A remake of the iconic sitcomCheersis in development.Cheersran for eleven seasonsand 275 episodes, the NBC comedy is regarded as one of the most influential series in television history. It helped turn the large cast, led by Ted Danson as Sam Malone, into icons of the medium. It was a ratings favorite and an awards juggernaut, including 117 Primetime Emmy nominations, which has sometimes lent itself to the premise being adapted for different countries.
Deadlinereports thata British remake ofCheersis in the works. The project hails from Big Talk Studios, which is behind the BBC-Prime Video mockumentary showThe OutlawsThe remake will be adapted by Simon Nye, a British writer known for the 1990s seriesMen Behaving Badly.The remake is not yet greenlit, but Nye will be the showrunner if it is. Big Talk is in the early stages of pitching an adaptation, with leading Big Talk executive Kenton Allen noting that the opportunity to adapt the series is a “huge honor” and acknowledging that it’s a “huge challenge.”
The British Remake Might Be The Most High-Profile Cheers Adaptation
There Have Been Other Attempts
If it moves forward, the British adaptationwon’t be the firstCheersremake. Back in 2011, a Spanish adaptation debuted. It was set in an Irish pub, with Alberto San Juan playing a version of Sam Malone. In addition to using the iconicCheerstheme, recorded by Dani Martin,otherCheerscharacterssuch as Woody, Diane, and Norm also had their counterparts.
There has been a stage adaptation ofCheers, titledCheers: Live on Stage, which debuted in 2016 in Boston.
Although an Irish version ofCheerswas developed at one point, the project ultimately did not move forward. If the British version avoids that fate and actually gets an official pick-up, it will likely be the most high-profile project due to itspotential to reach an international audience.
Our Take On A Cheers Remake
It’s A Sign Of The Premise’s Appeal
The mostwell-remembered sitcomstap into something everyone can relate to. Despite some very specific aspects toFriends,Seinfeld, andCheers, both in terms of setting and characters, they’re all ultimately universal. But whether that can then bridge to a successful adaptation remains to be seen. It may be that the familiarity and hardened warmth of the world created by Glen and Les Charles and James Burrows is difficult to capture but very easy to enjoy.
Cheers
Cast
One of the most well-known American sitcoms of the 1980s and 90s, Cheers is primarily set in Boston at the Cheers bar, and features and ensemble cast that includes Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Pearlman, Kelsey Grammer, and George Wendt. Danson’s Sam Malone acts as the bar’s proprietor, and episodes depict the lives of Cheers' staff and patrons during the bar’s operating hours. The series ran for 11 seasons and gave rise to popular spin-off shows such as Frasier.
