View Full Version : Frasier coming back
MovieBuffering
04-22-23, 02:58 AM
Whoa. So Frasier is one of my favorite shows ever. I knew Kelsey was flirting with bringing it back and then the pandemic happened and squashed it. I didn't realize they are in the middle of shooting the revival already. Was skimming through reddit and saw people talking about going to tapings so looked it up and sure enough they are up and running.
https://parade.com/1170764/paulettecohn/frasier-reboot/
I have mixed feelings on this. None of the original cast is coming back for regular cast roles unless you want to count Lilith. I'm sure most will drop back in like the Cheers cast did in Frasier. This climate today is no good for comedy sitcoms to thrive like they did during the show's original run. However if it does some how touch anywhere near the original show it will be the best comedy out right now. Reboots/revivals usually always suck.
The only thing that gives me hope is Kelsey cares too much about the character to let it be atrocious. I know Burrows is directing some episodes. Apparently Fraiser will be back in Boston, they are bringing back Lilith and they cast his son. I think he might be a college professor now which will provide plenty of ammo like his talk show did. If they go the route that Frasier's son grew up to be a sports loving dude like Frasier dad that would be a funny dynamic. I sincerely doubt it can reach the heights of the original which I cherish...but I will certainly give it a try. Here's to hoping it isn't trash.
Like you, I am a big fan of "Frasier" and I also quite liked "Cheers", the show in which Frasier Crane originally appeared. I feel like it's more likely than not that this will prove to be a mistake. Beyond making money, I really don't see why Grammer is so interested in doing this. "Frasier" is one of the most well respected comedies of all time, and certainly of its era of the 90's. It ran for 11 seasons already, still holds up, and I thought it ended well. The idea that it can be rebooted twenty years later with only one series regular original cast member returning strains credulity. Also, it appears based on your post that they've populated the cast with mostly unknown to American audiences actors. One cast member is popular in the UK, but not here, and the rest of the supporting cast I've never heard of. John Mahoney, who played the Dad, has also since passed away. A huge part of the appeal of "Frasier" was the chemistry between the family and how they played off of each other, and the dynamic will be completely different with a new cast. Also, part of what didn't work for me with the "Will and Grace" reboot, which was popular during a similar time as "Frasier," is that it just wasn't entertaining to see the cast acting as immature as they did in their 50's. They had not matured at all, and Kelsey Grammer is now close to 70. Since "Cheers" also had a completely different cast and storyline, and "Frasier" was a spinoff of that, Kelsey Grammar does have a history of successfully evolving the character, so I'm holding a sliver of hope that he can do it again, but I think most signs are pointing to this being a bridge too far, which will likely struggle to match anywhere near the quality or success of either original show.
Gideon58
04-22-23, 12:07 PM
As much as I loved Frasier, like the OP, I have mixed feelings about this too. Why would anyone be interested in rebooting the show with new cast members, not to mention the fact that John Mahoney (Martin Crane) is no longer with us. The reboots of Will & Grace and Murphy Brown were disastrous and I really don't see this working either.
MovieBuffering
04-22-23, 01:05 PM
As much as I loved Frasier, like the OP, I have mixed feelings about this too. Why would anyone be interested in rebooting the show with new cast members, not to mention the fact that John Mahoney (Martin Crane) is no longer with us. The reboots of Will & Grace and Murphy Brown were disastrous and I really don't see this working either.
Yea I am keeping my expectations low on it but I am curious and will watch. If he brings any of the writing staff from the original show maybe it has a chance. I am just very fearful in this climate of sitcoms it sinks to their level. I did find an interview with Kelsey on youtube a couple months ago were he said the studio gave them a bunch of notes and he said he would rather not do it then take them. So again I think he cares about the character enough to at least make it decent. Just stay out of the identity stuff, it's just not funny, and focus on making the characters interesting like they did on the original.
I know he said David Hyde wasn't interested in playing Niles again and Jane Leeves is on another show. If they can make Fraiser's son interesting it might have a chance.
MovieBuffering
04-22-23, 01:08 PM
Also I just wanna say. Someone get in Jerry and Larry's ears and tell them to do just one season of Seinfeld, just one, where they are all retired in Del Boca Vista :lol:
MovieBuffering
04-22-23, 01:18 PM
The idea that it can be rebooted twenty years later with only one series regular original cast member returning strains credulity. Also, it appears based on your post that they've populated the cast with mostly unknown to American audiences actors. One cast member is popular in the UK, but not here, and the rest of the supporting cast I've never heard of. John Mahoney, who played the Dad, has also since passed away. A huge part of the appeal of "Frasier" was the chemistry between the family and how they played off of each other, and the dynamic will be completely different with a new cast.
