‘Frasier’ Revival Largely Takes the Wrong Lessons from Dr. Crane’s Unlikely Longevity
“Frasier,” at the beginning and in the end, actively rejects its mononymous title. Despite putting an entire country between himself and his barroom buddies (not to mention his second wife, Lilith, and son, Frederick), the “Cheers” spinoff starts with Dr. Frasier Crane savoring whatever silence he can find and concludes with the on-air therapist thanking his family, friends, and colleagues for filling his life with beautiful, near-constant noise. The eloquent orator doesn’t exactly put it that way, preferring to express gratitude for how long they’ve listened to him, but “Frasier” makes it quite clear that the good doctor doesn’t want to be left alone.
It’s fitting then, that one of the initial scenes in “Frasier” (2023) sees Dr. Crane cracking a smile at a local tourism ad that simply states, “Boston is calling… are you listening?” He is listening, of course, as he returns for his third series regular role in his fourth decade and fifth overall sitcom. (Don’t forget “Wings” or “The John Larroquette Show.”). Kelsey Grammer’s well-to-do therapist is gracing our TV screens once more, hoping to strike gold (in one form or another) via modern entertainment’s preferred programming strategy: the reboot, the revival, the I.P. play, or whatever you want to call resurrecting an old hit to see if it becomes a new one. What’s different about this pseudo-spinoff, though, is that Frasier has nothing to prove. He’s not carving out his place among one of TV’s all-time great ensembles, nor demonstrating he can carry a show bearing only his name. He’s been there, he’s done that, and now… well, what’s the opposite of “the third time’s the charm”?
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To say the new “Frasier” is jinxed or cursed would be a step too far. Through five episodes, it’s perfectly fine. Frasier’s exploits befit a man of his stature, and Grammer slips into his character’s charming pomposity as smoothly as he does those finely tailored suits. Far from a catastrophe, the revival is still a disappointment (unless recent experience has taught you to lower the bar all the way to floor) because it so clearly lacks, for starters, the original’s zany energy. “Frasier,” at its peak, has a remarkably quick wit, deploying a flurry of jokes and quips that undercut the Crane brothers’ pretentious tendencies via their escalating embarrassments. But far more noticeable in its absence is the camaraderie that Frasier inherited in “Cheers” and came to love in “Frasier”; the stand-out supporting characters that have not only always been there for Frasier, but that Frasier has relied on to make his life — and his shows — that much better.
Perhaps both will develop in time, but betting on either to live up to existing standards is as ill-advised as tossing a salad with scrambled eggs. So where does that leave us? Ah, yes, Frasier is back in Boston. At first, he’s only in town to guest lecture at his alma mater. An old friend, Dr. Alan Cornwall (Nicholas Lyndhurt), has invited him to speak to his class, and Frasier uses the honor as an excuse to visit his now-grown son, Frederick (Jack Cutmore-Scott). Like parents tend to do in sitcoms, Frasier doesn’t call or text first; he just shows up at his kid’s door, offering a quick meal at his own expense (but also dictated by his, and only his, convenience).
The half-hour pilot, written by series showrunners Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris, does an admirable job turning exposition into silly misunderstandings and impromptu scheming. Frederick, a firefighter (and Harvard drop-out) who goes by Freddy now, is living with Eve (Jess Salguerio), but their cohabitation isn’t as simple one may assume. Are they dating? Married? Is he gay? Is she? Or maybe they’re just two strangers living in an expensive city where roommates are hard to come by, who bunked up out of financial necessity and absent any awkward romance or hidden sexual preferences whatsoever? Take your best guess before the end of the first episode, because once everything is out in the open, what matters is there’s another chaotic home awaiting Dr. Crane’s affluence.
Work, well, that’s the easy part. It turns out, after Frasier ceded TV stardom in San Francisco for a life with Charlotte (Laura Linney) in Chicago, TV stardom found him anyway. He spent 14 seasons as the host of “Dr. Crane,” a “Dr. Phil”-esque daytime talk show that began as an earnest attempt to help guests cope with trauma and later descended into… less sophisticated entertainment. (In one flashback, his guest is a pig named Albert Swine-stein.) He’s since quit the show (and divorced Charlotte), which he’s fine with, except for a nagging concern that his legacy will only amount to “meaningless fluff.”
…and untold millions. Frasier remains absurdly wealthy, allowing his professional pursuits to be purely admirable again, and he soon lands a job that offers the renewed purpose he craves. Ah, the convenient life of the rich and famous. Still, everything going on with Frasier — his family life, his new career, his bellowing yet jovial intonations — certainly justifies spending a few more seasons with the good doctor. Reconnecting with a son who was basically abandoned throughout “Frasier” and getting back to his therapeutic roots are worthy, compelling pursuits, just as Grammer remains a game, quick-witted comedian. Still, the new “Frasier” feels much closer to the actor’s Crane-less sitcoms (like “Back To You,” “Hank,” and “Partners”) than “Cheers” or “Frasier.”
Hearkening back to its broadcast roots, episodes are recorded in front of a live, studio audience, yet they run 26-29 minutes a piece, exhibiting the same streaming bloat that can slowly sink comedies. Good rapport surfaces on occasion, usually between Frasier and Alan, but most of the jokes are loud and obvious, broad and forced. When Frasier isn’t on screen, the show feels like a below-average sitcom — there’s no hook to it, nothing that makes these characters spring to life like Niles, Martin, and Daphne did decades ago. “Frasier’s” best hope comes in just how crowded things get from the jump. In addition to the aforementioned series regulars, there’s also Olivia (Toks Olagundoye), the head of Harvard’s psychology department, David (Anders Keith), Niles and Daphne’s awkward son who’s also a student at Harvard, and a handful of Freddy’s firefighter buddies. A deep bench helps unearth a few extra laughs, which could become more consistent moving forward, as the show streamlines its plots around the best pieces.
Still, that version of the revival seems a long way off. Even though Frasier has good reasons to come back, “Frasier” doesn’t seem to grasp what it takes. This character’s longevity isn’t rooted in one man, but many. You can see it, plain as day, when the opening credits flash, “Based on the character ‘Frasier Crane’ created by Glen Charles and Les Charles,” followed shortly thereafter with, “Based on the series created by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee.” The new “Frasier” is a little too content to coast on nostalgia. (Bebe Neuwirth and Peri Gilpin are both expected to guest star, though neither appears in the first five episodes.) Someone is going to have to step up. “Frasier” may need Dr. Crane, but no man is an island — even a TV star.
Grade: C
“Frasier” premieres Thursday, October 12 on Paramount+ with two episodes. New episodes will be released weekly. In addition, CBS will broadcast a special airing of the first two episodes back to back on Tuesday, October 17, beginning at 9:15 p.m. ET.
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