Frasier was known for its many low-key celebrity cameos, but the upcoming reboot can improve upon the running bit. Kelsey Grammer, Frasier’s former star, confirmed that a revival of the popular ‘90s series is in development at Paramount+. While the first run of the show followed the pretentious psychiatrist and his family as Frasier moved to Seattle to become a radio host, the reboot will explore Frasier’s “third act” in a different career. As he transitions from radio host to a new job, the celebrity cameos can follow him in a more impactful way.
The original run of Frasier featured a constant revolving door of cameos appearing as the callers on Frasier’s radio show, each seeking his advice for their often-usual problems. At the end of each season, the credits would show the many celebrities who “called in,” including legendary actors like Carrie Fisher and Christopher Reeve, beloved musicians like Eddie Van Halen and Yo-Yo Ma, and even the author Stephen King. The show only required that the guest stars record their parts remotely, and their voices were then dubbed over another actor reading the lines, so it required little effort for the celebrities. However, some actors who began as callers on the show later joined Frasier’s cast.
Although Grammer has not yet confirmed what Frasier’s third act will be, any new career Frasier pursues is unlikely to allow for the anonymous cameos that his radio show did. Instead, if he returns to private practice, transitions into the world of television, or joins academia, the celebrity cameos could turn into actual appearances from these stars. The cameos could follow the precedent of bit parts as Frasier’s patients or guests, but viewers could get the full impact of the cameos as they encounter Frasier face-to-face.
Frasier had no shortage of guest-star appearances from celebrities in addition to the constant cameos. Patrick Stewart, Michael Keaton, and Eva Marie Saint, among others, all appeared in episodic stories, and most of the cast of Cheers reprised their roles, indicating that the show could still feature several celebrity cameos even if it required them to appear in person. The cameos might be less frequent, as they would require more effort for any visiting star that was simply calling in to read their lines, but each cameo could have more focus in the show.
Although it’s still unclear exactly what Frasier’s return will look like, the show can continue one of its best facets by transitioning its small cameos into Frasier’s new career. This time, Kelsey Grammer and the rest of the cast could have the opportunity to work directly with any appearing celebrities, expanding upon the limiting format of the radio show. Fraiser will be coming back after almost two decades off the air, but with its new changes, its celebrity cameos could be even better.