David Hyde Pierce comments if he thinks that the Frasier reboot can survive without him. Kelsey Grammer is spearheading the upcoming project on Paramount+. No release date has been set thus far, but the Frasier revival has already been in development for a while now with the latest update claiming that it will premiere this year.
Specific plot details are still scant at the moment for the Frasier reboot, but Grammer previously revealed that the idea is that while the premise would be different, he is set on bringing everyone back from the original show. But without any clear update on the Frasier revival, there’s also no confirmed cast list. Granted that some original actors have expressed their eagerness to revisit their respective roles, it’s difficult to get invested in the idea that they will appear in the Paramount+ endeavor without any official announcement. In the event that Pierce decides not to partake in the Frasier revival, that means that the show will have to move forward without the fan-favorite Niles.
Speaking with Vulture, the actor opens up about the Frasier reboot and talks about whether or not it can succeed without Niles. Pierce emphasizes how important the show is to him and how much fun he’s had while doing it, so he’s being extremely careful about his decision to join it. He wants to make sure that he’s not doing it just for the sake of it. In any case, he says he believes that the Frasier revival can thrive without him, citing how Frasier Crane transitioned successfully from Cheers to his own spinoff. Read Pierce’s complete answer below:
Yeah. That whole time of my life, the writing on those shows, the actors I got to work with — all of that is deeply important to me. And I would never disrespect that in such a way as to say just offhandedly, “Oh, no, thanks. I’m not going to do that again.” It’s too valuable to me. But by the same token, because it’s so valuable to me, I also wouldn’t do it just do it. And I believe it can be done without me, too — finding new stories to tell, in the same way that Frasier did after Cheers. They didn’t bring along the Cheers gang to make a new show. They popped in from time to time and that was a blast, but there was something else that needed to be said, and it needed to be said in a different way. And maybe they will find that and I’ll be in it, or maybe they’ll find it and they won’t need me to be in it.
Interestingly, Pierce has previously said that he has no intention of doing a Frasier reboot. This was long before any talks about bringing the Cranes back on the small screen started. He explained that it’s because he feels like Frasier was a reflection of its time; between that and the incredible legacy it left, he doesn’t want to risk ruining it just by revisiting the sitcom. For what it’s worth, Pierce isn’t the only one who isn’t jumping on the chance to be a part of the revival. Frasier co-creator David Lee just said back in March that he has no plans to get involved in the Paramount+ project but wishes it the best.
Can the Frasier reboot succeed without Niles? That’s a possibility. As Pierce mentioned, Grammer’s character has already made the successful transition from Cheers to his own offshoot which proves that it can be done. However, it would be for the best if he returns. While the NBC ’90s sitcom had a titular character, Frasier was very much an ensemble show and Niles was arguably a big part of why it became a hit. Fans of the show would be much more thrilled if the Crane boys get back together, especially since John Mahoney’s Marty won’t be able to be part of the new series.
