Frasier’s Return Features Some Uneven Storytelling but a Promising Ensemble: Review
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The post Frasier’s Return Features Some Uneven Storytelling but a Promising Ensemble: Review appeared first on Consequence.
The Pitch: Once upon a time, a Boston therapist/barfly named Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) moved to Seattle to host a radio talk show. Many years later, he left Seattle for San Francisco to host his own Dr. Phil-esque TV series, leading to a little bit of fame in addition to a lot of money; with the TV show now over, he’s ready for a new chapter.
And he unexpectedly finds that new chapter in Boston, while visiting his semi-estranged son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott), a Harvard dropout-turned-firefighter. Like his grandfather Martin (RIP John Mahoney), Freddy’s ambitions are strictly blue-collar, yet despite their differences, Frasier still wants to reconnect, and so decides to make his return to Boston a permanent one. The Harvard psychology department, led by Olivia (Toks Olagundoye), is thrilled to have a famous psychiatrist join the faculty. Freddy… isn’t necessarily so excited.
They’re Callin’ Again: A disappointing bit of trivia for fans of the original Frasier is that Kelsey Grammer is the only actor returning as a series regular for the Paramount+ revival — making this iteration, based on the first five episodes, feel less like the show’s return and more like a spinoff of itself.
That’s not automatically a bad thing — after all, Frasier was itself a spinoff when it first premiered in 1993. However, the original series was such a successful pivot from Cheers because it didn’t try to recreate that show’s magic: Rather than stick to a one-location hangout format, the series became a hybrid family/workplace comedy set-up that put Frasier’s home and family life on equal footing. In addition, Frasier Crane was transformed from supporting character to relatable sitcom protagonist because of the contrast provided by said family: rough-and-tumble Martin and the even fussier and high-brow Niles (David Hyde Pearce).
With Mahoney passing away in 2018 and Pearce declining to appear in the series, the revival looks to the younger generation to set up similar character dynamics, to varying degrees of good. As a successor to Mahoney, Jack Cutmore-Scott proves stronger at comedy than the show’s heavier moments, but it doesn’t help that those heavier moments feel a bit forced in the execution, as the show struggles to figure out how to balance talk of dead loved ones with a laugh track.
There’s also David (Anders Keith), Niles and Daphne’s 19-year-old son, who’s a student at Harvard — the family connection as well as his presence at the university should make him feel like less of an afterthought, yet he often feels like the third wheel in most scenes. It’s largely an issue with the writing, but Keith’s performance often feels a bit one-note, a walking Niles clone with none of the nuance.
Frasier (Paramount+)
What Is a Boy To Do: Fortunately, this Frasier is not a straight-up retread of the old, and its most enjoyable sparks come from its newest elements: In this case, Frasier’s workplace pals. Nicholas Lyndhurst plays a professor who takes no shortage of smug glee in his tenured status — this makes Alan the perfect partner for potential mischief, while the delightful Toks Olagundoye’s Olivia is ambitious while still capable of having fun. Some of the show’s best moments come from the two of them and Frasier together, an unconventional team-up that gels well thanks to the contrast between their station and their sometimes childish barbs.
The series also features Jess Salgueiro as Freddy’s roommate Eve, laying the groundwork early for a potentially sweet Will They/Won’t They (similar to the original run’s long-standing back-and-forth between Niles and Daphne). Overall, despite some of the ways they’re used, it’s an overall capable cast, with potential to grow. And right out of the gate, they do a solid job with even the most obvious punchlines the scripts hand them.
The Verdict: The first five episodes find plenty to play with when it comes to classic sitcom tropes, leaning heavily on the strong contrast between Frasier and Freddy. Yet in some ways it feels like something’s missing. It’s not the familiar cast members we miss — though Bebe Neuwirth and Peri Gilpin will be appearing later on in the season — but the purpose: Frasier’s job as a professor doesn’t offer much in the way of meaning in comparison to his work as a radio therapist; when Freddy points out that his work as a firefighter is much more valuable to society, it’s hard not to see his point.
However, in comparison to other revival series to recently roll out, there’s an authentic feel to Frasier’s return that keeps it from feeling too much like a faded photocopy of the original. Because, as opposed to How I Met Your Father and That ’90s Show, the show is built around its returning star, and some actors are stars for a reason. Grammer is as cool and confident as ever, while still fearless about taking on even the most absurd comedic challenge. When he talks, we still listen.
Where to Watch: The first two episodes of Frajer Frasier debut Thursday, October 12th on Paramount Plus.
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Frasier’s Return Features Some Uneven Storytelling but a Promising Ensemble: Review
Liz Shannon Miller
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