Agreed the original cast chemistry was crazy good. They will have to really nail his son's character to have any chance. Again I thought it would be neat if his son took after Martin. Having Lilith back in the main cast also helps. Their dynamic was always funny. I'd personally rather them try with a whole new cast then ruining the run they had with the old one. The old cast can pop in for an episode here and there as well.
John Dumbear
04-22-23, 02:24 PM
Fun Fact:
Remember reading once that Kelsey channeled his portrayal of Frasier by watching Major Charles Winchester of M*A*S*H fame.
KeyserCorleone
04-23-23, 12:20 PM
We'll see. You can't really "ruin" Frasier.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zffv-FCEYM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zffv-FCEYM)
Thoughts on your impressions and how this looks to you based on this recently released trailer? It premieres next month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz--6tGukuw
skizzerflake
09-14-23, 04:40 PM
We wil see. Of course the preview moment will try to lead us to recognize the old Frasier, but can they actually "reboot" the series? How about Cheers while we're at it? Boston is still there and has been for a long time, so that part is easy.
I have my doubts and truthfully, it has a lot to do with age. The characters in the old shows could credibly be seen as saloon regulars whose lives crossed out in the real world, but given their age now, that would not work as well. I'm sure the writers know that, so they will have to formulate a back story to elucidate all of these lost years, come up with entirely new characters and plot lines, so, with that, at his age, Frasier would mainly be set decoration, a lot like a rebuilt version of the Cheers bar....oh, yeah, Boston HAS one of those. The last time I was there, I made a point of having lunch in the place.
https://www.cheersboston.com
dadgumblah
09-14-23, 09:36 PM
Frasier is one of my favorite all-time shows and y'all are right---the great thing about it was the chemistry between all the characters/actors. It can't be repeated. I saw the video above. I'm out. I'll stick with the reruns.
John Dumbear
09-15-23, 12:49 AM
It seemed to work well with "Night Court"...
honeykid
09-15-23, 08:29 AM
Frasier is Frasier. Whatever this is, and it could be great, it won't be Frasier. I feel a bit like I did with Pirates of the Caribbean when I heard they were making a sequel. Why? Obviously money, but otherwise, why? I had no interest in seeing any of the sequels and I never have, despite loving the first film, I have no real interest in seeing more Frasier and, unless I stumble upon it, I probably won't. But if I do, it won't be Frasier.
Austruck
09-15-23, 11:42 AM
I hope all these new characters aren't just ridiculous trope caricatures. Trailer seems... well... I'm cautiously optimistic. Heavy on the caution.
John Dumbear
09-15-23, 11:46 AM
Thoughts on your impressions and how this looks to you based on this recently released trailer? It premieres next month.
Well, looks like it doesn't totally stink...
It doesn't look like a complete train wreck based on the trailer, but it's not going to be the same, and I think that's one reason that it will likely fail. Firstly, sitcoms in particular are products of their times, and the culture has shifted, and social mores and values are no longer the same as what they were in the 1990's. The character of "Frasier" is much older now, so there will be an inherent tension between keeping him the same, and evolving the character, and watching "Frasier" do some of the things he did when he was in his 40's when he is now close to 70 will likely not be as entertaining. To me, "Frasier" sounds the same, and Kelsey looks like he's pulled off the performance, but everything around him is wildly different. With none of the original cast returning as series regulars, and us being in a different time now, I think it's just too much change. Additionally, although this is a small thing, it may be indicative of a larger issue, his apartment looks garish and not something that I could ever see "Frasier" living in. "Frasier" had a pretty classic and elegant style, and his place as depicted in the trailer is not representative of that. The original creators are also not headlining this rebooted show. This indicates to me that the salary for the show likely didn't go to the sets, most of the actors, or the writers, which doesn't bode well for what will likely turn out to be a misguided effort. I'll watch the first couple of episodes when they premiere on NBC to see what I think. I could be wrong, and I'd be happy to be in this case. The series is largely being shown on Paramount +, which I don't have.
This has now premiered both on Paramount + as well as on CBS. The first two episodes of the 10 episode season were on CBS. Did anyone watch? What were your impressions? This thread had more feedback on the show than the other, newer one, so posted this here, Yoda. Feel free to consolidate, if desired.
