One of the “Frasier” revival’s biggest downsides was the lack of the original supporting cast. Although we did see the return of Frasier’s ex-wife Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) and an emotional comeback for the Dr.’s erstwhile producer Roz (Peri Gilpin), the new show couldn’t quite overcome the gaping hole left by the lack of the original ensemble. Most notably, Niles actor David Hyde Pierce declined to return for the show, prompting Kelsey Grammer and new showrunners Joe Cristali and Chris Harris to radically rethink their approach to the reboot.
That revised approach led to the perfectly decent, if at times disappointing, revival we got in 2023. But while Grammer was clearly firing on all cylinders in the role he inhabited so effortlessly 20 years prior, the new supporting characters just couldn’t live up to their predecessors. That said, as Paramount+’s executive VP of programming, Jeff Grossman noted in a statement following the show’s season 2 renewal, “The new series introduced ‘Frasier’ to a whole new generation,” so perhaps new “Frasier” adherents weren’t bothered too much by the lack of Hyde-Pierce, Daphne Moon actress Jane Leeves, or Martin Crane actor John Mahoney.
Either way, now “Frasier” 2.0 has a chance to overcome some of the issues that held its first season back. Grammar has revealed some ambitious plans for the series, and while it remains to be seen whether he’ll get the “100 episodes” he envisions, he’ll at least get another run at restoring Frasier Crane to greatness when the new season debuts. Just when that will be remains unclear at this time, but more news on season 2 should arrive in the coming months.