On 10/27/2023 at 1:51 PM, DramatistDreamer said:

IMO, the show should have shifted to a dramedy instead of the standard sitcom with canned laughter.

I like that idea.  I also would have had Frasier move "across the pond" and begin a new career at his OTHER alma mater, Oxford.  In fact, I would have even gone as far as have the new series taped entirely in England.

The mixed reactions on this fascinate me. I have no real interest in the revival, but I did think a recent article - maybe by Josef Adalian - suggesting that to succeed it needs to be back on network TV as its style and rhythms are still so typical of a network sitcom (and likely to still have an audience in CBS' core demographic) is likely spot on.

Edited October 29, 20232 yr by Vee

On 10/28/2023 at 8:25 PM, Khan said:

I like that idea.  I also would have had Frasier move "across the pond" and begin a new career at his OTHER alma mater, Oxford.  In fact, I would have even gone as far as have the new series taped entirely in England.

This is actually what I thought they were doing when I saw that Nicholas Lyndhurst had been cast.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, dragonflies said:

 

 

 

One observation: the falsest note in the show is Kelsey Grammar. 

In watching the show, which from my view is not very good, it's like Kelsey has forgotten how to play Frasier. When I see Bebe Neuwirth in that scene, she still has Lilith's characterization, whereas Kelsey does not measure up. Of course, nearly 20 years have passed since he last played him, but there's something about the way he's doing it now that falls flat.

The interesting one to see will be how Peri Gilpin fares when she returns as Roz. 

I am having issues with Frasier's co-workers. I feel they are the least developed

Last night, I finally got to the episode where Bebe Neuwirth makes her guest appearance. She and Kelsey Grammar still have chemistry, their rapid exchanges injected some much needed energy to the show. It must be the “Lilith effect” because it was the first time since this new iteration of the Frasier series that I felt as if Grammar’s instincts were reined in. For the first several episodes, it felt as if Grammar’s instincts veered into comedy that had been overly broad. He must have felt as if he had to sharpen his instincts to keep up with Neuwirth. 
The writing needs to get sharper too, it’s too plodding and is making it harder on the actors to make things work. 

I really think the new series needs someone like Christopher Lloyd or Joe Keenan there to help guide the new, younger writers on not just how to write for Frasier/Kelsey, but how to do that kind of situation comedy that isn't all just one-liners but actual storytelling.

4 hours ago, Khan said:

I really think the new series needs someone like Christopher Lloyd or Joe Keenan there to help guide the new, younger writers on not just how to write for Frasier/Kelsey, but how to do that kind of situation comedy that isn't all just one-liners but actual storytelling.

Even Saladin K. Patterson has to have sharper comedic capabilities these days.

A lot of sitcoms have fallen into the one-liner trap, paying dust to a proper B and C storyline.

 

 

Say what you will about Kelsey Grammer, but I've always appreciated how he champions for "Girlfriends."

 

 

Original Frasier Writer Breaks Down Why Revival Doesn't Work

He's right.  On all counts.

If the new writers refused any type of advice from the writers of the original series then that is unfortunate. From a writer’s perspective, I can see why they would want to make the new series a vision of their own making but if that is what they truly wanted then they should have veered away from the structure of the original series and done something different, like a dramedy. Before Bel Air started, there was a lot of grumbling about it not being The Fresh Prince of Bel Air but I knew it would work ever since I saw the pitch trailer because it was presented an image that was starkly different from the original series but intriguing and looked well done. Frasier doesn’t. I like the actors but the only new character who actually looks like he belongs in Frasier-world is David. Anders Keith has an adorable quality that really does seem like a cross between Niles and Daphne. 
 

Now if the creators of Frasier had listened to me and given Cam Winston his own series, the actress who plays Olivia would work nicely opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell.