Though the Frasier reboot's story has been teased as very different from the original show, it could find success in its premise but subtly reworking one of the spin-off's ideas. After taking its titular barfly out of Cheers' eponymous setting, Frasier subtly reworked the character to fit the premise of his spin-off. The result was massively successful, prompting an 11-season run and lasting legacy of popularity that has ensured Frasier maintains a cult following even two decades on from its initial run.
The secret to the spin-off success of Frasier lies partly in its well-conceived premise, and partly in its excellent cast and their on-screen chemistry. Taking Frasier's career as an educated and respected psychiatrist and having him transition into radio was an interesting decision, but it's one that afforded plenty of opportunity for comedy. When Frasier's excellent comedic cast and host of talented writers are factored in, the result is a sitcom that truly stands the test of time.
Though Kelsey Grammer's comments about the Frasier reboot have called the quality of the revival into question long before its release, there's evidence that it can reuse the same trick that made Frasier work so well after Cheers. By keeping the essence of the character intact but using his career change to facilitate better comedy, Frasier avoided a spin-off curse and found lasting success. The reboot can do much the same thing, as Grammer has teased that Frasier did not continue his career in radio after moving to Chicago. As Frasier's career has gone through another off-screen transitional period, the reboot has an incredibly simple way of recapturing the essence of Frasier's original comedy, and it's far more subtle than it may seem.
Frasier's Career Changes Afford A Perfect Opportunity For Comedy
Though it may not be the most obvious element of Frasier's comedy, his career shift was a key part of the spin-off's success. By making Frasier a radio personality, he was somewhat alienated from his psychiatrist peers, but he was still able to remain the same lovably pompous character as before. What's more, the radio show enabled Frasier's unforgettable celebrity cameos, which added another element to the spin-off, further compounding its success. This made Frasier's career change one of the spin-off's best elements, albeit a particularly subtle one.
With Grammer's tease that Frasier will have undergone another career change between Frasier's finale and the reboot paves the way for an equally fitting comedic shift. The reboot is free to start with yet another career change, and the decades that have passed since ensure that Frasier's somewhat archaic sensibilities will be even more at odds with the conventions of modern society. There are a number of obvious narrative avenues that would facilitate this particular idea, and it would subtly connect the reboot's story to Frasier's in a way that could still feel fresh and original.
The brilliance of Frasier's original premise was that its fish-out-of-water career story made Frasier seem like a bad therapist while also endearing him to the audience. This would be one of the easiest narrative elements to reuse for the reboot, and there are obvious ways of achieving it without blatantly rehashing Frasier's original story. As it was one of the most subtle aspects of Frasier's perfect comedic premise, it's one that would be perfect to ensure the reboot honors the original spin-off.