Jackie Swanson Movies

Baldwin Jones (Henry Simmons) gets into a racial confrontation with new ADA Valerie Haywood (Garcelle Beauvais-Nillon) over a case involving a dead Russian, his bigoted wife, and a black gardener. Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) calls in his old friend, Chinatown detective Harold Ng (Tzi Ma), to make sense of a heated dispute between two Chinese street-gang leaders -- a move that leads to a kidnapping investigation and a stakeout at a restaurant. Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) knows she loves Danny (Rick Schroder), but she can't get the late Bobby Simone out of her mind. And Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) bristles at the notion of taking computer training. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

What do you get when you combine a Western with a Science Fiction film? You might get this shoot'em up in space. It is set in the distant town of Oblivion (it was actually filmed in Romania). Though it's a high tech town, it has the feel of an old fashioned Western outpost from the 1800's. The town is being terrorized by the snakelike, power-mad Redeye who is also out for the contents of local mines. He shoots the sheriff and disarms Stell Barr, his cyborg deputy. Enter Zack Stone, son of the late Sheriff Stone. Zack is of a rare breed, the empaths. Because he feels the pain of others, he walks a path of non-violence. Can he remain pacifistic in the face of Redeye's terrifying reign? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Carla's careless daughter Serafina (Leah Remini) has to get married before she begins to "show." Though Carla (Rhea Perlman) is not too upset over Serafina's pregnancy, she is outraged at the girl's wedding plans. It seems that Serafina wants her father, Carla's disreputable ex-husband Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya), to walk her down the aisle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Now that Woody (Woody Harrelson) has been elected city councilman, Carla (Rhea Perlman) offers to tend bar at Cheers. What follows is a long night of drunken revelations thanks to Carla's mystery mixture of strong stimulants. When the sun comes up, Carla knows that she's slept with someone at the bar -- but can't remember who. This is the episode in which ubiquitous supporting player Paul Willson finally takes center stage. "It's Lonely on the Top" was the last Cheers episode produced, but not the last to be shown. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Originally telecast as a two-hour special (including a 25-minute retrospective of series highlights), the famous final episode of Cheers has since been re-edited as three separate half-hour installments for syndication. In part two, Sam (Ted Danson) persuades Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) to pose as his wife during an evening out with his old heartthrob Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), who brings along a "husband" who is about as authentic as Sam's spouse. Although the evening is a disaster, it serves to rekindle the fires of passion between Sam and Diane. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The mystery of Cliff's (John Ratzenberger) missing (and possibly murdered) mother is finally solved. After making the assumption that Kelly's (Jackie Swanson) wealthy father Mr. Gaines (Richard Doyle) is enamored with her, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) is in for a shock when she learns Gaines' true motives for inviting her to his home. Originally a one-hour episode, "Rebecca Gaines, Rebecca Loses" has since been re-edited as two half-hour programs for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Although Cheers had dropped from first to eighth place in the ratings from 1990 to 1992, its 11th and final season still enjoyed a very healthy viewership; in fact, its closing episode ranks as the fourth highest-rated series finale in TV history. Highlighting the show's climactic season was the new design for Cheers (necessitated by a fire precipitated by a chain-smoking Rebecca [Kirstie Alley]); the breakup of the marriage of Frasier and Lilith Crane (Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth); the election of newly-married Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) to Boston's city council; and the very last scene of the very last show, in which the garrulous Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) finally revealed the meaning of life: "Shoes." The biggest event of season eleven was, of course, the long-awaited return of former series regular Shelley Long as Diane Chambers, which occurred during the aforementioned two-hour finale (actually 90 minutes if one discounts the series retrospective that ran just before the episode, itself). Now a successful TV writer, Diane was invited back to Boston by Sam Ted Danson, whereupon they both spun tall tales about their nonexistent happy marriages before coming to the realization that they were still very much in love. Once again, Sam proposed; once again, Diane accepted; and once again, the marriage never came off, prompting Sam to close Cheers permanently. While the bar's customers and crew pondered over their futures, the audience was assured that least one of the regulars, Frasier, would be headlining his own sitcom come September. Going out in a blaze of glory, Cheers won the last of its multitude of Emmy awards. On this occasion, the statuettes went to Danson (for the second time) and film editor Robert Bramwell, who had assembled the valedictory episode "One for the Road." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) eagerly anticipates a reunion with her high school sweetheart Mark, "the only man I ever loved." The gang at Cheers can't bring themselves to tell her how radically Mark has changed over the years (and since he is played by Harvey Fierstein, it should not be necessary to provide full details about his "transformation"). Meanwhile, Sam (Ted Danson) launches a support group with other people whose Corvettes have been stolen, and Kelly (Jackie Swanson) makes a bid to be one of "the guys." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In Cheers' hour-long tenth season finale, Woody (Woody Harrelson) and Kelly (Jackie Swanson) experience last-minute trepidations about getting married -- but this doesn't stop them from a bit of pre-nuptial hanky panky. When the big day finally arrives, the loving couple must overcome such matrimonial roadblocks as a terrorized chef, a gun-toting outraged lover, and a dead minister. This episode is currently available in syndication as either a one-hour "special" or two half-hour installments. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Prosky guest stars as Admiral Franklin Howe, Rebecca's (Kirstie Alley) father. Convinced (and not without reason) that his daughter is living a life of dissipation, Howe insists that she move back to San Diego with him. On the subject of moving, Kelly (Jackie Swanson) refuses to transfer her belongings to her husband Woody's (Woody Harrelson) shabby Chinatown apartment. Ethel Kennedy, of all people, makes a cameo appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Restauranteur John Hill (Reid Shelton), the pompous bête noire of Sam Malone (Ted Danson), suffers a heart attack. Much to everyone's surprise, Hill's current amour Carla (Rhea Perlman) seems sublimely indifferent to her lover's condition. But Cliff (John Ratzenberger) can't be bothered with this emotional intrigue; he's convinced that his new neighbor is Adolf Hitler. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Sam (Ted Danson) is unprepared for the adventure awaiting him when he agrees to babysit for the son of Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). Meanwhile, Woody (Woody Harrelson) frets and fusses when wide-eyed Kelly (Jackie Swanson) goes to work at Cheers as part of a school project. Twin children Christopher and Kevin Graves make their first joint appearance as little Frederick Crane. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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, Rovi