I’ve been putting off this review. I’ve watched the episodes and taken notes, but every time I sit down to write this, I just can’t do it. I want to find out exactly what went wrong in season 2 Fraser Rebooting on Paramount+, but there are so many things going on it’s hard to know where to start.
when Fraser 2.0 When it was first announced, I was intrigued. Kelsey Grammer always wanted to return to the role. But then it was revealed that the reboot would not include Niles (David Hyde Pierce), Daphne (Jane Levis), and Martin (John Mahoney, who died in 2018), and I thought You know, why bother?
The first season had a rough start, but found some footing, and by the end, I could look forward to a decent laugh or two. Also, I would watch any episode where Frasier and Lilith (Babe Neuwirth) reunite. The biggest mistake is Fraser The reboot isn’t weak writing (although that’s a problem) or dated situation comedy set-pieces with laughs (which doesn’t help); it’s bland supporting characters. What makes the original so funny is the snobbish banter between Fraser and Niles, with Martin playing the angry everyman and Daphne injecting metaphysical commentary. The new cast faces an impossible task: trying to fill some of these archetypes.
“Ham” – “Fraser,” starring Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan and Kelsey Grammer as “Fraser.” Photo: Chris Haston/Paramount+ ©2024 Paramount+. all rights reserved
In this restart, Fraser Returns to Boston to teach psychology at Harvard University and rekindles his relationship with his firefighter son Freddy (Jack Catmull-Scott). He is extremely wealthy and his banter partner is Alan Cornish (Nicholas Lyndhurst), an old college friend who also teaches in the psychology department. Other cast members include department head Olivia Finch (Tox Olagundole), Freddy’s best friend’s widowed wife Eve (Jesse Salguero), and Niles and Daphne’s son David (Anders Kiss). None of these characters are memorable and each episode is structured like a three-act play where you see the jokes coming a mile away but it never really clicks. Frasier and Lilith’s son Freddy should be more interesting. Growing up with these two, as a parent and Martin as a grandfather, should have been an interesting combination, but instead, he’s boring. Daphne and Niles’ son David is supposed to be smart but naive, but instead appears to be dull. All the progress made by the end of the first season has been wiped out, and we’re left with just a mess filled with really talented comedians as guest stars (Amy Sedaris in her show Concentrated overtime work).
“Cyrano, Cyrano” – Frasier, pictured: Jesse Salguero as Eve, Jake Cattermole-Scott as Freddy, Perry Gilpin as Roz, Patricia Heaton as Holly, Kelsey G Lanmer plays Frasier. Photo: Chris Haston/Paramount+ ©2024 Paramount+. all rights reserved
The plot starts frommy seasonn: Fraser and his friend Alan, buy an expensive ham; Fraser flirts with bartender Patricia Heaton on Valentine’s Day; Fraser, Alan and Freddie take advantage of Eve When the kids go to pick up girls, Frasier’s agent, Bebe Glazier, returns with her daughter Phoebe (Rachel Bloom), trying to convince Frasier to give up his newly completed memoir and resume His successful TV show. The most painful part is David reading Niles’ feedback on the book throughout the episode, making you notice his absence. David made a scathing remark, “If it helps, my father wrote, ‘Overwork, rewrite, rise above it.'” I can hear Niles saying this and imagine Frasier cringing. He fired back with a frown.
We’re halfway through the season, so there’s still some hope. Episode eight previews a return to Seattle, which could be fun, but I need a Lilith episode soon.
Do you have reboot fatigue? What do you think of Season 2?
Meredith Howell
Meredith lives in Chicago, where she and her husband make sure their two sons are fluent in all things pop culture. She loves talking about everything from GG to Gilmore Girls to The Golden Girls and watches Pride and Prejudice every year (the Colin Firth version is the only one recognized).
