Want to go where everybody knows your name? Cheers is just the place for you! This sitcom is filled with loveable and iconic characters, such as Coach, Woody, and Cliff. The classic '80s show is also loaded with laughs that are so quick-witted and brilliant, it'll make you want to rewatch the entire series all over again.
Although the series was on the air nearly three decades ago, it still holds up as one of the funniest sitcoms of all time. Let's look back at some of the funniest quotes from Cheers that are still absolutely hilarious today!
10. "IF IGNORANCE IS BLISS, THIS IS EDEN"
Most sitcoms have at least one normal character out of the bunch. They serve as the person who actively observes all of the chaos around them and reacts to the nonsense that derives from the more outlandish characters. Diane often believes that she is this "normal" character and that she is the only sane one out of the bunch, but in fact, this is far from the truth.
Diane has her own quirks, yet she feels as though she is surrounded by idiot barbarians at the bar and that she is the only intellectual in the vicinity. Because of this, she's always stating hilarious lines like this, in an attempt to put the rather ignorant bar-goers in check. Her attempts never seem to work, and often only make things worse.
9. "HOW'S LIFE TREATING YOU, NORM?" "LIKE I RAN OVER ITS DOG."
Cheers is different from most classic sitcoms in the sense that it reveals a grittier depiction of reality, as opposed to a handful of cheery shows of its time such as Full House and Happy Days. What makes the bar-based sitcom work so well is its mixture of realism and wish fulfillment. Although the characters on Cheers face a lot of the day to day issues that we ourselves can often relate to, there is still something warm and romantic about the series as well.
It depicts a sense of community that most people yearn for. Because of this, the series seems to have the perfect mix of sitcom-style fantasy and cynical reality. We can always count on Norm to deliver that healthy dose of cynicism which prevents the series from entering "sappy" territory.
8. "WOMEN. YOU CAN'T LIVE WITH THEM. PASS THE BEER NUTS."
One of the most popular running gags on Cheers comes from Norm's terrible relationship with his wife, Vera. The funniest part is, we never actually get to see Vera. She feels more like the butt of a long-running joke than an actual character to us, but she always provides Norm Peterson with an abundance of hilarious one-liners that address the cynical side of romance- Or lack thereof.
We do eventually learn as the series progresses that Norm loves his wife dearly and cares about her as well. At least there is some hope!
7. "I LIKE RAT PARTS, IT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF THE HOT DOG."
Sam will do absolutely anything to piss off Diane, especially when he feels as though she is being a "know-it-all". If Diane makes fun of Sam for eating hot dogs that she believes are filled with "rat parts", Sam will simply tell his on-and-off lover that the rat parts are his favorite part.
These two are constantly butting heads on moral issues and they will somehow find a way to get into an argument on any subject, including hot dogs. Now that's impressive!
6. "SAM, CAN I HAVE BRIEF WORD WITH YOU?" "I SUPPOSE YOU COULD, BUT I DOUBT IT."
The truth of the matter is, Diane doesn't know how to be brief. It is not a part of how she functions as a human being and it is certainly not in her dictionary. The brainiac waitress often goes on and on about subjects that are almost always irrelevant to the conversation at hand.
She loves to show off her knowledge and intellect when it comes to her cultured literary background, and although it drives Sam (and the rest of the bar) absolutely nuts, it's one of the many reasons why we love her character so much.
5. "WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NORM?" "MY IDEAL WEIGHT. IF I WERE 11 FEET TALL"
Funnily enough, Norm is such a regular at the bar that when he first started showing up to Cheers, he was described as "the skinny guy at the end of the bar." Oh, how things have changed... unfortunately, that's what happens when you drown your sorrows with endless bottles of beer.
It's the only way Norm thinks he can get through the day, and he is almost always the last customer at the bar during closing time. Because of his consistency as a customer at Cheers, he is basically a part of the family and knows the staff as though they were his own flesh and blood.
4. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE SEEING SOMEONE." "HIS FINGERPRINTS GREW BACK. HE HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY."
Classic Carla. Always dating men who are absolutely terrible for her. Perhaps she is looking for a man in her life who can match her level of cruelty and evil because she obviously only digs criminal bad boys. Remember Nick Tortelli?
He was just the absolute worst, which means he was obviously Carla's type! He did have a few tricks up his sleeve though that even Diane could admit were swoon-worthy.
3. "I DESCRIBED YOU IN TERMS WHICH WERE ABSOLUTELY GLOWING. WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU IN HELL."
Lilith on Cheers is known for her stoic ways and she will throw ice cold digs at anyone who attempts to get in her way. If you're expecting a bright and bubbly woman, Lilith is pretty much the polar opposite. People say there is a significant drop in temperature whenever the cold lady walks into a room, and honestly, this just further emphasizes how much of a badass she is.
Her chilly remarks are so quick-witted and sharp that we want to rewatch all of Cheers just to see her best scenes again.
2. "OOH, A COMPLETELY UNPROVOKED PERSONAL ATTACK. I LIKE IT!"
Carla is the queen of mean and her field of expertise is creating "unprovoked personal attacks" at the drop of a hat. Her wisecracks when it comes to the people she surrounds herself with are most often uncalled for (and sometimes downright cruel) but it's strangely comforting to know that at the very least, Carla is consistent with her crass remarks.
Never does the waitress ever attempt to be anything that she's not. What you see is what you get, folks.
1. "IT'S A DOG EAT DOG WORLD AND I'M WEARING MILKBONE UNDERWEAR"
The best thing about Cheers is its cynical sense of humor. The series paints a picture of real-life people in realistic scenarios that aren't always as sunny and grand as most Hollywood sitcoms would prefer to depict their TV shows.
We can identify with Sam, Diane, Norm, and Carla because like most people, they don't have their lives figured out in the way they probably would've hoped for. This is especially so for Norm, who uses his humorous remarks in order to deal with the fact that he's in a terrible marriage and he's unemployed.
What is your favorite Cheers quote?