Phoef Sutton Movies
- 2003
Based on the long-running British TV series of the same name, the NBC sitcom Coupling was clearly designed to fill the gap that was about to be opened by the departure of the network's popular ensemble piece Friends. The difference here was that the sexual shenanigans on Coupling had a lot more edge, and were heaps more complicated and controversial, with a group of basically selfish, unlovable Manhattan thirtysomethings perpetually seducing and/or betraying one another. Steve (Jay Harrington) fell in love with Susan (Rena Sofer, replacing the pilot episode's Melissa George), but was still attached to Jane (Lindsay Price). Susan was the ex-girlfriend of Steve's best friend, Jeff (Christopher Moynihan), and also of Patrick (Colin Ferguson). As for Patrick, he currently carried a torch for Susan's best friend, Sally (Sonya Walger, replacing the pilot's Emily Rutherfurd), and on and on and on it went. When it debuted on September 25, 2003, Coupling became something of a cause célèbre, with a number of special-interest groups complaining about the frankness of the series' sexual scenes and situations; critics were not as bothered by the series' raciness as by the fact that it failed to live up to the standards of the British original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rena Sofer, Jay Harrington, (more)
A poor woman is the beneficiary of a case of mistaken identity in this comedy. Luckless Connie (Ricki Lake) leaves home to move to New York, only to find herself stuck with no job, no money, and a louse of a boyfriend (Loren Dean) who gets her pregnant and abandons her. Despondently taking a train back to Boston, Connie meets Hugh and Patricia Winterbourne (Brendan Fraser and Susan Haskell), a wealthy couple also expecting a baby. Patricia notices Connie admiring her wedding ring, and lets her try it on; moments later, the train jumps the tracks, and Connie wakes up in a hospital to discover that the staff thinks she's Patricia Winterbourne, who died in the wreck along with Hugh. The Boston Winterbournes, led by sharp-tongued Grace (Shirley MacLaine), had never met Patricia, so they have no way of knowing that Connie isn't Patricia. While Connie isn't trying to cheat anyone, it doesn't take her long to realize that this isn't a bad environment for raising her baby, especially after she meets Bill Winterbourne, Hugh's twin brother (also played by Fraser). Mrs. Winterbourne was based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich, previously filmed as No Man of Her Own and J'ai Epouse Une Ombre. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley MacLaine, Ricki Lake, (more)
Robert De Niro is Gil Renard, baseball fan from hell. Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes) is the player he is nuts about. No sooner does the talented Rayburn sign a huge contract with the San Francisco Giants, than everything in his life goes horribly wrong. Not only does his field play deteriorate along with his batting average, but someone murders his chief team rival. It's not revealing too much to say that Gil killed him, in the mistaken belief that he was doing Bobby a favor. When superfan Gil insinuates himself into Bobby's everyday life, the situation grows much worse, because this fixated nut-case has some very strange ideas about family solidarity. Amusing highlights come from John Leguizamo as a ballplayer's agent, and Ellen Barkin as a radio sports announcer. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Wesley Snipes, (more)
- 1991
In their ongoing efforts to conceive a child, Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) spend a night at a no-tell hotel. Despite the fact that they don't really love one another, the couple has determined that this will be The Night. But a round of bizarre dreams about the future -- and their future offspring -- give our hero and heroine a bad case of second thoughts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) wants to convert the back room of Cheers into a tearoom. Though he's dead set against the idea, Sam (Ted Danson) strikes a deal with her: If she can rake in 500 dollars in one night, the room is hers. Hoping to entice her customers into spending their hard-earned cash, Rebecca relies upon the succulent seductions of Woody's (Woody Harrelson) special chili, while Sam goes into a five-alarm snit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Picking up where season nine left off, the tenth season of Cheers began with Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) reluctantly agreeing to be the mother of Sam Malone's (Ted Danson) child. Romance did not enter into the picture: Both Rebecca and Sam were responding to the incessant ticking of their respective biological clocks. Ultimately, the consummation never came off, and the two agreed to stay friends, and friends only. Having spent several seasons as a recurring character, Lilith Sternin-Crane (played by Emmy-winner Bebe Neuwirth) was elevated to "also starring" status, although she still did not appear in every episode. Meanwhile, Lilith's husband, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), finally grew the beard that would remain his trademark until the series finally breathed its last. Season ten concluded with the series' first hour-long episode, in which Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) and Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson) were married. The event was deemed worthy of a TV Guide cover -- and it certainly did not disappoint, filled as it was with such last-minute complications as a dead minister and a gun-wielding jealous husband. Having attained the number one slot during its previous season, Cheers dropped back to fourth place, tied with ABC's Home Improvement. For the first time since the series debuted in 1982, Cheers was not honored with an Emmy, although it earned eight nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
