Frasier: 10 Biggest Differences Between The Revival Show & The Original

Summary

• Frasier’s revival captures Kelsey Grammer’s brilliance, but the reboot differs in tone, humor, and setting from the classic original.
• The new Boston setting, revamped supporting cast, and traditional sitcom dialogue distinguish the reboot from the original series.
• Frasier’s character has evolved to be less of a curmudgeon in the reboot, along with changes to his workplace and fame status.

Frasier came back to the small screen last year with a revival series on Paramount+, and the reboot does a lot of things differently than the classic original show. Although the reboot received mixed reviews from critics, one aspect has been praised for living up to the original: Kelsey Grammer’s performance in the title role. Grammer slipped back into this character so seamlessly that it was almost as if two decades hadn’t passed. All these years later, Grammer effortlessly embodies Dr. Crane with razor-sharp line deliveries and a boatload of comic charisma.

But Grammer’s spectacular performance notwithstanding, the Frasier reboot is far from the same show that ended its 11-season run in 2004. The tone of the writing is different, the style of the humor is different, and even the aesthetic is different, despite emulating the multi-camera setup of the original show. From a different setting to a whole new supporting cast to a slightly altered characterization of Frasier himself, there are a lot of differences between the original Frasier series and the new revival show.

10 Frasier’s Back In Boston

Swapping Seattle’s Coffee for Boston’s Beers

The most obvious difference between the old and new Frasier shows is that the reboot takes place in a new setting. The original series moved Frasier from his hometown of Boston to the very different locale of Seattle. This meant the series had a lot of rain, a lot of trips to the local coffee shop, and a nice view of the Space Needle out of Frasier’s apartment window (even though that’s geographically impossible).

This setting puts the
Frasier
reboot more in line with the original original series,
Cheers

The reboot has brought Frasier’s story full circle by sending him back to Boston to reconnect with his son, Freddy. This setting puts the Frasier reboot more in line with the original original series, Cheers, which similarly took place in Boston. In the original Frasier, the characters’ regular hangout spot was a coffee shop. In the reboot, much like in Cheers, it’s a bar (but not Cheers).

9 Frasier’s Entire Supporting Cast Has Been Replaced In The Reboot

From the Therapist to the College Roommate

Another obvious difference in the Frasier reboot is that the entire supporting cast has been replaced. The original series surrounded Frasier with his live-in dad, Martin; his even more pompous and uptight brother, Niles; his dad’s physiotherapist (and later Niles’ wife), Daphne; and the producer of his show, Roz. Roz is the only one of these characters to appear in the reboot – and even then, it’s just a cameo; she doesn’t have a recurring role.

The new characters feel pretty underdeveloped so far, but the reboot is only 10 episodes in

The supporting cast of the reboot consists of Frasier’s now-grown-up son, Freddy; Niles and Daphne’s son, David; Freddy’s friend, Eve; Frasier’s old college roommate, Alan; and Frasier’s new boss, Olivia. This is a whole new cast of characters – they don’t even line up with the personality types from the original series. The new characters feel pretty underdeveloped so far, but the reboot is only 10 episodes in.

8 Freddy Has Become More Like Martin Than Frasier

From Intellectual to Blue-Collar

The most glaring difference between Freddy in the original series and Freddy in the reboot is that he’s played by a different actor. Trevor Einhorn played Freddy in the original series; he shared great chemistry with Grammer and he’s still a working actor today. But the producers of the reboot decided to recast the role with a new actor, Jack Cutmore-Scott, likely because they drastically changed Freddy’s established characterization from the original show.

The reboot’s Freddy is like a totally different person.

In the original show, Freddy was like a mini version of Frasier. He was a well-read intellectual who aced a spelling bee. But in the reboot, Freddy is more like Martin. He’s a regular, blue-collar guy. He’s not an academic; he’s a public servant, like his grandfather (a firefighter as opposed to a cop). The reboot’s Freddy is like a totally different person.

From Witty Banter to Generic Jokes That Somehow Work

The original Frasier had a really unique style of dialogue. With the witty repartee between the characters, it played more like a British sitcom than an American sitcom. But in the reboot, that snappy interplay has been replaced with a more traditional setup/punchline style of dialogue that’s more typical of a generic U.S. sitcom. Most of the characters’ lines are just there to set up another character’s punchline, and as a result, a lot of the lines are interchangeable between the characters.

In the original series, it would’ve stood out if a Roz line was given to Niles, or a Frasier line was given to Martin. But in the reboot, a lot of the lines could be given to just about any character and it wouldn’t make a difference to the scene. The dialogue is a big reason why the reboot doesn’t quite feel like the original series.

