Frasier Revival Officially Ordered at Paramount+ With Kelsey Grammer — But Will the Rest of the Cast Be Back?
Paramount+ is serving up a fresh helping of tossed salad and scrambled eggs: The streamer has officially handed a series order to a Frasier revival, our sister site Deadline reports.
Kelsey Grammer will reprise his role as the snooty psychiatrist he originated on Cheers and then took to his own NBC spinoff, which ran for 11 seasons and won five straight Emmys for best comedy series. The revival was first reported in February 2021, with Grammer himself confirming the news. He’ll serve as an executive producer on the revival, with Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces) writing the scripts. The series order is reportedly for 10 episodes.
Frasier may not have his family and friends by his side this time, though: The revival finds him moving to a new city, just as he did at the start of Frasier, and surrounded by a new cast of characters. Original cast members David Hyde Pierce (Niles), Jane Leeves (Daphne) and Peri Gilpin (Roz) are “not expected to be series regulars, but could make guest appearances,” per Deadline. (John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s dad Martin Crane, passed away in 2018.)
Grammer said in July that they were “in the final stages of the final script for the first episode… and it looks pretty good,” teasing that Frasier “thinks he’s gonna go off and do one thing, and sure enough, his life takes him in another direction — and he ends up rich beyond his dreams.”
We’re now taking your calls: Will you tune in for a Frasier revival, even minus Niles, Daphne and Roz?
Frasier has become a recluse after ending his radio show. Niles is running a Spotify-esque company and gets market research that tells him he needs to release a podcast tailored toward older individuals (hey, it could happen…lol)
Niles convinces Frasier to join his company. The two instantly fight, but eventually are able to co-exist because “that’s what dad would have wanted”.
I’d have each episode of the show (and like Only Murders in the Building in turn the podcast) be Frasier talking about a lesson he learned from his father, as a way to honor the late Martin/John Mahoney.
If you set it up this way you can allow Niles, Daphne and Roz all be recurring characters if that’s what they want, and set Frasier up for different people to butt heads with.
This is an excellent idea!
Niles would never get involve with new tech like Spotify, he was a trained psychologist like Frasier after all. Tries Frasier’s son, he gets his Dad and uncle for a podcast
I am totally on board with this premise :D. Want to join the writing staff, by any chance?
I think we really need to see how the new show is set and to give a new cast of characters a chance. I think if a new set of characters can interact with frazier the way the old ones did and the story and back stories that are introduced are good ones this could work. Yes i will miss all the old characters but what made the show in my mind was the situations the writers set up for the acters to act. The interaction between them all was highly scripted and everyone in the cast gave something to each episode. If they are sticking to the original template but spinning the situations and characters it could be very successful and well liked.
I’m cautiously optimistic about this, since it’s easier to make a season of 10 good episodes than the old network standard of 24. Heck, maybe Frasier will even find a long-term girlfriend before he’s 70.
That sounds good in theory but it’s never true for sitcoms. It takes about 4 to 5 episodes to get in the swing of things, then they’ll want to try to do a high concept episode or 2 and the season is over, always sunny gives about 3 good episodes a year.
The old 26 episode season was way to go, if someone needed week off or they wanted a 1 off chrisas or holiday episode you got another 1 coming. I can think of very few sitcoms in 10 episode ock seasons that a go more than 3 seasons or b are remembered as classics
Veep.
I would still watch it. Cant wait
Sign me up!! Can’t wait!!
I think it needs a new title to distinguish it from the original.
otherwise no one will accept it without the original cast and dynamic.
I’d be surprised if “Freddy”, Frasier’s Son (who’d be 33 now, unless they play with the timeline a little due to the long development) WASN’T a character on the show.
The interplay between the different personalities of Frasier with his dad was a strong point of the original – and I suspect Freddy will NOT be like his Dad or Uncle Niles…perhaps a personality closer to his mother, Lilith? Who knows.
I rather he be blue collar like Martin.
I can’t see a kid raised by Frasier and Lilith growing up to be a Martin.
Alex P Keaton.
