I see in the news that Kelsey Grammar and Paramount have plans for a Frasier revival.
There isn’t a lot of detail available about where this is going, except that it appears that most of the regulars on the original Frasier are not available for the new revival. Of course, the series Frasier itself was a revival of the eponymous character from Cheers, and none of the Cheers characters were regulars on the new series. It’s notable, though, that as Frasier Crane started a new life in Seattle, his ex-wife Lilith and his old friends from Cheers did occassionally visit. One can hope that the new series will see Dr. Crane restarting his life yet again, in a new setting, with new friends, but that he’ll get an occassional visit from the past. The characters memorably played by Bebe Neuworth and David Hyde Pierce are part of Frasier’s soul and not something he’d forget.
Alas, the incredible John Mahoney has passed away, but his memory will need to linger in the show, just as it does in the minds of the fans.
We still enjoy watching Frasier, even though we’ve seen all the episodes many times. In the best episodes, the writing is crisp and the acting pitch-perfect. Indeed, it’s the minor characters that often make the episodes so memorable. The series had a knack for finding skilled actors perfectly matched to often quirky roles.
At KACL we meet food critic Gil Chesterton, played by Edward Hibbert. Hibbert is better known in Hollywood as an agent, but he did occassionally take acting roles, including at least one turn in Columbo. Dan Butler played Bulldog Briscoe, the irrascible lothario of the station. Butler had a memorable–if small–role in Silence of the Lambs, along with guest staring roles in Tales of the City and dozens of TV dramas. Any episode with Frazier’s agent Bebe Glazer, played by Harriet Sanson Harris, is worth watching. Her dozens of credits include a memorable part in Memento, alongside Guy Pearce. Patrick Kerr played Noel Shempsky, the Star Trek fan besotted of Roz. Kerr also has dozens of credits, including a recurring role with Jessica Walters in Oh Baby.
But even more than the recurring characters, some guest-starring spots shine. Sometimes, it’s the guest star’s craft that makes the episode memorable. The hilarious farce, Ski Lodge, is topped by James Patrick Stuart’s of Guy, the gay ski instructor. John Ducey plays a waiter in Room Service, an otherwise forgettable episode despite having Bebe Newworth in it. Voyage of the Damned, set on a cruise ship, has Stephany Faracy as a tipsy socialite flirting with Niles. Brian Klugman (no relation to Jack) plays a clueless teen for Frasier to tutor in a series of episodes. Moon Dance lets Jane Leaves show off her dancing skills–she originally trained to be a ballerina. Detour from the final season features Ceilia Weston and Todd Louiso in a riff on the car-breaks-down-and-clueless-couple-goes-to-house-with-crazy-people horror plot. Sometimes people memorable from past series got amusing cameos—Renee Lippin, for example, who played Michelle in Dr. Hartley’s hapless group in the 70s, played a fan in Someone to Watch Over Me.
The series attracted many talented actors as guest stars. Marsha Mason, Jean Smart, and Laura Linney, all Emmy-winning actors, each appeared in a series of episodes. Emmy nominees David Ogden Stiers and Rene Abergenois, along with Oscar-nominated Bob Hoskins also appeared. These are all phenomenal actors with storied careers. With the exception of Abergenois and Smart, however, their Frasier episodes sometimes didn’t quite have the crisp snap that characterized so much of the writing.
We’re looking forward to Frasier’s resurrection in a new life. The original series featured clever, sometimes brilliant writing, and especially showcased skilled actors in quirky parts. Kelsey Grammar was at the center of most shows, but he let the cast around him shine. I hope the new incarnation of Frasier is a re-birth for the character, but follows the creative impetus that enabled an ensemble of talented writers, actors, and directors to excel and entertain.