Although Ted Danson is still best known forCheers, the actor’s more recent cult hit sitcom proves that he had a bigger range than viewers might expect. Ted Danson’s role asCheers' bartender, Sam Malone, was a big part of what made the show work. The ‘80s sitcom boasted an incredible supporting cast including George Wendt, Rhea Perlman, and future superstars Woody Harrelson and Kelsey Grammer, but it was Danson’s chemistry with co-star Shelley Long that made the series sing. Thebest episodes ofCheersproved the pair were irreplaceable, but this doesn’t mean the series fulfilled their entire potential.
Cheers' Upcoming Remake Is Almost Impossible To Get Right & Another Legendary Sitcom Proves It
The news of an upcoming British reboot of Cheers should be exciting but one famous sitcom proves translating comedy across the Atlantic can be tough.
As the world-weary, cynical barman Sam, Danson was often called upon to play the straight man to the supporting cast’s line-up of funny guys. This gave characters like Woody Boyd and Frasier room to become sitcom icons, but it also inevitably limited Danson’s own comedic potential. For all ofCheers’ great guest stars, some of the show’s strongest moments came from Danson’s protagonist cutting loose and showing off his stranger side. Similarly, Danson’s role in theThree Men and A Babyfranchise highlighted how funny he was in goofier roles, as did a major hit later in his career.
Ted Danson’s Role In The Good Place Shows His Acting Range Way More Than Cheers Did
Cheers Didn’t Showcase Danson’s Range The Way The Good Place Did
Danson’s role as Micheal inThe Good Placeproves that he was wasted inCheersdespite how popular the series was throughout its original run. As Michael, the campy architect who designed the titular Good Place, Danson played a more offbeat, playful character than Sam Malone and nailed the role. WhenThe Good Placeseason 1’s iconic twistrevealed the real origins of the titular setting, a new side of Danson’s character was revealed and the extent of the actor’s range became even more obvious. As the metaphysical sitcom continued, Danson made the character more complex and comical.
It was Michael that proved Danson’s range was broader than viewers might have reasonably assumed.
However, he never lost touch with the initial quirkiness and absurdity that made Michael so funny and, crucially, so utterly unlike the character that made Danson a household name. Danson’s subsequent roles in NBC’sMr Mayorand Netflix’sA Man on the Insidetapped into some similarly goofy instincts, but it was Michael that proved Danson’s range was broader than viewers might have reasonably assumed.The Good Placegradually made Michael a more complicated figure, with the architect going from a supporting mentor role to a villainous one and back. This helped earnThe Good Placeits impressive 97%Rotten Tomatoescritical rating.
Cheers' Sam Malone Is Iconic, But Ted Danson’s Recent Work Is Some Of His Best Ever
AlthoughCheerssaw Danson emerge as a great everyman actor, the star’s most recent work proves that this role left a lot of his potential untapped. Danson is now as well known among one generation of viewers for his role asThe Good Place’s comical Michaelas he once was for the role ofCheers’ straight-talking barman. This has not just paved the way for more roles than explore the actor’s campier side but has also allowed the star to prove he is more than merely Sam Malone. Years afterCheers, Danson has proven himself a versatile comedic actor.
