September 30 marks 41 years since the first episode of Cheers aired on NBC. Despite almost being canceled after its first season, the sitcom prevailed, and it is now, arguably, one of the many legendary shows in American television history. The success of Cheers led to a few spin-offs, including Fraiser, which is being revived, and it continues to be referenced frequently in pop culture. Even after 41 years, this comedy has stayed relevant in the zeitgeist as major shows, like Ted Lasso, The Simpsons and more have shown their love for the classic sitcom through fun Easter eggs and references.
Cheers gave us some iconic actors including Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman and John Ratzenberger. It also has one of the best sitcom theme songs ever. However, my favorite contribution this show has made to pop culture is how it continues to find ways to inspire television shows. From Emmy-winning sports dramedies to sci-fi series and, of course, The Simpsons, here are just a few great Cheers easter eggs hidden in major TV shows.
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso is actually rife with Cheers references, which shouldn’t be that surprising since co-creator and star Jason Sudeikis is the nephew of Cheers actor George Wendt. In fact, there’s a signed portrait of Wendt on the walls of the kabob place Roy Kent frequents in the show.
However, the big Cheers reference happens in the Season 3 finale of the show. The pub that Mae Green runs and the bar in Cheers both feature a picture of Apache leader and medicine man Geronimo on the wall for the shows' entire runs. However, the picture is only a focal point at the end of both shows when Sam in Cheers and May in Ted Lasso realize the photo is slightly crooked and move to straighten it. It's a subtle but emotional callback for fans of both series.
New Girl
New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether once told Salon: “I love Cheers. Constantly, I’m thinking about Cheers and what they did.” So again, it’s no surprise that she would find ways to reference the show in her own iconic sitcom.
In Season 2 of the show, Jess starts dating Sam, an emotionally revered pediatrician. Though things don’t work out originally, Sam returns in Season 5, only this time he’s the one to break up with Jess. He does so after realizing he’s in love with his med school colleague Diane.
On the surface, this doesn’t sound like much of a Cheers reference. However, super fans get it immediately since Sam and Diane were a legendary “will-they-won’t they” romantic pairing.
The Good Place
Ted Danson never stopped acting on television, but he became a household name to a new generation of TV fans thanks to the success of The Good Place. There, he plays Michael, a Bad Place architect who is running a neighborhood that's supposed to feel like the Good Place.
With Danson in a main role, it was only a matter of time before The Good Place referenced Cheers. The moment happens in Season 2 when Michael follows Eleanor to Earth and poses as a bartender. Not only is Michael pretending to be a bartender (the same job as his Cheers character Sam), but he’s also dressed similarly to him, sporting a blue plaid button-down. Fans may never get a Cheers reboot, but at least they got to see an older Sam in an abstract sort of way.
Stranger Things
While Cheers references mostly appear in sitcoms, given it influenced sitcom history greatly, occasionally, it makes its way into a drama. Given Stranger Things' dedication to honoring the '80s, it’s no surprise that the sci-fi show features a Cheers reference, given that the comedy originally aired from 1982 to 1993.
The reference comes in Season 3 when Joyce is eating dinner at home alone. The television is on, and it is playing an episode of Cheers where Sam and Diane are talking to each other on the phone. The sitcom scene sparks sadness in Joyce as she remembers an earlier conversation she and her late boyfriend Bob had about the couple’s will-they-won’t-they relationship. Ironically, Joyce is in her own will-they-won’t-they style relationship with Jim Hopper.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an iconic sitcom in its own right and one that followed in Cheers spin-off footsteps with How I Met Your Father. And yet, despite its success on its own, How I Met Your Mother still found it necessary to honor the beloved sitcom of the '80s.
One of the more memorable Cheers references happens in Season 7 when Ted and Barney decide to turn their apartment into a bar for New Year’s Eve. They name it Puzzles, and they hang a banner that is eerily similar to the Cheers bar sign in the sitcom. To make the reference even more iconic, Ted and Barney write a theme song for Puzzles, which is to the same tune as Cheers’ iconic theme song.
The Goldbergs
As a modern sitcom set in the 1980s, it was only a matter of time before The Goldbergs found a way to pay homage to Cheers. The reference is one of the more outright callouts, considering it features some of the original cast.
In Season 7, Erica’s long-term boyfriend Geoff decides to start a food delivery service, which quickly becomes a disaster. While running around town to locate Murray’s missing sandwich, Geoff interacts with several neighbors, including Cheers stars Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, and Kirstie Alley.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons parodies and references just about everything, so it’s no surprise that Cheers found its way to Springfield. In fact, it's been featured in the hit animated show many times over the course of its 35+ seasons.
From a wonderful couch gag in Season 20, where the family gets turned into the iconic Cheers characters, to an episode in Season 3 where the show parodies the theme song, The Simpsons has some of the most iconic references to the classic comedy. However, one of the best references happens in Season 6 when Homer is determined to find a new bar, and he stumbles into an animated version of Cheers. The episode sees Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger and George Wendt reprise their roles in animated form, and it even features an animated Fraiser.
It’ll be interesting to see what other shows reference Cheers in the years to come. Perhaps Abbott Elementary will take a stab at it, given Janine and Gregory’s own will-they-won't-they relationship. Or maybe Bob’s Burgers will finally get around to somehow working a Cheers reference into its latest season. Regardless, it seems like the cultural influence of the beloved sitcom isn’t going away anytime soon.
Streaming Cheers is a little difficult at the current moment. Seasons 1 through 4 are available to stream with a Hulu subscription, while Seasons 2 through 11 are available via a Paramount+ subscription.
