Kelsey Grammer was recently promoting his latest Christmas movie – The 12 Days of Christmas Eve – which he is starring in with his daughter Spencer Grammer. The hosts of The Today Show of course had to ask Grammer for an update on the Frasier reboot, and he had some exciting news.
Frasier ended in 2004, after eleven successful seasons. It began as a spin-off from Cheers, of course, but ended up just as acclaimed and beloved as the Boston-set comedy series – if not, more so. The Frasier reboot is going ahead, despite the fact that it sounds as though David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, and Peri Gilpin won’t be involved as regulars, but may pop up in cameo appearances. John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s Dad Martin, passed away in 2018.
It’s believed that the reboot will revolve around Frasier’s relationship with his now-adult son Frederick. Grammer has said that it doesn’t take place in Seattle. In the series finale, Frasier made the decision to go to Chicago to be with Charlotte (Laura Linney), so it may take place there. Grammer says; “We start rehearsal February 1.”
Frasier Crane was a radio psychiatrist who very close to, but competitive with, his brother Niles Crane – who was a regular psychiatrist, and therefore felt superior. The series followed Frasier’s many, many disastrous dates and relationships. Jane Leeves played Daphne Moon – the live-in physical therapist for Frasier’s Dad, whom Niles immediately fell in love with. Peri Gilpin played Frasier’s feisty producer Roz Doyle.
Most of the humour in the series centred around the fact that Frasier and Niles were effete, pretentious snobs in contrast to their salt-of-the-earth retired cop father. Their deceased mother had been a psychiatrist, which explains how they turned out the way they did. The chemistry between Grammer and Hyde Pierce was the series’ greatest strength, to the extent that it’s hard to imagine Frasier without Niles.
While we wait for more news on the reboot, check out our guide to the best TV series of all time.