S01.E01: The Good Father

[Athena]

Quote

Following Martin's death, Frasier returns to Boston for a college lecture and to check in on his son, Freddy--whom he quickly suspects is keeping a secret from him.

 

[TheOtherOne]

It wasn't as bad as I feared it would be, but was still uneven. A pleasant enough way to pass the hour overall (I watched both episodes, though the other thread isn't open yet).

Kelsey obviously knows how to play this character in his sleep, but the writing for him was just slightly off and a bit forced. Still, he did his best to overcome it through his performance alone and it was a pleasure of seeing the character back. I was dreading how they'd resolve the Charlotte situation, but it wasn't handled too badly and there's room for them to go into it more later.

I was prepared to hate Freddy since I still don't entirely buy this version of the character from the one we saw as a kid and teenager (and think it sucks they didn't ask Einhorn back when he's still acting)...but he worked a lot better than I expected. There were times when he and Kelsey were in the same shot, or it was switching between them, and I could see a believable resemblance that made it possible to buy him as Frasier's son (if not the son we remember...). He still needs more of a distinctive personality--the original Frasier pilot is one I rewatch frequently, and the way the characters are clearly defined within their first appearances is one of the masterstrokes of that episode--and the fact that this episode doesn't do that, mostly with him and the psychology chair, is one reason it falls short. But the actor is likeable enough that I enjoyed watching this Freddy interacting with Frasier, and can imagine wanting to continue to do so.

David as an 18-year-old outcast who's already been humiliated at college and who has to resort to hanging out with (or forcing himself upon) his 34-year-old cousin and 68-year-old uncle is depressing. It made sense for Niles to hang out with Frasier. The only in-universe reasoning (as opposed to "the show needs a Niles substitute) for David to be there is...depressing.

Some of the callbacks were too much, but the handling of Martin's death was very well done.

I think I liked it more than I didn't. It was much better than most recent reboots--I'm actually trying to think of one that I thought was as good or better. I can't, so maybe it's the best? I don't love it yet, and hope it improves...but I'll be back next week.

[tessaray]

Okay, they made me cry. 

I'd give it a C- overall. The character of David is a major fail imo. Urkel-lite is the kindest way to describe him. I read they were comparing him to Sheldon Cooper but no. 

I'll keep watching, hoping it improves.  

 

[tessaray]

7 hours ago, TheOtherOne said:

acting)...but he worked a lot better than I expected. There were times when he and Kelsey were in the same shot, or it was switching between them, and I could see a believable resemblance that made it possible to buy him as Frasier's son (if not the son we remember...). He still needs more of a distinctive personality--the original Frasier pilot is one I rewatch frequently, and the way the characters are clearly defined within their first appearances is one of the masterstrokes of that episode--and the fact that this episode doesn't do that, mostly with him and the psychology chair, is one reason it falls short. But the actor is likeable enough that I enjoyed watching this Freddy interacting with Frasier, and can imagine wanting to continue to do so.

It's funny, I didn't really see any resemblance between them but as I was watching it occurred to me that I could see him as Lilith's son. 🙂  

[baldryanr]

8 hours ago, TheOtherOne said:

Some of the callbacks were too much, but the handling of Martin's death was very well done.

Indeed, and it was nice to see the clip of him at the end (ironically, he's not sitting in his favorite chair).  You could also tell Kelsey wasn't acting at the end of the scene in Freddie's bedroom.

Frasier was implausibly wealthy in the original (who knew being a radio personality was so profitable) but wow, they've dialed it all the way up here.  He should hire a personal assistant.

[Egg McMuffin]

Kelsey Grammer has slipped back into the role like no time passed.

Nicholas Lyndhurst is the best thing about the new cast.

I also agree about Freddy - I just can’t reconcile him with Trevor Einhorn’s portrayal. But I never bought Martin Crane as the father of Frasier and Niles either - I went with it because it was funny. So I’ll give this new Freddy a chance too.

The dean and Eve aren’t all that interesting. I did like David.

It’s kind of depressing that Frasier is single, like he was in the series. They missed an opportunity to have him married again, with his new wife a main character.

