Editing Sam Malone (section)

===Characterization and analysis===
Sam's on-screen relationships with Diane and Rebecca were inspired by works about the "mixture of romance and antagonism of two people, [portrayed by [[Spencer Tracy]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]]], in a competitive situation".<ref name="Dusty Saunders 1987">{{cite news|author=Saunders, Dusty|title=Many changes in store for 'Cheers'|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wfJJAAAAIBAJ&pg=1028%2C6034731|work=[[The Vindicator]]|date=July 31, 1987|page=12}}</ref><ref name="Cheers toast Howe">{{cite news|title=Crowd at 'Cheers' toasts new season with new boss|page=13|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TOZVAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=5563%2C1118776|work=[[The Register-Guard]]|publisher=TV Week}}</ref><ref name="Kathryn Baker">{{cite news|date=September 5, 1987|author=Baker, Kathryn|title=Long's departure has 'Cheers' cast on edge|work=[[Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina)]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1LIjAAAAIBAJ&dq=sam%20diane%20cheers&pg=5187%2C718316}}</ref>

Sam is subject to a satire of masculinity. He is described as "a sleazy, promiscuous, aggressive, exhibitionistic narcissist",<ref name=hundley219>Hundley, p. 219</ref> one of the "new macho [heroes]" of the 1980s pop culture, "the target of humor," and not a "likely [candidate] to lead the post-feminist counter revolution."<ref>Tankel and Banks. pp. 287–9.</ref><ref name="Miami Vice"/> A new macho hero of the 1980s is the opposite of a pre-1980s macho hero that "constituted an antifeminist backlash".<ref name="Miami Vice">Kibby, Marjorie. "[http://www.miamivicechronicles.com/representing-masculinity/ Representing Masculinity]." ''[[University of Newcastle (Australia)|The University of Newcastle]]'' [Australia] (1997). ''Miami Vice Chronicles''. Web. January 17, 2012.</ref><ref>Tankel and Banks. p. 286.</ref>

Steve Craig from the [[University of North Texas]] wrote in his 1993 journal that Sam is a parody of "traditional male values" and of a negative stereotype of masculinity. Craig wrote that Sam's attempts to define and exemplify "his version of masculinity" are satirized throughout the series "to explore gender identity" without threatening the viewer's own definition of one's own gender.<ref>Craig. pp. 15–6.</ref>  In his 2011 book ''[[Primetime Propaganda]]'', [[Ben Shapiro]], an American conservative commentator, called Sam "a dog, a feminist caricature of men", and a cultural representation of the "lower-class conservative," in contrast to portrayer Ted Danson, who identifies himself as  liberal.<ref name="Shapiro, Ben. p. 122">Shapiro, Ben. p. 122.</ref><ref>Shapiro, Ben. p. 122–123.</ref> Glen Charles, a creator of ''Cheers'', considered Sam "a spokesman for a large group of people who thought that [the women's movement] was a bunch of bull and look with disdain upon people who don't think it was".<ref name="Shapiro, Ben. p. 122"/>

Heather Hundley wrote that the series sends "double standards" about promiscuous men and women. Hundley said that Sam is portrayed as heroic.<ref name=hundley219/> She further wrote that Sam never suffers from consequences of his promiscuity and has been happily single and childless,<ref name=hundley219/><ref name=hundley217>Hundley, p. 217</ref> while it portrays Carla Tortelli as a "nymphomaniac"<ref>Hundley, p. 207</ref> who regrets her own promiscuities, which lead to out-of-wedlock pregnancies.<ref name=hundley218/> She said the series' portrayal of premarital sex is "negative and unhealthy", omitting other dangers of promiscuity such as [[sexually transmitted disease]]s and [[HIV/AIDS]].<ref name=hundley218>Hundley, p. 218</ref> Mark LaFlamme of the ''[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)|Sun Journal]]'' called Sam's relationship with Rebecca Howe "mundane" and his flirtation with her "bawdy".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sunjournal.com/news/street-talk/2013/10/23/street-talk-wearing-black-socks-and-leather-coat-b/1440294 |first=Mark |last=LaFlamme |title=Street Talk: Wearing black socks and a leather coat at the beach |date=October 23, 2013 |work=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)]] }}</ref>

Throughout most of ''Cheers'', Sam is "allowed to be happy [and to live] a rich life".<ref name="Hecht 235"/> Towards the end of the series' run, however, Sam undergoes therapy for sex addiction. In a 1995 episode of ''Frasier'' called "[[The Show Where Sam Shows Up]]", Sam is depicted as a self-identified sexual addict; he gets help from group meetings and commits to changing himself.<ref name="Hecht 236">Hecht, 236. ''[[Amazon.com]]'' Web. February 11, 2012 [https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Myth-Historical-Antidote-Working/dp/B002ECEHWO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328964346&sr=1-1#reader_B002ECEHWO]. Use search term "cheers sam" for results there.</ref>

Sam Malone has been compared with some of Ted Danson's later roles. In 1998, David Bianculli from ''[[New York Daily News]]'' called Danson's [[guest appearance]] as a plumber in ''[[Veronica's Closet]]'' Sam Malone's "close cousin: a confident womanizer, and not the brightest guy in the room".<ref name="Veronica's Closet">Bianculli, David. "[http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-02-05/entertainment/18074909_1_ted-danson-veronica-s-closet-shelley-long/2 Deja Coup: Kirstie & Ted Together Again 'Cheers' Alumni Meeting Brightens 'closet']{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}." ''[[New York Daily News]]'' February 5, 1998. Web. March 29, 2012.</ref> In 1999, Danson said that Sam Malone and John Becker (''[[Becker (TV series)|Becker]]'') are both "very lonely men".<ref name="Becker 1999">Meisler, Adam. "[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/12/arts/television-radio-aging-and-grumpy-but-with-a-bit-of-sam-malone.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm Aging and Grumpy but With a Bit of Sam Malone]." ''[[The New York Times]]'' December 12, 1999: 3. Web. March 29, 2012. [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/12/arts/television-radio-aging-and-grumpy-but-with-a-bit-of-sam-malone.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Whole article]</ref>