For millions of viewers, Ted Danson will always be Sam Malone, the charming bartender who helped make Cheers one of television’s most beloved sitcoms. But behind the laughter, Danson says his life looked very different when the show ended.

In a recent conversation, Danson admitted that his personal life was in such turmoil in 1993 that he “didn’t even realize Cheers was over.” He said he barely knew himself at the time and wanted to become more emotionally mature and change the way he was living.

More than three decades later, Danson speaks about that period with remarkable perspective. Rather than simply looking backward at his fame, he says he’s still focused on challenging himself and continuing to grow: “I’m still trying to get it right.”

For fans who remember spending Thursday nights with Sam, Diane, Norm and the rest of the gang, it’s a surprisingly personal glimpse at what was happening when the doors of Cheers finally closed.