The long-in-the-works Frasier followup is finally a reality. Paramount+ has given a series greenlight to the multi-camera comedy, executive produced by Kelsey Grammer who is reprising his signature character, psychiatrist-turned-radio host Frasier Crane.
As Deadline reported exclusively, Grammer in 2018 started fielding interest for a new Frasier series that would feature the title character in a new city and has been the driving force behind the efforts ever since. The project was eventually set up at Paramount+ and was announced as being in development at the streamer’s February 2021 launch event. It has now been formally picked up to series. The number of episodes has not been confirmed, I hear it will likely be 10.
Details about the new series are also not being revealed beyond the fact that it is focused on Frasier Crane’s (Grammer) next chapter in a different city. He will be surrounded by new characters, with original Frasier cast members not expected to be series regulars but could make guest appearances.
That is the same storytelling technique used to set up Frasier. The psychiatrist (Grammer), introduced on the Boston-set NBC hit Cheers, moved back to his hometown of Seattle for the spinoff series where he was joined by new characters while Cheers alums did occasional guest stints.
The new incarnation of Frasier comes from writers Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces), who exec produce with Grammer, Tom Russo and Jordan McMahon. The series will be produced by CBS Studios in association with Grammer’s Grammnet NH Productions.
In July, Grammer confirmed in an interview that they were “in the final stages of the final script for the first episode” of the followup series, adding, “I’ve had a couple of runs through it, and I cried, so I’m happy.”
Frasier ran for 11 seasons between 1993 and 2004 on NBC. Created by the late David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee and produced by Grammer’s Grammnet Prods. and CBS Studios’ predecessor Paramount Network Television, Frasier starred Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin, and the late John Mahoney.
One of the most celebrated comedy series of the 1990s and 2000s, Frasier set a record for the most Emmy Awards won by a scripted series at the time, 37, including five consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Grammer, four-time Emmy winner for his starring role on Frasier.
