ABOVE AVERAGE
I have a special love for this show. There are certain traits in the character of Frasier Crane that reminds me of myself. The close but competitive relationship between him and his brother Niles is not unlike the one between my brother and myself. Our dad is very much like Martin, the Crane boys’ father. All that’s missing to complete the picture is my acquiring an apartment with a gorgeous Seattle view and my brother marrying the thinnest woman on Earth.
Moved back home to Seattle
Frasier is the most successful spin-off series ever produced. When Cheers closed the bar in 1993, one of its lesser-known supporting characters was given the chance to create something of his own. Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) quit hanging around the bar in Boston, moved back home to Seattle and started making a living as a radio shrink. His brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), a fellow psychiatrist, was happy to have his brother in the city again, but there was also the issue of what was going to happen to their ailing father. Martin (John Mahoney), a retired cop, was suffering from a bad hip after being shot in the line of duty. He needed someplace to stay and the brothers, while not exactly close to their father, felt an obligation to take care of him. Eventually, Frasier decided to let Martin move into his apartment, an awkward arrangement.
Other characters on the show were Roz (Peri Gilpin), Frasier’s out-and-about producer at the radio station, and Daphne (Jane Leeves), Martin’s psychic physical therapist whom Niles had a not-so-secret crush on. Frasier’s ex-wife Lilith made occasional appearances; Niles’s wife Maris was often the butt of jokes but never actually seen on the show.
Smart and suave throughout its run
Sophistication was a key word here. Frasier and Niles were well educated and shared a liking for the exquisite. They thought very highly of themselves and their place in society, which gave the writers many possibilities to gently mock them. Martin felt it was necessary to remind his sons of the simple things in life; perhaps he was best seen as a symbol of us in the audience. When moving in with Frasier, Martin brought his hideous-looking old armchair. It didn’t match anything in the fancy apartment but Frasier eventually learned to see the value in it.
The writers kept it very smart and suave throughout its run, even if the last seasons did have its lulls.
The writers kept Frasier very smart and suave throughout its run, even if the last seasons did have its lulls. Each episode had intertitle cards that established themes and places or just set the mood for the following sequence, lending the show a literary touch.
The dialogue was intelligent and hilarious and you were never quite sure of how an episode would end. But the writers were not so sophisticated they wouldn’t turn many stories into door-slamming farces; Frasier’s dinner parties became notorious (and very funny) disasters. There were plenty of opportunities for Grammer to chew the scenery but he was incredibly enjoyable as the transatlantic-accented doctor. Hyde Pierce was utterly charming and very funny as his fragile brother.
Two decades after Frasier was canceled, the show returned for another 20 episodes, where Frasier moved back to Boston. Perhaps the thought was to reunite him with his Cheers friends, but he found new buddies at the university where he taught, and reconnected with his now adult son. Never as satisfying as the original run, the revival had its enduring moments.
Frasier 1993-2004, 2023-2024:U.S. 284 episodes. Color. Created by David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee. Cast: Kelsey Grammer (Frasier Crane), David Hyde Pierce (Niles Crane, 93-04), John Mahoney (Martin Crane, 93-04), Peri Gilpin, Jane Leeves (93-04), Jack Cutmore-Scott (23-24), Toks Olagundoye (23-24), Jess Salgueiro (23-24), Anders Keith (23-24), Nicholas Lyndhurst (23-24), Patricia Heaton (24).
Trivia: Lisa Kudrow was originally cast as Roz. On Cheers, Frasier claimed to have been an only child and that his father was dead, but the creators of this spin-off chose to ignore it.
Emmys: Outstanding Comedy Series 93-94, 94-95, 95-96, 96-97, 97-98; Directing 93-94, 94-95, 96-97; Writing 93-94, 94-95, 95-96, 98-99; Actor (Grammer) 93-94, 94-95, 97-98, 03-04; Supporting Actor (Hyde Pierce) 94-95, 97-98, 98-99, 03-04; Guest Actress (Jean Smart) 99-00, 00-01, (Laura Linney) 03-04; Guest Actor (Derek Jacobi) 00-01, (Anthony LaPaglia) 01-02. Golden Globes: Best Comedy Series 95; Actor (Grammer) 96, 01.
Quote: “I’d love to stay but I… have my therapy group meeting, and last time I was late the, er, compulsive gamblers were betting the passive aggressives that they couldn’t make the over-eaters cry.” (Hyde Pierce)
Last word: “One [producer] brought in a tape of David Hyde Pierce from his canceled show, The Powers That Be, and said, Hey, look at this guy. He looks so much like Kelsey Grammer, if you ever decide to have a brother for Frasier, this guy would be perfect.’ There was something about David that just jumped out on the tape. The way he was so understated. His comic timing and his delivery. We were instantly taken with him.” (Casey, US)