Frasier (2023 TV Series)

''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that premiered on October 12, 2023, on Paramount+. It is a revival of and a sequel to the 1993–2004 sitcom ''Frasier'' (a spin-off of the sitcom ''Cheers'') featuring the character Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammer. On February 22, 2024, the series was renewed for a second season, and on May 9, 2024, they began production. The second season was released on September 19, 2024. On January 17, 2025, ''Frasier'' was canceled by Paramount+. At the same time, CBS Studios announced that they had planned to shop the show to other outlets, such as Prime Video or Hulu.

Premise

Shortly after the death of his father, Martin Crane, the end of his nearly 20-year relationship with Charlotte, and concluding his famous Chicago TV show, psychiatrist Frasier Crane has returned to Boston in the hope of having a better relationship with his son, Frederick, now a Boston firefighter. In order to do so, Frasier becomes a lecturer at Harvard University, buys and moves into Freddy's apartment building, and with the help of his family, friends, and his new colleagues, starts to embark on his "third act".

Cast

Main

* Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane, who moves back to Boston to reconnect with his son. Following the last episode of the previous series, Frasier is now very wealthy following a long and successful stint as a radio talk show host in Seattle and a TV talk show host in Chicago. He is just recently single. He is also a retired psychiatrist, published author, and gains employment as a lecturer of psychology at Harvard.
* Jack Cutmore-Scott as Frederick "Freddy" Crane, Frasier's and Lilith's son. Now in his mid-30s, and a Boston firefighter, he briefly went to Harvard, but chose to drop out, which strained his relationship with Frasier. A nuanced combination of his father and grandfather, with his mother's sense of humor, he only becomes more of an intellectual when he drinks and his accent wears off. It is also discovered he can speak French, and do magic. The character was played by Trevor Einhorn in the original series.
* Toks Olagundoye as Professor Olivia Finch, the chair of Harvard University's psychology department. In the first episode, she was desperate to have Frasier join the Harvard faculty due to the attention his fame would bring. Although initially infatuated with Freddy, she develops more variety in her relationships as the series progresses.
* Jess Salgueiro as Eve, Freddy's neighbor and former roommate, a single mother and the girlfriend of one of Freddy's fellow firefighters who died in the line of duty.
* Anders Keith as David Crane, Frasier's nephew and Freddy's cousin who was born in the ''Frasier'' series finale and is the son of Niles Crane and Daphne Moon. He is a college freshman attending Harvard University, where he studies psychology. Awkward, yet confident, with a tendency for off-kilter observations, he has his father's intelligence and his mother's heart yet neither of their polish.
* Nicholas Lyndhurst as Professor Alan Cornwall, Frasier's friend from University of Oxford who is now a Harvard psychology professor. British, boozy, mischievous, and intellectually on-par with Frasier, he has a cavalier attitude towards his work and does not appear to have any affection for his students. He has four children, all of whom he is estranged from.

Recurring

* Jimmy Dunn as Bernard "Moose" (seasons 1–2), one of Freddy's firefighter buddies and co-worker
*Renee Pezzotta as Smokey (seasons 1–2), one of Freddy's firefighter buddies and co-worker
* Kevin Daniels as Tiny (seasons 1–2), one of Freddy's firefighter buddies and co-worker
* Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle (seasons 1–2), Frasier's close friend and former co-worker
* Patricia Heaton as Holly Quagliano (season 2), a down to earth, unpretentious Boston native. She tends bar at upscale restaurants and events.

Guest

* June Diane Raphael as June Patrick (season 1); a single friend of Eve's who has been set up on a blind date with Freddy, but takes a liking to Frasier
* Jacqueline Obradors as Siobhan (season 1); a single friend of Eve's and a former opera singer who is intended to be Frasier's blind date
* Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Sternin (season 1); Frasier's ex-wife and Freddy's mother
* Vince Wilfork as himself (season 1)
* Amy Sedaris as Dr. Virginia "Doc" Stathos (season 2); a municipal therapist with a down home, scattered veneer. She works with the firefighters at Freddy's firehouse and is also a big fan of Frasier Crane from his old TV talk show.
* Yvette Nicole Brown as Dr. Monica Finch (season 2); part haughty professor and part Nancy Drew, she is Olivia Finch's biting and delightfully deadpan sister, who has everything Olivia has and everything Olivia wants and never misses a chance to remind her.
* Greer Grammer as Alice Doyle (season 2); Roz Doyle's daughter, born in the fifth season of the show's original run. Now in her late 20s, friendly, and outgoing, she is studying architecture at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence. In the original series she was played by child actress Ashley Thomas.
* Dan Butler as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe (season 2); a shock jock who hosted KACL's ''Gonzo Sports Show'' in the show's original run
* Edward Hibbert as Gil Chesterton (season 2); an uppity food critic who hosted KACL's ''Restaurant Beat'' in the show's original run
* Harriet Sansom Harris as Bebe Glazer (season 2); Frasier's manipulative agent
* Rachel Bloom as Phoebe Glazer (season 2); Bebe's daughter