It’s not awful, and I’m willing to give it more time to gel. But it’s a B- for me at this point, due to Grammer and Lyndhurst. Without them, it would be a C.

Oh, and I hated the stilted exposition at the beginning. “How was your father’s funeral?” Ugh - that’s a pet peeve of mine. It reminds me of the last episode of the Brady Bunch. “That was a great graduation ceremony, Greg. Too bad your father was out of town and had to miss it!”

[QQQQ]

This episode made me realize how infrequently I watch shows with laugh-tracks these days.

[Camera One]

I too thought it wasn't too bad, but the new premise and the supporting characters were forgettable.  

The Frasier character still felt like Frasier, so that was an important plus.  Albeit with average dialogue for the most part.  

I didn't feel motivated to care about Frasier and his son's relationship, which is a problem since that is at the core of this new premise.  Having his friend's girlfriend and her baby move in was a rather lame setup.  It didn't justify all the secrecy.  

I wanted to like Niles and Daphne's son, but David didn't quite cut it with his dialogue or delivery, either.

The only one with the wit was Frasier's friend, but the whole skipping his next class to go drinking was ridiculous and not funny.

There were a few mildly amusing moments, though, so it was still alright overall.  Hopefully, the supporting cast grows on me and the premise results in situations that are actually interesting.  I think I would give it a C+.

[cmahorror]

Man, this one is a tough one for me to judge because it hit a little too close to home for me. As a widow of a fallen firefighter whose flag is sitting in a box on my mantle right now, and then the final whammy of John Mahoney, I got a little teary eyed. 

I like Freddy and that he chose his own path while I can also understand the distance that would put between father and son. I do believe them as father and son and am excited to see Bebe back as Lillith sometime this season.

Not sure how I feel about David yet, not seeing him as Daphne's son. Niles, yes, but not Daphne.

[TheOtherOne]

3 hours ago, baldryanr said:

Indeed, and it was nice to see the clip of him at the end (ironically, he's not sitting in his favorite chair).

It was a clip from the original finale. I get that they wanted a nice shot/moment from him, but surely there could have been one with him in his chair that would have been nice?

 

[Js Nana]

I watched episodes 1 and 2 and felt a bit let down, so I watched episodes 1 and 2 of the original, and it was just a superior product compared to the new series, mainly because the actors in the original seemed secure in their characters and worked beautifully off each other as an ensemble from the 1st episode on, while the actors in the new series seem to still be finding their way with their characters and don't seem to have quite gelled as an ensemble - I'll be tuning in next Thursday, but  oh for the days of John Mahoney, David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leeves, Dan Butler, Peri Gilpin, Moose, et al.

[Annber03]

Damn, that ending conversation with Freddie and Frasier made me freaking cry. That hit me WAY harder than I thought it would. That was a genuinely beautiful way to honor his memory. At first I was a bit surprised by Freddie not being there for Martin's funeral, but the explanation made a lot of sense and felt true to form for the kind of guy Martin was. Plus, I didn't go to my grandmother's funeral - mind, I was ten at the time, but still. I get it. It's hard sometimes. 

(I kind of want to hear Bulldog singing "Ave Maria" now XD.)

As for the rest of the show, I like the friendship between Freddie and Eve, and the reasons for them living together are interesting. I like Freddie, too - yeah, I agree it would've been cool to get Einhorn back, but I think Jack does a nice enough job stepping into the role and he's got a charm about him that I enjoy. I'm interested to see how Freddie and Frasier's relationship continues to evolve as time goes on.

Alan's fun, too. Obviously taking on the Niles role here, but he's entertaining and I like his banter with Frasier. As for David, I agree the actor playing him was a bit awkward at first, but I'm willing to give him some time to settle in. I did smile at getting to see Freddie and David in the apartment together - it was nice to see the cousins together. I hope we can get a few scenes with the two of them interacting, too, I'd like to see more of their familial relationship. 

Olivia reminded me a bit of Bebe at times, with her determination to get what she wants :D. At first I thought she and Frasier were going to have a spark, but her thing for Freddie is interesting. Don't know if it'll go anywhere, but it's interesting. 

