Production for “Young Frasier” was later paused after the actor playing young Frasier began going through a nasty divorce.
Photo by: Matthew McMahon
In the wake of CBS’s smash success “Young Sheldon,” audiences should expect to “hear the blues a-callin again” as the network has confirmed its intention to revisit its 90’s hit “Frasier” but with a twist: Its titular character will be nine years old.
The series will follow the childhood of Dr. Frasier Crane growing up in Seattle, Washington. There, CBS president Les Moonves promises “the same clever banter between Frasier and his brother Niles over the merits of Freudian and Jungian psychoanalytic theory, but they’ll be kids so it’s cute n’ shit.” Moonves continued, stating, “We actually considered having the show be led in by ‘Young Cheers,’ but production fell apart after the first taping. The little sons-of-bitches couldn’t handle their liquor.”
Despite that setback, Moonves noted, “It’s a tried and true model in show business. Take an already successful program whose premise has begun to run thin, and change the age of the characters. Suddenly audiences think it’s a whole new show, and since they’re already familiar with the characters they’re naturally drawn to watch. The ‘Baby Looney Tunes’ method is what we call it in the showbiz industry.”
The roles that members of the original cast might play in the new series have yet be finalized. Kelsey Grammer has passed on an offer to narrate series, saying, “The role of Frasier Crane is behind me; It’s time for somebody else to scramble those eggs and toss America’s salad.” However the network has still made plans to work around this by using snippets of Sideshow Bob’s dialogue, and it will introduce a childhood nemesis named “Bart.” Eddie, the Parson Russell Terrier, will also not return since he, Spuds MacKenzie, and the Taco Bell Chihuahua famously perished in 2006 when their single engine plane crashed just outside of Clear Lake, Iowa.
John Mahoney is seeking to reprise his role as Frasier’s father, Martin Crane. However, Mahoney has aged significantly since 1993 and has instead been offered to play Frasier’s grandfather which Mahoney has reportedly rejected, instead suggesting to CBS, “Gimmie dat Rogue One face CGI.” Negotiations are reportedly ongoing.
Moonves has indicated that “Young Frasier” may be the first of many to come. “If this ends up becoming a hit, there’s no telling the kind of goldmine we could be sitting on. Just think about it?! Macgyver defusing a bomb in the mayor’s office with duct tape and a banana peel, and then rushing home cause it’s a school night. Perry Mason defending an accused murderer in court, and then requesting a five minute recess cause he wants to play on the swings. As long as audiences are looking to get wasted, we don’t mind putting old wine in prepubescent bottles.”
Brandon Mougel is an MQ Alumni
