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149-424: Frasier ( / ˈ f r eɪ ʒ ər / ) is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons from September 16, 1993 to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell , Peter Casey , and David Lee (as Grub Street Productions ), in association with Grammnet (2004) and Paramount Television . The series was created as a spin-off of the sitcom Cheers . It continues

298-515: A Frasier -style version of The Simpsons theme for a transition and its iconic title card for the same thing. Pierce returned as Cecil for the second time (the first since Frasier had concluded) alongside Grammer in the 2007 episode " Funeral for a Fiend ". The episode introduced the brothers' father, Dr. Robert Terwilliger, who was portrayed by Mahoney. Cast reunions also occurred on four episodes of Hot in Cleveland , which featured Leeves in

447-479: A "street-smart" Hispanic live-in nurse who would clash with the main character. While Grammer liked the concept, Paramount Television disliked it, and suggested that the best route would be to spin off the Frasier Crane character. Grammer ultimately agreed to star in a Cheers spin-off, but the producers set the new show as far from Boston as possible to prevent NBC from demanding that other characters from

596-540: A 30-minute time slot. Throughout their history, American sitcoms have often drawn inspiration from British counterparts. Popular shows like All in the Family , Three's Company , and Sanford and Son were adapted from successful British series. More recently, The Office achieved significant popularity in the United States , following the success of its British counterpart. Numerous television networks in

745-594: A B+. Later, horrified that he nearly harmed his uncle, David decides to atone for his actions by dropping out of Harvard. Frederick visits him and they briefly discuss "the Crane Curse", of Frasier and Niles always putting high pressure on their sons' academic achievements, and that for the Cranes, "there's always a shinier object just out of reach" and "always having to get the highest grade and win every award". However, Frederick asks David if he's happy at Harvard despite

894-488: A bad influence on him. It is heavily implied in her first appearance that she is much older than she appears, probably due to her profession. Mel also has one son and is divorced. Just two days prior to Daphne's planned marriage to Donny, Niles and Mel impulsively elope. After Niles runs off with Daphne on the day of her intended wedding to Donny, Mel is humiliated and bitter. She pays Niles back by refusing to grant an immediate divorce; instead, she forces Niles to play along that

1043-399: A call-in psychiatry show on talk radio station, KACL. Though they share few commonalities, Frasier's producer, Roz Doyle (Gilpin) becomes his friend in the series. She is depicted as both direct and sarcastic. Her somewhat superficial relationships with men are a frequent topic of conversation until she becomes pregnant with her daughter, Alice. Roz and Frasier share a professional respect and

1192-410: A casting director. Hot in Cleveland was created and produced by Suzanne Martin , who wrote multiple episodes of Frasier . During the eighth season of Cheers , Grammer made a deal with former Cheers producers David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee (who were moving on to produce Wings ) that they would do a new series together once Cheers ended. Once it became clear during the 10th season that

1341-464: A central role in "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" (season 3, episode 14) and had a brief cameo in the season 2 episode "Adventures in Paradise: Part 2". Some cast members of Frasier had appeared previously in minor roles on Cheers . In the episode "Do Not Forsake Me, O' My Postman" (1992), John Mahoney played Sy Flembeck, an over-the-hill jingle writer hired by Rebecca to write a jingle for

1490-402: A cop, in 1952 when she was profiling a murderer. She rejected his first marriage proposal, but the two married when she became pregnant with Frasier. As they did not know better in the 1950s, Hester smoked during at least her first pregnancy. Hester had an affair with a family friend when Frasier and Niles were still children, and she and Martin were subsequently separated for a time. Hester

1639-544: A core group of characters who interact in a recurring setting, such as a family, workplace, or institution. However, British sitcoms typically consist of shorter series, often six episodes, and are frequently developed by a smaller writing team. The majority of British sitcoms are half-hour comedies recorded in studio settings using a multiple-camera setup. While many adhere to traditional sitcom conventions, some have ventured into more unconventional territory. For example, Blackadder and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister shifted

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1788-431: A crush on Daphne, much to Niles's jealousy. As he gets older, he begins to get somewhat spoiled and surly and enjoys Frasier's company less and less, prompting Frasier to fear a growing generation gap , particularly when Freddy becomes a goth , but father and son are able to bond over their mutual bad luck with the opposite gender. At the end of the series, he is 15 years old. Frederick's chronologically last appearance in

1937-495: A crush on as a teenager). They get married the following year, on May 15 (Eddie's birthday), in the show's final episode, " Goodnight, Seattle ". In the revival series , Frasier mentions having gotten some of Martin's things from Ronee, suggesting that they remained married until Martin's death in 2023. She released an album called Mood Swings , and works as a lounge singer and pianist at the Wellington Club. Ronee drives

2086-468: A decline in ratings, his show is cancelled, and he is fired at the end of season 6, Bulldog works as a pizza delivery man until he is re-hired to work in the KACL archives. He is seen sporadically throughout the remainder of the series, usually appearing with a crude remark or playing a practical joke. Contrary to his overbearing "machismo", Bulldog has a fear of reptiles and once jumped on a desk in panic when

2235-457: A dream sequence (experienced by Frasier in the episode "Don Juan In Hell") and in 8 mm cine transferred to video (in the seventh-season episode " Momma Mia " where Rita Wilson also plays Mia Preston who is the spitting image of Hester). Hester first appeared (played by Nancy Marchand ) in a third-season episode of Cheers ("Diane Meets Mom") in which Hester threatened to kill Diane Chambers if Diane did not stop seeing Frasier. This Hester

2384-639: A high-paying job offer in San Francisco . The series ends with Frasier on a plane, but it is revealed at the last minute that he had chosen love over career as the plane lands in Chicago, where he hopes to reunite with Charlotte. The pilot of the revival reveals that Frasier and Charlotte stayed together for the next 19 years but she left him around the time of Martin's death, one of the contributing factors to Frasier's departure from Chicago and his subsequent return to Boston. Kelly Easterbrook ( Sela Ward )

2533-616: A live studio audience . Although effective, the system often caused panic among guest stars. In 1996, Grammer's recurrent alcoholism led to a car accident. The cast and crew performed an intervention that persuaded him to enter the Betty Ford Center , delaying production for a month. Only one episode, " The 1000th Show ", was filmed in Seattle. As with Cheers , most episodes were filmed on Stage 25, Paramount Studios , or at various locations in and around Los Angeles. Filming

2682-471: A live-in, and after a short squabble, the two agree to hire Daphne Moon (Leeves) for the position. Much of the series focuses on Frasier adjusting to living with his father, with whom he has little in common, and his constant annoyances with Martin's dog, Eddie . Frasier frequently spends time with his younger brother, Niles (Pierce), a fellow psychiatrist, who becomes attracted to Daphne and eventually marries her. Frasier hosts The Dr. Frasier Crane Show ,

2831-457: A living solving other people's problems, however, they are often inept at dealing with each other's hangups. Other recurring themes in the series include Niles's relationship with his unseen first wife, Maris (whom he later divorces); Frasier's relationship with his ex-wife, Lilith , who resides in Boston with their son, Frederick; Frasier's search for love; Martin's new life after retirement; and