Episodes

Season 1 (2023)

Season 2 (2024)

Production

Background

Talks of a revival began in 2016 but were initially denied by Grammer, though they resurfaced in mid-to-late 2018, with Grammer confirming it was being looked into. In February and March 2019, he said in several interviews that a reboot was likely. He indicated a new season would pay tribute to John Mahoney, who portrayed Martin, Frasier's father in the original run of ''Frasier'' and died in 2018.

In late 2019, Grammer said "we've hatched the plan" for a ''Frasier'' revival and it was originally reported that it would air in 2020. In February 2021, it was reported that the revival was being discussed at Paramount+, possibly for a 10-episode season order for 2022.

Announcement

On February 24, 2021, the revival was greenlit for an exclusive debut on Paramount+. Grammer said he "gleefully" anticipated "sharing the next chapter in the continuing journey of Dr. Frasier Crane" as he had "spent over 20 years" of his "creative life on the Paramount lot". Paramount+ officially gave the revival a 10-episode season order in October 2022.

Casting

Casting director Jeff Greenberg returned. David Hyde Pierce had multiple conversations with the showrunners about reprising his role as Frasier's brother, Niles, but it was later reported that he had declined (as Pierce did not think there was much for Niles to do in the revival) and that the other actors from the original series were also either not returning or unlikely to return. Jane Leeves, who played Martin's physical therapist and Niles' love interest (later wife), Daphne Moon, and Peri Gilpin, who played Frasier's producer and close friend Roz Doyle, had previously discussed the possibility of a revival.

In January 2023, Jack Cutmore-Scott joined the cast as Freddy Crane. It was also reported that English actor Nicholas Lyndhurst would be joining the cast. Later that month, Anders Keith was cast as Niles and Daphne's son, David, while Jess Salgueiro was cast as Freddy's roommate, Eve. In February, Toks Olagundoye was cast as Olivia.

In March 2023, it was announced that Bebe Neuwirth would be reprising her role as Frasier's ex-wife Lilith Sternin in the revival. In April 2023, it was announced that Gilpin would also reprise her role as Roz. Both would reportedly feature in guest or recurring roles, not main cast.

Filming

On January 30, 2023, Greenberg shared a picture of a script page from a table read which gave some more information about the show. The first episode would be called "The Good Father" in a reference to the pilot episode of the original series being called " The Good Son". It was written by Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris and directed by veteran sitcom director James Burrows, who directed episodes of the original run and will also direct the episode following "The Good Father". The first episode of the revival was filmed in February 2023. Lead actor Kelsey Grammer directed the seventh episode, "Freddy's Birthday", which was filmed on April 4, 2023. Filming for the series wrapped on May 2, 2023; one day after the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike commenced, which meant the writers could not be on set for filming night.

News broke on May 9, 2024, that the second season had started production, with James Burrows once again tapped to direct the first two episodes, along with the announcement that Peri Gilpin would again reprise her role as Roz for multiple episodes.
The second season was filmed at Paramount Studios on Stage 18, with tapings taking place every Tuesday.

Release

The revival premiered on October 12, 2023, on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the ''Frasier'' revival also aired on October 17, 2023, on CBS.

An "inside the series" episode was released on October 6, 2023, on Paramount+, and the next day aired on CBS affiliate stations.

The second season was released on September 19, 2024, with a two-episode premiere, once again on Paramount+.

Reception

References

External links

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Frasier
2020s American college television series
2020s American workplace comedy television series
2020s American multi-camera sitcoms
2023 American television series debuts
2024 American television series endings
American sequel television series
American television spinoffs
Cheers
American English-language television shows
Harvard University in fiction
Paramount+ original programming
Television series about educators
Television series about higher education
Television series by CBS Studios
Television shows set in Boston
Television shows filmed in Los Angeles