Frasier revival

[Amasov]

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a29750783/kelsey-grammer-frasier-reboot/

I've been following this off and on for the last year or so since rumblings began. The trend these days seems to be to resurrect older shows and start producing new episodes. Some have worked well and others haven't and I'm real curious how Frasier would work today.

On the one hand, Frasier was a sitcom that was never tied specifically to events from the time in which the series aired, so, other than just the style of hair, clothes, and technology, the show, IMO, has a timelessness to it. On the other hand, while a spin-off, Frasier was strong enough to make one forget that it came from a previously-established series (Cheers). With that in mind, I'd really miss the presence of John Mahoney. Marty was the perfect foil for Frasier and Niles' antics and provided some of the best laughs in the series.

Grammer has stated in numerous interviews that he doesn't want to just return to the previous setting, with the same apartment and the same life that Frasier had. The series ended with Frasier going to Chicago to be with Charlotte (a character featured in the final season). This series could absolutely focus on what the next phase of Frasier's life is.

I know we have some Frasier fans here. Thoughts?

 

[Push The Button]

Imagine a Seinfeld revival, but without Kramer, Elaine or George, and Jerry now lives in Indianapolis. I’m sure Kelsey Grammer will do a great job, but fans of the old show may have issues

 

[bigdaddy]

Kelsey Grammer only wants to do the show because everything else he has done failed.

I think the show will come back in the fall on the Peacock streaming service as Frasier will be exclusive to the platform in the spring.

But the Frasier reboot is about Frasier in the next stage of his life.... still looking for love.

 

[sleepyjaffa]

I loved Frasier but it's been soured for me a little over the last few years with some of the barmy things Kelsey has said/believes.

I'm not sure a reboot will work but I'm sure regardless it'll get enough ratings to bumble on for a few seasons. The only way I'd be interested would be if there would be a focus on Niles and Daphne having a very lovely life together, as I rooted for them from day one. Definitely wouldn't be the same without Martin though, he was always great to watch and his interactions with his sons often made the episode a great one.

 

[JD]

If this is not going to have any of the supporting characters I'm not sure how interested I'd be. The other characters besides Frasier were a big part of what made the show so great. I guess they could come up with another good supporting cast, but it just wouldn't be the same.

 

[Captain pl1ngpl0ng]

yeah i really enjoyed Frasier, great series... i would be interested to check out a reboot but im not feeling overly enthusiastic...

 

[Allyn Gibson]

When talk began about a Frasier revival, I figured out what my pitch for the series would be.

Frasier lives in Chicago, where he's working as the marketing director for a theater company. (Think Steppenwolf, the theater company founded by John Malkovich and Gary Sinise, the theater company that discovered John Mahoney.) He's still Frasier Crane, a snobbish stick-in-the-mud, and at work he deals with all sorts of interesting creative types that drive him half crazy at times, but he likes the work. When Niles shows up for a sweeps month episode, he thinks that Frasier is doing work beneath his dignity, but it's clear this is an old (and tired) argument, and everyone understands that Frasier is happy.

Meanwhile, Freddy, who is right around the age of thirty, moves back in with Frasier because the economy is shit for people under the age of forty. Freddy has a Masters, and yet he can't find work in his field, which is a problem because he has a significant other and child to support. At home, Frasier is the older curmudgeon type (the role his father filled in the old series), while also being a dueling grandparent with Lilith for grandchild's affections. (Personally, I think Fraiser and Lilith would have reconciled by this point -- Fraiser showed that they had grown into being the right people for each other, and Lilith is my OTP for Frasier.)

So, it recreates the dynamic of Frasier -- workplace sitcom and home sitcom -- with casts in both places for Frasier to interact with and occasionally overlap.

 

[JesterFace]

Frasier and Lilith together again, that might be an interesting plot?

 

[jmidnight_99]

yeah i really enjoyed Frasier, great series... i would be interested to check out a reboot but im not feeling overly enthusiastic...

I love that show. I binge watched the entire series so many times all the way through (you really have no idea) on Netflix I can't watch them anymore.

I noticed the quality of the show softened around season 8-10, There were some great episodes in those years, but the good to clunker ratio really soared. Then the original writing crew returned for season 11 and IMO, all the magic was back. The "Maris kills her boyfriend" episodes, Julia, The Placeholder, High Holidays.... The season rocked with the original writers.

And that's the key. They hit the jackpot with their writing and production staff for most of the series run, but it slid when those writers moved on. The only hope a reboot has is a quality production staff and the best, absolutely most clever writers, because they would have to do better than the original. I don't think lightning can hit twice.