2980-449: A new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filmed in front of a live studio audience using a multiple-camera setup , the latter of which continues in some modern productions such as The Big Bang Theory and Fuller House . Other formats make use of a laugh track or "canned laughter". Since the 1990s, sitcoms have since expanded to animated sitcoms , with successful shows of

3129-660: A person. According to Niles, she also likes to speak in a fictional language called "G-speak" at parties, something she shares with her Aunt Patrice as mentioned in Season One. She is also mentioned as having a sister named Bree who was born with only one nostril (whom Frasier once went on a disastrous date with). Maris lived in her family's mansion , which has been in the family for four generations, after they made their fortune from urinal cakes . She met Niles during his internship in Seattle when he stopped to help her as she

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3278-506: A red 1959 Cadillac Eldorado . Her traditionally minded, prudish mother lives in Spokane, Washington . Claire ( Patricia Clarkson ) is a friend of Frasier's old date / high school prom queen. She appears in season 8. Although his family and friends think she is perfect for him, Frasier's fear of abandonment prompts him to break up with her, leading to a serious evaluation of all his past relationships. The following are significant members of

3427-566: A regular gay character (Terry Bader as journalist Leslie). In 1987, Mother and Son won the Television Drama Award for portraying a woman suffering from senile dementia and her interaction with her family, presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission . In 2007, Kath & Kim ' s first episode of series 4 attracted an Australian audience of 2.521 million nationally. This

3576-486: A relatively unoriginal concept, but said that it was generally a "splendid act," while Tucker thought that the second season benefited greatly from a mix of "high and low humor". Tucker's comment is referring to what Grammer described as a rule of the series that the show should not play down to its audience. Kevin Cherry believes that Frasier was able to stay fresh by not making any contemporary commentary, therefore allowing

3725-417: A replica of Coco Chanel 's sofa, and both Eames Lounge Chair and Wassily Chair ) and a notable view from the terrace which was frequently complimented by visitors. The main set consisted of the open-concept living area with a sitting/TV space and dining area on the lower level and a piano exit to the terrace on the rear upper level. The set also included the kitchen through an open archway. A small section of

3874-492: A research scientist, had died. In the Frasier season-two episode " The Show Where Sam Shows Up ," when Sam meets Martin, Frasier explains that at the time, he was angry after an argument with his father on the phone; however, in " The Show Where Woody Shows Up ," when meeting Martin, Woody says he remembers hearing about him. In the ninth-season episode of Frasier , 2002's "Cheerful Goodbyes", Frasier returns to Boston to give

4023-484: A rewrite, which he does (with help from Frederick), upon which Frasier would grade it and average the two grades together. However, for the second essay, David only gets a B-, so he shows up at Frasier's apartment and threatens to throw him out of a window, saying "I'm not explaining a B to my father!" When Frasier is stung by a bee, David agrees to give him his EpiPen only if he agrees to listen to his oral defense. Frasier agrees, but after listening, only agrees to give him

4172-548: A scripted series, It also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for five consecutive years. A revival series , also titled Frasier , premiered on the Paramount+ service on October 12, 2023. Psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Grammer) returns to his hometown of Seattle, Washington from Boston , following the end of his marriage. His plans for a new life as a single man are challenged when he

4321-410: A slight webbing of her hands that made her self-conscious enough to shy away from their physical touch. She frequently travels to Switzerland for cosmetic surgery and expensive, eccentric health treatments. In 1993, Maris and Niles refer Frasier to Daphne Moon (Niles' future wife) as a live-in physical therapist for Martin. Two years later, Maris goes shopping to New York (actually to Dallas,

4470-516: A small lizard got loose in the studio. He also used a pregnant Roz and later his elderly mother as human shields to protect himself from gunmen – the first incident being an attempted hold-up at the coffee shop for which Bulldog was given and enthusiastically accepted, undeserved praise for his role in foiling, and the second a false shout by Martin to expose this cowardice at an awards ceremony for Bulldog's 'bravery', after Frasier's more subtle attempts to have Bulldog come clean failed miserably. Bulldog

4619-566: A speech in Hebrew (but in fact in Klingon ) (as seen in the tenth-season episode " Star Mitzvah ", which reveals Freddy's middle name, Gaylord). In his first appearance, he has Lilith's hair color, but when he returns, he has Frasier's. Frederick was born during Cheers' eighth-season episode "The Stork Brings a Crane". He was delivered in a taxicab while Lilith was on her way home from the hospital after an episode of false labor . Lilith tolerated

Frasier - Misplaced Pages Continue

4768-649: A speech, and Niles, Daphne, and Martin come along to see the city. Frasier runs into Cliff Clavin (played by John Ratzenberger ) at the airport and learns that Cliff is retiring and moving to Florida. Frasier and company attend Cliff's retirement party, where Frasier reunites with the rest of the gang from Cheers (minus Sam, Woody, Diane and Rebecca), including bar regular Norm Peterson (played by George Wendt ), waitress Carla Tortelli (played by Rhea Perlman ), barflies Paul Krapence (played by Paul Willson ) and Phil (played by Philip Perlman ), and Cliff's old post-office nemesis Walt Twitchell (played by Raye Birk ). In

4917-402: A sports talk show host on Frasier's station, was later upgraded from a recurring to main character. The role of Frasier's ex-wife, Lilith Sternin , was played by Bebe Neuwirth . Like its predecessor, Cheers , Frasier received critical acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the greatest TV series of all time. The series and the cast won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards , a record at the time for

5066-557: A staple of the government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). In the 1970s and 1980s many British sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network . By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served? had been re-screened several times by ABC Television ; they were then acquired and screened by the Seven Network. In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature

5215-502: A wry sense of humor, and over time, the two become close friends. Frasier, along with the other characters in the series, often visits the local coffee shop, Café Nervosa, making it a frequent setting. The Crane brothers, who have expensive tastes, intellectual interests, and high opinions of themselves, frequently clash with their father, Martin. The close relationship between the brothers is often tense, and their sibling rivalry intermittently results in chaos. For two psychiatrists who make

5364-511: A young hippie from Frasier's memory (played by Dina Spybey ). Her final appearance was in the final season of Frasier in the episode " Caught in the Act ", this time played by Laurie Metcalf , who proclaims, "Do you have any idea what it's like to play the same character for twenty years?!" – an in-joke reference to Grammer's own twenty-year portrayal of Frasier Crane on Cheers , Wings and Frasier (and years later, Metcalf would find herself in

5513-547: Is "The Mouth" and Niles describes her as the "keeper of the Crane family skeletons". When Frasier and Niles suspect Martin of having an affair in their childhood, Niles plans to call her to find out, but Frasier stops him. Niles suggests Frasier is worried what he might find out; he replies "Yes; that she knows where I live and that she still drives!". This section outlines the various people with whom Frasier works with at KACL 780 AM (the radio station from which Frasier's show

5662-418: Is Martin's brother and the uncle of Frasier and Niles. He appears only once, in an episode in which he and Martin meet again, only to become separated again by the end of the episode. In the episode "Author, Author" when Frasier and Niles are having a fight, Martin tells them a story about a dispute he once had with a partner. His first words are "Now, I never had a brother..." However, the story that Martin tells

