"
I Do, Adieu" is the fifth season finale of the
American television sitcom Cheers, written by
Glen and Les Charles and directed by
James Burrows. It originally aired on May 7, 1987 on
NBC at 9:00pm (
Eastern) / 8:00pm (
Central). During the fifth season,
Sam Malone (
Ted Danson) repeatedly proposes to Diane, and she refuses repeatedly until she accepts
engagement in "Chambers vs. Malone" (1987). In the previous episode, "A House Is Not a Home", Sam and Diane bought a house together. Before this episode aired,
Ted Danson decided to renew his contract with the show as
Sam Malone, while
Shelley Long decided to quit the series, which could conclude the on-and-off romance of "
Sam and Diane" that went on for the first five years since 1982. Ideas were attempted to write Diane off and to end the story arc, but some ideas were kept in and others thrown out.