Danson earned per episode as Sam Malone during the last few years of "Cheers". In the final season of "Cheers" (1992–93), Danson decided to stop portraying Sam Malone, which contributed to the end of "Cheers". Danson said about the way the character changed, "He got older, you know ... writers tried to make him Sammy again. But he's 45 now. I'm 45. It's OK to be chasing around when you're 37. But when you're 45, it's kind of sad to be chasing around that way." The producers tried to continue the show without Ted Danson, and they attempted to move the show to the first-run syndication, but these ideas were shelved.