5811-403: Is Niles Crane's wife for the first few seasons of the series. She is unseen on camera, but often the subject of plotlines and jokes. Maris is immensely wealthy, much wealthier than Niles, as well as spoiled, dominating, and neurotic. Many of the characters pointedly dislike her (to Niles' consternation), with Frasier contributing in the show's first episode, "I like her from a distance. You know,

5960-499: Is a clergyman who serves as host of Religion on the Line at KACL. He appears or is referenced in various episodes throughout the first two seasons, before being fired by new station manager Kate Costas in the first episode of season 3, seemingly for no reason other than the fact Kate found his show boring – something which concerned Frasier, whose show had similar audience figures. Gilbert " Gil " Leslie Chesterton ( Edward Hibbert )

6109-415: Is a former lawyer turned pastry chef who is a love interest to Frasier during the sixth season. While Christmas shopping with Roz, he meets Faye's mother. Thinking Frasier is Jewish because she sees him buying a menorah for his son, Mrs. Moskowitz takes a liking to him and hooks him up with Faye. Despite a decent first date, Faye breaks up with him for a while when she embarks on a planned trip to Paris . By

Frasier - Misplaced Pages Continue

6258-654: Is accepted to the Marbury Academy, an exclusive Boston private school. In addition to his intelligence, he shares several family traits, including a talent for chess and his mother's talent at Machiavellian scheming based on an understanding of behaviorist psychology. He shares his Uncle Niles 's lack of coordination and his spelling skill, becoming one of the two final contestants on the National Spelling Championship . As he gets older, more traits begin to develop. At around seven, he develops

6407-482: Is broadcast). Bob " Bulldog " Briscoe ( Dan Butler ) hosts the Gonzo Sports Show , KACL's highest-rated show among most demographics. He is a volatile, boorish, intensely macho sports philosopher, who often makes the ever urbane Frasier the butt of his jokes. His catch phrase is "THIS STINKS! THIS IS TOTAL BS!", often said after he misplaces something, only to find it immediately afterwards. Bulldog

6556-514: Is covert with friends and attempts discretion with his family members, but in both cases it is interpreted as loneliness. He states he is tired of the pity and ends up stating that he met a supermodel in Acapulco who would like him to be discreet. He reveals that it is Kelly Easterbrook, "the lotion girl" as Daphne refers to her. When they do not believe him, he tries to take a snapshot of her in bed with him, prompting her to dump him. Ironically, this

6705-630: Is gay, implying he is not their father). For example, Frasier and Niles quote her as saying "a handshake is as good as a hug." When his snobbish sons embarrass him at "The Timber Mill", a rustic steakhouse chosen by Martin, Martin points out that his wife "may have had fancy tastes, but she had too much class to ever make me or anybody else feel second-rate", and was willing to eat hot dogs and watch ballgames with him. While her sons mostly took after her, certain aspects come from neither Hester nor Martin. According to Martin, both he and Hester always hated sherry, which Frasier and Niles love. Maris Crane

6854-580: Is his actor Dan Butler himself). However, his personality has not changed and his womanizer behavior has just been redirected towards men - he now has pin-ups of men. Chopper Dave ( Richard Poe ) is a Vietnam War veteran who hosts KACL's Eye in the Sky traffic reports. He has a tendency to speak very loudly due to spending time trying to speak over the din of his helicopter. He has also been known to annoy his colleagues by flying his helicopter very close to their apartment windows. Father Mike ( George DelHoyo )

7003-400: Is obliged to take in his father, Martin (Mahoney), a retired police detective who has mobility problems after being shot in the line of duty during a robbery. After reluctantly taking his father in, Frasier and Martin conduct a series of interviews to hire a physical therapist and caregiver for his father. Martin, much to Frasier's dismay, is particularly keen on hiring a British caregiver as

7152-428: Is obnoxiously discourteous and often insults his coworkers, interviewees and callers, yet he is apparently very popular, and receives as much affection and admiration, as angry calls; "Guys love me; chicks pretend not to". Bulldog is a womanizer , but has somewhat of a lingering crush on Roz. Following a short affair with her, Bulldog reveals his feelings towards Roz to be genuine, but they prove to be unrequited. Due to

7301-564: Is one of the leading channels in India, dedicated entirely to Sitcoms. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the longest-running sitcom of Indian television and is also known as the flagship show of SAB TV . On Tiptoes and Shabhaye Barareh were among the first and most important sitcoms that led to the growth of this type of comedy in Iran, both receiving wide critical and audience acclaim. El Chavo del Ocho , which ran from 1971 to 1980,

7450-582: Is only in one episode, Season 5 Episode 1. In the show, she is a supermodel, part-time, in order to support her zoology PhD work. She and Frasier meet on a plane to Acapulco, where Kelly is headed to observe spiny-tailed iguanas. After they spend the night together, she reveals that she is in the process of breaking up with a player from the Seattle Seahawks and "doesn't want any publicity". She does not want anyone to know that she and Frasier are consummating their relationship, and asks him not to tell. He

7599-573: Is polite yet distant in the early seasons, becoming more cordial in the final seasons. Nanny G is Frasier's first wife and a well-known children's entertainer. She first appeared in the tenth-season episode of Cheers , titled "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't", played by Emma Thompson . She then appeared in the Frasier Season 9 premiere episode " Don Juan in Hell " in a fantasy sequence as

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7748-439: Is scheduled to begin, she escapes to her family's private island from which she cannot be extradited , effectively stranding her for life. The character was not originally meant to be unseen. The creators of the series intended to show her after only a few episodes of referring to her, but nothing came of this. The writers of the show decided that they had created so many quirks for the character – both mental and physical – that

7897-536: Is shown having just bought a goldfish named "Eddie". His partner suggests that he should have got himself a dog instead, to which Martin responds that he is not a dog person. Frederick Gaylord Crane (born October 1989; played by twins Christopher and Kevin Graves in Cheers , Luke Tarsitano in 1995, Trevor Einhorn from 1996 to 2003, and Jack Cutmore-Scott in 2023) is the son of Frasier and Lilith Sternin . "Freddy"

8046-431: Is the host of Restaurant Beat on KACL. He is a pompous, effeminate , over-refined food-critic whose taste buds are insured. In his first appearance, Gil is somewhat antagonistic towards Frasier and vying for his KACL time-slot, though in subsequent appearances the issue is no longer contentious. Believed by his coworkers to be in the closet , Gil claims to be married to a woman named Deb, a " Sarah Lawrence graduate and

8195-545: Is when his family finally sees her. Veronica " Ronee " Lawrence Crane ( Wendie Malick ) is Niles and Frasier's old babysitter, and the first woman to break Frasier's heart (he used to watch her kiss her boyfriend through the balusters ). She is also responsible for Niles' compulsive furniture-wiping, as she told him stories when he was a child about earwigs laying eggs on all the furniture, which would hatch, crawl into his ears, and eat his brain. In 2003, she meets Frasier by chance and soon starts dating Martin (whom she had

