Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 04/29/2008 Rating: Nr

Cheers: The Complete Ninth Season, like every season of the great NBC sitcom, is graced by a number of very funny episodes involving the going-nowhere denizens of a Boston bar. The year begins with Cheers' multi-millionaire owner Robin (Roger Rees) heading to a probable term in jail, selling the bar back to Sam (Ted Danson) and putting its manager, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley), who also happens to be Robin's girlfriend, out of work. But what's really interesting is the onset of Sam and Rebecca's intimate relationship at the same time, which ceases soon after it begins but leaves such a residual level of caring that Sam invites Rebecca to come back and work at Cheers when her fortunes flag. In the wonderful "Rebecca Redux," Sam hires an assistant (Bryan Clark) with a mythic all-American grin and such a good, positive thought for everyone that a near-mutiny develops among Cheers' customers when Rebecca replaces him upon her return. While the Rebecca-Sam-Robin relationship dynamic works itself out over the season, other perennial storylines pick up their threads from previous years. "Cheers Fouls Out" is the latest in a long line of mind games between Sam and the (unfortunately superior) Gary, owner of a rival bar that annually kicks Cheers' behind in a basketball game. This time, Gary comes up with a couple of redwood-tall ringers to go up against the likes of Norm (George Wendt) and Woody (Woody Harrelson), but Sam has a secret weapon: Kevin McHale of the Celtics. Not that Sam's luck can be expected to improve even with the odds seemingly in his favor.

Sam's gullibility rears itself in another episode, "Pitch It Again, Sam," in which failed Red Sox pitcher "Mayday" Malone is goaded into taking the mound once again in a duel with a veteran hitter. Hoping for the redemption of his dim, major league reputation, Sam encounters an unexpected challenge to his decency at the last moment. The hilarious "Rat Girl" finds Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) concerned when his psychiatrist wife, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth), grieves so deeply following the death of her favorite lab rat that she carries its little corpse around in her purse. "Uncle Sam Wants You" begins an understated story thread about Sam's desire to be a father, while "Carla Loves Clavin" puts cynical barmaid Carla (Rhea Perlman) in the horrifying position of having to be nice to one of her favorite targets, blowhard Cliff (John Ratzenberger). Cliff's mom (Frances Sternhagen), by the way, shows up unexpectedly in the painfully funny "Ma Always Liked You Best," prodding at Cliff's newfound independence and stoking her son's jealousy by lavishing Woody with attention. "Bad Neighbor Sam" initiates Sam's long-running feud (which never works in Sam's favor) with the owner of a restaurant above Cheers. "Woody Interruptus" sees poor Woody upset by girlfriend Kelly (Jackie Swanson) returning from Europe with a boyfriend, while Cliff babbles on about having his head cryogenically frozen. It's life as usual at Cheers, and as always the show's community of misfits is a joy to behold. --Tom Keogh

"Cheers" is my favorite television show of all time and one of the all-time best shows, but the show was starting to get stale by the ninth season. Still, a lesser season of Cheers is a great season.

Sam is back in charge of Cheers in this season and things feel normal after a few seasons of corporate ownership. It also featured the 200th show (hosted by John McLaughlin) and such classic sub-plots as Frasier reading Dickens to the Cheers gang and the short-term bartender Earl. As far as characters, the ninth season saw the introduction of Henri and John Allen Hill and the increased prominence of Paul Krapence (the same actor had a different name in earlier seasons). It also saw the (temporary) end of Robin Colcord as a featured character.

(One other note: Although many have complained about the new packaging, I prefer the slick and compact packaging of all give discs in one normal-sized DVD case to the large and bulky packaging of the previous seasons.)

Cheers was beginning to lose its luster, partly because Sam and Rebecca's relationship had "matured" to the point where they were true friends, but it still remained a fantastic show with a special cast. Although the overall quality of the show had begun to decline by this season, there are too many great jokes, episodes, and characters to give it any less than five stars.

I agree with those who are upset with the changes in this series, and apparently to Season 10. However - this may not be all Paramounts fault. Not that long ago, the wonderful folks at RIAA and various record companies sued people who used "Samples" of their music - usually 10 - 15 second snippets that wound up on songs by Chemical Brothers and other sampler groups - but also on TV shows.

Essentially, our legal system decided that this was "copyright infringement" and ordered that anybody who continues to use or release these snippets pay royalties. Yes - it's probably the same people who do not want to let us make copies of our CD's or DVD's for protection because "they are very resiliant" - right.

Anyhow, my point is that as a result of this ruling, it may have become cost prohibitive to obtain the rights to use these snippets, and may also explain to long delay between season 8 and season 9 coming out. Sure, Paramount might have been able to get the rights - but at what cost? Longer waits, higher prices; or possibly just the decision not to release the final 3 seasons.

So, we are stuck suffering because of the record execs, but there are still some good laughs to be had from the season, even if it has been butchered.

Like most everybody else, the packaging was an issue at first, but frankly the new packaging takes up a lot less space on an already crowded shelf, so no problem. My gripe (and it is a BIG one) is the fact that these episodes were edited from the originals. Don't believe me? Look on the back of the case in the little rectangular box at the bottom and it says so right there. Had I known this, I would never have ordered it, as much as I love this show. What the idiots at CBS Video apparently don't understand is that the whole point of buying complete seasons is that so we can see the complete episodes as they were intended to be seen, not some hacked up versions by some no-talent hack who has nothing to do with the show in the first place. I feel like they should redo this season on dvd and give everybody who bought these hacked up versions a copy for free. Anybody out there in Hollywood listening----

I have to say this, quit the complaining. I also waited a long time for season nine. I also couldn't believe they changed the packageing on it so it didn't match. I also didn't like the changes made to the episodes. But I love this show and my relief that it appears the final three seasons will finally come out outways the negatives. The changes and the packaging don't keep me from laughing out loud while watching this show. I also accept that there will probably be a complete 11 season set that will be a heck of a lot cheaper than the combined original sets. It might just have all those features everybody is so upset are not included in these DVD's. If that doesn't happen, oh well. I still will enjoy this series for what it is and be grateful CBS even bothered to release these last few seasons after the first 8 sold so poorly.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Cheers as part of what was the best Thursday night in Television, I haven't been buying the DVD's. I suppose it's a case of remembering the magic, and being able to see re-runs rather readily. However, I would like to propose a DVD set to the fine folks at Paramount that I would buy in a heartbeat. How about packaging all the opening teasers for each episode and titling it "Cheers Shots". As each bit was a stand alone that had nothing to do with the plot of a given episode, this would be a collection of comedy moments unlike any other. How about it Suits?