‘Cheers,’ ‘Elsewhere’ Players Reunite

In the ‘80s, everybody knew their names: the casts of “Cheers” and “St. Elsewhere,” one of that decade’s best comedies and one of its best dramas.

Tonight, NBC is getting those acting bands back together, if only for one episode each of the venerable “Frasier” and the up-and-coming “Scrubs.” Like, gnarly.

On “Frasier” (9 p.m.), the good radio doctor (Kelsey Grammer) and family fly to Boston for a business conference, only to run into Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) as they deplane. It’s a little-known fact that Cliff, the postman who always brings twice as much misinformation as mail, is retiring and moving to Florida, and there’s a party that night. The festivities give ample opportunity for Carla (Rhea Perlman), Cliff, Norm (George Wendt), Paul (Paul Willson) and Phil (Philip Perlman) to deliver one-liners in the classic tradition of “Cheers,” the series that begat “Frasier” (Cliff: “Hey, so what’s going down, Norm?” Norm: “My blood-alcohol level. Suds, do your work”).

Interestingly enough, the going-away party takes place in a hotel, not the bar, which Sam has booked for a Red Sox event. (This apparently explains Sam’s absence too. Though you never know: Perhaps, a la Ted Danson on CBS tonight, he was off communicating with the spirit of Coach.)

Whereas this is a reunion episode in the typical sense, “Scrubs” (9:30 p.m.) takes a more sly approach to nostalgia. In fact, most of the episode revolves around the usual hilarious misadventures of the show’s three medical interns: J.D. (Zach Braff), Turk (Donald Faison) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke).

Yet the cameo appearance of “St. Elsewhere” regulars William Daniels, Ed Begley Jr., Stephen Furst and Eric Laneuville as doctors taken ill at a convention, comes across as a subtle homage to the history of hospital TV series. The quartet isn’t playing the same characters from the old show (in fact, Laneuville portrayed an orderly back then). But as the four spout medical terminology and humorously interact with the young doctors, they prove to be masters of allusion.