I'm glad they kept the light opening theme and the title cards between scenes. And of course, it was fun to see Frasier back again, too, he slipped back into this role seamlessly and it makes sense, in some ways, that this is where he is at this time in his life. I do want to know what happened with Charlotte, though, there seems to be a story there. 

Yeah. I'm in, I'm curious to see where this goes :). 

Edited October 15, 2023 by Annber03

[Irlandesa]

I aggressively understand why reviews are so divided on this show.  Frasier, the character, felt familiar mostly but also a bit forced.  There were some decent jokes/sight gags but they were surrounded by a lot of jokes that didn't quite land/felt forced.  I think it's easier to laugh at successful jokes if they're following another successful joke.  But it's much harder to laugh at a successful joke if you're cringing at forced stuff that comes before it. 

I also think a drawback to streaming is having a runtime unencumbered by commercials and a firm start/stop time.  The original series was probably about 22 minutes long per episode.  In order to fit that time frame, they had to edit. That puts the jokes that work closer together and gets rid of unnecessary scenes. 

I also struggled with character.  In this episode, especially, it felt like they were trying to replace characters/dynamics from the original series but without the original characters. 

The original Freddie was different from Frasier but not in a way that was similar to Martin.  They could have kept an awkward dynamic without giving him a blue collar job to be more like his grandpa. 

Frasier's friend from Oxford is clearly meant to be Frasier's buddy like Niles but I don't feel as if the chemistry is there yet.  David brings the Niles energy while not quite having the DHP talent.  That said, I thought the jokes written for him were the most successful. It made me miss Niles while also thinking he could turn into a bright spot. 

My final issue has to do with the bridge between Seattle and here.  I didn't really believe in Charlotte and Frasier.  I didn't believe they could last unless Frasier became less...Frasier.  20 years later, he's similar to who he was when we last saw him.  Not only that, he supposedly had a nationally successful TV talk show for 20 years that made him so much money he could just buy an apartment building in Boston without a second thought. 

From what we've seen of the character of Frasier and how he becomes with success on Frasier, odds are he became more insufferable, not less, during those TV show years.  So Charlotte putting in 20 years with that?  I find it hard to believe.

 

[baldryanr]

11 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

Oh, and I hated the stilted exposition at the beginning. “How was your father’s funeral?” Ugh - that’s a pet peeve of mine. It reminds me of the last episode of the Brady Bunch. “That was a great graduation ceremony, Greg. Too bad your father was out of town and had to miss it!”

That wasn't as bad as "weren't you traveling with your nephew, Niles and Daphne's son"?  I'm pretty sure Frasier knows who his nephew's parents are.

[QQQQ]

Hoping Grammer or his makeup artist ease up on the spray-tan/ foundation. I don't think Frasier is the type to spend a lot of time outdoors. Especially noticeable against his white hair.

[Sarah 103]

18 hours ago, baldryanr said:

Frasier was implausibly wealthy in the original (who knew being a radio personality was so profitable) but wow, they've dialed it all the way up here.  He should hire a personal assistant.

My favorite fan theory that explains this in the original is that Frasier was an early investor in Microsoft and other Seattle based tech companies, and as a result made a small fortune in the stock market.

In this series, it makes more sense because he was supposed to be on an incredibly successful and long running syndicated daytime TV show. 

13 hours ago, Annber03 said:

I did smile at getting to see Freddie and David in the apartment together - it was nice to see the cousins together. I hope we can get a few scenes with the two of them interacting, too, I'd like to see more of their familial relationship.

YES to this. It's a fascinating dynamic, because there's a 15 year age difference. When David was 10, Freddie was 25. A ten year old and a twenty five year old are in totally different places/stages in their lives. This is the first time the two can now interact as adults (or in the case of David, almost an adult).

Also, I would love to know how much the two of them saw each other growing up before Freddie dropped out of Harvard, and if the split with Frasier also meant that David lost contact with his cousin. 

When Freddie first said that Frasier didn't know about John (Eve's baby), what briefly went through my head was that Freddie was gay or bi and hadn't told Frasier, but then I realized that didn't make sense. Freddie wouldn't need to hide his sexuality from Frasier. Then we found out that John was Eve's baby. Still, it had the makings of a great bedroom farce. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Sarah 103

[sheetmoss]

16 hours ago, QQQQ said:

This episode made me realize how infrequently I watch shows with laugh-tracks these days.

