Kelsey Grammer reveals that he had to save the Frasier revival from being unnecessarily dark. Aside from starring as Frasier Crane, the actor has also been spearheading the efforts to get the critically-acclaimed sitcom back on the airwaves. Because of that, Grammer has also been involved creatively in crafting the Frasier revival, and he has some very interesting stories about the whole process.
In his latest appearance on CBS Mornings, Grammer opened up about having to save the Frasier revival from being unnecessarily dark as the writers struggled to crack the right story for Frasier’s fourth act after Chicago. Watch the full interview below:
It’s no secret that the Frasier revival was stuck in development limbo for years. There were issues with casting, especially since the rest of the original actors turned down the project. Aside from that, Grammer also essentially admits that they had troubles nailing the tone of the reboot saying:
‘Listen, if we’re gonna kill this character,’ I have just been given a bunch of notes on what they thought the show should be, and I wrote David [Stapf], and I said ‘if we’re gonna kill this character, let me do it.’ They [notes] were awful. They were going down the wrong path at that time, you know, well-intentioned. I’ve finally said, ‘look, let’s just kill it now’ and he said, ‘no, no. Sorry. Yeah, we understand, it’s supposed to be funny’
The Frasier Revival Doesn’t Need To Be Dark To Be Successful
As with Cheers, Frasier was filmed in front of a live studio audience. So, it was easy for NBC to determine whether its comedy was resonating with viewers. Despite being a sitcom, however, it never shied away from tackling more serious issues. In fact, its unique tone was one of the reasons why it was both a critical darling and a fan-favorite.
Given this, the Paramount+ revival doesn’t need to be edgy and dark to succeed like its parent show. Instead, it needs to lean on the tried and tested tone of the original sitcom with the Frasier revival’s new cast. Admittedly, it would be difficult to exactly replicate its predecessor given its fresh ensemble and modern setting. However, if the reboot can strike the perfect balance between tackling universal topics like family relationships and incorporating slapstick comedy, then there’s a good chance for the upcoming endeavor to succeed.
Only time will tell if the revival will resonate with the public the same way its parent show did. But, for what it’s worth, it does seem like Grammer is aware of what needs to be done for the Frasier revival to succeed. At the very least, the fact that they’re mining inspiration from Frasier and Martin Crane’s relationship suggests that the reboot will be both funny and heartwarming.
Source: CBS Mornings