Kelsey Grammer explains how the Frasier reboot will honor the late John Mahoney. A revival of the sitcom that ran from 1993 to 2004, the upcoming Paramount+ series will find Grammer’s titular psychiatrist returning to Boston, the setting of its parent series Cheers. Other than Grammer, the Fraiser reboot isn’t expected to feature any original cast members. This includes Mahoney, who played Frasier’s father Martin Crane in all 263 episodes and passed away in 2018.
Talking to ET Online, Grammer opened up about how the Frasier reboot will honor Martin in his absence. The actor explained how the new series will revolve around the father-son dynamic between Frasier and his son Freddy, just as the original show did with Frasier and Martin. Read what Grammer said below:
He’s going back to Boston because his son lives there. There’s a nod to certainly my father in the show, John Mahoney, there. You’ll see things about John all through the show. I think people will be very happy to see that he’s honored in the way he is in the show. And it’s all about love. It’s all about looking for love, becoming a good father, because… Frasier has always been looking to become a full man.
How The Frasier Reboot Can Honor Its Missing Characters
As Grammer explains, the main reason Frasier is returning to Boston in the reboot is because his son lives here. After being played by several different actors in both Cheers and Frasier, the revival has cast Jack Cutmore-Scott as an older Freddy who rejected following in his father’s footsteps by dropping out of college to become a fireman. By exploring a very similar father-son dynamic between Frasier and Freddy, the reboot should be able to pay proper homage to Martin Crane, even if his name is never explicitly mentioned.
While Martin’s absence may be most deeply felt due to Mahoney’s passing, the Frasier reboot is dealing with more missing characters. Chief among them is Frasier’s brother Niles, as David Hyde Pierce opted not to come back for the continuation. While Niles and his wife Daphne (Jane Leeves) aren’t expected to appear, Anders Keith has been cast as their son David, who was born in the original series finale.
With important characters like Martin and Niles unable to return, the Frasier reboot is finding creative ways to honor the missing characters, whether it’s replacing them with de facto stand-ins or exploring similar relationship dynamics with other characters. It’s a risky decision, considering that Frasier‘s supporting characters are a major reason why the original series is so beloved. Now that filming is officially underway, only time will tell if the Frasier reboot can honor its missing characters properly.
Source: ET Online