Just a tiny quibble - the term laugh-track used to mean prerecorded  laughter was edited in later to a comedy.

Frasier is filmed before a live audience

Edited October 13, 2023 by sheetmoss

[QQQQ]

2 hours ago, sheetmoss said:

Just a tiny quibble - the term laugh-track used to mean prerecorded  laughter was edited in later to a comedy.

Frasier is filmed before a live audience.

Technically, I didn't say Frasier used a laugh-track. I said it reminded me that I seldom watch shows with laugh-tracks anymore... meaning (to me), the laughter on Frasier was loud and seemed artificial/forced. But thanks for the correction.

[AnnaCody]

It's truly amazing how Kelsey Grammer's character stays the same.  His tone, facial expressions, body movements.  Just everything I love about him.  Does he age at all?

Of course the first two episodes were a bit bumpy but so was Frasier when I watched him all those years ago and came to love him.  I'm so glad he's back.  Thanks to all those who made this possible.

And yes, I did fall for Paramount's manipulation.  Just could not help myself. 

Edited October 15, 2023 by AnnaCody

[Trillian]

3 hours ago, QQQQ said:

Technically, I didn't say Frasier used a laugh-track. I said it reminded me that I seldom watch shows with laugh-tracks anymore... meaning (to me), the laughter on Frasier was loud and seemed artificial/forced. But thanks for the correction.

I’m finding it really hard to believe that’s a studio audience freely laughing.  It was so loud and inappropriate - no, not every word  was outrageously funny-  that I barely heard the dialogue.  I did not like it.

[John M]

7 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

When Freddie first said that Frasier didn't know about John (Eve's baby), what briefly went through my head was that Freddie was gay or bi and hadn't told Frasier, but then I realized that didn't make sense. Freddie wouldn't need to hide his sexuality from Frasier. 

Freddie being gay would actually have been nice and I fully expected it to come out until the "catnip for the ladies" comment, although that doesn't completely foreclose on the gay/bi. Maybe the whole "John" thing is a distraction.

Freddie being gay would just be perfect, Frasier always felt like it was really lacking on having an openly gay, well adjusted character despite so much obvious gay influence. Freddie just being casually gay but also a non-stereotypical gay where it just isn't a thing that has come up would be perfect.

I honestly could see Freddie just casually mentioning his ex-boyfriend where everyone just casually glosses over boyfriend just as if he said girlfriend, feels right for the time and the show.

[benteen]

Despite reservations, I've been looking forward to the Frasier sequel. 

The good: There were some funny lines. I laughed at Frasier telling Freddy he was just like his mother. The actors playing Frasier's colleagues are the best new additions, wothntheir banter being funny. Olivia having a crush on Freddy is interesting. Frasier and Freddy remembering Martin was a legitimately touching scene, well played by both actors. Kelsey Grammer has no problem slipping back into the role of Frasier Crane, despite rhe overuse of spray tan. I was glad to hear that Frasier's grand gesture in the finale paid off. While he and Charlotte didn't last, it seems like they were together for a long time and Frasier was successful in Chicago. It makes sense that in the social media and YouTube world, he would have become more well known. Though Charlotte being from Chicago like Laura Linney's other character from Ozark, could have been a funny gag as to why Frasier left Chicago.

The bad: Plenty of jokes fell flat and the format, while "comforting" is a relic to a sitcom era that is ling gone. The younger actors didn't make a strong first impression. I feel sorry for Anders Keith. He's clearly in the Niles role. He's going for Niles but occasionally comes across as Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. He's a pale imitation of them both. Hopefully he will get better over time. I liked the "Holmes and Watson" bit with Frasier and the two could be good together. Agreed about the editing. The original show was 22 minutes long, which was the perfect length. The first two episodes  particularly the premiere, pushed closer to 30 minutes. Frasier needs tighter editing. As pointed out, it cuts down on the jokes and bits that aren't working.

