Give Me a Ring Sometime
Encyclopedia
"Give Me a Ring Sometime" is the title of the pilot
and premiere episode of the hit NBC sitcom Cheers
. The episode first aired on September 30, 1982. The show finished dead last in the ratings in its first season. Despite this, writers and co-creators, Glen
and Les Charles
, won the Emmy Award
in 1983 for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for this episode.
opens up the bar, a couple enters. Professor Sumner Sloane and his Boston University
student and fiancée Diane Chambers
are to go to Barbados to be married, but Sumner's ex-wife still has the ring he wishes to give Diane as a wedding ring. Sumner asks Sam to keep an eye on Diane for him while he goes to retrieve it.
Sam tries chatting up Diane but she is not interested. The other employees at Cheers arrive for work: waitress and single mom Carla Tortelli
, and bartender Ernie Pantusso, who is known by the nickname "Coach" and was Sam's baseball coach back in the days when Sam was a relief pitcher for the Red Sox. Diane meets the Cheers employees, and waits patiently while Norm Peterson
, Cliff Clavin
, and other barflys talk bar trivia. As the bar gets busier and more people wonder who she is, Diane feels increasingly uncomfortable and out-of-place in the bar's blue collar
environment, and she hopes for Sumner's speedy return.
Sumner comes back a few hours later, saying that he has been unable to convince his ex-wife to give him the ring. But then, his ex-wife calls, apparently saying she has had a change of heart. Diane says that she would prefer to forget about the ring and just proceed to the airport, but Sumner is insistent, so he once again leaves the uneasy Diane in Cheers while he goes to see his ex-wife. Before leaving, he asks Diane to call the airport and book them on a later flight.
Once again, Sumner is gone a long time, and Diane starts to worry that he may have left her. She tells her problems to Sam, who thinks Sumner is "goofy". When Diane defends her fiancé by belittling Sam in comparison to him, Sam momentarily loses his temper and pointedly tells her that Sumner is probably on a plane with his ex-wife. This comment strikes directly at the fear Diane has already been harboring in her own mind, even as she professes that she is certain of Sumner's return. Sam immediately realizes his words have hurt the vulnerable Diane and tries to apologize, but she is too upset to accept the apology and prefers to discontinue their conversation altogether. Given the time that has passed, Diane calls the airport again to book Sumner and herself on a still later flight, but is told that "Mr. and Mrs. Sloane" have already left.
Heartbroken, Diane prepares to go home, but realizes she now does not have a job (she was Sumner's teaching assistant). Feeling sorry for her, Sam offers her a job at Cheers as a waitress. Given her pampered upbringing and educational background, Diane initially scoffs at the idea of becoming a waitress. But upon further consideration, she realizes that with no completed college degree and no non-academic work experience, she is not qualified for anything else. She reluctantly takes the job and is welcomed into the Cheers family.
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
and premiere episode of the hit NBC sitcom Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
. The episode first aired on September 30, 1982. The show finished dead last in the ratings in its first season. Despite this, writers and co-creators, Glen
Glen Charles
Glen Gerald Charles was born on February 18, 1943 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He attended the University of Redlands, California and earned a B.A. in English. Charles began his professional life as an advertising copywriter, but moved into television. He began his television career with his brother, Les...
and Les Charles
Les Charles
Les Charles was born in Henderson, Nevada. He attended the University of Redlands, California and earned a B.A. in English. Charles began his professional career as a high school English teacher, but moved into television....
, won the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1983 for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series for this episode.
Plot outline
As owner Sam MaloneSam Malone
Sam "Mayday" Malone is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Ted Danson. The central character of the series, Sam is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball team who owns Cheers and tends bar there. He is a recovering alcoholic and...
opens up the bar, a couple enters. Professor Sumner Sloane and his Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
student and fiancée Diane Chambers
Diane Chambers
Diane Chambers is a fictional character portrayed by Shelley Long on the American television show Cheers , and on several episodes of the subsequent Cheers spin-off Frasier...
are to go to Barbados to be married, but Sumner's ex-wife still has the ring he wishes to give Diane as a wedding ring. Sumner asks Sam to keep an eye on Diane for him while he goes to retrieve it.
Sam tries chatting up Diane but she is not interested. The other employees at Cheers arrive for work: waitress and single mom Carla Tortelli
Carla Tortelli
Carla Maria Victoria Angelina Teresa Apollonia Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, known as Carla Tortelli, is a waitress on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Rhea Perlman. Outwardly, at least, Carla is a mean-spirited woman who expresses disdain for many people...
, and bartender Ernie Pantusso, who is known by the nickname "Coach" and was Sam's baseball coach back in the days when Sam was a relief pitcher for the Red Sox. Diane meets the Cheers employees, and waits patiently while Norm Peterson
Norm Peterson
Hillary Norman "Norm" Peterson is a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by George Wendt. Norm's real first name was revealed to be Hillary, named after his grandfather....
, Cliff Clavin
Cliff Clavin
Clifford C. Clavin, Jr. is a character on the American television show Cheers, co-created and portrayed by John Ratzenberger.- Character history :...
, and other barflys talk bar trivia. As the bar gets busier and more people wonder who she is, Diane feels increasingly uncomfortable and out-of-place in the bar's blue collar
Blue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
environment, and she hopes for Sumner's speedy return.
Sumner comes back a few hours later, saying that he has been unable to convince his ex-wife to give him the ring. But then, his ex-wife calls, apparently saying she has had a change of heart. Diane says that she would prefer to forget about the ring and just proceed to the airport, but Sumner is insistent, so he once again leaves the uneasy Diane in Cheers while he goes to see his ex-wife. Before leaving, he asks Diane to call the airport and book them on a later flight.
Once again, Sumner is gone a long time, and Diane starts to worry that he may have left her. She tells her problems to Sam, who thinks Sumner is "goofy". When Diane defends her fiancé by belittling Sam in comparison to him, Sam momentarily loses his temper and pointedly tells her that Sumner is probably on a plane with his ex-wife. This comment strikes directly at the fear Diane has already been harboring in her own mind, even as she professes that she is certain of Sumner's return. Sam immediately realizes his words have hurt the vulnerable Diane and tries to apologize, but she is too upset to accept the apology and prefers to discontinue their conversation altogether. Given the time that has passed, Diane calls the airport again to book Sumner and herself on a still later flight, but is told that "Mr. and Mrs. Sloane" have already left.
Heartbroken, Diane prepares to go home, but realizes she now does not have a job (she was Sumner's teaching assistant). Feeling sorry for her, Sam offers her a job at Cheers as a waitress. Given her pampered upbringing and educational background, Diane initially scoffs at the idea of becoming a waitress. But upon further consideration, she realizes that with no completed college degree and no non-academic work experience, she is not qualified for anything else. She reluctantly takes the job and is welcomed into the Cheers family.