Definitely not a Martin.
Alex P Keaton was a conservative republican, raised by two hippie parents.
Just because Lilith and Fraser are one way, their kid might just decide to go the other.
Seems almost a natural, in some ways.
Kids rebel. So, romanticizing his cop grandfather and using him as a role model? Fits from where I sit. ;-)
I think when a character is lost from a show like his dad or another family member does not want to join the reboot the writers have to find a way to patch that relationship so the niles character is replaced by the whitty Brit because Frazer and Niles were always sparing, that was part of what made frazier work. His dad on the original is now dead so bringing in his son and reminiscing about grandpa is helping patch a whole in the sitcom. I think if they can patch these wholes with new characters and then work on the template that they created with the original of consistent comedy through interaction with characters and situations it is going to be as good as the one set in Seattle. Seattle I felt was itself a character in the show but it wasn’t just Seattle that made us laugh each week it was the template that the writers were working from to direct the characters. If they stick with that template frazier could thrive in any city and with any cast of characters. I will say the reboot has a really tough job ahead of it because frazier was such a good show and the spin off has to be up to the bar the original set.
Frederick (Fraiser’s son) should be played by Josh Peck.
That’s a solid choice for the role of Frederick. I think Adam Pally would also be good too.
Adam pally would be a wonderful choice.
Would 110% watch if Adam Pally was son.
To answer the question in the title “But Will the Rest of the Cast Be Back?”, I can answer that with a 100% no since John Mahoney died 4 years ago. If he did return, it would be quite a different show, for sure.
I think that the old characters could come back as guest appearances if the new show can get in to orbit first. Gravity is hard to overcome but once it has space gets closer. I think it could be good for a new spin off to start new become established and then see if the old crew might want to pop in for a visit. It was part of the original template . Sam, Woody and Diane all cheers characters popped in to Seattle in different episodes. If the old frazier and the new frazier production are connected even grampa could come back as a flashback or a dream if it was done tastefully and added to a situation in the comedy. There have been tons of pin offs where former acters have died where they have put a character of them in as a memory. So I wouldn’t sell the spin off short yet until it comes out. My hopes is it will be a hit like the last one and we have more years of the frazier world to laugh with and enjoy
Needs to recast to include people of color and to add some LGBTQ representation. The original was obnoxiously straight and white.
that’s an unnecessary comment that aims to incite. Even though I’m Latino, I still found Frasier’s run on NBC enjoyable & its humor relatable because it crossed cultural lines (jokes about one’s often fruitless quest to “change one’s stars” is something all cultures find funny). I would like to think that once the cast is announced, and I’m willing to bet the house that it will include a more diverse cast, that people will be more welcoming and not try to disqualify it for having the audacity to have more representation. Diversity is not a societal problem. The opposition to it is.
I had no intention to incite anything other than the problematic casting of the original.
*Than to change the problematic casting of the original.
The cast was excellent. People tend to forget shows like Living Single and Martin had all black cast. If it works, it works.
Dr. Mary was one of the all time funniest guest characters though.
And yes I use the term doctor loosely ;)
She was hysterically funny. I hope she makes an appearance!
It’s 100% ok to have an all white cast like Fraiser, much like it was 100% ok to have an all black cast on on the Fresh Prince and an all Latino cast on George Lopez.
In the real world, where real people live there are neighborhoods and circles of friends that are all the same race. It’s fine so long as that arrangement is made out of location and demographics rather than prejudice. I’m sick and tired of people trying to shoe-horn diversity in scenarios on tv where it doesn’t necessarily belong. Fraiser was a rich white guy so naturally most of his friends are going to be richer white people. I’ll also point out that like 90% of the cast members of Fraiser were gay. Sure, their characters weren’t, but it was still diverse representation.
Frasier wasn’t rich at all. He was middle class. The premise of the show was centered on Niles & Frasier’s longing to be accepted into rich society.
@splusn That was not the premise of the show. The may not have been societies most elite, but they were largely accepted for most of the show. Both were shown to be extremely rich and Niles started the series married to a rich society type lady Maris. Them trying to be accepted is just not at all what the show was about.
