“He doesn’t want to step back into those shoes”: OG Frasier Actor Had a Perfectly Valid Reason for Refusing Kelsey Grammer Reboot
With an interesting blend of comedy and drama, Frasier has been a pioneering sitcom in defining the world of TV shows. Covering pertinent social issues, the show amped up the relatability factor and garnered a mass fan following. Since its premiere in 1993, the show charted the life of Frasier Crane, a psychiatrist who turns into a call-in radio host.
It was a spin-off of the show Cheers and was one of the most popular American television shows of the late 20th century. The show won 37 Emmys, including five for Outstanding Comedy Series. This year, the show saw a reboot with the iconic Kelsey Grammer returning as our beloved protagonist. The first episode of the reboot aired in October on Paramount+. However, one of the main cast members is not returning for the reboot.
Niles Won’t Be In the Frasier Reboot
David Hyde Pierce who played Frasier’s brother Niles in the original show will not be returning for the Paramount+ reboot. The creators of the show Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli kept the storyline open to make changes according to the available actors on board. The original idea for the reboot was different from what eventually happened. The showrunners did plan on Pierce coming on board but had to switch gears later on. They spoke to Vulture and revealed the situation,
“We talked to David Hyde Pierce a couple of times. He was in a tough position. Everybody wants to see him as Niles, but he doesn’t want to step back into those shoes. He felt like he didn’t have anything new to bring to the character. He read versions and gave us notes and thoughts, and he acknowledged it was funny, and we found the tone the original did so well. It just wasn’t for him.”
Many actors in the past have refused to reprise their iconic roles because they feel at peace with what they have achieved with the role already. Coming back to a role only for it to fail is not a good idea.
He continued, “Once that happened, it freed us up a little bit. By allowing us to take Frasier and put him with a whole new cast and location, it gives us the ability to stand on our own two feet. Yes, we have to live up to the incredibly high standards of Frasier, but with a little more leniency. This can live in the same universe as Frasier and Cheers without being Frasier or Cheers.”
Initially, the creators planned on putting Frasier and Niles together for a project where they run a black-box theatre and bring it alive. But this idea did not work because Niles did not come back. So Harris and Cristalli had to be quick on their feet and realign strategies.
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Frasier Reboot Storyline and Actors
The latest season of Frasier shows the titular character in Boston compared to Seattle where he was last seen. Frasier is now living with his son and is on an adventure to redefine himself while tackling new challenges and fulfilling new dreams.
Nicholas Lyndhurst, Kelsey Grammer, Jack Cutmore-Scott, and Toks Olagundoye are starring in the reboot series. There has been no news on John Mahoney and Jane Leeves reprising their roles either. Nonetheless, fans are excited to have one of the best sitcoms back for a new chapter.
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