Ep 1. Birth, Death, Love and Rice

In the season 4 premiere of Cheers, titled "Birth, Death, Love and Rice," the gang at Cheers gathers to celebrate Carla's new baby. But the celebration is cut short when Sam receives the devastating news that his former girlfriend, Diane, has died in a freak accident. As Sam struggles to process his grief, the rest of the gang tries to keep him grounded, with mixed results.

The episode kicks off with Carla's water breaking, as she yells hysterically for someone to call a cab. The gang at Cheers rallies around her, with Coach promising to drive her to the hospital himself. But as they're about to leave, Diane's former fiancé, Reed, walks into the bar with startling news: Diane has died in a bizarre gardening accident, and it's left Sam reeling.

As the gang reunites in the bar to process the news, tension builds between Sam and Reed, who can't help but brag about how happy he and Diane were in the years since she left Boston. Meanwhile, Carla is in labor and gives birth to a healthy baby boy, but her joy is short-lived as she realizes the gravity of Diane's passing.

Despite their differences, the gang bands together to help Sam through his grief, with Woody even giving a touching eulogy at Diane's funeral. Meanwhile, Cliff decides this is the perfect time to propose to his girlfriend, Margaret, and hilariously bungles the whole thing. But amidst all the chaos, it becomes clear that life goes on, and that even in the face of tragedy and loss, there's always something to celebrate.

As always, the actors shine in their roles, particularly Ted Danson as the tortured Sam and Nicholas Colasanto as the affable Coach. Shelley Long's absence as Diane is strongly felt, but the episode does an admirable job of paying tribute to her character without dwelling too much on her absence. And of course, the witty banter and comic relief of characters like Norm and Cliff keeps the episode from becoming too heavy.

Overall, "Birth, Death, Love and Rice" is a solid season premiere that sets the stage for the rest of the season, while also grappling with big themes like love, loss, and the passage of time. It's a reminder that even in a show about a Boston bar, life is messy and complicated, but also full of moments worth savoring.