If Frasier returns, are more Cheers spinoffs possible? | Pretty Reel

With a revival of the classic sitcom Frasier starring Kelsey Grammer in the works, it’s possible more spinoffs based on the cast of Cheers could follow. Grammer played the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane for 20 consecutive years in both series and has reportedly been working on a return to his most famous role for several years. With Paramount+ officially picking up the Frasier reboot, some are speculating that other Cheers spin-offs may also be produced.

Details on the Frasier reboot are sketchy beyond the fact that it will focus on Frasier Crane’s new life in a city other than Seattle or Boston. It has also been confirmed that Grammer is the only actor from the original Frasier to return for the reboot, with David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves (who played Niles Crane and Daphne Moon respectively) stating that they had no interest in making an appearance on the new Fraser. . This reflects the biggest hurdle regarding further Cheers spinoffs or a Cheers revival, as many of the original cast are busy with other projects and have no desire to revisit their old roles.

Could a revival of Tortellis happen?

While Frasier is undoubtedly one of the most successful spin-offs in sitcom history, this wasn’t Cheers’ first spin-off. NBC first tried to capitalize on the popularity of Cheers with The Tortellis, which followed bartender Carla’s sleazy ex-husband Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya) as he moved to Las Vegas in a bid to win back his second wife, Loretta (Jean Kasem). They were joined by Nick’s eldest son, Anthony (Timothy Williams) and his wife, Annie (Mandy Ingber), who had also previously appeared on Cheers.

The Tortellis only lasted 13 episodes, largely because Nick, Loretta, Anthony, and Annie proved funnier as foils for Carla than they were as the basis of their own show. Nick’s honest efforts to overcome his feminization and be a decent dad were less fun than the trouble he caused on Cheers. This, coupled with complaints about the show’s stereotypical portrayal of Italian Americans, drove away any audiences who might have followed the Cheers broadcast. This makes The Tortellis unlikely to be considered for a revival like Frasier.

How a Ted Danson spin-off Led Cheers could succeed

The likeliest avenue for another successful Cheers spin-off would be a vehicle for Ted Danson, focused on Sam Malone. This would be the most logical sequel for a Cheers spin-off, given that Sam was the main character of the original series and one of three to appear in every episode, along with Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) and Norm Peterson (George Wendt). Sam Malone’s character also had the most potential for further character development, as his lone appearance on Frasier continued a subplot from the final season of Cheers based around Sam trying to end his feminizing and following ways. sex addiction therapy.

A Sam Malone-focused Cheers spin-off also makes sense given Ted Danson’s continued popularity as a TV star. Danson remained in television after Cheers, holding regular roles on Fargo and The Good Place. He played DB Russell in several CSI series and played himself in several episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Danson still has considerable star power nearly three decades after Cheers ended, making him the most obvious choice to lead a Cheers spin-off or revival.

Unfortunately for Cheers fans, Ted Danson has no interest in recreating the Sam Malone character in a spin-off or revival. Danson scoffed at the idea during a 2018 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, saying, “It would be a bunch of people in their 60s in a bar going, ‘What? What? A horse walked into a what? ‘” Danson further said that playing Sam again after so many years was “anathema” to him and that he felt horrible just going back behind a bar while shooting a scene for The Good Place. This makes it highly unlikely that Danson will agree to return for a Cheers reunion or revival.

With that in mind, the best possible Cheers spinoff might focus on a Sam Malone who had moved past his addictions to alcohol and women and built a new life for himself away from the bar he once owned. It’s probably the only way for Ted Danson to agree to revisit the role of Sam Malone in any capacity and play in a spin-off. It would also put an ironic spin on the Cheers finale, in which Sam realized that the Cheers bar was the only true love in his life, leading him to abandon his plans to get back together with Diane Chambers ( Shelly Long).

An interesting idea is for Sam to follow in Frasier’s footsteps to become a counselor to others struggling with addiction. Sam was already listening to people’s problems as a bartender and finding work as a therapist would allow him to continue doing that and helping others. It could also open the door for cameo appearances from his former Cheers clients, many of whom would certainly have benefited from more therapy than Frasier has provided them for free over the years. It would be very ironic yet so perfect for Sam to find happiness working for Alcoholics Anonymous and serving as a sponsor for Cheers beer-loving barfly Norm Peterson.

Cheers’ best spin-off might just be a spiritual successor

With Ted Danson not interested in returning as Sam Malone, the best possibility for a Cheers spin-off might be a spiritual successor to the original series, focusing on the bar’s current management and clientele. The new series may find the new owner of Cheers struggling to restore the once-popular watering hole after several years of dormancy, alongside the revival of Cheers itself. They could also try to win back bar regulars, who abandoned Cheers after Sam Malone announced plans to sell the bar and retire. It would mimic several scenarios from the original Cheers, where Sam had to save the bar and bring back his usual crowd.

The show’s spinoff Cheers taking such an approach would mimic that taken by another classic ’80s sitcom revival, the new Night Court produced for NBC. Although the new series features John Larroquette bringing his Daniel R. Fielding character to life, the focus is on a new generation of criminal court workers and their working environment. While Frasier’s new spin-off was conceived as a vehicle for Kelsey Grammer, perhaps a Cheers revival would be better built around the setting of a neighborhood bar than continuing the story of the characters from the original series.

If Frasier returns, are more Cheers spinoffs possible? | Pretty Reel