Finally, my biggest concern is and continues to be the writing. It's passable but unremarkable. If you are going to bring back Frasier, one of the best written television comedies of all-time, you need to be GREAT. The original writers of Frasier were great, having been involved in elite comedies before and after the show. The resumes of the new writers pale in comparison and it already shows. Anything less than greatness from Frasier foes not justify this show returning.

I was a big fan of Frasier but my mom was an even bigger fan. It might have been her favorite show. I feel like she would have viewed the first two episodes as okay at best.

These first two episodes were definitely better than the first two episodes of the Night Court sequel (which is admittedly not saying much). I did enjoy watching the show and it's not nearly as bad as some reviews have made it out to be. But it has to justify its' existence. It deserves the chance to get better this season and I hope that it does.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by benteen

[LexieLily]

Was there mention of Martin's wife? He got married close to the end of Frasier, didn't he, or at least had a longterm GF?

[bybrandy]

Anybody who met my nephew from birth to 12 and met him now would not believe they were the same people.  He was terrified of everyhing, Everythiing...and then he wasn't and I absolutely know that didn't happen over night but I was away at school and and missed a lot of evolution.   I'm not wildly impressed with this show so far and I hate that they gave it the same name but I'm cool with Freddie having evolved.

 

My understanding is live audience shows have to be punched up with a laugh track because if you use different takes in the editing the laughter is all over the place.  

 

Also that while everybody hates laugh tracks (and everybody does hate laugh tracks) when they test the shows with a laugh track vs without people laugh more and claim the show is funnier when they have seen the show with the laugh track compared to audiences who saw the show without the laugh track.   The audience who watched the show with the laugh track even says  how much they hate the laugh track but they still rate the show higher than the audience spared the laugh track.

[Annber03]

52 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

Was there mention of Martin's wife? He got married close to the end of Frasier, didn't he, or at least had a longterm GF?

There was no mention of her in either episode, no. I'm hoping we will get a mention of her at some point, though, 'cause I would like to hear how she's faring. 

[Camera One]

A few people in that studio audience went way overboard with the laughter.  I normally don't mind background laughter on sitcoms, but it stood out in this show because they were loudly laughing at stuff that I didn't find remotely amusing.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Camera One

[LexieLily]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

There was no mention of her in either episode, no. I'm hoping we will get a mention of her at some point, though, 'cause I would like to hear how she's faring. 

Here's a thought that could possibly double as reason to explain why Niles/Daphne aren't a part of this show: if Martin's death was recent in this universe, that means Martin and his wife had been together for upwards of nineteen/twenty years. (David was a fresh newborn when "Frasier" ended.) Mrs. Martin might need the emotional stability of at least one of her husband's sons being in the same city, or she might be up in years and require services of a home health aide like Daphne was/is?

[Camera One]

Martin's love interest in Season 11 was about 10 years younger?

I hope Niles and/or Daphne eventually makes a guest appearance.  I suppose with Frasier living in Chicago, I wonder how often he visited his dad in Seattle.  They didn't show Frasier with regret that he had moved away, so would inevitably have seen his father (and brother) less over the last two decades.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Camera One

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Also that while everybody hates laugh tracks (and everybody does hate laugh tracks) when they test the shows with a laugh track vs without people laugh more and claim the show is funnier when they have seen the show with the laugh track compared to audiences who saw the show without the laugh track.   The audience who watched the show with the laugh track even says  how much they hate the laugh track but they still rate the show higher than the audience spared the laugh track.

I think people can really underestimate how contagious laughter can be.  I think it's always easier to laugh at something out loud when others are laughing too so it's not a surprise to me that people find a show with audible laughter funnier.

In fact, 'laugh track' sitcoms still are the ones that do big business in reruns/streaming that single cams can't quite replicate.

It is sad that it seems to be a dying art.  It's basically theater which is why I've considered the original Frasier one of the best multi-cam sitcoms ever.  They really leaned into that theatricality, especially farce.  They tried to do that in this episode with "pretend to be my girlfriend" bit but basically half-assed it.  There was no reason for her to pretend to be his girlfriend.  Or hide John.

