TV | Pop Culture | 90s
Kelsey Grammer Is Trying To Reboot 'Fraiser' But Fans Are Not Happy
When you think of the biggest sitcoms of the 90s, you probably have a few that pop into your mind. Friends, Will & Grace, Roseanne, Seinfeld, and of course Fraiser were basically required viewing in the 90s, and now yet another one of those may come back.
Fraiser was a spin-off of Cheers, and while many other spin-offs fail miserably, this one managed to run for 11 seasons. Following the psychiatrist's family life in Seattle was always a good time, and now Kelsey Grammer is looking to bring it back.
Grammer played Fraiser Crane for over 20 years between his run on Cheers and then Fraiser, but apparently that's not enough. After being out of character for nearly 15 years, Grammer has started to look at the possibilities of a reboot.
Deadline reports that like so many other popular 90s sitcoms Fraiser is getting a reboot. The project is currently in the early stages with Grammer at the helm, but he's not planning on bringing back the Seattle sets we all know and love.
The current thought is that we will see Fraiser make another big move, just like he did when he went from Boston to Seattle, trying to find his way in a new city. Perhaps it would pick up in Chicago where the series ended with Fraiser following his girlfriend there, instead of moving to San Francisco for work.
According to reports, Grammer is meeting with writers now to try and settle on a premise to pitch to the CBS network. It would be a switch of network from the original run, which appeared on NBC, but I can see how the networks would fight over this one.
Fraiser was a record-breaking critical success. It won 27 Emmys in the 11 years it ran, including five consecutive awards for Outstanding Comedy Series.
So far we don't know much, but this is a bit of a surprise given Grammer's thoughts on a reboot just two years ago. When asked if he'd like to bring the character back, he replied, "No, I'm very happy with what I'm doing now. I look back at the past as a very fond place and I'd like to keep it that way."
I guess two years of watching shows like Roseanne, Will & Grace, and Full House all having success with their reboots could make anyone a little bit jealous.
Fans are not as excited about the prospect of a reboot though, especially since one of the stars has passed away.
One fan said "Look, I love Fraiser. And I mean ADORE that show. But honestly? Without John Mahoney, I don't see the point."
Mahoney played Fraiser's dad, Martin Crane, and he was arguably the heart of the show. While his sons were off having various high-society excursions at the opera or at fancy restaurants, Martin was happy to sit in his chair with his dog, and watch TV. He was relatable and hilarious.
Some people have a very strong opinion about it. "Not saying they should be put in prison immediately, but the people proposing bringing Fraiser back without John Mahoney should definitely be on trial at the very least."
Others have some interesting thoughts about what a potential reboot should be, and it involves Fraiser's son, Frederick.
They say "The new Fraiser 'reboot' should focus on Frederick (Fraiser's son) in a new up-and-coming city like Austin. Like the original, it appears to mock yuppie/hipster life, but has an emotional core like the relationship between Frasier (Grammer) and his dad, Martin (Mahoney)."
We'll see how it turns out, but for now we will just have to wait patiently with some tossed salad and scrambled eggs.
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