Continuations of once-hot series are tricky to pull off, but they have a better track record than reboots.
Frasier’s return on Paramount+ had plenty of skeptics due to Kelsey Grammer being the only original star returning as a series regular.
Plenty of cameos were peppered throughout, but the series had a different energy than its predecessor.
Maybe it’s because Frasier was starting a new life in Boston and coming into contact with his son for the first time in years.
It was a late-in-life switch-up for the wise-cracking man who called Seattle his home for many years.
Now that the dust has settled on the revival, it’s time to delve into whether the show performed well enough to secure a pickup for a second season.
Has Frasier been renewed for Season 2?
Paramount+ announced today that Frasier Season 2 is in the works.
“Frasier is a love story, and I am very happy we will be allowed to continue it,” Grammer said in a statement, adding that he can’t wait “for the fans to see what we have in store.”
Jeff Grossman, Paramount+’s executive vice president of programming, said that the revival introduced “Frasier to a whole new generation while reminding fans of Kelsey’s truly timeless portrayal of Dr. Crane.”
We think it’s fair to say the show was a success, and given the amount of promotion Paramount+ gave it, we’re not surprised.
Why does the Frasier revival take place in Boston?
The new series finds Frasier at a different stage of life than when we left him 19 years before in the original series finale.
He’s back in Boston in an attempt to reconnect with his son, Freddy (played by Jack Cutmore-Scott), and takes on a job at the local university.
He makes fast friends with Alan (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and Olivia (Toks Olagundoye) there.
Jess Salgueiro and Anders Keith round out the cast.
Frasier did have some more original stars, with Bebe Neuwirth returning as Frasier’s ex-wife Lilith and Peri Gilpin as Frasier’s former radio colleague Roz.
The door is wide open for more comebacks down the line because the show — and even Cheers — has such a rich tapestry of characters to delve into.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see where everyone is all these years later?
Paramount+ has been on a cancellation spree
News of the renewal comes as Paramount+ has been on what can only be described as a cancellation spree.
EVIL, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Wolf Pack, and iCarly are among the recent cancellations, so it’s rare to hear something so recent has scored a renewal.
But Frasier was always going to be a hit: The show had a massive fan base when it aired on NBC, so there’s a good chance many of those fans were curious enough to check back in all these years later.
Frasier is currently on hiatus. Season 2 is expected to air in late 2024.