‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
Frasier Crane has re-entered the building.
Paramount+ has revealed a first look at Kelsey Grammer’s return to his beloved role as Frasier Crane in the reboot of NBC’s “Frasier.” The 10-episode season is set to premiere on October 12. The season will kick off with two episodes, followed by new episodes streaming each Thursday. Those initial two episodes will also be broadcast on CBS on October 17 (9:15 EDT/PDT).
‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
After his appearance on “Cheers” as the pompous psychiatrist Crane, Grammer transitioned to the spinoff sitcom “Frasier,” which ran for 11 seasons from 1993 to 2004. It remains TV’s most Emmy-winning comedy with 37 awards, including four for Grammer.
The new version of the series is premiering three decades after the original. It relocates Frasier from Seattle, where he hosted a popular radio call-in show, to Boston, not far from his “Cheers” bar perch, as he embarks on a new chapter in his life.
This move takes Frasier away from his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and his wife Daphne (Jane Leeves), who will not be regulars on the new series. However, it will introduce the couple’s grown son and Frasier’s nephew, David (Anders Keith), born in the final episode of the original series.
‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
Additionally, the new series features Jack Cutmore-Scott as Frasier’s grown son Freddy, born during Season 8 of “Cheers” to Frasier and then-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth). Nicholas Lyndhurst stars as Frasier’s college buddy turned university professor Alan. Toks Olagundoye plays Olivia, Alan’s colleague and head of the university’s psychology department, and Jess Salgueiro stars as Freddy’s roommate Eve.
‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
Frasier has stepped away from his famed call-in show to pursue new professional endeavors. This change is emphasized in the Paramount+ date announcement video, which includes a new rendition of the “Frasier” theme song, “Tossed Salads & Scrambled Eggs.”
The updated video mentions, “No more callers” and “All new hangups” for Frasier. It also showcases an etching of the Boston skyline, replacing the Seattle skyline featured in the original series’ title cards. Grammer still lends his voice to the re-recorded theme song written by Bruce Miller and Darryl Phinnessee.
The first two episodes of the new series are directed by the legendary director and TV creator James Burrows, known for his work on both the original “Frasier” and “Cheers.”
‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
Grammer shared with USA TODAY in February that several TV reboots, including ABC’s 2018 “Roseanne” revival, convinced him it was time to return to “Frasier.”
“That made me think, ‘Well, maybe ‘Frasier’ does have another television (life),’ ” Grammer said. “There’s always room for funny, and ‘Frasier’ is funny.”
‘Frasier’ Returns: Kelsey Grammer’s Premiere Date, Updated Theme Song Revealed
[Image: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane in “Frasier,” which premieres on Paramount+ on Oct. 12. © Pamela Littky/Paramount+]