I'll start this off. I've watched the first three episodes. Kelsey still convincingly portrays the character, and his acting is the best thing about the show by far. In my opinion, though, everything else about the show doesn't work. The acting is bad, several of the characters are miscast, the writing is mediocre, the sets look cheap, and they've made the character of "Frasier" less sophisticated and sillier. The tone of the show is much closer to "How I Met Your Mother" than it is to the original show, which is not surprising, as the creators of this show worked on "How I Met Your Mother", but it is disappointing. It felt to me like this show was made with a younger, less educated, less learned demographic in mind. I like how part of the story is centered around him developing a better relationship with his somewhat estranged son, as it is inspired by the original premise of the show, but there's nothing really to recommend about the show. So, in summary, Kelsey is good, everything else about the show is bad, and my instincts, from my perspective, were right, that rebooting this show in this form was an error in judgment. Hope others here enjoy it more than I have! Happy watching.
Gideon58
10-19-23, 06:49 PM
I haven't seen it yet, but I have seen some of the commercials for it, and I would agree that Kelsey Grammer's acting is probably going to be the best thing about it. From what I've seen, the guy playing Frasion's son, Freddie, is terrible.
I agree. The actor they cast was not the right choice to play Frasier's son. His acting, to me, is at times cringe worthy. The only person in the show other than Kelsey that can actually act is the British guy who plays Frasier's friend, but to me, he kind of belongs in a different show. He seems to be an odd fit here. The actor who played Frasier's son in the original series is actually still a working actor, so I'm not sure why they didn't choose him to play the son, as to me that would seem to be a nice tribute and a tie in to the original show. It could be that this is because the version of Freddie that is in the new show is actually quite different than his original character. He was a minor supporting character that was not in the show that much, but I remember Freddie being closer to his father in terms of his personality. He was intelligent, and at times, socially awkward.
Austruck
11-04-23, 06:06 PM
I'm caught up on the available episodes so far (five). I binged them while doing light computer work on the other monitor.
Not sure how I feel about it, though. Kelsey Grammer is indeed the best thing about the show. The nephew isn't bad, once he got past that first appearance at the airport, which was over the top silly. Still, it impressed upon me that he's good at physical comedy and timing, and he's had some fun moments since. He has just a hint of Niles's personality around the edges, which seems to be on purpose.
The British professor has good timing and is droll but predictable. Then again, they're all predictable. The woman dean is cringe-worthy--I'm still not sure how they're presenting her, really. Is she smart but enamored of Frasier's persona? Is she NOT smart (she's already done some dumb things)? I dunno. She's hard to read, partly because the actress is playing her from every possible angle.
Frasier's son feels stereotypical and very bleh. There's nothing that makes him stand out to me. He's clearly there only as a foil to Frasier but I don't care about his character at all.
And if Frasier is back in Boston, why is he now frequenting a bar that KINDA seems like Cheers but obviously isn't? There have been oblique references to that bar he used to hang out in too much... but he's usually mentioning it while he's IN THIS NEW BAR.
Five episodes in and I'm pretty sure everybody is quickly becoming a one-trick pony: professor who hates his work and drinks expensive scotch. Son who's a sort of blue-collar worker constantly feeling as if he has to defend his choices. Son's female friend who is clearly the possible future love interest, depending on how the show wants to play it. It just won't be as good as the Sam-and-Diane tension from Cheers, though. Nephew is the goofy virginal clueless one who's too enamored of his uncle's notoriety (which comes up a few times an episode at this point). Woman dean of the psych department who fawns over Frasier and doesn't seem at all like she knows anything about psychology or being a dean.
I think at this point I'll keep watching the new episodes, but only in the background as I'm doing other light work so the time doesn't feel completely wasted.
dadgumblah
11-06-23, 02:39 AM
You can put it in spoilers if need be but have they said what happened to Frasier's relationship with the dating agency woman that he ended the series with? She was played by Laura Linney.
In the first episode, they mention that she left him around the time of his TV show ending, so they are no longer together in the series.
dadgumblah
11-10-23, 05:44 AM
AKA23 Thanks! :cool:
Gideon58
11-11-23, 05:58 PM
https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/frasier-cast-2023-new-characters.jpg
Finally got around to watching the pilot for this reboot and, to be kind, it was terrible. I expected a lot more from Glen and Les Charles, who created the character and the show that was his birthplace, Cheers. They've kind of kept the character on a pedestal, having spent 25 years as a talk show host and is now returning to, believe it or not, Boston to teach at Harvard. They even had Frasier mention that he spent a lot of time in a bar in Boston in his previous life and purposely not mention Cheers. Seemed like a slap in the face to me. As expected, the relationship between Frasier and son Freddy is all screwed up. It initially looked like they were going to do something bold and make Freddy gay, but they pulled it out and did something much more conventional. Grammer's supporting cast is nothing to write home about...Jack Cutmore-Scott is kind of one note as Freddy and Anders Keith is beyond annoying as Niles and Daphne's son, David. I might check out one more episode, but don't hold your breath on that.
https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/frasier-cast-2023-new-characters.jpg
I might check out one more episode, but don't hold your breath on that.
