Not many spin-off’s become more of successful than it’s predecessor, but Frasier managed do that when it continued the story of Dr. Frasier Crane after he left Cheers and moved to Seattle. The TV show lasted for 11 seasons and gave us countless laughs, tears and plenty to think about. Here are the top 13 reasons why we loved Frasier so much!
1. Intelligent jokes
Frasier is one of the few sitcoms that manages to be side-splittingly funny as well as clever. A lot of it’s humour requires intelligence from the viewer, which ultimately results in them feeling better about themselves for getting the joke. Win-win!
2. The songs
Kelsey Grammer lent his impressive vocal range to the show on more than one occasion, which led to some incredibly funny musical moments. One that springs to mind is the song Frasier and his brother Niles made up in prep school: “Oh some boys go to college, but we think they’re all wussies, ’cause they get all the knowledge, and we get all the– dum da dum da…”
3. They’re middle aged
The show steers away from the typical family-centered sitcom and focuses more on the single life of a man going through a midlife crisis. We watch twice-divorced Dr. Frasier Crane go on a countless number of dates, struggle with his radio career and endure endless conflicts with his family, especially his disabled father.
4. Niles
Dr. Niles Crane was the ‘Sheldon Cooper’ of the nineties. He was an intelligent, yet nitpicky know-it-all with a love for cleanliness. His over-the-top foibles made him great to watch and he had some of the funniest one-liners in the show.
5. Overreactions
Frasier Crane had a knack for being overly dramatic about everything. His reactions to events such as when he thought Kenny had eaten a live pigeon, or when he accidentally wound up on stage dressed as a giant baby, were utterly priceless!
6. Sibling rivalry
The sitcom perfectly captured the ongoing jealousy between Frasier and his brother Niles Crane. The rivalry mainly revolved around the question of “who was the better psychiatrist?” which made for some fantastic and funny storylines.
7. The rich life
Frasier was unique in that it gave us an insight into how the more wealthier folk live – what they order from restaurants and what kind of art they consider worthy. While Frasier and his brother can sometimes come across as pretentious snobs, it turns out they still have the same problems as everybody else in terms of relationships, work and family. It also made for some hilarious scenes whenever Frasier and Niles tried to fit in with the working class society.
8. The embarrassed parent
Usually, it’s the parents who embarrass the kids, but Frasier’s dad Martin was the sanest and most down-to-earth member of the Crane family. He didn’t relate to his sons’ love of opera and fine wine, which made him a great character for the working-class viewer to relate with.
9. The greatest love story of all time
Niles was a shy, pompous snob, and Daphne was a kooky English woman who believed she was psychic. They were like chalk and cheese, but somehow they fit perfectly together. We loved watching their romance bloom after the many, many years it took before Niles finally gained the courage to admit his feelings.
10. Eddie
Eddie was the perfect canine addition to the show. Not only was he Martin Crane’s lovable best friend, but he was also and extremely obedient and well-trained pooch who got to make Frasier become the butt of the joke at many an opportunity. Good boy!
11. Frasier’s insecurities
Frasier was known for being pretty self-obsessed. He wanted to be adored by his fans and didn’t understand when someone didn’t like him. When Manu, a news-vendor, took part in a focus group, he admitted he didn’t like the show, unaware that Dr. Crane was listening. Frasier then continually harassed the poor man until it resulted in him accidentally setting his newsstand on fire! Frasier’s self-doubts are so fun to watch because it represents the insecure side to all of us (albeit an exaggerated side)!
12. Stepping out of the norm
13. One of the greatest friendships of all time
Frasier may have not been very lucky in love, but he managed to form an unlikely relationship his bold and outgoing producer, Roz Doyle. Though they were completely opposite to one another, they always gave each other a shoulder to cry on and helped each other out with their personal problems. Sometimes having a valuable friend that you trust is even more important than having a boyfriend or girlfriend.