8344-725: The Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series . In 2020, the sixth and final season of Schitt's Creek was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards . This broke the record for the most Emmy nominations given to a comedy series in its final season. During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards , the show became the first ever comedy or drama series to sweep the four acting categories ( Outstanding Lead Actor , Outstanding Lead Actress , Outstanding Supporting Actor , Outstanding Supporting Actress for Eugene Levy , Catherine O'Hara , Dan Levy , and Annie Murphy respectively) and one of only four live action shows, along with All in

8493-456: The Cheers / Frasier universe is during the epilogue of the tenth-season Cheers episode "I'm Okay, You're Defective", described as taking place "many years later". It shows an older Lilith and adult Frederick (played by Rob Neukirch) sitting for the reading of Frasier's will. Frederick appears in the 2023 version of Frasier as a main character, played by Jack Cutmore-Scott . Sometime since

8642-753: The RTR channel. The "boom" of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s, when in 2004, the STS started the highly successful sitcom " My Fair Nanny " (an adaptation of the American sitcom " The Nanny "). Since that time, sitcoms in Russia have been produced by the two largest entertainment channels in the country — STS and TNT . In 2007, the STS released the first original domestic sitcom — " Daddy's Daughters " (there were only adaptations before), and in 2010, TNT released " Interns " —

8791-529: The United States feature sitcoms in their programming. CBS , TBS, Nickelodeon , and Disney Channel are just a few examples of networks that air sitcoms. Maris Crane The main character of the American television sitcom Frasier (1993–2004) and the 2023 revival Frasier is Frasier Crane . Other regular characters include: his father Martin , his brother Niles , producer Roz Doyle , and his father's live-in caregiver Daphne Moon . Other minor characters made regular appearances. As many of

8940-436: The 11th would be the last, the group began working on their next series together. Grammer did not originally want to continue playing Frasier Crane, and Angell, Casey and Lee did not want the new show to be compared to Cheers , which they had worked on before Wings . The three proposed that the actor play a wealthy, Malcolm Forbes -like paraplegic publisher who operated his business from his apartment. The main show featured

9089-441: The 11th-season episode of Frasier , "Caught in the Act," Frasier's married ex-wife, children's entertainer Nanny G, comes to town and invites him backstage for a rendezvous. Nanny G appeared on the Cheers episode "One Hugs, The Other Doesn't" (1992) and was portrayed by Emma Thompson . In this episode of Frasier , she is portrayed by Laurie Metcalf . A younger version of the character (this time played by Dina Waters ) appears in

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9238-431: The 1990s these included: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), Zabaan Sambhalke (1993), Shrimaan Shrimati (1995), Office Office (2001), Ramani Vs Ramani (Tamil 2001), Amrutham (Telugu 2001–2007), Khichdi (2002), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2005) F.I.R. (2006–2015), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present), Uppum Mulakum (Malayalam 2015–present), and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain (2015–present). SAB TV

9387-482: The 2010s, resulting in a decline in sitcom popularity. Nevertheless, there have been recent efforts to revive the sitcom genre. For instance, Netflix released So Not Worth It in 2021, featuring many creators from popular South Korean sitcoms. Popular South Korean sitcoms include the High Kick series, which has spawned several spin-offs. British sitcoms , like their American counterparts, often revolve around

9536-507: The Crane family, excluding Frasier, Martin, Niles, and Daphne Crane. Although most of the series revolves around Frasier Crane and his immediate family, occasionally members of Frasier's extended family appear. These are listed below. David is Niles' and Daphne's son. He was born in the two-part episode " Goodnight, Seattle ". During Daphne's pregnancy, it is implied he takes very much after his low-brow maternal uncles (Daphne's brothers); for example, he kicks away classical music and jumps at

9685-417: The Family , The Golden Girls , and Will & Grace where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award. Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Nukkad (1986), and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988) on the state-run Doordarshan channel. Gradually, as private channels were permitted to operate, many more sitcoms followed. In

9834-464: The Paramount lot". In October 2022, Paramount+ officially gave the series a season order of 10 episodes. In January 2023, Jack Cutmore-Scott joined the cast as Freddy Crane. It was also reported that English actor Nicholas Lyndhurst would be joining the cast. Anders Keith and Jess Salgueiro were later cast as Niles and Daphne's son and Freddy's roommate, respectively. In February, Toks Olagundoye

9983-588: The United States in 1926 with the radio show Sam 'n' Henry . The subsequent success of Amos 'n' Andy , also created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll , solidified the sitcom's place in American radio programming. The transition to television brought about significant changes in the sitcom format. Mary Kay and Johnny , which premiered in 1947, became the first American television sitcom. Today, American sitcoms typically run for 22 minutes, allowing for approximately eight minutes of advertising within

10132-406: The air. Kelsey Grammer acknowledged the creative lull, saying that over the course of two later seasons, the show "took itself too seriously". Commentators acknowledged that there was an improvement following the return of the writers Christopher Lloyd and Joe Keenan , although not necessarily to its earlier high standards. Writing about the first season, John O'Connor described Frasier as being

10281-499: The audience could be used. If space for that set was lacking, a small section of the back of the cafe at the top of the steps could be set up under the audience bleachers . A set was also used on occasion for the exterior patio. The cast had an unusual amount of freedom to suggest changes to the script. Grammer used an acting method he called "requisite disrespect" and did not rehearse with the others, instead learning and rehearsing his lines once just before filming each scene in front of

10430-409: The bar on Cheers . Several Los Angeles coffee shops were used for reference. A bookcase was added on the back wall, suggesting patrons could grab a book and read while they enjoyed their coffee. The show used three versions of the interior set depending on how much space other sets for each episode required. If space for the full set was not available, a smaller version that omitted the tables closest to

10579-496: The bar. In it, Grammer and Mahoney exchanged a few lines. Peri Gilpin appeared in a Cheers episode titled "Woody Gets an Election" playing a reporter who interviews Woody when he runs for office. The set of Frasier was built over the set of Cheers on the same stage after it had finished filming. Frasier is one of the most critically acclaimed comedy series of all time and one of the most successful spin-off series in television history. Critics and commentators have broadly held

10728-426: The blues a-callin'," for example, refers to troubled listeners who call the show. Grammer recorded several variations of the final spoken line of the theme, which were rotated for each of the episodes. Other than season finales, a short, silent scene, often revisiting a small subplot aside from the central story of the episode, appears with the credits and song, which the actors performed without written dialogue based on

10877-462: The boys turns out to be a lie, which he reveals to Daphne after the boys make up and leave. Zora Crane , ( Patti LuPone ) a Greek woman, is Walt Crane's wife, Martin's sister-in-law, and the aunt of Frasier and Niles, and the one responsible for Walt and Martin's estrangement . Savagely domineering, she is notable for having violent outbursts. According to family lore , when the Nazis invaded Greece ,

11026-601: The brothers nevertheless attempt to tolerate her for the sake of family unity. This extends to the point that, when Sherry and Martin split, Frasier attempts to reunite them despite it being against his own interests. Martin and Sherry eventually break up at a bar when Martin wants to marry, but Sherry wants to keep the relationship casual. As father and son watch a basketball game and drink beers at that bar, Martin confides to Frasier that while he wanted to marry Sherry, he could not bring himself to propose as he already knew what her response would be. Faye Moskowitz ( Amy Brenneman )

