Cheerfully Misunderstanding Deixis on the Screen: Coach is his (Nick)name and... TV/Series, Hors séries 2 | 2022 awards for writing, direction and outstanding actress 10 -two signs that the sitcom was probably headed for a bright future (and Cheers eventually moved its way up to become one of the top-ten programs of the 1980s and early 1990s). And indeed, in 1984 and later, more and more people turned on their television on Thursday nights for what NBC promoted as "The Best Night of Television

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... n Television" to watch The Cosby Show, Family Ties and Cheers -Cheers eventually making its way to the top ten most-watched programs according to Nielsen audience ratings and staying there for eight years in a row 11 . For eleven seasons, the sitcom, set in the eponymous Boston bar, revolved around an ensemble cast, composed of womanizing former baseball player Sam Malone, who also happens to be the owner and head tender of the bar; Carla Tortelli, its sarcastic waitress; "Coach" Ernie Pantusso, the second bartender (replaced by Woody Boyd from season 4 onwards); Norm Peterson, Cliff Clavin and Frasier Crane, three regular bar patrons (Norm and Cliff from season 1, Frasier from season 3); Diane Chambers, the bar's (rather snobbish) waitress and one of Sam's love interests for the first four seasons; Rebecca Howe, bar manager and waitress in the last seven seasons. Early on, the relationship between Sam and Diane became central to the show, and some argue that the sitcom notably "helped introduce TV audiences to the viability of will-they, won't-they relationships 12 ". Yet, other characters participated in making the show what it was, namely "Coach" Ernie Pantusso. Ernie Pantusso (played by Nicholas Colasanto) was the second bartender of Cheers for the first three seasons (1982-1985) -his character is written out at the beginning of the fourth season, after Colasanto's passing in February 1985, as also having died. He is best remembered as "Coach", which is the nickname that everybody uses at the bar because Ernie Pantusso used to be a baseball coach (notably with the Boston Red Sox). And the bartender is clearly not used to being called Ernie -to the point that he needs to be reminded that his name is Ernie Pantusso in S01E01: COACH ( Holding the phone receiver). Cheers. Yeah, just a second. (Addressing the customers in the bar.) Is there an Ernie Pantusso here? SAM (With a friendly tone.) That's you, Coach. COACH (To the person on the phone). Speaking.