Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Soaplover" data-source="post: 424276" data-attributes="member: 336">I think the Diane years was the show at it&#039;s strongest and tightest... but I think the Sam/Diane thing overshadowed the rest of the characters and it was becoming too much of a Rom Com instead of an ensemble comedy.&nbsp; Had Shelley Long not opted to leave after season 5, I predict the show would done with Sam/Diane what Friends did with Ross/Rachel... have the two have a season or two where they&#039;re friends.. then restart the will they/won&#039;t thing again... rinse/lather/repeat.With Shelley Long leaving after season 5, the show had the opportunity to reset and refocus the show out of water element with the arrival of Rebecca played by Kristie Alley.&nbsp;&nbsp; After about a season of the show trying to recreate Sam/Diane with Sam/Rebecca... the show wisely realized the potential of making Rebecca more like the rest of the eccentric/oddball patrons of Cheers and it truly became the ensemble show starting around season 7 or so.Some say the show lost the tight focus after season 7... but I think the show was adapting to the late 80s/early 90s type of comedy.. which differed from the more high brow early to mid 80s comedy.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Soaplover, post: 424276, member: 336"] I think the Diane years was the show at it's strongest and tightest... but I think the Sam/Diane thing overshadowed the rest of the characters and it was becoming too much of a Rom Com instead of an ensemble comedy. Had Shelley Long not opted to leave after season 5, I predict the show would done with Sam/Diane what Friends did with Ross/Rachel... have the two have a season or two where they're friends.. then restart the will they/won't thing again... rinse/lather/repeat. With Shelley Long leaving after season 5, the show had the opportunity to reset and refocus the show out of water element with the arrival of Rebecca played by Kristie Alley. After about a season of the show trying to recreate Sam/Diane with Sam/Rebecca... the show wisely realized the potential of making Rebecca more like the rest of the eccentric/oddball patrons of Cheers and it truly became the ensemble show starting around season 7 or so. Some say the show lost the tight focus after season 7... but I think the show was adapting to the late 80s/early 90s type of comedy.. which differed from the more high brow early to mid 80s comedy. [/QUOTE]

Verification

Who played JR Ewing?