But I do get why people might think they don't like them.  Laugh tracks are awful when the show has laughter and you really don't think many of the jokes are funny so you aren't even tempted to laugh along.

For what it's worth, I have heard that people in the audience during tapings are encouraged to laugh a lot more than they might watching TV at home.  So laughter at even lame jokes or non-jokes doesn't necessarily mean it's added in. 

 

 

[baldryanr]

7 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Here's a thought that could possibly double as reason to explain why Niles/Daphne aren't a part of this show: if Martin's death was recent in this universe, that means Martin and his wife had been together for upwards of nineteen/twenty years. (David was a fresh newborn when "Frasier" ended.) Mrs. Martin might need the emotional stability of at least one of her husband's sons being in the same city, or she might be up in years and require services of a home health aide like Daphne was/is?

Why is another reason needed?  Freddie lives in Boston and David is going to Harvard - there's no reason for Niles and Daphne to go full helicopter parent and move to the area. 

Now, if there's a holiday episode, or family weekend at Harvard, etc. then they'll have to come up with a good reason why the pair and Ronnie (Martin's widow) aren't there.  If Frasier's rich enough to buy a building then he can afford to charter a private jet, but I'm sure there will be convenient weather problems preventing the characters from making the trip.  Or everything will just happen off screen like most of Frasier's trips to see Freddie in the original series.

[retired watcher]

I was always under the impression that Fraser and Niles had family wealth from their mother. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, retired watcher said:

I was always under the impression that Fraser and Niles had family wealth from their mother. 

She was a therapist so it's likely both she and Martin earned decent money, but I doubt it's wealthy money like the kind Maris had or, I guess, Frasier now has.

[Sarah 103]

16 hours ago, John M said:

Freddie being gay would actually have been nice and I fully expected it to come out until the "catnip for the ladies" comment, although that doesn't completely foreclose on the gay/bi. Maybe the whole "John" thing is a distraction.

That line made me think it was more setup for the "big reveal" that Freddie was going to be gay or bi. I was wrong, and I'm okay with that. 

6 hours ago, baldryanr said:

Why is another reason needed?  Freddie lives in Boston and David is going to Harvard - there's no reason for Niles and Daphne to go full helicopter parent and move to the area. 

Now, if there's a holiday episode, or family weekend at Harvard, etc. then they'll have to come up with a good reason why the pair and Ronnie (Martin's widow) aren't there.  If Frasier's rich enough to buy a building then he can afford to charter a private jet, but I'm sure there will be convenient weather problems preventing the characters from making the trip.  Or everything will just happen off screen like most of Frasier's trips to see Freddie in the original series.

Weather issues work for me. Off-screen visits are also a strong possiblity. Off-screen visits could be school break and David is visiting his parents in Seattle. It could also be the episode starts just after Niles and Daphne have left Boston to visit David, Frasier, and Freddie.

[benteen]

I'm surprised they actually having Frasier working at Harvard instead of "Fictious Ivy League U" like so many shows would do.

[StarBrand]

I wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

Grammar could play Frasier in his sleep, although to his credit, he's not simply going through the motions here. He seems to be legitimately happy to be doing this again.

I thought they were setting up Frasier's son to be gay, with his female roommate around as an attempt to fool people into thinking he was hetero, but that's not the way it turned out to be. Having Frederick help out (I forget her name currently) because he had survivor's guilt was a nice touch.

So, Frasier spent the last 20 years in Chicago with Charlotte (the woman from the finale)? If so, that's a remarkable run of stable romantic life for him.

Regarding Daphne and Niles' son-I think it would have been funnier for him to be someone like Mad Dog, with Frasier attempting to figure out how the hell *that* happened...

In short, I saw enough to want to watch again to see where they go with this...

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, StarBrand said:

Regarding Daphne and Niles' son-I think it would have been funnier for him to be someone like Mad Dog, with Frasier attempting to figure out how the hell *that* happened...

That would've been hilarious!  I loved how he would fly off the handle looking for something in the studio, and then see it and then act like nothing rattled him.  

I loved the tributes to John Mahoney.  That was nicely done.  

[shapeshifter]

58 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

I loved the tributes to John Mahoney.  That was nicely done.  