6 Frasier Is Working In Academia, Not Radio

Frasier Shifts from Media Personality to Professor

Frasier is in a totally new line of work in the reboot. In the original series, he was a radio host who provided psychiatric help to people who called in to his show. This created an interesting workplace setting with the radio station. Frasier was surrounded by other radio hosts with equally unique personalities, from snooty food critic Gil Chesterton to boorish sports commentator Bulldog, and he was under the rule of constantly changing station managers.

But in the reboot, Frasier is no longer a media personality. He’s back in academia, teaching a class at Harvard. Frasier’s co-workers at Harvard don’t have the disparate range of backgrounds and personalities that the radio station had. Both Alan and Olivia are stuffy, holier-than-thou intellectuals like Frasier. The contrast between Frasier and his Harvard colleagues isn’t as stark as his contrast with Roz or Bulldog.

5 The Frasier Reboot Has A Much Cleaner Look Than The Original Series

From Cozy Film to Crispy Uglier HD

Although it replicates the multi-camera setup, three-walled staging, and live studio audience of the original show, the Frasier reboot looks totally different. It looks a lot cleaner and brighter, which hasn’t really improved the overall aesthetic. Whereas the original series was shot on 35mm film in a cosy 4:3 aspect ratio, the reboot is shot on digital cameras with really overbearing lighting and gets streamed in high-definition – and it comes off as a much uglier-looking show than its predecessor.

the better the image quality gets, the worse the show looks

This can’t really be blamed on Frasier itself; it’s an industry-wide problem. Long-running shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia have made the switch from standard definition to HD and, ironically, the better the image quality gets, the worse the show looks. Sitcoms looked a lot better when their visual style was a little grungier and dirtier.

4 The Joke Isn’t Always On Frasier In The Reboot

From Lovable Loser to Successful Professional

One of the biggest differences between the humor in the original series and the reboot is that Frasier isn’t always the butt of the joke in the reboot. In the original show, nothing ever worked out for Frasier. Every potential romance ended in disaster, every business venture failed miserably, and every attempt to heighten his social stature ended up lowering it. Even when the entire city dedicated a whole day to honoring Frasier, he didn’t get to enjoy the celebrations because he was stuck on the other side of town.

He might’ve been pompous and self-obsessed, but everything went wrong for him

This was what made Frasier so endearing in the original series. He might’ve been pompous and self-obsessed, but everything went wrong for him. In the reboot, things often work out for Frasier and his personal and professional ventures don’t always end in failure. This is less endearing (and less interesting to watch).

3 Frasier Is More Famous (& He’s More Arrogant About His Fame)

From Local Celebrity to National Star

Frasier has always been very hoity-toity about his status as a public figure. He’s always enjoyed being famous and getting his ego stroked by adoring fans. Niles often mocked Frasier for being a radio psychiatrist, claiming that he was more interested in boosting his own profile and amassing a fan base than genuinely helping his patients, which should be the real goal of any therapist, and Frasier never had much of a defense against those accusations.

But in the original series, Frasier was more of a local celebrity. He was known across Seattle, but he didn’t have many fans outside the city. In the reboot, he’s coming off a popular TV show that aired nationwide, so he’s much more famous than he was in the original series. And with that increased fame, Frasier’s arrogance around his fame has also increased.

2 The Set Decoration Is A Lot Tackier In The Reboot

From Classy Chic to Casual Wear

Part of Frasier’s character is that he has a really keen eye for fashion and interior design. It’s what made the running gag with Martin’s filthy, raggedy old armchair so funny; it was completely at odds with the carefully cultivated feng shui of Frasier’s apartment. Every ornament and piece of furniture that Frasier bought for his apartment – and every item of clothing he put in his wardrobe – was really classy.

But in the reboot, that’s not really the case. The set decoration of Frasier’s apartment in the reboot is much tackier than in the original series, and the costume design isn’t much better. Frasier’s outfits are no longer perfectly coordinated and they’re no longer effortlessly debonair. He even wears jeans! The Frasier of the original series wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of jeans.

1 Frasier Is Much More Happy-Go-Lucky In The Reboot

From Ranting Curmudgeon to Mellow Mentor

Frasier’s characterization in the reboot is much more affable and friendly than he was in the original series. In the original show, Frasier was a classic curmudgeon who complained about everything, often leading to one of his signature rants. But in the reboot, he’s not quite as cranky and uptight; he’s more happy-go-lucky, as if he’s discovered a path to serenity in his later years.

he’s more accomplished, more financially stable, and more appreciative of the small things in life

To be fair, in the original series, Frasier had a lot to complain about. He had his living space invaded by his dad, his dad’s physiotherapist, and his dad’s troublesome dog. He was constantly getting upstaged at work and had to deal with insufferable colleagues like Bulldog. In the Frasier reboot, he’s more accomplished, more financially stable, and more appreciative of the small things in life, so it makes sense that he’s mellowed out a bit.