‘We Do Have At Least A Few Toeholds’: Frasier Showrunners Explain Why The New Series Hasn’t Touched On Cheers Yet, But There’s Still Hope

As a long-time fan of Frasier Crane and his antics, I must say that I am absolutely thrilled about the revival of this iconic show! The idea of Frasier returning to Boston, where it all began for him on Cheers, has me reminiscing about those golden days at the bar.

In 2023, Frasier Crane, who had been absent from television screens for almost two decades, made a comeback. Kelsey Grammer reprised his iconic role in the revival of Frasier, which is now available on Paramount+. Unlike the original series set in Seattle or Chicago where he was supposed to move at the end of the first Frasier‘s finale, this new series finds him back in Boston, a place familiar from his days on Cheers. However, apart from a subtle nod to the Cheers bar in the premiere of the new Frasier, the streaming series hasn’t delved into any Cheers connections as yet, though there’s still a possibility for that in the future.

Before the Season 2 premiere of “Frasier” in 2024, I was fortunate enough to conduct interviews with showrunners Chris Harris and Joe Cristali, along with most of the primary cast members, as well as Peri Gilpin who’s reprising her role as Roz Doyle this season. In these conversations, Harris and Cristalli revealed their “organic approach” in bringing Roz back after her Season 1 finale appearance, while Cristalli also shared some intriguing insights when I asked about any substantial discussions regarding linking the new “Frasier” to “Cheers”.

Indeed, I spent my childhood years enjoying Cheers, and we’re eager to continue that journey with Kelsey. However, timing hasn’t been ideal up until now. Nevertheless, we have some intriguing ideas for tales that these unique characters could share. Each 10-episode season flies by so quickly. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing Frasier encounter some familiar faces from the original Cheers cast when the time is right.

When I raised this topic, what was predominantly in my thoughts was the fact that Kelsey Grammer mentioned in January about potentially having Ted Danson and Shelley Long reappear as Sam Malone and Diane Chambers respectively on Paramount+’s “Frasier”. You might recall that Frasier Crane appeared in “Cheers” Season 3 as a rival for Diane’s affection towards Sam, and although they almost got married, she left him at the altar. Later, Long and Danson made guest appearances on different seasons of the original “Frasier”, but Grammer believes there are still lingering matters between Frasier and his former “Cheers” companions.

It appears that Chris Harris noted a challenge: achieving a successful crossover between different shows, as it seems they’ve yet to manage it effectively. This difficulty arises due to the fact that unlike the original Frasier series, which is renowned for its exceptional quality among sitcoms and enjoyed full 24-episode seasons throughout its entire run, Paramount+’s version of Frasier is limited to just ten episodes per season. Consequently, this reduced episode count restricts the opportunity to delve deeper into the main characters of the revival and accommodate appearances from original Frasier cast members, such as Bulldog and Gil, who are set to appear in Season 2 later on.

Fortunately, Harris and Cristalli are open to incorporating some characters from the show “Cheers” into the potential third season of “Frasier”. However, it’s uncertain if they share Kelsey Grammer’s view that Ted Danson and Shelley Long should rejoin, or if they’re considering other characters for a comeback. Regardless, I’m eagerly awaiting the possibility of this crossover if “Frasier” is renewed for another season. Keep an eye on TopMob for any official announcements on this exciting development!

2024-09-28 23:37

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