11175-524: The building corridor and elevator doors was built, as was a powder room near the front entrance. Two corridors off the living area ostensibly led to the apartment's three bedrooms. Sets for each of these rooms were built as separate sets on an as-needed basis. No building or apartment in Seattle really has the view from Frasier's residence. It was created so the Space Needle , the most iconic landmark of Seattle, would appear more prominently. According to

11324-460: The casting made the show resemble Nanny and the Professor , but approved Leeves after a meeting and read-through with her. Mahoney and Leeves quickly bonded over their shared English heritage; Mahoney was originally from Manchester, the hometown of Leeves's character. The character of Niles was not part of the original concept for the show. Frasier had told his bar friends on Cheers that he

11473-414: The character had become uncastable. They therefore decided to make the character permanently unseen. Nikos Crane ( Joseph Will ) is the son of Walt and Zora Crane. He is Martin's nephew, and Frasier and Niles' cousin. Nikos was originally going to attend medical school, but became a juggler after receiving some advice from Frasier, about which Zora was quite angry. Walter " Walt " Crane (John Mahon)

11622-428: The characters could meet. After a trip to Seattle, and seeing the many burgeoning coffee shops, the production designer suggested to producers that they use a coffee shop. Unlike many of the relatively modern coffee shop designs prevalent in Seattle, the production designer opted for a more warm and inviting style that would appear more established and traditional. Stools were specifically omitted to avoid any similarity to

11771-449: The classic comedy of manners as were the frequent deflations of Frasier’s pomposity". In 2017, 13 years after the show ended, Frasier was said to have experienced a "renaissance" on Netflix and "achieved a second life as one of the streaming service's most soothing offerings". The series won a total of 37 Primetime Emmy Awards during its 11-year run, breaking the record long held by CBS ' The Mary Tyler Moore Show (29). It held

11920-460: The ending of the original series, Frederick, now going by Freddy, was accepted to and dropped out of Harvard, deciding he didn't fit in. He instead took after his grandfather and entered civil service as a firefighter. He missed Martin's funeral because he was suffering from survivor's guilt following the death of his best friend, a fellow firefighter, and has moved in with his friend's girlfriend and infant son to help them financially. Frasier gives him

12069-510: The episode " The Matchmaker " was ranked number 43 on TV Guide ' s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. In 2000, the series was named the greatest international programme of all time by a panel of 1,600 industry experts for the British Film Institute as part of BFI TV 100 . In 2002, Frasier was ranked number 34 on TV Guide ' s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . In a 2006 poll taken by Channel 4 of professionals in

12218-427: The finalized divorce, Maris and Niles continue to be codependent for some time, until Niles finally breaks completely free, largely due to Daphne's aggravation. In 2003, Maris becomes romantically involved with a violent Argentinian polo player, Esteban de Rojo ( Victor Alfieri ), whom she kills in self-defense . Consequently, she is jailed for a few months on suspicion of murder . In 2004, shortly before her trial

12367-647: The first sitcom, filmed as a comedy (unlike dominated "conveyor" sitcoms). Sitcoms, or "시트콤" in Korean, gained significant popularity in South Korea during the 1990s. This popularity was fueled by the success of shows like Dr. Oh's People , LA Arirang , and Men and Women . The use of computer graphics (CG) in sitcoms began to increase in the late 1990s as more broadcasters adopted CG technology. This led to more visually dynamic and creative sitcoms. However, viewer preferences shifted towards dramas and thrillers in

12516-405: The five-year-old Zora joined the partisans just to strangle Nazis with her jump ropes . Lilith Sternin ( Bebe Neuwirth ) is the ex-wife of Frasier Crane and mother of their son, Frederick. A cold, remote woman, she is disliked by most of his family and friends. Lilith appeared as a prominent character on Cheers , in which Frasier also first appeared. Her relationship with ex-spouse Frasier

12665-547: The flag that flew over the Washington State House in honor of Martin. Soon after, he is persuaded to move in with Frasier after the latter buys their apartment building. Hester Rose Crane (née Palmer; played by Nancy Marchand in Cheers , Rita Wilson in Frasier ) was Martin's wife and Niles 's and Frasier 's mother. By the time the series begins, she has been dead for approximately six years. Hester Crane died in 1987 of lung cancer. Hester appears in

12814-496: The focus from domestic or workplace settings to the world of politics. A more recent development in British comedy is the mockumentary , a style that blends documentary and comedic elements. Shows like The Office , Come Fly with Me , W1A , People Just Do Nothing , and This Country have successfully employed this format to explore a variety of topics and characters. Sitcoms, or situation comedies, made their debut in

12963-438: The founder-owner of Charlotte's Web dating service, is a matchmaker recently arrived from Chicago and Frasier's final love interest on the series. Frasier initially hires her to set him up with someone following a particularly grim period regarding his romantic prospects. Charlotte sends Frasier on several bad dates, and he later discovers that she had set him up with random strangers rather than his "ideal matches" as her business

13112-664: The genre including The Simpsons , King of the Hill , and Family Guy . Critics have debated the exact definition of a sitcom, mostly regarding productions created at the turn of the 21st century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use a single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, instead more resembling documentaries or the comedy-dramas of the 1980s and 1990s. Although there have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, many American and British sitcoms have been successful in Australia, since sitcoms are considered

13261-421: The high expectations placed upon him, and when David says he is, Frederick convinces him not to drop out. Eddie (born May 1990) is a male Jack Russell Terrier . Eddie was originally played by Moose , and later by Moose's son, Enzo . Eddie is known for responding to Martin and Daphne with human-like understanding, and often seems to taunt Frasier. In one episode, " Three Dates and a Break Up ", Eddie eats

13410-513: The increasingly eccentric characteristics ascribed to her, they concluded that no real actress would be able to portray her anyway. Frasier's apartment was designed to be ultra-modern in an eclectic style (as Frasier himself points out in the pilot). One of the show's signature elements that it became well known for was the apartment's design which included elements such as a slightly split-level design, doors with triangular wooden inlay features, numerous pieces of well-known high-end furniture (such as

13559-526: The last season). The show's theme song, "Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs," is sung by Grammer and is played over the closing credits of each episode. Composer Bruce Miller, who had also composed for Wings , was asked to avoid explicitly mentioning any subjects related to the show such as radio or psychiatry. After Miller finished the music, lyricist Darryl Phinnesse suggested the title as they were things that were, like Frasier Crane's patients, "mixed up". The lyrics indirectly refer to Crane's radio show; "I hear

13708-1135: The lines were replaced by celebrities, who actually phoned in their parts without having to come into the studio. The end credits of season finales show greyscale headshots of celebrities who had "called in" that season. Celebrities providing voices as callers include Gillian Anderson , Kevin Bacon , Halle Berry , Mel Brooks , Cindy Crawford , Billy Crystal , Phil Donahue , David Duchovny , Hilary Duff , Olympia Dukakis , Carrie Fisher , Jodie Foster , Art Garfunkel , Macaulay Culkin , Elijah Wood , Linda Hamilton , Daryl Hannah , Ron Howard , Eric Idle , Stephen King , Jay Leno , Laura Linney , John Lithgow , Yo-Yo Ma , William H. Macy , Henry Mancini , Reba McEntire , Helen Mirren , Mary Tyler Moore , Estelle Parsons , Rosie Perez , Freddie Prinze Jr. , Christopher Reeve , Carly Simon , Gary Sinise , Mary Steenburgen , Ben Stiller , Marlo Thomas , Rob Reiner , Carl Reiner , Lily Tomlin , and Eddie Van Halen . Some "callers" also guest-starred, such as Parsons, Perez and Linney (who played Frasier's final love interest in

