Why Frasier Had To Return to This Familiar Setting in Season 2

The Frasier reboot is back with its second season on Paramount Plus. Later this season, viewers will see Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) return to Seattle, where the original series was set. For those who haven’t kept up with Frasier following the original show’s conclusion, the iconic television character now resides in Boston, where his character was first introduced during Cheers‘ third season. Frasier’s visit to his native Seattle, which occurs in the October 31 episode “Thank You, Dr. Crane,” paves the way for Peri Gilpin’s Roz Doyle to have a more prominent role in the reboot. Now, while speaking with Parade Magazine, Frasier star and executive producer Grammer shared why the revival needed to return to this familiar setting:

“It has something to do with getting Roz to Boston because we had to have a reason for her to come back. An organic, good reason for her to come back, other than just the fact that everybody wants to see Roz again. We wanted to make her part of the show that was pivotal and important, and so we had to get her out of Seattle. So that’s part of why we went.”

Gilpin isn’t the only former KACL colleague who will appear during “Thank You, Dr. Crane” with Dan Butler and Edward Hibbert reprising Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe and Gil Chesterton, respectively. While Paramount+’s Frasier reboot saw Grammer leading the series with an all-new ensemble cast, Gilpin and Bebe Neuwirth (who portrayed Dr. Lilith Sternin on Cheers and the original Frasier) did make cameo appearances during the revival’s first season. And now, Roz will be back for a much more prominent role in the sequel series.

Frasier Showrunners Discuss Roz’s Return

Frasier showrunners Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli have also discussed Gilpin’s second-season return. Speaking recently with CinemaBlend, the two shared that it was “always the idea” to feature the actress in a more prominent role for its sophomore season, but that they wanted to ensure that they had an “organic way to bring her in.”

“Joe, Kelsey and I, we all worked together to make sure that there was a natural reason, and what we came up with is that Roz’s daughter Alice is now studying at RISD [Rhode Island School of Design] in Providence not too far away, so she is going to be around in Boston more. We actually get to take advantage of that in some fun ways where Alice, in a couple episodes, starts to become a little bit part of the group, and we get to explore even more of this next generation of characters from the original series,” Harris shared.

Of course, Roz’s return will lead some fans to hope for a romantic storyline between her and Frasier. Something that could get awkward as Roz’s daughter, Alice (portrayed by Grammer’s real-life daughter Greer Grammer), is expected to cause some tension in Frasier’s son’s love life this season…

Frasier stars Grammer, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Toks Olagundoye, Anders Keith, and Jess Salgueiro. Season 2 guest stars include Rachel Bloom, Patricia Heaton, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Amy Sedaris. Harriet Sansom Harris will reprise the role of Bebe Glazer.