The show hasn’t even started yet, how do we even know if once it gets set up and rolling that diverse characters will not be introduced. We haven’t seen the pilot yet of what it will be. Let it get rolling first and see what happens. Kelsey Grammar is such a great actor and I have liked everything I have seen he has stared in since Frazier went off the air and like how he protraid his character. He is a producer of this and he knows all things frazier it is a crazy world and he did have LGBQ scenarios on Frazier. There was an episode with Patrick Stewart and he portrayed a Gay Character. So I believe as this gets off the launchpad and if they stick with a template that works like the old one there will be many different characters on the show. I don’t know what characters will be regulars but I do know that if they find a character the audience really likes thats when unique characters are added to casts.
How dare a family of 3 people both be white and their co worker and home help be white. I didnt realize half of USA is non white
Looks at BET tv shows
I get what you are saying, it is not easy to identify with something when you are not represented in it. I thought the original frazier did a good job of trying to include everyone around the story they were telling. I think the story you are trying to tell dictates what characters you include, but how at this point not seeing a pilot of the show yet what is going to happen. I think the writers of Frazier tried to portray diverse characters based on the stories they were tying to show. The original frazier is 20 years old at least the times were different the world was different. With the new world we live how do you know if the new frazier made in this time or now will not portray situations as they are now. If the sitcom is based in 2023 it will probably portray these situation. These stuffy white guys as it has been put function in this world not the one of the original frazier.
That’s the definition of incite. You’re complaining about something that cannot be changed (the original show cast), so why make this comment other than to provoke a reaction?
It’s okay to *not* have a racially-/gender-diverse cast in every single TV show, movie, play, Broadway musical, etc. It’s simply a reflection of the *real* world. And, no, that’s not being racist or anti-LGBTQ. Just stating facts.
TV Line won’t let my original response be published, so let me just say that you’re missing the point. I’m not trying to change the original cast. I want the reboot to include people of color and have LGBTQ representation among the characters (not actors) to reflect the reality of Seattle. Period. End of story.
If you want the reboot to reflect the reality of Seattle you will be disappointed as the original article states it is set in a new City.
It was a highly acclaimed Emmy award winning series, deserving every award it won.
Frasier may have been a lot of things but obnoxiously straight is probably not a term many would use to describe it.
It was obnoxiously straight because so many of the actors were gay but forced to play straight men in order not to upset the audience. I’m quite certain NBC did not want to rock the boat with that particular cash cow.
Except nobody forced anybody to play anything. These were prestigious TV roles most actors (gay or straight) would’ve done anything to land. Would you be happier if the producers had barred these gay actors from playing straight roles?
Considering how much of the male cast was gay in real life I’ve never seen Fraisier as being a particularly “straight” show. Kelsey Grammar was one of the few straight male actors on the show. Niles, Bulldog, Gil Chesterson: all were played by actors who were either out when the show was on or shortly thereafter. Plus, there’s one other major cast member who’s heavily rumored, but I’ll leave that to conjecture.
In the case of Gil Chesterson, it also taught us not to assume everyone was what they were. Gil was married even though everyone assumed he was gay. Nothing wrong with a man being efferminate even if he’s straight.
It’s not a like a gay man can’t marry a woman; happens all the time.
“obnoxiously str8 and white” hahahahahahahahaha
Sorry not sorry to inform you, vast majority of people are str8, and white, it was a small cast of 5 people, not 25 people.
As an African American that enjoyed the show every season you don’t necessarily have to give in to the “woke culture” to cast certain aspects of today’s society. If it can be done without appearing forced, good but it isn’t mandatory. The character of Gill the food critic may have been a little light in the pants.
I don’t know if you are aware, but the show has VERY gay undertones. Many people saw Frasier and Niles as a couple. Gil Chesterton? Tom the gay boss? The “Out With Martin” episode, or the one with Patrick Stewart among others. Hell Frasier has a man’s bare ass taped to his refrigerator in the later seasons. That show was very gay compared with others at the time!