😭 and now my eyes are watering again.

[benteen]

5 hours ago, Chit Chat said:

That would've been hilarious!  I loved how he would fly off the handle looking for something in the studio, and then see it and then act like nothing rattled him.  

I loved the tributes to John Mahoney.  That was nicely done.  

Bulldog could have gotten a job doing sports radio in Boston. Boston sport fans are...wild to say the least. He would fit in well there. 

Edited October 15, 2023 by benteen

[shapeshifter]

18 minutes ago, benteen said:

Bulldog could have gotten a job doing sports radio in Boston. Boston sport fans are...wild to say the least. Hexwould fit in well there. 

I understand the connection of Freddie being a firefighter to Martin being a retired cop, but @benteen should've been in the room when they were figuring out the basics of the reboot, because Freddie as a sports radio host would have been a gold mine of call backs. He could have been doing it as a podcast from his apartment. 

BTW, I looked really hard at that apartment that Frasier was dissing, and could not see anything amiss. My very highly paid daughter's house doesn't look that tidy.

[cardigirl]

I liked this enough to want to keep watching. I think Nile and Daphne's son is fine. Interested to see how that character grows. 

The only thing I had trouble with was believing that Freddie is a firefighter, or that he would incite lustful feelings in the Dean. He's nice looking but not drop dead gorgeous.

I live in Boston so will enjoy seeing how much they get right/wrong about it. 

[SnarkShark]

Ouch.  For me this was bad.  REALLY REALLY groaningly bad.

To try and be fair... its just a first episode.

But a bad one.

[Chit Chat]

On the original show Frasier, did we know that Niles & Daphne's son's name was David?  I can't remember.  If not, it's a nice shout out (I'm assuming) to David Hyde Pierce.  I could be way off base on my assumption though!!

[Annber03]

5 minutes ago, Chit Chat said:

On the original show Frasier, did we know that Niles & Daphne's son's name was David?  I can't remember.  If not, it's a nice shout out (I'm assuming) to David Hyde Pierce.  I could be way off base on my assumption though!!

Yes, they mentioned his name in the series finale after he was born. It was a nod to David Angell, one of the creators of "Frasier", who died in the WTC attack on 9/11. 

[Chit Chat]

5 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

It was a nod to David Angell, one of the creators of "Frasier", who died in the WTC attack on 9/11. 

Thanks!  I had forgotten about that.  I've rewatched the original series but don't remember some of the details! 

[bybrandy]

29 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Yes, they mentioned his name in the series finale after he was born. It was a nod to David Angell, one of the creators of "Frasier", who died in the WTC attack on 9/11. 

And the baby was intended to be a girl until they switched it to honor David Angell.  

[kitkat343]

On 10/13/2023 at 8:58 PM, benteen said:

Despite reservations, I've been looking forward to the Frasier sequel. 

The good: There were some funny lines. I laughed at Frasier telling Freddy he was just like his mother. The actors playing Frasier's colleagues are the best new additions, wothntheir banter being funny. Olivia having a crush on Freddy is interesting. Frasier and Freddy remembering Martin was a legitimately touching scene, well played by both actors. Kelsey Grammer has no problem slipping back into the role of Frasier Crane, despite rhe overuse of spray tan. I was glad to hear that Frasier's grand gesture in the finale paid off. While he and Charlotte didn't last, it seems like they were together for a long time and Frasier was successful in Chicago. It makes sense that in the social media and YouTube world, he would have become more well known. Though Charlotte being from Chicago like Laura Linney's other character from Ozark, could have been a funny gag as to why Frasier left Chicago.

The bad: Plenty of jokes fell flat and the format, while "comforting" is a relic to a sitcom era that is ling gone. The younger actors didn't make a strong first impression. I feel sorry for Anders Keith. He's clearly in the Niles role. He's going for Niles but occasionally comes across as Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. He's a pale imitation of them both. Hopefully he will get better over time. I liked the "Holmes and Watson" bit with Frasier and the two could be good together. Agreed about the editing. The original show was 22 minutes long, which was the perfect length. The first two episodes  particularly the premiere, pushed closer to 30 minutes. Frasier needs tighter editing. As pointed out, it cuts down on the jokes and bits that aren't working.

