Fear not, Frasier fans. The worst part of the long-running sitcom is still its theme music. Series two of the rebooted series is otherwise loyal, serviceable, and occasionally humorous. But it’s rarely daring.
A year on from its return, the TV psychologist-turned-lecturer Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer, of course) is settling into his new-ish life back in Boston.
He does venture into work on occasion but his full time occupation is to provide sarcasm and witty put downs to those within ear shot. Yet somehow, in his seventh decade, these enduring and exaggerated traits have made him more doted upon by his friends and family than ever.
Frasier is usually joined at his local bar by his son Freddy (the hunky Jack Cutmore-Scott), his university dean Olivia (a wisecracking Toks Olagundoye), snobby intellectual colleague Alan (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and their waitress mate Eve (Jess Salgueiro).
And from the five episodes available to preview of the nine in the Paramount Plus series, there is really not much more to say about the plot.
Instead, the second part of Frasier Crane’s third act feels a relief for the writers. There are no backstories to explain, there is no narrative to move forward, no more characters to introduce.
The focus here is classic sitcom storylines that neatly and jollily tie together in one episode. Frasier and Alan look after Eve’s baby; Freddy opts for a psychologist beyond his famous father; Olivia goes on a date; The friends all bond over ham and sangria.
If the middle of the road is what is being aimed for, then the writers (a wide roster but principally Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris) are on course.
Primary director James Burrows, who was behind the camera for the original 1993 to 2004 run of Frasier and its predecessor Cheers, makes no effort to bring the production into the 21st century.
There’s no attempt to make sets look convincing or to dial down the studio audience – who are not short of providing the kind of whooping reactions that used to be parodied on The Simpsons. And then there’s the theme tune.
After more than 300 episodes, Grammer can perform the role he was born for in his sleep. He still has the charisma to make an increasingly grouchy git likeable. It says something of his charm that it doesn't feel creepy when he hits on women (thankfully, all age appropriate) or embarrassing when he dons squash kit.
Hard working single mother and widow Eve seems to be the only one of the gang that life happens to – and is thus the centre of a few episodes, which helps keep things somewhat fresh.
But like in the first series, she is often required to play the straight man; the best lines and put downs reserved for snobbish Alan, with Lyndhurst seemingly revelling in his unexpected latter career role.
There are also some star returns. I won't ruin it, but it will suffice to say the studio audience’s hooting is extensive enough for the characters to stand, mute, Friends style, until it dies down.
It's also whimsical to imagine a world where sprightly young professionals might enjoy nothing more than spending their free time hanging out with a pair of cynical old codgers. The bond between Olivia / Eve with Frasier / Alan is a mystery but also adds to the charm.
And at the end of each episode, Frasier’s main takeaway is the importance of family and friends. But if it’s frustrating for those around a man in his 60s to see someone learning a basic life lesson over and over again, they don’t show any exasperation.
It makes Frasier 3.0 an unapologetically Nineties production. While this particular series is behind the Paramount Plus paywall, it would not look or sound out of place on any given weekday morning on Channel 4.
And that’s OK. Serious fans will have devoured the original episodes and the style and quality on offer here means these new ones are very much in keeping, even down to the woeful notes of Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs.
