Cheers writer Ken Levine revealed that the famous bar is still open, which makes its absence in the new Frasier reboot all the more puzzling and indicates that season 2 needs to feature cameos from the original show. Cheers featured a large cast of characters and names ranging from Rhea Perlman to John Ratzenberger during its run. Given the number of characters featured in both Cheers and Frasier, there is plenty of time and space for familiar faces to make guest appearances or even have co-starring roles in season 2.
Cheers aired from 1982 to 1993, drawing in millions of viewers and inspiring several spinoffs, including the first iteration of Frasier, which ran from 1993 to 2004. Cheers takes place in a bar in Boston run by a former professional baseball player who connects with his employees and his customers. With Frasier now set back in Boston instead of Seattle, the bar has a chance to make a comeback and reintroduce characters and plotlines that haven’t been seen much, if at all, in 30 years.
4 Little-Known Frasier & Cheers Characters You Forgot Were On Both Shows
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Sam’s Bar Still Being Open Means It’s Really Weird Frasier Doesn’t Have Cheers Cameos
Frasier Crane considered Boston to be his home during Cheers. Apart from meeting and falling in love with his now ex-wife Lilith, it was a focal point in his life. Despite Sam’s bar remaining open, there were oddly no cameos in the first season of the Frasier reboot. Cheers was a huge part of Frasier’s life and the people inside the bar meant a lot to him during his time in Boston. Since there is no mention of the bar during any of the reboot episodes, Frasier’s connection to the place is at risk of being lost altogether.
With Frasier back in Boston, seeing more Cheers characters could also help him reminisce about his previous time in the city and relate to his son better. Sam’s bar was the popular hangout for Frasier and his friends while he was in Boston, so it only makes it stranger that Sam, the bar, or any of the Cheers characters don’t even have a mention in the show. Also, having the bar open could be a chance for older audiences to introduce it to the new audiences enjoying the reboot.
Why There Were No Returning Cheers Characters In Frasier’s Reboot (Apart From Lilith)
Apart from Bebe Neuwirth’s character, Lilith, no one else from Cheers returned for the Frasier reboot because Frasier now goes to a different bar called Mahoney’s. The new bar’s name is a dedication to the actor John Mahoney, who played Martin Crane in the first iteration of Frasier. Kelsey Grammer, who plays Frasier, also states that this bar represents the main character’s growth as a person and as a father. With Freddy now an adult, it makes sense to see him in a new bar echoing his father’s life in his own way and in his own time.
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Also, according to Grammer, the writers of the original show may not want to revisit Cheers due to the changing times, preferring to leave the Cheers timeline untouched due to the show ending on a positive note. Characters from Cheers may have also moved on in their storylines and are now in different places in their lives. For example, at the end of season 5, Diane Chambers left Boston and supposedly now lives in Los Angeles.
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Which Cheers Characters Should Return In Frasier Season 2
Frasier was known for bringing back locations and characters from Cheers into its storylines, and it should be no different with the reboot. Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca on Cheers, passed away from breast cancer in September 2022, and it makes sense to bring back Sam (Ted Danson) for a tribute episode to the actress and character since the two of them were close. Rebecca never appeared on Frasier, and the reboot could help fix that by referring back to her in some way. This could also give audiences and the cast a chance to say goodbye to the fan-favorite character.
Kelsey Grammer has also mentioned that he would like to see Diane make an appearance in the Frasier reboot. Since Frasier and Diane have a romantic history together, the show could have them reunite romantically or platonically. Since Frasier said that he has “failed at love,” seeing old flames from his days in Boston may be a good way to round out the stories that he started years ago. Reintroducing old characters from Cheers and putting new characters on the show could also keep the show fresh and introduce storylines outside the standard Frasier universe.
