Where Everybody Knows Your Name

I grew up in the '80s. There was a classic television show we enjoyed back then called Cheers. It was considered great television. I have fond memories of the characters. Sam was a recovering alcoholic who owned and ran the bar. He was also quite the ladies' man and a former baseball player. Coach was pouring drinks alongside Sam, and he was pretty dimwitted. We counted on something to be misunderstood by him, creating a snicker for us. Then there's Cliff, the postal worker who could spout trivia for just about every occasion. Norm, who we know to have a one-liner here and there, a bit sarcastic and cynical. Of course, when he walked in the door, the whole bar would shout "Norm." Carla is the feisty, short waitress, who hates Diane. Diane is the intellectual, fish out of water, waitress who no one would suspect to be a waitress. Do you know the show? Did you watch it? Did you love it? It's on Netflix and I could not resist re-watching it. It's probably been 25 or more years since I had seen it. I have fond memories of the show, including watching the final episode with the rest of the world and feeling like I was a part of history. And….. As I am re-watching it, I am finding something quite interesting. The storyline is dull, boring, and sometimes even stupid. Quick disclaimer, I am only in the second season….maybe the storyline gets better. And don't hate on me. It is only my opinion of course, but I am quite disappointed that the writing is far from brilliant. My memory of this show is that it was sooooo good. That's why it is a classic. Side note, as someone who was a kid in the 1980s, I was raised watching a lot of television. I am finding more and more reruns of shows from the '80s are not so great. Still, Cheers? I continue to watch Cheers, and not just because I keep holding out hope that the storyline will get better. I keep watching because I want to understand why I loved the show….why a lot of us loved it! I am developing a theory. We crave community. The bar is the community for the players in the show. We love to see them ban together when they need each other, even though they sometimes seem to hate each other. We love the warmth of everyone knowing our name and shouting "Norm" when we walk in. We love being annoyed as Diane talks about philosophy or collegiate. We love knowing there is a softer side to Carla's toughness. Do have a place where everybody knows your name? Have you already found your tribe, your group, your herd?