13857-404: The main cast along with Wendie Malick (who played Martin's girlfriend towards the end of Frasier ). In the season-two episode "Unseparated at Birth" and season-three episode "Funeral Crashers", Mahoney guest-starred as a waiter smitten with Betty White 's character. Gilpin appeared in the episode "I Love Lucci (Part 1)", and Tom McGowan (who played Kenny Daly) appeared in "Love Thy Neighbor" as

14006-464: The meals Frasier prepared for his dates as if he, Eddie, knew that Frasier's dates would not be staying for dinner. An early recurring gag had Eddie staring unceasingly at Frasier, often wanting something, to Frasier's increasing annoyance. Frasier's ex-wife Lilith is the only one who scares Eddie, and whenever she is around, Eddie does exactly as Lilith says. In a flashback in the episode " The Return of Martin Crane ", Martin (shortly before being shot)

14155-608: The mention of a pub. He was born in a veterinary clinic and is named after show's creator David Angell , who died along with his wife Lynn aboard American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11, 2001 attacks . David appears in the 2023 version of Frasier as a main character, played by Anders Keith. He is now attending Harvard University , following in the footsteps of his father and uncle by studying psychology. He has inherited his father's mannerisms and neuroses, but his mother's optimistic outlook and cheerful attitude. In

14304-490: The news after the attacks. Peri Gilpin later recalled that, after they had consistently avoided discussing the subject for awhile, the cast sat down on the set of Frasier's apartment and talked about their memories of the Angells for several hours, after which she felt significantly better. The KACL callers' lines were read by anonymous voice-over actors during filming in front of a live audience, and during post-production ,

14453-408: The old show make guest appearances on the new show during its first season. The creators did not want Frasier in private practice, which would make the show resemble The Bob Newhart Show . From an unused idea they had for a Cheers episode, they conceived the concept of the psychiatrist working in a radio station surrounded by "wacky, yet loveable" characters. After realizing that such a setting

14602-402: The only performer to be nominated for playing the same role on three different shows. The first year Grammer did not receive an Emmy nomination for Frasier was in 2003 for the 10th season. However, Pierce was nominated every year of the show's run, breaking the record for nominations in his category, with his eighth nomination in 2001; he was nominated a further three times after this. In 1994,

14751-411: The original concept that was carried over was the live-in health-care provider for Frasier's father. Grammer points out that very little of the Frasier Crane of Cheers carried over to Frasier , as his family history was changed (though this was later adjusted); the setting, his job and even the character himself changed from the Cheers predecessor, having to be more grounded as the central character of

14900-408: The owner of a very successful auto body repair shop", as well as an Army Reservist , but his co-workers believe "Deb" is Gil's pet cat and do not believe the latter, either. Much of the humour related to Gil stems from his adamant denial of his seeming homosexual orientation , as well as his overall catty snarkiness. In a season eleven episode, Frasier is falsely outed on the air, after being seen at

15049-452: The pain by biting down on one of the cab driver's fuzzy dice . Initially, his personality is very undeveloped since he is just a small child. In early seasons, he is portrayed as having numerous rather debilitating allergies and being rather inexpert when faced with a number of more or less mundane social situations (as seen in the fourth-season episode " A Lilith Thanksgiving "). He is known to be intelligent, achieving high academic scores, and

15198-494: The pass-code to Maris's seaside home is described as her "ideal weight", and "what she weighed at her débutante ball" during her pageant years. The series of numbers that Niles punched in would mean that Maris, at that time, was 45 pounds and 12 ounces (20.8 kg). Aside from her low weight, Maris is subject to various medical problems: she has abnormally tight quadriceps , a rigid spine , many and very specific allergies (meats, cream, spices), she cannot produce saliva , and has

15347-461: The plots on Frasier surround the romantic entanglements of the Crane men, several women have significant minor roles in the series. The more significant of these are listed below, excluding Daphne Moon: Sherry Dempsey ( Marsha Mason ) is a bartender at McGinty's, Martin's favorite bar, and, for a short time, Martin's girlfriend. Sherry is fun-loving, brash, loud, and crass, and she and Martin share many interests. Frasier and Niles dislike her, but

15496-493: The primary sets was the radio studio at KACL from which Frasier broadcasts his show. The studio itself consists of two rooms: the broadcast booth and the control room. A section of the corridor outside of the booth was also built (visible through the windows at the back of the studio) and could be shot from the side to view the corridor itself. The set was designed based on ABC's then-brand-new radio studios in Los Angeles which

15645-422: The producers flying to Chicago to show Mahoney the pilot script over dinner. Upon reading it, Mahoney accepted. Grammer, who had lost his father as a child, and the childless Mahoney immediately built a close father-son relationship. In discussing Martin's nurse, Warren Littlefield of NBC suggested she be English instead of Hispanic, and suggested Leeves for the role. Grammer was initially reluctant, as he thought

15794-424: The production designer visited. Technical elements such as the microphones were regularly updated to conform with the latest technology. Although the studio set lacked a "front" wall (the fourth wall ), one was built for occasional use in episodes with certain moments shot from behind the broadcast desk, rather than in front of it as usual. The producers wanted to have a gathering place outside of home and work where

15943-441: The record until 2016 when Game of Thrones won 38. Grammer and Pierce each won four, including one each for the fifth and eleventh seasons. The series is tied with ABC 's Modern Family for the most consecutive wins for Outstanding Comedy Series , winning five from 1994 to 1998. Grammer has been Emmy-nominated for playing Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier , as well as a 1992 crossover appearance on Wings , making him

16092-464: The revival show, David is depicted to be very intelligent like his father, uncle and cousin Frederick, to the point of straight A student, as he is shown having an existential crisis after Frasier gives him a B on a paper, saying he's never gotten a B before, and claiming that Niles would threaten to send him to a "trade school" (what Niles calls University of Pennsylvania ). Frasier allows him to do

16241-450: The role for Pierce. Pierce accepted the role before realizing he had not read a script. Once he was given a script, he was initially concerned that his character was essentially a duplicate of Frasier, thinking that it would not work. The first table reading of the pilot script was notable because the producers had never heard either Pierce or Mahoney read lines, as they were cast without auditions. The only main role that required an audition

16390-411: The same situation, in the role of Jackie Harris on Roseanne and The Conners ). Frasier and Nanette were briefly married while he was an undergraduate; the ceremony occurred at City Hall. The two experienced a strong sexual chemistry, but Frasier claims that the marriage could not work because of their youth and naïveté . An unseen character central to the episode "Beloved Infidel". Her nickname

