Paramount+ Calls Again, Renewing 'Frasier' Revival
Of course, they’re a very different class of blues, giving the series a thirteenth season overall
No blues to this news: Paramount+ has renewed the Frasier revival for a second season, the show’s 13th overall. With Kelsey Grammer reprising the role he began in the third season of Cheers, the first revival season ran ten episodes from October to December, ending on a Christmas episode that saw the return of Peri Gilpin’s Roz Doyle.
“Frasier is a love story, and I am very happy we will be allowed to continue it,” Grammer said in a statement. “I’m delighted that our partners at CBS Studios and Paramount+ are on board for another season, and I can’t wait for the fans to see what we have in store.” In November, it seemed he was especially invested in exploring the character at this stage, interested in keeping it going for as long as possible, saying “I think we should go to another 100 episodes at least, There’s enough groundwork laid between these human beings; they are wonderful characters. I want to see where they go. And I want to see what happens to Frasier.” Considering streaming standards of business with season length, that’s going to be quite the task that may very well take too long.
Jeff Grossman, Paramount+’s executive Vice Predident of programming said “Kelsey made a triumphant return as one of the most iconic and beloved characters on television.”. “The new series introduced Frasier to a whole new generation while reminding fans of Kelsey’s truly timeless portrayal of Dr. Crane. We’re so excited to see what the creative team and superb cast serve up for Season 2.”
The revival’s setup goes as such: After Frasier spent the near 20 years since the original series finale as a talk show host in Chicago, his father Martin has died, and so he’s moved back to Boston to reconnect with his grown son, Freddy, played by Jack Cutmore-Scott, bringing along his Harvard-attending nephew David, played by Anders Keith. Alan, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, is an old Oxford buddy who persuades him to stay in town and become a Harvard psychology instructor, introducing him to department head Olivia, played by Toks Olagundoye. Jess Salgueiro also stars as Freddy’s friend Eve, a single mom who becomes his ex-roommate when Frasier poaches him from across the hall.
While Frasier’s ex-wife Lilith (who is Freddy’s mother), played by Bebe Neuwirth also returned last season, and no details for season 2 have been provided, Grammer has expressed interest in bringing back his ex-fiancé, Diane Chambers as played by Shelley Long in both previous series: “I would like to see Diane come back… for Frasier to be able to put something to bed, to end up with a nice thing between them.”
The Frasier revival’s showrunners are Chris Harris, whose credits include How I Met Your Mother and Joe Cristalli of Life in Pieces. They executive produce with Grammer, Tom Russo and Jordan McMahon. CBS Studios produces in association with Grammer’s Grammnet NH Productions.
Of course they're going to keep it going...