Cheers Bar’s Status In The Frasier Reboot Finally Confirmed By Kelsey Grammer

Summary The Cheers bar is closed in the Frasier reboot, ruling out the possibility of revisiting old memories.

Cheers co-creator James Burrows decided to keep Cheers closed to honor the show's legacy, hence why the Frasier reboot can't feature it.

Frasier moving forward without Cheers allows for new narratives and character growth in the reboot.

Kelsey Grammer finally settles the fate of the Cheers bar in the Frasier reboot. Before starring in his own show, Grammer got his start as Frasier Crane in NBC's Cheers. Introduced as Diane's rebound boyfriend in season 3, he stayed and became a main character even after Shelley Long left Cheers after season 5. Sam's underground pub became the snooty therapist's go-to nightly spot in Boston. As he returned to Beantown 40 years after Cheers wrapped up, and he moved to Seattle to start a new life, there were understandably questions about the chances of him revisiting his old haunt.

The Frasier reboot season 1 didn't explicitly acknowledge Cheers, let alone visit it, raising questions about its status — something that Grammer clarifies in an interview with USA Today. Apparently, Sam's pub is already closed during the events of the reboot, effectively ruling out the possibility of Frasier stepping back into the bar and finding his old drinking buddies there. Cheers co-creator James Burrow decided on this, and Grammer is committed to honoring that. Read his full quote below:

"There's a sense of respect that we owe him and the idea ("Frasier") exists in another world. It's gone, the bar is gone."

Why It’s Better That Cheers Is Closed In The Frasier Reboot

It Has Been 4 Decades Since Cheers Ended

Close

Frasier stepping back into the bar and getting welcomed by the same people is sad.

It's worth noting that while Burrows has maintained his stance that Cheers is closed, the sitcom's writer, Kevin Levine has previously shared that he believes that it remains open, with its old owner and patrons still there. He also strongly suggested that it would be best for the Frasier reboot to revisit it because not doing so is detrimental to the sitcom's legacy. Admittedly, it would be a great source of nostalgia to see Frasier come back to Sam's pub and mingle again with the likes of Norm, Cliff, and Carla. Maybe he could even bring Lilith with him.

That said, featuring the bar the same way it was several decades ago doesn't really make sense from a narrative standpoint. Frasier stepping back into the bar and getting welcomed by the same people is sad. It means that after all these years, they have remained stagnant in their ways, spending their nights drinking and engaging in childish shenanigans. They were fun during their younger years, but not when Sam and cohorts are already in their twilight years. With the Cheers bar closed, at least there's hope that all of them were able to move on and have better lives.

Related I'm Sorry Sam & Diane, But The Frasier Reboot Season 2 Will Continue Its Cheers Ignorance Based on how the Frasier reboot season 2 is shaping, Sam and Diane's cameos will likely have to wait as it continues its Cheers disrespect.

In any case, the Frasier reboot has effectively replaced Cheers with Mahoney's, which is a tribute to the late John Mahoney who played the Crane patriarch in the Seattle show. Having a place for Frasier and his new ensemble to gather somehow diminishes the need for Sam's bar to make an appearance. Despite its fate, however, hopefully, Paramount+ can still honor the role Cheers played in Frasier's story on-screen.

Source: USA Today

Frasier (2023) Follow Frasier Crane in the next chapter of his life as he returns to Boston, Mass., with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge and an old dream or two to finally fulfill. Cast Kelsey Grammer , Jack Cutmore-Scott , Toks Olagundoye , Jess Salgueiro , Anders Keith , Nicholas Lyndhurst , Jimmy Dunn , Kevin Daniels Release Date October 12, 2023 Seasons 2