16539-514: The scriptwriter's suggestion. The title card at the start of each episode shows a white line being drawn in the shape of the Seattle skyline on a black background above the show's title. In most episodes, once the skyline and title appear, the skyline is augmented in some way, such as windows lighting up or a helicopter lifting off. The color of the title text changed for each season (respectively: blue, red, turquoise, purple, gold, brown, yellow, green, orange, metallic silver, and metallic gold). Over

16688-431: The season-one DVD bonus features, the photograph used on the set was taken from atop a cliff, possibly the ledge at Kerry Park , a frequent photography location. Despite this, Frasier has been said to have contributed to the emergence of an upscale urban lifestyle in 1990s Seattle, with buyers seeking properties in locations resembling that depicted in the show, in search of "that cosmopolitan feel of Frasier". Another of

16837-607: The second episode of season 9 of Frasier , "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2," along with Neuwirth and Shelley Long reprising their roles of Lilith and Diane Chambers , respectively. In this episode, Rita Wilson also reprises her role as Frasier's mother, Hester, which she briefly debuted in the season 7 premiere, "Momma Mia;" in "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2," Diane also references the season 3 episode of Cheers , "Diane Meets Mom," in which Hester (then portrayed by Nancy Marchand ) threatens Diane's life. Diane (again portrayed by Long) plays

16986-439: The series as a whole carries with it a definitive theme and evolution from pilot to finale. The Economist devoted an article to the 25th anniversary of the show's premiere stating, "it is clear that audiences still demand the sort of intelligent and heartfelt comedy that Frasier provided." Despite the criticisms of the later seasons, these critics were unanimous in praising at least the early seasons, with varied commentary on

17135-680: The series was intended to be the relationship between Frasier and Martin, and it was the focus of most of the first-season episodes. Once the show began airing, Niles became a breakout character , and more focus was added to the brothers' relationship, and other plots centering on Niles, starting in the second season. The producers initially did not want to make Niles's wife Maris an unseen character because they did not want to draw parallels to Vera, Norm 's wife on Cheers . They originally intended that she would appear after several episodes, but were enjoying writing excuses for her absence so much that they eventually decided she would remain unseen, and after

17284-418: The series' demise ranging from believing, like Bianco, that the show had run its course to those like Dana Stevens, who bemoaned the end of Frasier as the "end of situation comedy for adults". Critics compared the farcical elements of the series, especially in later seasons, to the older sitcom Three's Company . NBC News contributor Wendell Wittler described the moments of misunderstanding as "inspired by

17433-445: The series, numerous guest stars appeared such as: Cheers co-stars who returned Grammer had been the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons since 1990. In a 1997 episode (while Frasier was still in production), the character's brother, Cecil Terwilliger , was introduced, played by Pierce, as per the reference in the episode title, " Brother from Another Series ". The episode contained numerous Frasier references, including

17582-532: The show has earned an estimated $ 1 billion in syndication fees alone for Televisa . Gliding On , a popular sitcom in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won multiple awards during its run including Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Direction at the Feltex Awards . The first Russian sitcom series was "Strawberry", which resembled "Duty Pharmacy" in a Spanish format. It was aired from 1996 to 1997 on

17731-425: The show in high regard. Caroline Frost said that the series overall showed a high level of wit but noted that many critics felt that the marriage of Daphne and Niles in season ten had removed much of the show's comic tension. Ken Tucker felt that their marriage made the series seem desperate for storylines, while Robert Bianco felt that it was symptomatic of a show that had begun to dip in quality after so much time on

17880-494: The show so the other supporting characters could be more eccentric. Martin Crane was based on creator Casey's father, who spent 34 years with the San Francisco Police Department . The creators suggested to NBC that they would like to cast someone like Mahoney, to which NBC told them if they could get Mahoney, they could hire him without auditions. Both Grammer and the producers contacted Mahoney, with

18029-438: The show to be politically and socially neutral. Other commentators, such as Haydn Bush disagree, believing the success of Frasier can be attributed to the comedic timing and the rapport between the characters. Joseph J. Darowski and Kate Darowski praise the overall message of the series, which across eleven seasons sees several lonely, broken individuals develop warm, caring relationships. While individual episodes vary in quality,

18178-513: The sitcom industry, Frasier was voted the best sitcom of all time. In 2013, the Writers Guild of America ranked it #23 on their list of the 101 Best Written TV Series. Sitcom The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners . These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term "sitcom" emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into

18327-485: The site of the first Neiman Marcus store) without telling Niles, who worries greatly and is then infuriated by her rash, selfish disappearance (with encouragement from Frasier). On her return, Niles finally stands up to Maris, and she promptly kicks him out of the house, beginning a two-year separation. Maris eventually reunites with Niles, but immediately has an affair with their marital therapist , Dr. Bernard Shenkman. In 1998, Niles finally files for divorce . In spite of

18476-509: The station (and never on-the-air) from that point forward. His last appearance is in the season 11 episode "Frasier-Lite", and is notable for being one of the show's major recurring characters not present at Frasier's farewell speech in the series finale. Bulldog makes an appearance in a revival series episode, when Frasier briefly came back to Seattle for a KACL anniversary special. It is revealed that since Frasier's departure 20 years ago, he has restarted his sports show and come out as gay (as

18625-480: The story of psychiatrist Frasier Crane ( Kelsey Grammer ), who returns to his hometown, Seattle , as a radio show host. He reconnects with his father, Martin ( John Mahoney ), a retired police officer, and his younger brother, Niles ( David Hyde Pierce ), a fellow psychiatrist. Included in the series cast were Peri Gilpin as Frasier's producer Roz Doyle , and Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon , Martin's live-in caregiver. Dan Butler 's role as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe ,

18774-413: The time Faye returns to Seattle towards the end of the season, Frasier is already dating a KACL marketing manager named Cassandra Stone (played by Virginia Madsen ). Almost immediately, Frasier finds himself torn between both women, and, although Frasier eventually chooses Faye, he constantly calls her "Cassandra" by mistake. To cover this, Frasier tells her that Cassandra is his aunt. But when Faye learns

18923-442: The time, he tied James Arness ' portrayal of Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke for the longest-running character on American primetime television. The record has since been surpassed in animation by the voice cast of The Simpsons , and in live action by Richard Belzer 's portrayal of John Munch and Mariska Hargitay 's portrayal of Olivia Benson (both on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , among several other series). Grammer

19072-440: The title card, one of about 25 brief musical cues evoking the closing theme is played. On February 24, 2021, a revival series was greenlit for exclusive debut on Paramount+ . The series premiered on October 12, 2023. Described as a "third act" and another spin-off, Grammer said he "gleefully" anticipated "sharing the next chapter in the continuing journey of Dr. Frasier Crane" as he had "spent over 20 years" of his "creative life on

19221-407: The truth, she breaks up with him for good. Dr. Melinda "Mel" Karnofsky Crane ( Jane Adams ) is Maris Crane 's plastic surgeon , and for a period, Niles Crane's girlfriend and wife. She is fussy, neurotic, and fastidious, much like Niles. Similarly, she is the sort of manipulative, controlling female Niles is attracted to. Although she and Niles genuinely love each other, everyone else thinks she's