Finally, my biggest concern is and continues to be the writing. It's passable but unremarkable. If you are going to bring back Frasier, one of the best written television comedies of all-time, you need to be GREAT. The original writers of Frasier were great, having been involved in elite comedies before and after the show. The resumes of the new writers pale in comparison and it already shows. Anything less than greatness from Frasier foes not justify this show returning.

I was a big fan of Frasier but my mom was an even bigger fan. It might have been her favorite show. I feel like she would have viewed the first two episodes as okay at best.

These first two episodes were definitely better than the first two episodes of the Night Court sequel (which is admittedly not saying much). I did enjoy watching the show and it's not nearly as bad as some reviews have made it out to be. But it has to justify its' existence. It deserves the chance to get better this season and I hope that it does.

 

The best moments on the new Night Court are when John Larroquette gets to perform with strong guest actors since the new main cast is much weaker than he is; Wendy Malick (who also played Martin's widow) was really good in a guest spot on Night Court.  Maybe Fraiser and Night Court can try to bring in a lot of strong guest actors to make up for the less strong new main characters?  Honestly, many of the best of the original Fraiser episodes involved Lilith or Diane visiting so it wouldn't be a total departure from the original.  

Edited October 15, 2023 by kitkat343

[Blakeston]

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, but I definitely had a few issues.

1) Why on earth didn't Freddie just tell Frasier the truth about Eve and the baby? It made no sense to keep it a secret, and it didn't add much humor to the episode either.

2) Frasier gets offered a job as a full-time Harvard professor on the spot? Sure, that's how highly coveted professorship positions are given out.

3) Frasier's biggest goal in life was to be a good father? Then why did he accept a job 3,000 miles away when Freddie was a small child?

4) Frasier's boss being unable to conceal her lust for Freddie was cringeworthy as hell.

5) l'm not sure how I feel about Frasier being presumptuous enough to effectively announce to his son, "You and I are going to live in the same apartment from now on." In the original series he could be a jackass, but this was a stretch.

Question for anyone who might know: Would it be realistic for a flag to be flown for Martin above the Washington statehouse? I could see that if he died in the line of duty, but is that an honor that would realistically be given to someone who retired 30 years ago?

[shapeshifter]

I've enjoyed Toks Olagundoye (department head Olivia) in other roles, but her American accent here ruined her line delivery for me.
However, perhaps coincidentally, the pilot episode of her 2012-2014 sci-fi comedy, The Neighbors, was one of the worst pilots I've ever sat through, but from the second episode onward, I thought it was great.

But, as @Blakeston delineated in the post directly above (and others have mentioned) it seems the premise here is too contrived. 
I know it's a comedy and so inherently not to be taken seriously, but viewers will not be able to catch the punch lines if they're still pondering the premise of the situation.

Still, I did laugh a couple of times, which is actually pretty good for me. Kelsey Grammer is not looking particularly spry, but his comic timing is still spot on.

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by shapeshifter

[benteen]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I understand the connection of Freddie being a firefighter to Martin being a retired cop, but @benteen should've been in the room when they were figuring out the basics of the reboot, because Freddie as a sports radio host would have been a gold mine of call backs. He could have been doing it as a podcast from his apartment. 

BTW, I looked really hard at that apartment that Frasier was dissing, and could not see anything amiss. My very highly paid daughter's house doesn't look that tidy.

Yeah, there was nothing wrong with Freddy's apartment. I felt this was the writers having Frasier be a snob for the sake of being a snob. The only knock is is it's smaller than what Frasier has. He IS a snob of course but there was nothing to be a snob about woth that apartment. 

Wendy Malick was great on that Night Court episode. She was on Frasier as well and I hope we'll see her at some point. I don't think it's a spoiler to mention that both Bebe Neuwirth and Peri Gilpin will be appearing this season so we'll be getting the guest stars.

Edited October 15, 2023 by benteen

[TheOtherOne]

I suspect everyone reading the thread has already seen it, but if not, Paramount has uploaded the first episode on Youtube to view for free: