Frasier Reboot Is Ruining Martin & The Original Show By Lying About Him

Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Frasier reboot episode 9.

The Frasier reboot episode 9 lies about Martin, effectively ruining his and the original show’s legacy. John Mahoney’s death in 2018 robbed the new Paramount+ series of the chance to bring back the beloved Crane patriarch. Despite this, Kelsey Grammer and his team have been committed to not only paying tribute to Martin but also consistently keeping him relevant in the show. Inspired by real-life events, the Frasier reboot revealed that Frasier’s dad has recently passed away. The tragedy was an important plot point in the two-part pilot and was seemingly the primary motivation for Frasier to finally prioritize his relationship with his son after all these years.

Niles and Daphne were the primary romantic pairing in the old show, but the original series’ greatest love story was between Frasier and Martin. Seeing them develop their dynamic over 11 years was heartwarming, and the show made sure to deliver a satisfying pay-off to their collective storyline in the Frasier finale. Focusing on the familial aspects of Frasier’s life was arguably one of the best things that show creators David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee did. Not only did it allow the spin-off to differentiate itself from Cheers, but it also made Frasier more heartwarming. This wouldn’t have been effective, however, if Frasier and Martin’s dynamic didn’t work.

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Frasier Lies About His Relationship With Martin

Frasier and Martin’s relationship was tense for a long time.

In the Frasier reboot episode 9, “The Fix Is In,” Frasier and Freddy come to terms with the reality of their living arrangement. Despite sharing their space for quite a while now, they haven’t really talked about the specifics of their set-up, including how it’s going to impact their adult lives, especially their dating activities. Their tense dynamic spitballed into other issues, including Frasier’s refusal to let Freddy help around the apartment, and younger Crane feeling uncomfortable with being coddled. It isn’t until Alan Cornwall comes in and frankly talks to his friend about his hang-ups about accepting Freddy’s assistance.

Frasier confesses that he doesn’t want to rely on Freddy because he doesn’t feel like he’s worthy of his help. This insecurity comes from comparing himself to his father. He explains that, unlike Martin, who was there for him all the time, he is guilty of missing so much of Freddy’s life because he lived in Seattle, and then in Chicago. This comparison, unfortunately, is unfounded. It’s either Frasier misremembers or straight-up lies about the true nature of his relationship with Martin — at least before they were able to mend their bond after living together for so many years.

Martin was fundamentally different from his sons. Niles and Frasier were more like their mother, which resulted in consistent conflict between them and their father. To say that Frasier and Martin’s relationship was tense when the old show started would be an understatement. Their first season living together was mired by regular fighting, but it wasn’t until the original Frasier season 3 finale that it was revealed how bad their bond was after they failed to find anything to talk about. While it’s mostly played for laughs, Frasier saying that his dad was dead in Cheers was a massive indication of the true nature of their relationship.

Why Frasier Remembers His Relationship With Martin Differently

Frasier may be romanticizing his father and their story.

The Frasier reboot doesn’t get into the specifics of Martin’s death. Timeline-wise, however, Frasier was just in Seattle for his funeral before he settled in Boston, so while it hasn’t been brought up regularly, the loss is still fresh for the Crane family. Because of this, Frasier may be romanticizing his father and their story. It’s natural that people, consciously or unconsciously, get fixated on only the good things when they go through massive losses. This doesn’t mean, however, that Martin was a bad father. Like the majority of dads, he was devoted but flawed, which makes him a better character.

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Changing Martin’s History With Frasier Ruins The Original Show

The original Frasier was grounded by real family relationships.

While it may be touching that Frasier may be opting to only remember the great things about his dad, doing so is ruining Martin and cheapening their story. The original Frasier, as ridiculous as it may be at times, was grounded by real family relationships. Frasier and Martin’s dynamic was realistic, hence why it resonated with so many. Amid Grammer and Mahoney’s impeccable comedic sensibilities, both were also really wonderful dramatic partners. The writers brilliantly fleshed out both players so that viewers weren’t forced to pick a side whenever they got into an argument. Instead, they hope that they will be able to mend their fractured dynamic.

Despite their initial skepticism and reluctance, both Frasier and Martin worked really hard to improve the status of their relationship. It took them years to know each other for them to co-exist peacefully in the same space. Glossing over the ugly parts of that process blatantly disrespects one of the best things to happen in the Seattle series. It also cheapens the finale, where Martin finally thanked Frasier for all of his sacrifices — a full circle moment from the pilot where the snooty psychiatrist complained about not feeling appreciated.

How Martin’s True Story Will Help Resolve Frasier’s Reboot Issue

Martin himself admitted that he wasn’t the easiest man to live with.

Frasier is burdened by the legacy of his father in the reboot. That is what’s stopping him from fully opening up to his son and allowing Freddy to do things for him. This, in turn, leaves the young Crane frustrated, especially since he is oblivious to the real reason behind his father’s seemingly unreasonable behavior. Once Frasier remembers that Martin wasn’t the perfect father that he is remembering, then he can also give himself grace to not be perfect. That’s the only way that Frasier and Freddy’s relationship can move forward. Without this, everything else is on the surface level.

Martin himself admitted that he wasn’t the easiest man to live with. He confessed that he had regrets about the life that he led when it came to balancing time with his family and his job as a policeman. He felt insecure knowing that he wasn’t as polished or intellectual as his boys, which was made worse by the fact that they didn’t seem to have any interest in what he liked. In the Frasier reboot, Frasier must remember that his dad was human, he made mistakes, and he shouldn’t put unrealistic pressure on him because he remembers Martin inaccurately.

The Frasier reboot drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.