Despite the limited information available, the Kelsey Grammer's uptight psychiatrist, Frasier Crane, as he returned home to Seattle. The offshoot went on to be as successful as its predecessor, and almost two decades since it ended its 11-season run, the titular high society radio personality is set to return via Paramount+'s Frasier revival. As exciting as this is, there are already some issues with how the project is being handled that should be a cause for concern.
Kelsey Grammer is spearheading the Frasier revival — aside from reprising his role on screen, he is also producing the TV series. For years, the actor has been trying to get the project off of the ground, and even though it was officially announced in 2021, only recently has the show finally received a full-series order. Story details on the Frasier reboot remain scant, except for the confirmation that the character will be in a brand-new city and that the rest of the original show's main cast (save for the late John Mahoney) will only be appearing as guests.
While the fact that Frasier is returning via the reboot is exciting, the team behind the project seems to be overvaluing the appeal of Kelsey Grammer's psychiatrist character. When Frasier Crane was introduced on Cheers, he was simply Diane's high-society fiancé. Like her, he was uppity and buttoned-up, with some narcissistic tendencies. Eventually, however, he got himself acclimated to the bar life enough that, despite Diane's departure in Cheers season 5, Frasier was retained and even promoted to series regular. Yet a big reason why he was so entertaining to watch as a character was because of the people around him. That was the case in Cheers as he mingled with the rest of the people in the bar, where he stood out because of his expensive taste, as well as in Frasier, where the main character's dynamic interactions with his equally snooty brother, Niles, and more blue-collar father, Martin, played a big part in the spinoff sitcom's success.
Can The Frasier Revival Survive Without The Rest Of The Cast?
NBC struck gold when they were able to come up with a great ensemble in Frasier after Kelsey Grammer left Cheers, but there's no guarantee that Paramount+ can do it again in the revival. Frasier Crane may not be able to carry a show on his own, and the reboot is taking a big risk by not securing David Hyde Pierce's Niles, Peri Glipin's Roz, and Jane Leeves's Daphne to return as series regulars. Granted that it's possible Paramount+ can assemble a new complementary ensemble around Grammer's Frasier, but it would be far safer to simply bring back the tried and tested cast for the new show.
At the very least, initial reports say that some of Grammer's previous cast mates will be appearing in a limited capacity. It's curious if that was always the plan since Pierce was initially against doing the revival. For what it's worth, Grammer believes he's the reason for Frasier's success, so he's confident even without the rest of the original show's cast that the Paramount+ reboot endeavor will be a hit. Hopefully, he's right.