17 Things ‘Cheers’ Fans Never Knew

10. Terrible Ratings in the Beginning

For a television show that was once voted “the best television show that has ever been” by GQ, it’s hard to imagine that Cheers was not a runaway hit from the get-go. In fact, Brandon Tartikoff, NBC’s then entertainment president, seemed to see something that critics couldn’t and saved the show from the terrifying first season cancellation road it was on. This was a surprise according to Nielsen, as when it premiered on September 30, 1982, it placed 77th out of 100 shows from that week, and no one would have batted an eye had it been cancelled. By the end of that season however, it was obvious that Tartikoff had bet big and won. At the end of its run, Cheers had the second most-watched series finale of all time.

11. Cheers Actually Exists

The Bull and Finch tavern gained popularity as the show did, becoming a tourist attraction as fans caught on to the Cheer’s set resemblance to the actual establishment. Only exterior shots were filmed at the Beacon Hill location, but this didn’t curb its popularity, and in 2001 a second location called “Cheers” was opened close-by in Faneuil Hall. In 2002, the Bull & Finch got fully on-board and is now known as Cheers.

12. The Treasured Episode

Think you’ve watched every Cheers episode there is? Maybe not. “Uncle Sam Malone” was a special mini-episode that was written and filmed to promote the purchase of U.S. savings bonds, at the request of the U.S. Treasury. The show’s creators were contracted to produce the episode early in the series’ run and as its purpose was only for promotional purposes at savings bond drives. Subsequently it never aired on television and won’t be found on any of the DVDs.