The Frasier reboot’s sophomore outing quietly acknowledges the revival series’ biggest Boston mistake — and it might even show some signs of fixing it in the future. A sequel to the Emmy-winning classic sitcom of the same name, the show centers on Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) nearly 20 years after the original Frasier‘s finale. In the wake of the death of his father, Martin Crane (the late John Mahoney), Frasier moves back to Boston. Before landing his own Seattle-based sitcom, the character originated in Cheers, but Frasier’s third act has little in common with previous iterations.
In the Frasier series finale, Dr. Crane follows Charlotte (Laura Linney) to Chicago. In the 20-year interim between the original show and the revival, Frasier also had a successful stint as a television talk show host. However, the newly single, retired psychiatrist is eager to put both Chicago and the Dr. Frasier Crane Show behind him. Although Frasier is wealthy thanks to his decades on TV, he can’t seem to stop working. In the reboot’s pilot, Frasier gives a guest lecture at Harvard University, which goes so well that he eventually lands a job in the school’s psychology department.
Frasier Season 2 Barely Focuses On Kelsey Grammer’s Arc As A Harvard Educator
The Plot Point Was Bigger In Season 1 But Pales In Comparison To Frasier’s Time As A Radio Talk Show Host
Despite being a focus on season 1’s early episodes, Frasier’s time as a Harvard professor barely figures into the reboot’s sophomore outing. After his Oxford University buddy, Professor Alan Cornwall (Nicholas Lyndhurst), invites Dr. Crane to give a guest lecture to his students at Harvard, the former TV host meets Professor Olivia Finch (Toks Olagundoye). Another member of the Frasier reboot’s new cast of characters, Olivia, the chair of Harvard’s psychology department, is desperate to have the famous and beloved Frasier join the faculty. While Frasier dismisses the idea at first, positive interactions with Harvard’s students push him to reconsider.
While Frasier’s radio show was a huge part of the original series… the character’s stint as a Harvard professor doesn’t serve the same purpose.
Of course, moving to Boston also presents Frasier with an opportunity to finally connect with his estranged son, Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott). That thread definitely takes precedence over Frasier’s time at Harvard University. If the sitcom does cross the Charles River into Cambridge, the scenes are mostly contained in Frasier and Alan’s offices. While Frasier’s radio show was a huge part of the original series, providing both comedic bits and heartfelt moments, the character’s stint as a Harvard professor doesn’t serve the same purpose. Instead, the Frasier reboot’s season 2 neglects the educator arc altogether.
Why Being A Harvard Teacher Doesn’t Work As Frasier’s Job In The Revival
Frasier’s Work-Life Balance Needs To Be Addressed In The Reboot
Unfortunately, Frasier’s time as a Harvard University educator just isn’t as successful as the character’s memorable stint as a radio talk show host. In the original Frasier, the radio show segments often complemented other ongoing storylines or a given episode’s themes. Additionally, it allowed for Grammer to deliver some of Frasier’s more memorable monologs in his typical high-brown fashion. Doling out advice has always been the psychiatrist’s strong suit, even in moments where he gets carried away. Lecturing students just doesn’t offer the same comedic opportunities.
Not to mention, Frasier’s students aren’t really characters in the show. Although two of his colleagues, Alan and Olivia, make a big impact at work, they also appear in scenes at Frasier’s apartment, Mahoney’s bar, and elsewhere. While some of the original Frasier‘s characters, like Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), appeared in and out of the office, others — namely Bulldog (Dan Butler) — were workplace-only characters. This provided a fun separation between Frasier’s professional and personal life, which the Frasier reboot just doesn’t balance as successfully. Perhaps Roz’s teased move to Boston will shift Frasier’s career once more.
