Kelsey Grammer's Ideal Vision For Frasier's Future Is Quite Ambitious
When the "Frasier" revival was first announced there was a series of inauspicious developments. First, no one from the original series, including Niles actor David Hyde Pierce, wanted to return for the reboot, which left just Kelsey Grammer to reprise his role as the lovably stuffy psychiatrist. Then, Grammar himself, who was coming off 2020's incomprehensibly bad "Money Plane," added to the general air of concern surrounding the show by voicing his not-so-modest opinion that Frasier alone was the key to the original sitcom's success.
This would have been disquieting enough by itself had there not already been a general sense that "Frasier" 2023 was yet another nostalgia play in our nostalgia-mad monoculture. Add all that together and the build-up to the show's debut was far from the joyous and triumphant celebration that fans of the original sitcom no doubt hoped would accompany the return of their beloved Dr. Crane.
Once the revival show hit Paramount+, however, things didn't seem all that bad. At least, not at first. The inaugural episode featured a touching homage to the late John Mahoney, who played Frasier and Niles' father on the legacy series, and the new cast wasn't quite the stellar ensemble we all knew and loved but there was room to grow. Unfortunately, cracks began to show as things developed, with the new ensemble failing to display any of the charisma and sharp comedic sensibilities of their predecessors. Then, surprisingly, the 10-episode run wrapped up with a classic "Frasier" farce that not only brought back Roz actress Peri Gilpin but hinted there was still life yet in the nascent series. In fact, if you ask Grammer himself, things are just getting started.
A Decade of Dr. Crane?
After his unfortunately immodest comments about his character being the key to show's success, has Kelsey Grammer been chastened by his experience of trying to wring the "Frasier" magic from a show that simply can't compete with the original? Well, apparently not. Not only did the actor have the gall to suggest his revival series was "funnier" than its predecessor, he's also convinced this new incarnation of the golden age sitcom could potentially go on indefinitely.
Speaking to Variety about the forward trajectory of "Frasier" 2023, the 68-year-old said:
"I think we should go to another 100 episodes at least. There's enough groundwork laid between these human beings; they are wonderful characters. I want to see where they go. And I want to see what happens to Frasier."
"Frasier" 2023 debuted with 10 episodes. If there are indeed further seasons and they similarly comprise 10 installments, that would take this character into another decade of Dr. Crane shenanigans. Judging by the muted response to the revival show, which was ultimately neither disappointing nor remarkable, that might be a tad ambitious. But then, so was the original "Frasier," which spun off Grammer's character from "Cheers" — one of the most celebrated sitcoms in TV history — and made an equally beloved long-running series out of it. Still, the lackluster start to this new series doesn't exactly suggest we'll be seeing a full decade of it, moving forward.
Is there even going to be a season 2 of Frasier?
I'm being a tad harsh on Kelsey Grammer. While he's made some unfortunate comments about this revival project, and generally seems oblivious to the fact that it isn't anywhere near as good as the original (how could it be?), he's also done a damn fine job of picking up the role he left behind some 20 years ago. Ironically for me, Frasier Crane really is the best thing about this 2023 revival series, but that's just because the key to the original show's success was the ensemble cast, who are no longer part of the show. Still, it has to be said that Grammer's portrayal of the titular psychiatrist remains brilliant.
What's more, the actor seems genuinely protective of the character. He's been making the press rounds, choking up seemingly every time he talks about the show and what it means to him. Grammer also had significant input on the "Frasier" revival, directing three episodes and surrounding himself with some very capable "Frasier" alumni, including "Cheers" co-creator and veteran director of the original series, James Burrows, who oversaw the first episode of the new show.
Even if the revival has struggled, then, the leading man's efforts do seem to have ensured the show wasn't a complete write-off as soon as it debuted. Speaking about a potential season 2, the actor told The Hollywood Reporter:
"We haven't really cracked a storyline yet for season two. We haven't really gotten into that stuff, but we probably will fairly soon. I believe we have a home at Paramount+ for several years to come, and we certainly have several ideas for it."