Frasier Reboot: Will Dr. Crane's daytime talk show Return?
Frasier's Back in Boston—But Will His Talk Show Make a Comeback?
The Frasier reboot, premiering in 2023, finds our favorite psychiatrist back in Boston. Following his father's death and the end of his relationship with Charlotte, he's trying to reconnect with his son, Frederick, a firefighter! Between the original series and this reboot? Frasier hosted a super popular daytime talk show in Chicago—after his radio days in Seattle! The ending hints at other possibilities and how this new family structure is being constructed. Could we see it return in the reboot? TV Insider recently spoke to executive producers Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris about just that topic, and the answers may just surprise you.
It might sound slightly random; yet a lot of people might remember the original series well! Those key storylines remain important; particularly concerning the main character and those around him! The producers highlight why exactly this reboot had to work: by setting up what possibly could return and bringing up characters from earlier installments; and it's also going to re-examine how that existing legacy could be brought into that newer structure.
The Producers Weigh In: A Trick's in the Making
Cristalli and Harris both discuss that talk show’s possible comeback! Cristalli says that getting Frasier back on air is absolutely possible! The plot suggests that the groundwork's been already done. And how exactly would they do that? They hint it’d be a masterful, humorous scheme using the characters Bebe Glazer (Harriet Sansom Harris) and Bebe's daughter, Phoebe (Rachel Bloom), using that pre-existing relationship and bringing them together to pull a fast one over Frasier!
Here is what exactly was said: "I don’t know. It would be fun to see him do that show again at some point. We’ve set the groundwork for them to trick him, so it does feel like they should eventually be able to trick him into doing it, which would be very funny. There’s something funny about him walking into a studio not knowing that the set is built and that he’s doing a show, and he’s just doing it." and Chris adds "They’d have to appeal to Frasier wears his heart on his sleeve. He goes overboard trying to do things for other people and they’d probably have to appeal to that."
And there's more to this! The explanation from Cristalli really clarifies why this kind of manipulation would even work at all! His additional statement clarifies everything "Well, think about all the people you haven’t helped in the Three years you’ve been off the air. Oh my god, there’s so many people that need my help. Yeah, they’d pull on that string real hard, I think. And Chris is right."
Analyzing the Hints: A Hilarious Return
That previous storyline in Frasier, season 2, episode 5 has that plotline where Bebe and Phoebe return! Phoebe fakes shared interests with Frasier; to trick him back on television! That is hilariously ingenious and clearly well thought out! This event doesn’t get overlooked and the reboot carefully sets up a plan in place for pulling that incredibly difficult maneuver; making this situation where Frasier ultimately gives in to the pressure of a potential comeback all the more convincing and perfectly justified. The series already provides its own explanation in that episode: highlighting just how ingenious and intelligent that family reunion might’ve really been, making the setup for his comeback even more clever.
Our Thoughts: A Return to the Past?
While the reboot introduces other elements, its relationship with nostalgia and revisiting the past was emphasized. The return to his radio roots (in Season 2, Episode 8) brings back fond memories. A daytime show revival might seem excessive, considering many fans barely saw those earlier storylines to be relevant; leaving viewers only interested in the aspects they found personally enjoyable from previous seasons, making this possible return slightly unnecessary and without much payoff, it really didn't have that lasting impact on most people to be worth investing too much into.
The use of this pre-existing Nostalgia adds another layer of context to why the reboot functions in that specific manner, but the use of nostalgia for earlier content isn’t going to satisfy everyone, even as these elements help ground those returning characters into something audiences might connect with. The reliance on that nostalgia might feel excessive, overshadowing the potential to create new compelling developments; potentially hindering future attempts to fully move forward for this series.
Conclusion: The Future of Frasier's Talk Show Remains Open!
The possibility of a Frasier talk show remains entirely open! While the producers have built potential for that hilarious comeback – particularly using Bebe and Phoebe’s existing dynamic in the latest storylines and characters created during this reboot, yet the use of existing plot points does bring those elements together effectively– and creating that clever, intelligent writing. However, those producers may not be prioritizing a specific aspect. Relying too much on this could stifle potential, prioritizing the development of other elements instead; showing what might be more satisfying or impactful on the show itself; creating new moments that were unavailable to explore otherwise, especially when taking advantage of pre-existing story moments in other releases which did already leave a mark, creating even deeper context.