Season nine of Cheers picked up where the eighth had left off, with Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) poised to consummate their newfound romance on the couch in Sam's office. "Interruptus" came in the form of Rebecca's billionaire boyfriend Robin Colcord (Roger Rees), now on the lam from the law for illegal stock trading. Gradually, Sam came to realize that his relationship with Rebecca was not to be -- although upon agreeing to marry the newly-released Robin, Rebecca developed an acute case of cold feet at the very last minute, leaving her technically free for a unique "business arrangement" dreamed up by Sam. Elsewhere, Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) continued juggling careers as a bartender and actor, and also persisted in his romantic relationship with wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson), despite the interference of Kelly's amorous French acquaintance Henri (Anthony Cistaro). Sam Malone likewise had a new nemesis in the form of the imperious John Hill (Keene Curtis), landlord of the building housing Cheers and the owner of the posh restaurant Melville's, which occupied the building's second floor. After babysitting for new parents Frasier and Lilith Crane (Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth), a profoundly affected Sam decided that he, too, would like to be a father. It so happened that he had also selected the perfect mother for his child: Rebecca. And on this discordant note, season nine came to a close. This was the year that Cheers finally graduated to number one in the ratings, enjoying a 21.3 share. It also earned four more Emmys -- Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Direction (James Burrows), Outstanding Lead Actress (Kirstie Alley), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (the second such honor for Bebe Neuwirth) -- not to mention nominations in nine other categories. And finally, this was the year that former series regular Shelley Long returned -- albeit briefly, and at a considerable distance from her former co-stars -- during an NBC special celebrating Cheers' 200th episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
- 1990
Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) has high hopes for a romantic day with her zillionaire sweetheart Robin Colcord (Roger Rees). In fact, she has planned this special day down to the minutest detail. But what Rebecca hadn't planned on was that Robin would prefer to spend the day indulging in a series of childish competitions with Sam (Ted Danson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
With Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) out of the picture, an overworked Sam (Ted Danson) hires a new manager for Cheers, a likeable fellow named Earl (Bryan Clark). Before long, Earl has become the most popular person in the establishment, which greatly depresses Sam when he learns that Rebecca is so desperate for work that she has been reduced to modeling in an auto show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Season eight of Cheers ended with Sam (Ted Danson) and Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) on the sofa in his office, poised to consummate their new-found relationship. Season nine opens "the morning after" (more or less), with Rebecca staunchly denying to everyone -- including herself -- that she has slept with Sam. When Rebecca's ex-zillionaire boyfriend Robin Colcord (Roger Rees), now a fugitive from justice, suddenly shows up, he begs Rebecca to tell him that nothing went on between her and Sam -- prompting a surprising response from Sam. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) says she is willing to marry Robin (Roger Rees), even though he has indulged in illegal insider trading. Worried that Rebecca will be implicated in her boyfriend's crimes, Sam (Ted Danson) blows the whistle on Robin and is rewarded by his corporate bosses with the ownership of Cheers. Convinced that Sam's motives were mercenary, Rebecca refuses to have anything to do with him -- at least until the cliffhanger which brings the eighth season of Cheers to a close. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson), the wealthy girlfriend of bartender Woody (Woody Harrelson), seems underwhelmed by his birthday gift to her. In trying to impress Kelly, Woody quickly discovers that there are things far more important than material items (and so, for that matter, does Kelly). Meanwhile, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) tries to change her image -- and improve her chances for promotion -- by using Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) as a role model. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
The pregnant Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) becomes obsessed with the notion of sparing her child the horrors of big-city civilization. Thus, she coerces Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) to "become one with nature" by moving into a rustic cabin in the deep, deep woods. Back at Cheers, workaholic Woody (Woody Harrelson) is forced to take his annual vacation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Sam (Ted Danson) wants to own a bar again, but Cheers is presently beyond his reach. Thus, he settles for a smaller, run-down establishment (euphemistically described to him as a fixer-upper) where the only "customers" have four legs and hairy bodies. Meanwhile, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) pursues her campaign to get multimillionaire Robin Colcord (Roger Rees) in the sack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
As Cheers entered its eighth season, viewers began to wonder if the long-awaited romance between Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) would ever blossom. Certainly Rebecca had not backed down from her determination to marry into wealth, as witnessed by her torrid relationship with Trump-like billionaire corporate raider Robin Colcord (Roger Rees). Perhaps hoping to prove his value in Rebecca's eyes, Sam spent most of season eight trying to buy back Cheers -- only to realize this goal in a most surprising fashion. In other developments, psychiatrists Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) became parents with the birth of baby Frederick. Not long afterward, the much-married Carla (Rhea Perlman) became a widow when her hockey-star husband Eddie LeBec died in a freak accident; Carla's grief quickly turned to rage when she discovered that, not only had Eddie been unfaithful to her, but he'd had another wife in another town all along. Meanwhile, the romance between guileless bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) and wealthy Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson) continued along its bumpy but generally satisfying path. The season came to a riotous conclusion when Rebecca's boyfriend Robin was arrested for illegal insider training -- with Sam turning Colcord in out of fear that Rebecca would be implicated. Out of gratitude, the corporation that owned Cheers gave the bar to Sam as a present, leading Rebecca to conclude that Sam had blown the whistle on Robin out of greed. But before Rebecca could renounce Sam once and for all, the couple found themselves locked in a very amorous embrace on the couch in Sam's office -- at which point the seventh season reached its cliffhanger ending. Cheers returned to third place in the ratings during the 1989-90 season, beaten out only by The Cosby Show and the sophomore season of Roseanne. Three Emmys were bestowed upon the series: Ted Danson finally copped a statuette as Outstanding Lead Actor in a comedy; Bebe Neuwirth (not yet a an "official" regular) won as Outstanding Supporting Actress; and the series' sound-mixing team (Robert Crosby, Thomas J. Huth, Sam Black, and Robert Douglass) walked away with its fourth award. Finally, although Cheers spawned no spin-offs this season, it can be said to have godfathered a similar ensemble sitcom assembled by two former Cheersstaffers: Wings, which began a long and healthy run in April 1990, and in the Thursday-night time slot following its "parent" series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
