^ Geraci, Ron. The Bachelor Chronicles : A Dating Memoir. New York : Kensington Books, 2006. 114. Google Books. Web. 10 January 2012. ISBN 0 - 7582 - 1329 - 8. Jump up ^ Dalton 2007, p. 2. Jump up ^ Durden, Douglas ( June 10, 2007 ). `` A last kiss or a last kiss - off ? ''. Richmond Times - Dispatch. Richmond Newspapers, Inc. p. G11. Record no. at NewsBank : MERLIN_7558187 ( registration required ). Jump up ^ A.V. Club. Inventory : 16 Films Featuring Manic Pixie Dream Girls, 10 Great Songs Nearly Ruined by Saxophone, and 100 More Obsessively Specific Pop - Culture Lists. New York : Scribner, 2009. 88. Google Books. Web. 9 January 2012. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4165 - 9473 - 4. Jump up ^ Knolle, Sharon ( 7 January 2010 ). `` Worst TV Couples Ever ( Looking at You, Sam and Diane ) ''. The Huffington Post. Jump up ^ Miller, Oliver. `` TV Break - Ups : 10 Devastating TV Couple Splits ''. The Huffington Post February 12, 2010. Web. June 9, 2012. Jump up ^ TV 's Most Unforgettable Finales. TV Guide Network, 22 May 2011. Television. Jump up ^ Wheatley, Cliff ( May 30, 2014 ). `` Top 10 Cheers Episodes ''. IGN. Retrieved May 21, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` A Repeat of ' Cheers ' Finale ''. The New York Times. 22 May 1993. Retrieved 7 January 2012. `` One rating point equals 931,000 households. '' Jump up ^ `` Cheers ' Finale Most - Watched Show of Season ''. Rocky Mountain News. May 22, 1993. Jump up ^ Boedeker, Hal. `` The gang gathers for one last round ''. Orlando Sentinel. Jump up ^ `` Tops on TV. '' Newsday ( Long Island, New York ) 26 May 1993, Nassau and Suffolk ed. : 58. Print. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ `` Cheers finale a big hit. '' The Daily News ( Middlesboro, Kentucky ) 22 May 1993 : 2. Google News. Web. 15 January 2012. Jump up ^ `` KARE Gets Rating to Cheer About. '' Star Tribune ( Minneapolis ) 22 May 1993. Web. 12 January 2012. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ `` Viewers Consume ` Cheers ' Finale ''. The Mount Airy News. 23 May 1993. p. 9A. Retrieved 15 January 2012. Jump up ^ Lender, Jon ( 28 May 1993 ). `` Cheers ' Finale Helps Raise WVIT Ratings ''. Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. Retrieved 3 April 2012. Jump up ^ Moore, Frazier ( 21 May 1993 ). `` ' Cheers ' finale sober, satisfying ''. The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. p. A5. Retrieved 15 January 2012. Jump up ^ `` ` Cheers ' Finale Starts at 9 : 22 -- Not 9 : 30. '' The Palm Beach Post ( Palm Beach, Florida ) 14 May 1993 : 9D. Print. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows : 1946 -- present. 9th ed. New York : Ballantine -- Random House, 2007. 243. Google Books. Web. 1 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` Nielsens show NBC 's ` Now ' had strong first night. '' The Robesonian ( Lumberton, North Carolina ) 26 August 1993 : 5B. Google News. Web. 15 January 2012. This edition lists prime time television programs that aired on August 15 -- 21, 1993. Jump up ^ `` Cheers. '' Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 2011. Web. 7 January 2012. ^ Jump up to : Bjorklund. p. 427. Jump up ^ `` Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series -- 1993 ''. Emmys. Retrieved November 17, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series -- 1993 ''. Emmys. Retrieved November 17, 2015. Jump up ^ http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1993/outstanding-directing-for-a-comedy-series ^ Jump up to : Moore, Frazier ( May 21, 1993 ). `` Cast of Cheers says goodbye to its 100 million viewers ''. Moscow - Pullman Daily News. Pullman, Washington, and Moscow, Idaho. Associated Press. p. 3A. Retrieved June 17, 2012. ^ Jump up to : Bickelhaupt, Susan ( May 21, 1993 ). `` Good cheer flows to the end Boston gives its sitcom a grand goodbye ''. The Boston Globe. p. 1, Metro / Region section. Retrieved August 22, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Leno Calls Telecast on Cheers ' a Mistake ' : Drunken Cast Members Ruined ' Tonight ' Broadcast From Boston Bar, He Says ''. Los Angeles Times. Reuter. May 28, 1993. Retrieved August 22, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Final ' Cheers ' Script Stolen From Benefit Is Left at a Church. '' The New York Times 24 February 1997. Web. 22 January 2012. Jump up ^ `` Cheers script sold for $10,000. '' The Free Lance - Star ( Fredericksburg, Virginia ) 4 March 1997 : D6. Google News. Web. 22 January 2012. Bibliography Bjorklund, Dennis A. Toasting Cheers : An Episode Guide, 1982 -- 1993. Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Co., 1997. Google Books. Web. 24 January 2012. < https://books.google.com/books?id=hKbxOW2ONGEC > ISBN 978 - 0899509624. Ross, Dalton. `` ` Big Brother ' Central : Reality Bites. '' Entertainment Weekly 1 July 2007. Web. 2 February 2012 < http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20400144_20043859,00.html >. `` One for the Road. '' Cheers. NBC. KNBC, Los Angeles. 20 May 1993. Television. This episode originally ran for 98 minutes. `` One for the Road. '' 1993. Cheers : The Final Season : The Eleventh Season. Paramount, 2009. DVD. This episode was split into three episodes in this DVD release. Cheers : The Final Season : The Eleventh Season. Paramount, 2009. DVD. Further Reading Ariano, Tara, and Sarah D. Bunting. Television without Pity : 752 Things We Love to Hate ( and Hate to Love ) About TV. Philadelphia : Quirk Books, 2006. Print. ISBN 978 - 1 - 59474 - 117 - 3. Bark, Ed. `` ' Cheers ' closer gives Channel 5 a ratings boost. '' The Dallas Morning News 29 May 1993. Web. 9 January 2012. Document ID number is 0ED3D38C34E6DF2B. ( subscription required ) Bonko, Larry. `` The Best and the Worst on TV in 1993. '' The Virginian - Pilot ( Norfolk, Virginia ) 27 December 1993. Print. ( subscription required ) Hein, John. Jump the Shark : When Good Things Go Bad. TV ed. New York : Plume, 2003. Print. ISBN 0 - 452 - 28410 - 4. Holbert, Ginny. `` ' Frontline ' Leans Too Heavily on Politics. '' Chicago Sun - Times 25 May 1993 : 35. Print. ( subscription required ) Husted, Bill. `` Funny Dream for Self - Promoter. '' Rocky Mountain News 19 May 1993. Print. ( subscription required ) Kepnes, Caroline. `` One For The Road. '' Entertainment Weekly 25 May 2001. Web. 2 February 2012 < http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,256448,00.html >. Lazare, Lewis. `` Move over, ` M * A * S * H '. '' Chicago Sun - Times 9 February 2010 : 16. Print. ( subscription required ) Mink, Eric. `` ' Cheers ' Was Fine ; Leno Show a Fiasco. '' St. Louis Post-Dispatch 24 May 1993, Five Star ed. : 5D. Print. ID number for Web version is ( ( 2 ) ). ( subscription required ) Stevenson, Jennifer L. `` 3 Cheers / / Hype, hype, hooray ! It 's over ! Series : Entertainment -- TV Review. '' St. Petersburg Times ( St. Petersburg, Florida ) 21 May 1993, City ed. : 5B. Print. ( subscription required ) `` Although television 's Cheers closes tonight, real - life versions of the bar will go right on being second families to a lot of folks. '' Fort Worth Star - Telegram 20 May 1993. Print. ( subscription required ) `` Loving ` Cheers ' and loving work. '' Star Tribune ( Minneapolis ) 22 May 1993. Print. ( subscription required ) `` WTMJ - TV 's post ` Cheers ' news gets heady rating. '' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 24 May 1993. Web. 15 January 2012. ( subscription required ) Document ID number is 0EB827D3BA3592DF. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Cheers ( TV series ) One for the Road on IMDb `` One for the Road '' at TV.com `` One for the Road '' at the Paley Center for Media Cheers Episodes Season 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 `` Give Me a Ring Sometime '' `` Coach 's Daughter '' `` The Boys in the Bar '' `` Showdown '' `` Thanksgiving Orphans '' `` I Do, Adieu '' `` Home Is the Sailor '' `` What Is... Cliff Clavin ? '' `` Woody Interruptus '' `` One for the Road '' Characters Sam Malone Diane Chambers Coach Ernie Pantusso Carla Tortelli Norm Peterson Cliff Clavin Frasier Crane Woody Boyd Lilith Sternin Rebecca Howe Recurring characters Related Series The Tortellis Frasier Cheers ( Spanish TV series ) Articles `` Where Everybody Knows Your Name '' Sam and Diane Cheers Beacon Hill Awards Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=One_for_the_Road_(Cheers)&oldid=813366529 '' Categories : 1993 American television episodes Cheers episodes American television series finales Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - only content Pages with login required references or sources Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 3 December 2017, at 08 : 43. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: when did the last episode of cheers air
Answer: Thursday, May 20, 1993