Paramount+‘sFrasiersequel series will putKelsey Grammerback into Dr. Frasier Crane’s shoes. Other original cast members won’t return in any starring roles, but there’s still plenty of excitement for the upcoming series from fans of the original. The return ofFrasierhad been in talks for a while but wasn’t formally ordered to series until Oct. 2022. In a recent interview withThe Tonight Showwith Jimmy Fallon, Grammer opened up about what made him consider bringing the beloved radio psychiatrist back to life.
“It was actually when Roseanne got her show back on, I thought to myself, ‘Well, you know, Frasier’s kind of interesting. We could maybe play him again,'” he said.
It’s an interesting source of inspiration asRoseanne’s 2018 revival was short-lived. The original series aired successfully from 1988 to1997 and starred Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lacy Goranson, and Michael Fishman. For their roles on the family comedy, Barr received one Emmy Award and one Golden Globe Award, Metcalf received three consecutive Emmy Awards, and Goodman received one Golden Globe Award.
The series return to ABC for a tenth season in 2018 and was quickly renewed. However, the series was canceled before a twelfth season could be filmed due to a controversial tweet from Barr regarding Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett which many deemed racist. Later that year, ABC announced plans forThe Conners,starring the original cast minus Barr. The first episode explained Barr’s absence, asher character had died from an opioid overdose.The Connersremains on air and is currently in its fifth season.
Related:Roseanne Barr on Getting Canceled: ‘It Was a Witch-Burning’
Dr. Frasier Crane’s Return
Audiences were first introduced to Dr. Crane during the third season ofCheers. Grammer went on to become a series regular, remaining until the show’s final season in 1993. That same year, Frasier premiered, revolving around the life and career of Dr. Frasier Crane. Frasier aired for 11 seasons on NBC beginning in 1993 and during its run, the critically acclaimed series earned 37 Emmy Awards.
For the series entirety,Frasierstarred Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Jane Leeves, and Peri Gilpin. While none of the surviving starring cast members will join Grammer in a lead role for the sequel series, guest starring roles are not off the table. Unfortunately, Mahoney, who portrayed Martin Crane, passed away in 2018 following a battle with cancer.
The sequel series, which will see Dr. Crane back in Boston where audiences first met him, stars Grammer, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Toks Olagundoye, Jess Salguerio, and Anders Keith. Grammer will also serve as an executive producer. The series is written by Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces).