19370-457: The two remain happily married, assuring him that after he has done this on several select social occasions she will file for divorce. It quickly becomes apparent that she is deliberately prolonging the process while ensuring the maximum public humiliation for Niles. At a social event held by Frasier, Mel finally pushes Niles to the limit; Niles publicly disowns "this sham of a marriage", and the two are quickly divorced. Charlotte ( Laura Linney ),

19519-401: The various attempts by the two brothers to gain acceptance into Seattle high society. The main cast remained unchanged for all 11 years. When the series ended in 2004, Grammer had portrayed the character of Frasier Crane for a total of 20 years, including his nine seasons on Cheers plus a one-time performance as the character on the series Wings , which earned Grammer an Emmy nomination. At

19668-434: The way you like the sun. Maris is like the sun ... except without the warmth". As a child, Maris was overweight , but started losing weight and soon became very thin. She is described as small, very pale, and pathologically emaciated; Roz originally mistook her for a hat rack, and Niles noted that she once sat on a whoopee cushion without setting it off. Her bodyweight is too low to open automatic doors that are activated by

19817-499: Was Roz Doyle, who was named in memory of a producer of Wings . The producers auditioned around 300 actresses, with no particular direction in mind. Women of all ethnicities were considered. Lisa Kudrow was originally cast in the role, but during rehearsals, the producers decided they needed someone who could appear more assertive in her job and take control over Frasier at KACL, and Kudrow did not fit that role. The creators quickly hired Gilpin, their second choice. The original focus of

19966-484: Was an only child; however, Sheila Guthrie, the assistant casting director on Wings , brought the producers a photo of Pierce (whom she knew from his work on The Powers That Be ) and noted his resemblance to Grammer when he first appeared on Cheers . She recommended him should they ever want Frasier to have a brother. The creators were "blown away" both by his resemblance to Grammer and by his acting ability. They decided to ignore Frasier's statement on Cheers and created

20115-557: Was banging on the electric gates to get into her home. They were married three years later, in 1986. Maris makes only two onscreen "appearances": once in the episode "Voyage of the Damned" when her shadow is seen through a shower curtain (she is spoken to but makes no reply), and again in " Rooms with a View ", where she appears in Niles' memory, almost completely covered by bandages after cosmetic surgery. In " The Seal Who Came to Dinner ",

20264-491: Was born in the Cheers episode "The Stork Brings A Crane"; he appears in several episodes throughout the show's run. In the episode "Breaking In Is Hard to Do", which aired a year after his birth episode, he speaks his first word: " Norm !" He lives with his mother in Boston but often comes to visit Frasier in Seattle on the holidays. Through his mother, he is Jewish; his bar mitzvah was most notable for his mother's emotional breakdown and his father's ill-advised attempt to make

20413-399: Was briefly disrupted by the September 11 attacks , during which David Angell was killed on board American Airlines Flight 11 while returning to California along with his wife Lynn. The cast and crew were devastated by their deaths, but Kelsey Grammer was concerned about the public perception of their grief in the context of a national tragedy, and so they did not extensively discuss Angell in

20562-414: Was briefly the highest-paid television actor in the United States for his portrayal of Frasier, while Jane Leeves was the highest-paid British actress. In addition to those of the ensemble, additional story lines included characters from Frasier's former incarnation on Cheers , such as his ex-wife Lilith Sternin , played by Bebe Neuwirth , and their son, Frederick, played by Trevor Einhorn . Throughout

20711-427: Was cast as Olivia. With the exception of Rebecca Howe ( Kirstie Alley ), all the surviving main regular cast members of Cheers made appearances on Frasier . Lilith Sternin ( Bebe Neuwirth ) was the only one to become a recurring character, appearing in a total of twelve episodes. In the eighth-season Cheers episode "Two Girls for Every Boyd," Frasier tells Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson ) that his father,

20860-405: Was credited as a regular cast member in several episodes from seasons four through to six, until the character was fired from KACL at the end of season 6. He was then seen extremely infrequently, turning up as a pizza delivery man in a single season 7 episode. Bulldog was not seen at all in season 8; in season 9, KACL re-hired him to work in their filing room, and he was seen very sporadically around

21009-927: Was criticized by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of the Prime Minister. The show nevertheless proved very popular with both television audiences and critics, becoming the most-watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011. It was nominated at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series. Although there have been several notable exceptions, relatively few Canadian sitcoms attained notable success in Canada or internationally. Canadian television has had much greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series. The popular show King of Kensington aired from 1975 to 1980, at its peak garnering an average of 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers weekly. The 1999 movie Trailer Park Boys

21158-430: Was duplicitous, manipulative and controlling, more so than the recollections and descriptions of her in the later series. Frasier is surprised by her threats, and says she "has always been the most gentle, rational human being [he] had ever known." Rita Wilson would play a middle-aged version of Hester in the two-part episode "Don Juan in Hell", using prosthetic makeup. Hester was a research psychiatrist and met Martin,

21307-518: Was failing, as she had eaten into her savings to establish the business and maintain an image as a successful businesswoman, and as Frasier was her first and only client. When they get to know each other, Frasier finds himself falling in love with her. She eventually returns his feelings, but the relationship is forced to end prematurely when Charlotte, having bought back her old business from her ex-husband, moves back to Chicago. Frasier, initially claiming not to have any regrets about letting her go, accepts

21456-530: Was followed up by a television series of the same name that ran from 2001 to 2018, airing in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. Corner Gas , which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, became an instant hit, averaging one million viewers per episode. It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards. Other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included: Call Me Fitz , Schitt's Creek , Letterkenny , and Kim's Convenience , all of which have been winners of

21605-520: Was reminiscent of WKRP in Cincinnati , the creators decided to emphasize Frasier's home life, which Cheers had rarely explored. Lee considered his own experience with "the relationship between an aging father and the grown-up son he never understood" and thought it would be a good theme for Frasier . Although Frasier had mentioned on Cheers (in two episodes) that his father, a research scientist, had died, Angell, Casey and Lee did not realize this

21754-433: Was the case, as they were not working on Cheers during the season those two episodes were filmed. The creative team was already well into the development process when Grammer pointed out the discontinuity; they decided to overlook it, initially retconning the character's backstory. In a second-season episode, the discrepancy was resolved, as Frasier revealed he had lied to the Cheers gang about his father. One element of

21903-559: Was the highest rating for a first episode in the history of Australian television, until the series premiere of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities in 2009, which garnered 2.58 million viewers. In 2013, Please Like Me received an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris, was praised by critics, and earned numerous awards and nominations. Also in 2013, At Home with Julia

22052-461: Was the inspiration for both Frasier and Niles to go into the profession. She named her two sons after favorite lab rats . Both her sons take after her more than they do their father, being intellectually pompous , which causes Roz and Martin — especially given her infidelity — to consider that Hester's one-time lab assistant Leland Barton ( David Ogden Stiers ) might be the boys' biological father. (Without knowing Martin's concerns, Barton reveals he

22201-546: Was the most-watched show on Mexican television and had a Latin-American audience of 350 million viewers per episode at its popularity peak during the mid-1970s. The show continues to be popular in Central America as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and other countries. Syndicated episodes average 91 million daily viewers in all its American markets. Since it ceased production in 1992,

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