Although, at 22 episodes, the seventh season of Cheers' was the series' shortest since 1983, there was no lack of fascinating plot developments nor any shortage of colorful new characters. Having lost her job as manager of Cheers, Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley) swallowed her pride and went to work as the subordinate of the bar's new manager (and former owner) Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam continued hoping to make his relationship with Rebecca personal as well as professional, but she wasn't buying. Determined to land a man of wealth who could advance her career, Rebecca was unflagging in this mission. More successful in affairs of the heart were psychologists Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), now husband and wife -- with a baby on the way. Bartender and erstwhile actor Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) also found the love of his life, a pampered young socialite named Kelly Gaines (Jackie Swanson). Postal worker Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) endured the first of three amorous confrontations with mixed-up Margaret O'Keefe (Annie Golden). And Carla (Rhea Perlman) began to wonder if she could place her trust in her oft-absent hockey player husband Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas). Perhaps because the series' seventh season began relatively late (October rather than September), Cheers slipped slightly in the overall ratings, from third to fourth place. Even so, the show was again honored generally at Emmy time, with Perlman taking home her fourth Outstanding Supporting Actress statuette and Harrelson winning in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category. (There were also four other Emmy nominations). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, (more)
- 1988
Hospitalized for appendicitis, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) is miffed when none of the Cheers gang pays him a visit. Figuring that his abrasive personality has driven away his friends, Cliff returns to the bar a newer, kinder, gentler man. Once they've gotten over the shock of this transformation, Cliff's chums begin to miss the obnoxious blowhard they all know so well. Meanwhile, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) braces for an interview with a Boston lifestyles magazine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Evan Drake (Tom Skerritt) invites Sam (Ted Danson) to spend the weekend on his yacht. Naturally, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) assumes that Sam will bring her along, convinced that Evan wants to make passionate love to her on the high seas. Instead, Sam's date is another girl named Julie (Dorothy Parke) -- and the result is very nearly the greatest maritime disaster since the Titanic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In the first episode of a two-part story, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) tries to keep the libidinous Sam (Ted Danson) at arm's length by explaining that she will only date men who can advance her career. Rebecca soon has cause to regret her resolution when her new boss (Alex Nevil) turns out to be many, many years younger than she. Now she must keep her baby-faced boss from making advances -- to do this, she claims that Sam is her fiancé. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Carla (Rhea Perlman) is none too thrilled that she is about to become a grandmother. Hoping to get Carla out of her funk, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) throw her a teenage-style slumber party. Alas, the festivities do nothing to improve Carla's mood -- until Cliff (John Ratzenberger) saves the day with a bit of unexpected slapstick that brings out the little kid in everyone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Nobody believes Woody (Woody Harrelson) when he claims to have gotten a bit part on the Boston-based TV series Spenser: For Hire. The gang continues to have a laugh at Woody's expense until a certain Big Name shows up to verify his claim. Meanwhile, a practical joke -- involving an orangutan and a paintbrush -- puts a strain on the friendship between Norm (George Wendt) and Cliff (John Ratzenberger). Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) holds a ladies-club meeting that falls apart disastrously. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
To placate Woody's nervous parents back in Hanover, IN, the Cheers gang sets out to prove that Woody (Woody Harrelson) has not been corrupted by bad old Boston. To this end, they produces a home movie, allegedly depicting a typically "normal" day in Woody's life; but as so often happens in show business, the film loses track of its original message during the production process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Upon finding evidence of the loving 40-year relationship between the elderly couple (Billie Bird, Douglas Seale) who formerly owned the house that she and Sam (Ted Danson) have purchased, Diane (Shelley Long) feels miserable about taking the couple's place. To assuage her conscience, Diane talks Sam into throwing a farewell party for the former owners, complete with "surprise" guests. There are surprises, all right, but not the kind that Diane was hoping for. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Cliff (John Ratzenberger) insists that his plain-Jane girlfriend Sally (Karen Akers) pretty herself up a bit. But when she does, she begins neglecting Cliff in favor of other eligible bachelors, including Sam (Ted Danson). Elsewhere, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) has taken up smoking again, but is determined to kick the habit, even if it means kicking everybody else in the head. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
