Frasier's Anthony LaPaglia Questions If There's A Place For Simon Moon In The Reboot
2023 was the year Frasier Crane returned to the small screen following a 20-year break. The "Frasier" revival brought Kelsey Grammer's beloved psychiatrist into the streaming era with a 10-episode series that saw the titular doctor return to Boston some 30 years after he left "Cheers" to star in his own sitcom. That sitcom would, of course, become one of the most celebrated examples of the genre, following Frasier as he started a new life in Seattle alongside his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), father Martin (John Mahoney), and their live-in housekeeper Daphne (Jane Leeves).
It was this supporting cast, along with Peri Gilpin as Frasier's talk radio show producer, Roz, that made the show a classic — though, calling them supporting characters isn't really fair. Despite Kelsey Grammer's not-so-modest opinion that his character was the key to the success of "Frasier," Niles, Martin, Daphne, and Roz were equally as important. Sadly, none of them chose to return for the revival, leaving Grammer to forge ahead with a new story and an all-new supporting cast.
The new cast is decent enough but capturing that original "Frasier" magic was always going to be nigh on impossible. Still, the new series did at least bring back a few familiar faces in cameo form, with Bebe Neuwirth returning for a guest role as Frasier's ex-wife Lilith. The season finale also saw the return of Gilpin as Roz, in a touching episode that also did a decent job of constructing a classic farce à la Frasier. Meanwhile, fans remain desperate to see David Hyde Pierce's Niles return, perhaps accompanied by his wife, Daphne. But there's an unlikely former "Frasier" guest star who's also eager to come back.
'I would do it in a heartbeat'
In season 7, episode 22 of "Frasier," we were introduced to Daphne's brother, Simon Moon. Played by Australian actor Anthony LaPaglia, the hard-drinking Brit traveled to Seattle for his sister's wedding, shacking up with Frasier and his father and causing untold chaos in the process. Simon would show up several more times throughout the show's run, becoming a recurring character right up until the 2004 two-part series finale "Goodnight, Seattle: Part 1."
Thus far, LaPaglia hasn't been in the conversation surrounding the reboot show. Now, however, the 64-year-old has inserted himself into the discourse by telling Fox News that he'd be delighted to return. The actor said:
"I would do it in a heartbeat. But I'm pretty sure that I'm not in the architecture of the new [series]. I think the new one will be slightly different. John Mahoney is not there, and I don't think David Hyde Pierce is in it either. I don't know what form it's taking, but I'm perfectly happy with what I did. It was great fun at the time. And sometimes revisiting things could spoil that memory. I hope it does well. I certainly want to know how it all unfolds."
It should be noted that John Mahoney is indeed, not there, but that's because the man passed away in 2018. The "Frasier" revival opened with a touching homage to the late Martin actor, after whom the bar in the new series — Mahoney's — was named. Meanwhile, it seems LaPaglia is keen to return as Simon Moon, while remaining cautious enough to echo David Hyde Pierce's own reservations about returning when he told Vulture, "I don't have a strong feeling that there's anything more that I can think of that I need to say about [Niles]."
Why not bring Simon Moon back to Frasier?
Despite the fact that Jane Leeves' Daphne isn't part of the revival show, Anthony LaPaglia wouldn't be the worst idea for a guest star. Not only was his bombastic character the perfect foil to Frasier's fussiness, LaPaglia actually won an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" for his work on the original show.
What's more, I'd take Simon Moon over any of the existing supporting cast. While British comedy legend Nicholas Lyndhurst has done a solid job as Frasier's old college pal, Alan, and no one in the cast is bad per se, none of them are anywhere near as endearing, likable, or funny as the original cast. If we can't get David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin, or John Mahoney back in any recurring capacity, why not bring old Simon back?
Apparently, Kelsey Grammer has rather ambitious plans for Dr. Crane, revealing that he'd happily churn out at least another 100 episodes if Paramount allows him. If that's the case, then surely Simon can slot in there somewhere? Either way, let's hope future seasons of the revival find some way of picking things up. The season finale did at least stack up well against other holiday-themed "Frasier" installments, so perhaps things will improve if the show does get another season — or several, if Grammer gets his way.