5 Greatest Sitcom Kisses Of All Time

3. Sam Malone & Diane Chambers - Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvl8JRyiYis Episode: 1.22 - "Showdown, Part 2" I apologize for the video above; I couldn't find a regular clip of the scene in question. The above video is the best I could find; you can see a fair amount of the scene discussed below from 1:04 to 1:17. Everybody who's had any experience regarding love has been in that relationship that you know is going to be rocky, but you can't help but enter into it because you care about the other person so much that common sense takes a backseat. You're on and off more often than a light switch, and every time you break off the relationship, you promise yourself that you'll never get together again, that you don't have the time for that kind of pain. However, you know, in the back of your mind, that if the chance ever came up, you'd get back with them in an instant. Case in point: the relationship between bar owner-and-operator Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and his cocktail waitress, Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). It's hard to think of two people who could be more different, but it all boils down to one big difference: Sam's street smarts and womanizing ways just don't jibe with Diane's book-smarts and her feminist beliefs. The two constantly butt heads, especially during the first season; in fact, it seems as if the show's creators (James Burrows & Glen and Les Charles) didn't think of putting Sam and Diane together until halfway through the season, for that's when the romantic tension really begins to rise. It all comes to a head, however, in the first season's finale, the second installment of a two-part episode. When Sam's seemingly perfect brother comes to town, Diane becomes infatuated with him, and vice versa; in fact, Sam's brother likes Diane so much that he invites her to leave Boston and live with him. Diane's reluctant, however; she has feelings for Sam and, therefore, doesn't want to leave Cheers. After a long internal debate, she enters Sam's office, ready to tell him that she's leaving, regardless of how she feels. However, Sam, wrestling with romantic feelings toward Diane, isn't going to let her go without a fight; he berates her worse than he ever has before. Diane retaliates just as violently. As they fight, we can feel the romantic tension rise in the room, eventually getting to the point where even Sam and Diane can't deny their feelings anymore; they fall into each other's arms and share their first kiss. It's the contrast that makes this scene great; the scene's already riding high on emotion before we get to the kiss. In fact, the scene's getting so intense that we almost feel uncomfortable watching Sam and Diane argue. When they finally do lock lips, it's a nice release; not only are we getting a more pleasant intensity, but there's also a feeling of, "FINALLY! You two have got it together! Now stay this way!" Unfortunately, they weren't to stay together (due to Shelley Long's departure from the show at the end of the fifth season), but that's okay; at least we still have the brilliance that is Sam and Diane's first kiss.
 
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Alan Howell is a native of Southern California. He loves movies of any and all kinds, Hollywood, indie, and everywhere in between. He loves pizza, sitcoms, rock and pop music, surfing, baseball, reading, and girls (not necessarily in that order).