After a long period spent in development hell, Paramount+ recently issued the green light to a revival of the hit NBC sitcom, Frasier. Given that it has been almost two decades since the curtains came down on the original show, the revival is certain to undergo a lot of changes. One thing however remains unchanged, its star Kelsey Grammer is returning to reprise the titular role as the egotistical psychologist Frasier Crane. Details on the revival have been sparse, however, Grammer has begun revealing some bits of information on the keenly anticipated revival including how it would address the absence of one of the major stars of the original show, John Mahoney.

Fans of the sitcom will no doubt welcome the idea of seeing more than one of the show's original stars return to the revival, and while it's likely some will return, Mahoney who portrayed Martin Crane, Frasier's dad, passed away in 2018 and will be absent from the reboot. Mahoney was a major contributor to the show's success earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as well as a SAG Award for his role. Grammer who wears double hats as the star and producer of the upcoming revival has now revealed in a recent interview with Fox Digital that the show will honor Mahoney's legacy. “His loss is and was devastating and must be given the proper attention in honor of the extraordinary man he was and the contribution he made to the show and to the acting profession,” Grammer said.

Grammer further added that the show "will most certainly be honoring him according to his merit," and further described the late actor as "a man of merit" and “a kind man, one that the "world cannot afford to lose at any time.” When the revival was announced to have been picked up by Paramount+, it was revealed that it will feature a set of new cast and characters and see its lead relocate to a new city. It also teased the return of some old faces in guest capacities. That said, it remains to be seen in what manner the show will honor Mahoney's legacy. Grammer further emphasized the revival's direction saying that “Frasier, in his third or fourth act, is not a reboot, but a new show centered around the character in a new set of circumstances and a new city.”

Kelsey Grammer in Frasier
Image via NBC

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Mahoney's character like Grammer's was first introduced in Cheers the parent series that spun Frasier after it ended in 1993. His character would be further explored in Frasier as the patriarch of the Crane family, a war veteran and retired police detective whose down-to-earth and simple disposition, a sharp contrast to Frasier's haughty personality, helped prevent Frasier and his younger brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) from self-destructing. With the revival now confirmed to honor Mahoney, it will be interesting to see how it will handle Frasier's life without his father. Grammer has expressed excitement over the revival saying that he anticipates the new project with "equal joy" as he did with the original series.

Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli have been tapped to provide the script for the revival. Both will equally produce alongside Grammer, Tom Russo, and Jordan McMahon. As development on the revival series progresses, additional details including casting news and the start of production are expected to be announced, and as always, you can bank on Collider for timely delivery. While we wait for those updates, you can check out our interview with Grammer on the upcoming revival: