Another figure from Dr. Frasier Crane's past is coming back to haunt him in Paramount+'s Frasier sequel series. Bebe Neuwirth, who played Frasier's wife Lilith in Cheers and ex-wife in his self-titled spinoff, will be returning for more showdowns with the good doctor. Her addition makes her the first confirmed cast member from the original series to join Kelsey Grammer. To celebrate her arrival, Paramount+ released a brief teaser that has Frasier sign off from his radio show only to scream in terror when the camera pans over to Lilith's trailer.Lilith was a breakout role for Neuwirth, originating as a one-off character on Cheers before proving to be such a hit that she became a recurring presence on the show and even scored Neuwirth a pair of Emmys. Despite her cold and calculating exterior, she and Frasier shared a strong bond and eventually had a son, Freddy, who's set to appear prominently in the sequel series. However, her affair with her claustrophobic colleague Dr. Pascal crumbled their relationship, eventually ending in divorce before the spinoff began. Her role was far more limited in Frasier, but she still managed to steal the show whenever she arrived, often being described as demonic by Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Martin (John Mahoney) and having such a terrifying presence that she scared Martin's dog Eddie straight. Despite the barbs she and Frasier would trade, they still shared a number of tender moments and even ended the spinoff on friendly terms.The description of her character shared, however, indicates that they'll be feuding again in the sequel. With Frasier back in Boston, Lilith is less than thrilled to have to share Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott) with him. The couple reunites at a birthday party for Freddy, and it quickly devolves from a fun and cheerful get-together into a classic icy clash between the two, likely the first of many for the series.
Neuwirth has enjoyed a bit of a TV renaissance lately, appearing in acclaimed series like The Flight Attendant, Julia, Duncanville, and Teenage Euthanasia among other things. She also landed a small role in the Andrew Garfield-led tick, tick... BOOM! as well as a strong presence in the universally well-received The Sandman podcast series. Neuwirth is also beloved for her stage presence, earning two Tony awards for her roles in the revivals of Sweet Charity and Chicago.
Everything We Know About the Frasier Sequel So Far
In addition to reuniting with Frasier and Freddy, Newirth will board a cast that also features Nicholas Lyndhurst, Toks Olagundoye, Jess Salgueiro, and Anders Keith. Her return makes it all the more disappointing that the series won't have Hyde Pierce reprising his role as Niles given the often hilarious reactions he and Mahoney would have to Lilith's presence. Mahoney, of course, tragically passed away in 2018, but Grammer promises the show will honor his memory by recapturing the father-son dynamic that Martin and Frasier shared with Frasier and his son Freddy.
The Frasier sequel hails from Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli with Grammer executive producing in addition to starring. Filming recently began on the project with James Burrows directing the first two episodes. Although Grammer will finally have a familiar face among the cast of the series, it's still expected to largely follow new characters and storylines as Frasier looks to accomplish the dreams he's left unfulfilled.
There's no word on when the Frasier sequel series will release. In the meantime, check out the teaser for Lilith's return below.