I've watched several of these and thought the 6th episode, "Blind Date", was the best one and closest to the feel of the original show, so if you're trying to figure out which episode to watch, I'd try that one. It had a similar kind of absurdist humor and also a lack of clarity on who the woman was there to date that reminded me of earlier episodes and interactions between Niles and Frasier. I agree with you completely that this reboot as a whole is nowhere near the quality of the "Frasier" of old. "Frasier" had smart, sophisticated humor that was a cut above other shows of the era, in my opinion, and I'm not seeing much of that in this reboot. I think the biggest problem is the casting, followed by the writing. Kelsey Grammar is still great in the role.
Gideon58
11-16-23, 06:36 PM
OK, just finished watching ep 2 and I'm still not impressed. And is it me, or all of the sets really ugly? Frasier's apartment in particular is kind of gaudy. It looks like a dorm room. Even without the hockey table. Kelsey Grammer deserves better than this.
Gideon, why didn't you watch Episode 6, like I suggested? I'm curious. Do you not have Paramount Plus? It was the best episode, by far.
The sets are all ugly. I agree with you, but I think that might be due to two reasons, one they didn't want to spend the money to have nice sets. Secondly, this might be due to personal decor preference. I don't have a contemporary or modern style, so Frasier's apartment, for example, just looks garish to me. What I think is less arguable and not due to personal preference is that the style is very different than he had in the original show. You see the same thing with the clothing that he wears. It's still expensive, but a lot more casual. I'm not really sure why they made this decision, to have him wear jeans, casual shoes, zip ups and the like. I can't see the character doing that. He always wore a suit and tie. His style as depicted is that of a much younger person as well, which doesn't make a lot of sense as he's close to 70 in the show. Perhaps they meant to signify that he is less up tight than before with these choices, and not as concerned about things that are more trivial as he might have been when he was seeking to prove himself during the original run of the show. He is definitely more self-assured now.
Gideon58
11-18-23, 01:58 PM
It just didn't feel right skipping five episodes. But maybe I will watch it.
Gideon58
11-18-23, 03:33 PM
OK, watching ep 6 six right now. First of all, June Diane Raphael is good enough an actress that she could have been given a character name other than her real life first name. Was June not supposed to know who she was there to date? Why was June acting like a victim? OK, it was better than the first two eps but still not good enough to keep me watching. I'm out.
Takoma11
11-18-23, 04:49 PM
Every time I consider checking out an episode, I remember that John Mahoney won't be there and I get sad.
OK, watching ep 6 six right now. First of all, June Diane Raphael is good enough an actress that she could have been given a character name other than her real life first name. Was June not supposed to know who she was there to date? Why was June acting like a victim? OK, it was better than the first two eps but still not good enough to keep me watching. I'm out.
Glad you thought that it was better than the first two episodes, but yeah, the only reason to really watch this show is to see how the "Frasier" character develops and how they may portray him differently than they did before, and to see whether when this show ends he reaches a contentment or a happiness that he may not have had before. Or, to see whatever characters from "Cheers" or the original "Frasier" show up and hear about how they are doing. Lilith and Roz are supposed to be guest starring this season. It's not worth watching in and of itself. If it were a stand alone show not connected to a character that I loved, I definitely wouldn't watch it. If you didn't like Episode 6, I think that's the best this series may have to offer, so you not watching any more makes sense to me!
Gideon58
11-20-23, 01:28 PM
For me, I realized what it comes down to is Frasier and Niles. For me, Frasier and Niles were the heart of the original show and I can't think of two actors who were more convincing television brothers than Grammer and David Hyde Pierce, and without Pierce, I'm just not feeling this.
Well, this is a mistake! :(
https://tvline.com/news/frasier-renewed-season-2-paramount-plus-revival-kelsey-grammer-1235172057/
For those that gave up on watching Season 2, I think this season has had the two best episodes of the show in the last couple of weeks. It's still a shell of its former self and I don't think it was worth revisiting as a sequel series, but these have definitely been the two best episodes of the sequel series to date. One involves Bebe Glazer, Frasier's manager from the first series, coming back, and the other episode centers around Roz. I think they realize the show is weak so they're trying to bring back people from the old series to compensate for that.
WHITBISSELL!
10-18-24, 07:56 PM
Finished up S9 of my rewatch of the original. 2 more seasons and 48 episodes to go. Haven't seen the new one. I may check out the first episode which is available for free.
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