 

[Jayson1]

They should have him,Niles and Daphene traveling through Europe for some kind of Podcast they are doing while Roz sort of runs the operations back in America. Meet funny and eccentric people each week. The Fraser boys wanting to explore the culture but always running into salt of the earth types instead.


Jason

 

[bigdaddy]

I love that show. I binge watched the entire series so many times all the way through (you really have no idea) on Netflix I can't watch them anymore.

I noticed the quality of the show softened around season 8-10, There were some great episodes in those years, but the good to clunker ratio really soared. Then the original writing crew returned for season 11 and IMO, all the magic was back. The "Maris kills her boyfriend" episodes, Julia, The Placeholder, High Holidays.... The season rocked with the original writers..

Which writers would that be? It had some of the same core writers to at least season 8. One of the main writers, David Angell(s?) was killed on 9-11 which was season 9 so I'm quiet sure he didn't make a comeback in the final season.

I say the fact it was the finale season just helped the show plan what it wanted to do for an ending and that made the writing tighter. However I don't really see any serious issues with seasons 8-10 besides Daphene's family being super annoying.

 

[Miss Lemon]

I loved Frasier, but I don’t need to see new episodes. I think 11 seasons is enough for any series.

 

[plynch]

Man, that was lightning in a bottle: the characters, actors, writers.

I'd sure watch a new one, though, to see how it is.

I have like zero time for entertainment, but is the old one streaming somewhere?

 

[Jayson1]

I actually want to see this. I find the idea kind of compelling to see this guy basically through 3 different stages of his life. We saw him on Cheers,Fraser and whatever this show will be about.


Jason

 

[bigdaddy]

I have like zero time for entertainment, but is the old one streaming somewhere?

Frasier and Cheers are both on Netflix and Amazon Prime, but only for a few more months until Peacock starts / whenever the deals end.

 

[Timby]

Kelsey Grammer only wants to do the show because everything else he has done failed.

I think the show will come back in the fall on the Peacock streaming service as Frasier will be exclusive to the platform in the spring.

Frasier is a ViacomCBS-owned show. It only aired on NBC. It was actually produced by Paramount.

 

[bigdaddy]

Frasier is a ViacomCBS-owned show. It only aired on NBC. It was actually produced by Paramount.

I swear NBC had Frasier as an exclusive show while announcing Peacock.

But I just looked it up. Frasier was removed from Netflix last week as Netflix tries to go out of business by no actually streaming anything. It's gone from Amazon Prime and Hulu is the last one with it. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes an exclusive to CBS Fuck You USA, I mean CBS AllAccess.

 

[Timby]

I swear NBC had Frasier as an exclusive show while announcing Peacock.

But I just looked it up. Frasier was removed from Netflix last week as Netflix tries to go out of business by no actually streaming anything. It's gone from Amazon Prime and Hulu is the last one with it. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes an exclusive to CBS Fuck You USA, I mean CBS AllAccess.

That is exactly what is happening. ViacomCBS is pulling shows as contracts expire so as to build up All Access' library.

Edit: You might be thinking of The Office, which was an NBC-produced show and will be Peacock-exclusive.

 

[jmidnight_99]

That is exactly what is happening. ViacomCBS is pulling shows as contracts expire so as to build up All Access' library.

Edit: You might be thinking of The Office, which was an NBC-produced show and will be Peacock-exclusive.

They can't just pull content and hoard them in order to have exclusive access to them if other services or channels are willing to pay more for the rights, they would open themselves up to lawsuits from people who are still collecting residual profits from the shows.

In other words, if Kelsey is part owner of the show, "Viacom" would have to sell syndication rights to the highest bidder or Kelsey would have the right to sue for damages, because he would lose money. This has happened several times: Ed O'Neil sued when Fox wanted to syndicate Married With Children" on FX when other stations were willing to pay more, etc.

 

[jmidnight_99]

I loved Frasier, but I don’t need to see new episodes. I think 11 seasons is enough for any series.

You shouldn't watch it then.

 

[Timby]

They can't just pull content and hoard them in order to have exclusive access to them if other services or channels are willing to pay more for the rights, they would open themselves up to lawsuits from people who are still collecting residual profits from the shows.

In other words, if Kelsey is part owner of the show, "Viacom" would have to sell syndication rights to the highest bidder or Kelsey would have the right to sue for damages, because he would lose money. This has happened several times: Ed O'Neil sued when Fox wanted to syndicate Married With Children" on FX when other stations were willing to pay more, etc.

Royalties =/= distribution and streaming rights. Especially when it comes to shows that were produced during the pre-streaming era. If ViacomCBS wants to put a show that it owns on its own service after prior arrangements expire, that is well within the company's rights.