Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Frasier reboot episode 6.
The Frasier reboot episode 6 makes Freddy more like his father, which in turn makes Frasier a hypocrite. Kelsey Grammer’s protagonist isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. He can be cocky, judgmental, and overly dramatic. The original show thrived in making sure that he was grounded thanks to the ensemble of characters he was surrounded with. Among a host of flaws, however, Frasier’s best qualities such as his genuine desire to help other people, as highlighted in his stint as a radiotherapist at KACL, balance things out. Still, at this point, one would assume that he has become more self-aware. but he hasn’t
Frasier is in his twilight years in the reboot, meaning his return to Boston is set to be his final act. Almost two decades after he left Seattle for Chicago, he is armed with new experiences and life lessons, prompting him to finally prioritize the most important thing in his life — his son, Freddy. This motivates him to resettle in Boston despite not having the best track record in the city. The father and son reunion highlights how different they are — a narrative trope inspired by Frasier’s relationship with Martin in the original series. Occasionally, however, it also emphasizes how similar they can be.
Freddy’s Romance Problem Is Exactly Frasier’s Issue In The Old Show
Frasier isn’t the only one whose love life is suffering.
In the Frasier reboot episode 6, “Blind Date,” Frasier and Freddy find themselves pining for the same woman after a mix-up with Eve’s offer to set them both up for a blind date. Before that kerfuffle, which is reminiscent of classic Frasier, happens, however, the father and son re-examine their lives at Mahoney’s. Apparently, Frasier isn’t the only one whose love life isn’t very active. This compels Frasier to diagnose his son’s issues based on Eve’s accusations that Freddy tends to talk himself out of going out on dates. Ultimately, Frasier claims that Freddy has a “fear of emotional vulnerability.”
Frasier may be right about his take, even though he tries to comfort his son at the end of the outing. However, regardless of the accuracy of his diagnosis, it’s interesting that he never realized that he had the same issue in the old show. In Frasier season 8, episode 9, “Frasier’s Edge,” he reunited with his mentor from Harvard, William Tewksbury, who makes him re-evaluate his perception of himself and his relationships. William insinuated that Frasier feared intimacy, so he was keeping people at a distance, which is essentially what he claims Freddy is doing. Since Freddy wasn’t around when this was happening, he can’t cite that.
Freddy Risks Following His Father’s Desolate Romantic Pattern
Freddy may end up following his father’s footsteps in the romance department.
The Frasier reboot hasn’t fully explored Freddy’s dating life since much of his arc thus far revolves around his strained relationship with his father. He claims, however, that his love life is quite active because of the nature of his work as a firefighter. Whether that is actually the case is currently uncertain, but if he continues to be fearful of emotional vulnerability, Freddy may end up following his father’s footsteps in the romance department. He mentions some of Frasier’s most notable romantic failures, which include two divorces and being abandoned at the altar.
What makes Frasier’s fate more tragic is that he was actually in a long-term relationship with Charlotte. The Frasier reboot pilot confirmed that they got together but ultimately broke up for an unknown reason. This proves that Frasier can actually be in a committed partnership, but until the new show explicitly reveals what went wrong with them, one can only assume why Charlotte decided to leave him. While it’s too early to know if Frasier still keeps people at a distance, Freddy should look at him and use his situation as a cautionary tale.
Why Freddy Is Like Frasier In The Romance Department
There are two possible explanations for Freddy’s fear of emotional vulnerability.
Both having the same issues romantically is an unexpected commonality between Frasier and Freddy. It’s a new element that was never done in the original series, making it so much more intriguing. There are two possible explanations for this. Firstly, he may have been scarred by his parents’ split. While Frasier and Lilith effectively co-parented, being in a broken family would still have been difficult. Secondly, he may be holding out for Eve, setting them up as Frasier reboot’s next Daphne and Niles. They are friends who bonded over the death of someone they loved. However, it isn’t impossible to think that it can get deeper than just being friends.
The Frasier reboot drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.
