Input From Kelsey Grammer Completely Changed The Premise Of The Frasier Reboot
Frasier is back, and while the new revival show is neither disappointing nor remarkable, it's at least managed not to sully the legacy of Frasier Crane. The original show remains a beloved sitcom, running for 11 seasons between 1993-2004 and following the character's exploits in his native Seattle. At the end of that series, the titular psychiatrist jets off to Chicago where, we learn from the revival show, he hosted a "Dr. Phil"-style talk show for many years. After his TV career ended and his marriage broke down, however, the lovably pompous doctor decided to head for Paris to write a new book. But in the first episode of the "Frasier" reboot, he stops in Boston to visit his son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott) and is convinced to stay, not just to take up an offer of employment at Harvard, but to reconnect with Freddy and make up for years of shaky fathering.
Of course, there's more to the significance of Boston as a setting. Back in 1984, the character of Frasier Crane first debuted in the season 3 premier of "Cheers," serving as a love interest for Shelley Long's Diane Chambers. He was initially supposed to leave the show after a few episodes, but Kelsey Grammer's performance quickly made it impossible to say goodbye to the good doctor, and he became a series regular right up until the show ended in 1993 and Frasier was given his spin-off series.
All of which makes the new "Frasier" revival a nice way to frame the character's journey, ending things where they began all those years ago in Boston. Due to the satisfyingly symmetrical nature of the whole thing, you might think the writers had things planned from the outset. But if it weren't for Grammer himself, the revival series would have actually looked a lot different.
Back to Beantown
The revitalized "Frasier" tries hard to do justice to its predecessor, even while its protagonist embarks on a whole new phase of life unaccompanied by any of the supporting cast from his previous show. New addition, British comedy legend Nicholas Lyndhurst, nicely fills the gap left by David Hyde Pierce, who chose not to return as Frasier's brother, Niles, and the first episode respectfully mourns the loss of John Mahoney, who played Frasier and Niles' father on the original series. The show being set in Boston also lends it a faint familiarity, with Frasier wasting no time in poking fun at "Cheers," and perhaps hinting at future potential cameos from erstwhile stars of the esteemed sitcom. But if it wasn't for Kelsey Grammer, none of this would have been possible.
Speaking to the Seattle Times, writer and co-showrunner Joe Cristalli explained that at one point the producers were considering setting the "Frasier" revival in New York City. But it was Grammer that stepped in and suggested Frasier return to his roots by going back to Boston. Cristalli said, "Once we hit on that, knowing that this was going to be about Frasier trying to reconnect with his son — [Boston is] where we last left Freddy and [ex-wife] Lilith and that's where Freddy grew up."
Cristalli expanded on the genesis of the show's setting in a Variety interview, saying:
"Kelsey was like, 'You know what? He's got unfinished business in Boston. He's not happy with the self he was in Boston. Let's bring him back to Boston,' That's ostensibly where his son would still be living, and that's where he grew up. It really clicked into place then. There were a lot of stops and starts but we ended up, I think, in a pretty good place."
Grammer's love for Frasier
The first episode of the "Frasier" revival is, much like the original show, a nice mix of comedy and heart that functions as quite a sweet coda to Frasier Crane's on-screen exploits. After that, the series does seem to struggle a bit, often straying from the balance struck in the initial episode and taking things a tad too far into absurd territory. All of which is to say that while the return to Boston seems like a nice idea for the show, it doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the ideas always measure up.
That said, Kelsey Grammer, who also executive produces the new series, clearly has a love for the character he's played on and off for the past 40 years, and obviously wants what's best for him. The actor can be seen in a behind-the-scenes featurette almost breaking down in tears during a speech thanking the studio audience for attending the taping of the season premiere. But that doesn't always translate into a show worthy of the Frasier name.
Still, while some reviews have been unrelenting in their condemnation of this revival show, Grammer's love for the character is clearly evident in the writing, and saves "Frasier" 2023 being set in Boston — and the show itself — from coming across as a purely cynical nostalgia play.