Originally created as a spin-off to the iconic 80s sitcom Cheers, Frasier starred one of the bar's familiar customers, Dr. Frasier Crane. Following the everyday life of the doctor, it gained a huge fanbase as audiences were hooked to Frasier's wise and comedic words among the eccentric people in his life.
Consisting of 264 episodes and winning multiple Emmy awards, the show was made up of 11 seasons between 1993 to 2004. Sourced from ClassicTVHits, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, FBibler.Chez.com, Ratings Ryan, and Quotenmeter, these seasons' ratings are based on their overall viewings. This is except for seasons 10 and 11, which are based on their least to most viewed episodes.
Season 11 - 8.25 to 25.4 Million Viewers
As Frasier's ratings slowly dropped over the years, it was only inevitable that the show would come to its end. However, it managed to reach its eleventh season before it wrapped up, which is a rare milestone for sitcoms.
It managed to conclude the characters' storylines with the gravitas and sincerity that only the title character could pull off while enjoying some brilliant guest appearances one last time. From Frasier's recitation of Ulysses during his final broadcast to him dancing with Patrick Stewart, the writers knew how to make the most out of this final journey.
Season 10 - 9.25 to 21.12 Million Viewers
As the number of viewers slowly dwindled across later seasons of the show, the cast and crew tried to move on from old story arcs and move to new chapters. Niles and Daphne's marriage was one of these major highlights after ten years of will-they-won't-they and seeing them in their newfound life as a married couple.
There were also plenty of stand-out moments that tried to bring out the loudest laughter from audiences. From Frasier and Niles learning how to ride a bike to Frasier accidentally speaking in Klingon instead of Hebrew for a Bar Mitzvah, everyone was certainly willing to go the extra mile.
Season 9 - 15.0 Million Viewers
In a continued attempt to try and push the ratings back up to their prime, the writers explored the relationships of Frasier and, in doing so, rooted him back to his origins. In 'Cheerful Goodbye,' they bump into some of the characters from Cheers, including Carla, Norm, and Cliff, during a conference in Boston. During this reunion, they exchange plotlines from classic episodes to the Frasier cast.
In addition, they also tried to move forward with Niles and Daphne's relationship. In the season 9 finale, Niles tries to reunite Daphne's parents in an eccentric plan that only he can do. The double-bill episode even features Brian Cox and Millicent Martin as guest actors to fit the billing as Daphne's father and mother.
Season 8 - 15.9 Million Viewers
Season 8 saw a lot of episodes that focussed on Frasier's relationship with his brother. As well as seeing both of these intellectual siblings struggling to learn auto engineering at night school in 'Motor Skills,' viewers also see them set up a Shakespearean play for a childhood hero of theirs, only to realize that he is perhaps not quite the actor they remember him to be.
There are also a few episodes in which Niles steals the spotlight from his older brother. Not only does he finally stand up for himself towards his wife Mel in a relationship that fans hated, but he is also able to score an impossible shot after fumbling with a ball during a basketball game that gets the crowd cheering for him.
Season 4 - 17.5 Million Viewers
New guest actors and animals made their introduction in this season, and while they would not stay around for long outside this fourth series, they did make audiences laugh at the expense of the Crane brothers. As well as Niles buying himself a talkative cockatoo, Martin Crane also falls head over heels for the highly excitable and expressive Sherry (played by Marsha Mason).
Among the 11 seasons of the show, Kelsey Grammer's favorite episode appears in this particular one. Titled 'Our Father Whose Art Ain't Heaven,' it features Martin Crane deciding to buy his sons a gift each as gratitude for providing support for him, but his choice of gifts reflects the very different tastes that the eccentric and lovable father has compared to his children.
Season 5 - 18.3 Million Viewers
Season 5 would play a key part in Frasier, but not all of it would be for the best reasons. It would be the first time the show's ratings dropped below the 20 million mark for viewership and the start of the show's battle to remain at the top of comedic television.
However, that does not mean that this season did not celebrate its own impressive milestone or classic episodes as well. It featured the show's 100th episode as a two-parter surrounding Frasier's radio producer Roz with her pregnancy and featured iconic episodes like 'Ski Lodge' that have remained among the best episodes of season 5.
Season 3 - 20.6 Million Viewers
If this season of Frasier focused on one thing really well, it was the relationships and pursuits of the title character and Niles. Not also did fans finally see Niles express his love for Daphne while dancing the tango, but they saw Frasier himself amend his relationship with Diane Chambers from Cheers.
Kelsey Grammer may have been widely known for his role as the star of this show, but not many would probably know that he started his career as a director on it too. In particular, he directed the 'Moon Dance' episode where Niles and Daphne danced together as previously mentioned.
Season 2 - 21.1 Million Viewers
After its first season, Frasier got renewed, and with it came another 24 episodes of the Crane family and their beloved friends around them. This season would break the ground for sitcoms during the 90s, and the storyline in question would remain as one of IMDb's highest-ranked episodes.
'The Matchmaker' saw Frasier attempt to find his housekeeper, Daphne, a new boyfriend, and accidentally asked his station's manager Tom (played by Eric Lutes) on a date during a misunderstanding. After being invited to a dinner party and eventually leading to him realizing what he has done, it leads to a good-natured and comedic exchange between the two on their sexuality. This episode even won a GLAAD Media Award, an accolade that focuses on LGBTQ+ representation.
Season 7 - 21.8 Million Viewers
Throughout season 7, Niles and Daphne's relationship was tested, and finally, both acknowledged one another's love despite Niles already being married to Mel and Daphe about to be in marriage herself. However, during a two-part finale, the two finally got together and left fans cheering as it wrapped up for the year.
In addition, there were plenty of chuckles to be had from the rest of the cast of characters. From Martin avoiding dating the mother of Frasier's crush to Frasier hosting a television talk show from his agent Bebe, there was quite a fair bit happening in these episodes.
Season 6 - 23.9 Million Viewers
After the fall of numbers from the fifth season, Frasier raised back up on a high, and its following season saw it become the second-highest-rated series. With Niles finally settling his divorce with his ex-wife Maris, he was left with a personal journey that saw him look for a new apartment before eventually trying to win over the tenant board for his old one.
Among these episodes, 'Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz' earned extensive praise as one of the highest-ranked holiday episodes from IMDb. Set around Christmas time, Frasier meets a new woman in his life named Helen Moskowitz, and the episode earned writer Jay Kogen an Emmy Award for their work.
Season 1 - 24.2 Million Viewers
The first season has remained the highest-rated and would introduce everyone in 1993 to Dr. Frasier Crane and his oddball family and colleagues. Furthermore, it made the rare accomplishment of succeeding from its predecessor and stood on its own two feet as a spin-off sitcom.
The pilot episode alone was responsible for starting a series of 37 Emmy award wins for the entire run of the show. Titled 'The Good Son,' it won in the best writing and best directing categories the following year, and Kelsey Grammer earned one for his portrayal as the most watchable doctor in comedy history.