Summary
- Cheers creator James Burrows firmly rejects the idea of a reboot, stating that the show had a perfect ending and should be enjoyed in syndication.
- Unlike Kelsey Grammer’s push for a Frasier revival, the lead of Cheers, Ted Danson, does not seem interested in revisiting the show, making a revival nearly impossible.
- Narratively, there is no compelling reason to revive Cheers, as its ending was definitive while Frasier starts his fourth act in his new show.
Cheers co-creator James Burrow squashes all hope that a revival will happen even when Frasier is coming back. Before Kelsey Grammer starred in his Seattle-based show, he first played Frasier Crane in Cheers, establishing that both shows take place in the continuity. Despite being part of a single franchise, Burrows makes his stance clear about the possible reboot of the beloved Boston-set sitcom.
In a new interview with TV Insider, Burrows is asked about bringing back amid the upcoming Frasier revival on Paramount+. Despite directing two episodes of Grammer’s next outing as the snobbish psychiatrist, the legendary director makes it clear that Cheers will never be remade. Read his full quote below:
No. No, you’re not going to touch that. We talked about going on after Ted [Danson] left and we said, “No, this is it. Wrap it up, put it out there on a satellite TV and [syndication], and let people enjoy it.”
Why Cheers Doesn’t Need A Revival (But Frasier Does)
Grammer had been lobbying for a Frasier revival for years after realizing its potential. ABC’s Roseanne revival, which ended up being spun into The Conners following Roseanne Barr’s firing, served as his blueprint. The lead of a series advocating for its return on the small screen didn’t mean that getting it off the ground was easy. However, seeing how committed and involved he was may have helped convince Paramount+ to finally greenlit his proposal.
That is one of the few differences between Cheers and Frasier. While Rhea Perlman has talked about proposing a Cheers revival in the past, Ted Danson, who was the true lead of the project, doesn’t seem to be all that interested in doing it. For what it’s worth, his decision to leave the show as Sam Malone was the reason why it ended in the first place despite being massively popular. Between that Burrows’ take on the matter, it’s nearly impossible to make a Cheers revival at this point.
Narratively, there’s also no real need to revive Cheers. The show had a definitive ending, arguably one of the best for a sitcom ever. It isn’t all too interesting to see Sam still manning the Cheers pub and seeing all his old bar flies there. Meanwhile, Frasier is set to start his fourth act in the revival. He is moving back to Boston, bringing the character full circle. Perhaps, some of his old pub friends could appear in the new Frasier show — that’s likely the closest fans can get to a Cheers revival.
Source: TV Insider