I hear your complaint but I do think the original was the way it was because of the time it was made. It is not an excuse but it was a different time than now. yes racial equality has been an issue forever and now LGBQ is in that light too. It is a new time and this show is going to explore a new situation comedy. How do you know right now without seeing the first episode if they are not going to include these types of issues. kelsey Grammar is one of the producers and he know all thing frazier and he is like we all are a part of what is going on now, If this is a new town a new situation and it is set in the 2020’s I bet there will be some more diversity in this frazier than the old one. T.V. Show and movies live and die by their audiences and writer are very aware of that. Give it a chance first before you make up your mind on it.
Frasier was such an amazing classy show. Watching each episode was like watching an act of a play, and the entire cast was so perfect in delivering both verbal and physical comedy. I’m excited about this, but knowing that none of the rest of the talented ensemble will be returning, (and of course John Mahoney can’t), is disappointing. So we will see.
Why not just get Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, and Shelly Long — and Bebe Neuwirth, of course — and reboot Cheers? Frasier without Niles, Daphne, and Roz isn’t Frasier.
My sentiments exactly. The ensemble cast was what made the show – Frasier is a fairly dull character on his own, but he was a good “straight man” amid the comedic chaos. I’m not sure a Seinfeld reboot would work if it were focused entirely upon Jerry, so I’m not having particularly high hopes for this either.
I loved Frasier, but something about this, especially with it being on Paramount+, feels like it’s just going to come and go for one season with zero buzz or fanfare, much like the Mad About You revival no one watched.
I watched the “Mad About You” revival. It was about the couple’s severe marital problems and poor relationship with their resentful daughter, and the whole thing was fairly unpleasant.
Frasier was one of the best shows ever. So far I haven’t cared for any revival. However spinoffs have poor track records and Kelsey Grammar made this one better than Cheers imo so perhaps he can do the same, if given a good supporting cast, with a revival.
I loved the original probably because I live in the Seattle /Tacoma area, but I also like the reaction between the characters and the writing that created it. I think if this spin off can create a similar vibe to the original Frazier it isn’t going to matter where it is set or wither there is a loss of the old characters if the new ones can jive with the new frazier the way the old ones did. Each episode of the old frazier had characters the whole episode that worked with Gramars character to make laughs. Watch the “Happy Brother’s” Restaurant episode when Frazier and Niles wanted to own a restaurant. A laugh from beginning to end.
Taking a rich and successful guy and making him richer and more successful… way to have your finger on the pulse, Kels.
Frankly, I think they should consider a comedy-drama hour long format to give it a different slant. I think a new straight on sitcom will be nearly impossible to compete with the OG.
No Niles, Daphne, Roz or Seattle?
Hard pass.
I have mixed feelings about this. I loved the show Frasier, and I was so sad when it ended. It sounds like this is more of an extension than an actual reboot, so I’m going to lower my expectations and hope for the best.
That said, I really hope it is good!
I would 100% watch it. Always witty humor and always laugh out loud funny. Two thumbs up!
I will assuridly be front & center to see even ONE of the FRASIER cast members!!!!
I wait with “baited breath.”
Just hurry up & get it produced, Kelsey!-lol.
Agreed, love Frasier, just finished re-watching the series to get me in the mood!
I honestly don’t care if it doesn’t have Niles in it. Frasier was the least likeable character on his own show.
I’ll check it out but I’m already disappointed.
Meh
Of course, all the women he dates will be at least twenty five years younger. I mean, watching him date women his own age would be so icky, right?
Freddy is now living with his dad, Frasier. He has a younger brother from the marriage of dad Frasier and now divorced 4th wife. Frasier, Freddy, looking for love, Freddy looking for a career and Niles and Daphne and their daughter living the life Frasier wants for himself.
I’m all in, still regularly watch reruns!!
I definitely will tune in!
Didn’t Frasier move to Chicago or prepare to move to Chicago with Wendy Malik in the series finale?
Laura Linney. Wendy Malik played the father’s girlfriend