Frasier's Original Pitch Would Never Have Worked As Well

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The Kelsey Grammer-starring Frasier is one of TV’s most acclaimed sitcoms, but the creators’ original pitch would never have worked nearly as well. The sitcom is a spinoff of Cheers and ran for an impressive 11 seasons, from 1993-2004. Frasier remains one of the wittiest comedies ever made, boasting an exceptional ensemble. However, the original plan was very different and could have aged terribly.

Frasier sees Grammer's lovelorn psychiatrist reinvent himself after a divorce by relocating from the Cheers-set Boston to his native Seattle. He revels in his newfound celebrity as the host of a radio call-in show, providing mental health advice to his devoted listeners. Frasier Crane also reconnects with his equally snobbish brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), and their ex-police officer father, Martin (John Mahoney), moves into Frasier's luxury apartment.

Related: David Hyde Pierce's Favorite Episode Of Frasier

The critically acclaimed Frasier won 37 Emmys, however, it's unlikely the creators' original plan would have come close to achieving this feat. Co-creator Peter Casey discussed how Frasier originated from a rejected pitch for a completely different show. Although Grammer wanted to reunite with Cheers writers Casey, David Angell and David Lee, none of them were thrilled by the idea of revisiting Frasier Crane. Instead, their original plan involved a disabled millionaire and his Hispanic nurse, only to scrap the idea and mine their personal experiences to create a pivotal Frasier character. (via Ken Levine)

Grammer wanted to headline his own show, but he and Frasier’s creators were concerned a spinoff could never match Cheers. Although the writers believed Kelsey Grammer's Frasier “was the most interesting and complex”