Frasier: Kelsey Grammer Reveals Why One Beloved Character Won't Return for Revival

In the ever-evolving landscape of television reboots and revivals, the casts of beloved series are finding some clever ways to reunite. One of the next projects to join that list will be a long-awaited revival of Frasier, which got a ten-episode first season series order earlier this year for Paramount+. The series is already confirmed to be taking Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) face-to-face with a new ensemble of characters, with a few of the original show's cast members not returning this time around. Chief among them is David Hyde Pierce's Niles Crane — and Grammer has a new outlook on why his onscreen brother isn't returning. In a recent interview with People.com, Grammer explained Pierce's decision not to return, and indicated that it will help the narrative of the show itself.

"David basically decided he wasn't really interested in repeating the performance of Niles," Grammer explained, later adding. "In a very funny way, it just took us to a new place, which was what we originally wanted to do anyway, which was a Frasier third act. It's an entirely new life for him."

What is the Frasier revival about?

Grammer will serve as an executive producer on the new Frasier alongside Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces), who are writing the scripts. As Grammer explained in that same interview, this new show will be seeing Frasier starting over in a new city — but will also deal with the absence of his other friends and family.

"He's our brave little soldier that continues on in life, finding new challenges and a new love and new people and a new city and stuff like that," Grammer revealed. "I'm really very excited about it, and we'll certainly always honor the past. We have to honor the fact that John Mahoney died and that Martin is no longer with us. We'll be dealing with that for sure."

"We'll certainly be responsive about the fact that there was a brother and such," Grammer added. "But the new world for Frasier is one of new friendships — and some new twists and turns he didn't know were still in there."

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