Frasier (2023) (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

the made a very quick joke about Charlotte, I’m essence, what I heard is they had 20 years together and it didn’t work out so they are apart now. Martin does play heavily in the story.

I thought that was handled well. Essentially, there was a whole "Frasier" series in Chicago between the old run and the new run that we never got to see. It helps sell the passage of time. And it makes sense that the city that made Oprah and Roger Ebert household names would do the same for Frasier Crane.

Finally, i thought they may take this series the direction they did with the father-son thing. I went into this episode with an open mind and I was curious what they would do with Frasier. I’ll keep watching. Ina way, it’s sort of like how Picard was done. Some linkages are kept to the past show, but using new characters around him and a new situation.

That was really the premise that was begging to be explored. When Frasier's marriage to Lilith came to an end, he abandoned his son to head home to Seattle and lick his wounds. I wouldn't say he was an absentee father after that, as Freddy did come to stay with him from time to time. But he certainly wasn't a daily presence in his son's life.

And, as has been expressed by others here, there's a nice symmetry with the original series: a strained father-son dynamic where the love they have for one another needs to overcome the conflicts that arise between a snobbish intellectual and and a smart but unpretentious regular guy.

I didn't find the premiere of the revival as good as the original show, but it was way better than CBS's advertising made it out to be. It's interesting that Freddy is the show's straight man, which allows Frasier to go a bit broader like he was on "Cheers".

Of the new characters, I really liked Frasier's washed up professor friend and Freddy's single mother roommate. The only one that I felt completely didn't work was Frasier's nephew, who has all of the eccentricities of both parents. It's just too much, to the point where he doesn't feel like a real person.

I've read that he never visits Cheers in the first season, which is probably smart as this show tries to carve out its own identity. But if it gets a second season, I'd love to see him delve into that part of his life again, especially now that he's back in Boston. We're lucky that, other than Kirstie Alley, all of the cast who was in the show at the end of "Cheers" is still with us and actively working.

I was my father’s son when the original show aired, and now as this revival debuts I find myself the father of sons. A perfect shift in perspective.

That's lovely!

 

[Malcolm R]

We're lucky that, other than Kirstie Alley, all of the cast who was in the show at the end of "Cheers" is still with us and actively working.

I thought John Ratzenberger had also passed?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I thought John Ratzenberger had also passed?

Not unless he croaked without the media knowing about it after this tweet from June:

 

[Malcolm R]

Good to know. I guess I thought since he was no longer doing voice work for Pixar that he must have passed away, as that seemed to be a long time tradition.

Hopefully Cliff Clavin is still kicking around Boston.

 

[JamesSmith]

As per the reboot, while it seems that Frasier has gained financially and notoriety from his television show; he seems to have regressed with his social skills with his non-understanding of what was going on between himself and his son. Also with his relationship to Charlotte ended (married?), it seems that his third marriage has failed. Wish we could have heard Frasier's speech to the psychology students, but it would lay odds it was theory than any actual way of helping people with problems. I know this is a tv show, but I just marvel that Frasier would be considered a great psychologist.

--jthree

 

[JamesSmith]

This new revival honors those earlier choices by not reopening them for direct continuation. What we see instead is that Frasier has found himself in a similar position to Martin, suddenly being with an adult son who couldn’t be more different than he is. But rather than turning Frasier into Martin, it was a clever choice to make Freddie carry on the family legacy of public service and blue collar life. It makes perfect sense that Freddie’s ultimate rebellion against Frasier and Lilith was to not be the kind of person they tried to mold him into. Freddie carries their values but not their personalities.

Excellent point. That Freddie is rebelling against Frasier and Lilith. Considering what kind of people they are, it's amazing that Freddie is concerned about public service.

--jthree

 

[Wiseguy]

Watched first 2 last night. Laugh track is way too high. Don't need to be told when to laugh. The nephew is more annoying than needed. Yes, he probably should be neurotic, but way too much of a suckup to Frasier. Jokes were weak, but think they were trying to catch everyone up and introduce characters so they were overdone. I think it has potential and will continue it.

Laugh tracks aren't there to tell you when to laugh. They're there to provide the illusion that you're watching a live performance with an audience.

 

[NeilO]

Due to the lack of new scripted programming, CBS is airing the first two episodes tonight. So, if you want to try it out without streaming here is your chance.

 

[Malcolm R]

Just watched the episodes on CBS and loved it. Not quite sure of the point of David, the nephew, or Olivia, the Psych dept chair, but the rest of the characters already mesh pretty well for me, especially Frasier's professor friend, Alan, at Harvard. He's hilarious.

Alan: "Look at this picture of us from years ago."
Frasier: "That's not me. That's not even you."
Alan tosses pic in trash.

I thought they handled Mahoney/Martin's passing really well, and it seems like he'll often be a source of inspiration and conversation.

Really hope Paramount puts this out on disc eventually. Or I may have to consider a brief subscription to Paramount+ to finish the season.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Really hope Paramount puts this out on disc eventually.

They have for all of their other originals so I’d say that’s more likely than not.

 

[Francois Caron]

I skimmed through it. I've completely lost interest in the sitcom genre. The story felt old and predictable.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I lost interest less than halfway through the first episode. The laughs all seem forced and the jokes aren’t funny.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched the two CBS offerings, and as Frasier goes, it was on par with some of the original show's more mediocre episodes. The new supporting players to me are substitutes for the vibes of some of the original cast. The nephew is a Niles replacement. The son is a Martin replacement. The young mother is a Roz replacement. The professor is a mix of Bulldog and the radio station manager. I had an okay time with the show, but it wouldn't be Must See TV like the original was in its early seasons.

 

[Malcolm R]

We knew it was coming. Frasier's new canine nemesis (EW.com):

 

[TJPC]

Why do they always insist on that phony canned laughter. It took us right out of the show.

 

[Malcolm R]

It's exactly like the original series. Did you not watch that?

 

[TJPC]

Yes of course, but in the last few years my tastes have become so refine, and my memory so bad, that I now find the background hohohos absolutely distracting.

 

[questrider]

This Frasier reboot, like Cheers and the original Frasier before it, was filmed in front of a live studio audience at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.

Here's your first look at the 'Frasier' reboot

Dr. Frasier Crane still doesn't know what to do with those tossed salad and scrambled eggs in this first look at the 'Frasier' reboot.

ew.com

 

[Jeffrey D]

Why do they always insist on that phony canned laughter. It took us right out of the show.

I do get why some don’t like the laugh track- it sticks out like a sore thumb when a joke falls flat, as if the track is poking us in the ribs, and telling us that last bad line was actually funny- insulting our intelligence. I just have gotten used to watching a sitcom with the canned laughter, so without it, I would miss hearing it.

 

[Wiseguy]

I do get why some don’t like the laugh track- it sticks out like a sore thumb when a joke falls flat, as if the track is poking us in the ribs, and telling us that last bad line was actually funny- insulting our intelligence. I just have gotten used to watching a sitcom with the canned laughter, so without it, I would miss hearing it.

Or maybe the audience ("Filmed before a live audience") has a sense of humor and you're too busy complaining about a non-existant laugh track. And even if it were a laugh track or sweetening of audience laughter, who cares?