Frasier Season 3's Cancelation Is An Insult To The Original Show's Legacy

Warning: Spoilers for the Frasier season 2 finale

The cancelation of Frasier’s revival series by Paramount+ has tarnished the legacy of one of the all-time classic TV comedies. While the original iteration of the show got to go out on its own terms, the rug has been pulled from under this new version after only two seasons, just as Kelsey Grammar and co were beginning to settle into the show’s new set-up. Even if the reboot wasn’t living up to the level of greatness achieved by its forerunner, it was still the standard-bearer for a story that began more than four decades ago with Cheers.

When Cheers bowed out with the most watched TV episode of the 1990s, Frasier took over its mantle. After starting out as a modest spin-off about the life of erudite Cheers regular Frasier Crane, the show quickly became a behemoth in itself. Frasier previously claimed the record for Primetime Emmys awarded for a scripted show, and when it ended in 2004, it was the second longest-running sitcom of modern times, with only its parent series bettering the show’s 264 episodes. Now, its successor has only been afforded 20 episodes, and has been denied the chance to give one of television’s most enduring characters a proper send-off.

Frasier Is One Of The Greatest Sitcoms Of All Time

Its Unapologetic Individuality Sets It Apart

As revolutionary as Cheers was for TV comedy at the time it was broadcast, its spin-off show arguably surpassed it for sitcom innovations, reaching the level of all-time greatness. Frasier is unapologetically less relatable than Cheers, making it wittier, more sophisticated, and indifferent to the norms of American comedy at the time, much like its titular character. Its original setting was thousands of miles from the densely-populated economic hubs of the Northeastern United States and Southern California, in Frasier Crane’s hometown of Seattle, and it became the first American sitcom to feature a major character from Britain.

The quickfire repartee between Frasier and his brother Niles Crane, played by David Hyde-Pierce, did much to garner the show its legendary reputation. Meanwhile, its send-up of social class was pitched perfectly to knock the brothers down a peg or two. On the other hand, Frasier never shied away from its cerebral pretensions, with highbrow cultural references written for its characters more than the audience. Far from creating a barrier between the series and its viewers, this approach proved enormously popular, helping endear Frasier and Niles to millions around the world.

Frasier's Reboot Deserved The Chance To End On Its Own Terms

Frasier Crane’s Final Story Has Been Cut Short

Frasier’s reboot has brought the character back to where TV audiences first encountered him, in Boston, his old stomping ground from Cheers. Yet the revival series has also attempted to show new sides to Frasier Crane, as an overbearing father trying to mend the past, and a fraternal college boy who makes mischief alongside new character Alan Cornwall. It might not have drawn the viewership of the show’s original run, but the revived Frasier’s characterizations of Nicholas Lyndhurst’s Cornwall and Crane’s son Freddy were developing nicely.

Both Freddy and Alan were at the heart of season 2’s moving finale, while Frasier himself played more of a peripheral role. Nevertheless, it was ultimately Frasier’s show, and he deserved the chance to get one final flourish of his own on the small screen, before saying his goodbyes for good. Instead, season 2 leaves us with questions about whether Frasier will really settle down in Boston and fully repair his relationship with Freddy, and whether Cornwall will reconcile with his other estranged children.

Why Was Frasier Season 3 Canceled?

It Was No Longer Worth It For Paramount+

Early updates suggested that Frasier’s season 3 was already being planned when Paramount+ pulled the plug on it at the start of 2025. The streaming platform most likely made the decision as Paramount finalized its budget for the new year, following last summer’s news that the studio was going to make $500 million in cuts after a sharp fall in year-on-year profits. (via The Hollywood Reporter). Frasier is far from the only show to have been hit by a wave of culling across the streaming industry, as platforms look to rein in their spending and increase their profit margins.

However, the revival series was particularly vulnerable to cancelation for two reasons. Firstly, it appeared to be getting more views from network TV audiences on CBS than from streamers, which meant it wasn’t making as much of a direct return on Paramount’s investment than the platform’s big streaming hits. Secondly, Frasier actor Kelsey Grammar allegedly commanded one of the highest salaries of any TV show on Paramount+, being paid almost $2 million an episode to revive the show’s title character (via Closer Weekly). If Paramount was looking to cut its losses in one fell swoop, then Grammar and his show were easy targets.

Is There Any Hope For Frasier's Future?

Another Streaming Giant Could Pick It Up

Still, all might not be lost for fans holding out hope for a third season of the revival series. Last month, after Paramount+ announced their cancelation of Frasier season 3, Amazon and Hulu were both reportedly showing interest in picking up the show. It’s currently being shopped around to various streaming companies, and it seems that some of them might be ready to give the show another chance. This story has gone quiet for now, but it’s not ruled out that Frasier will be back in business later this year. The original show’s mass appeal should, in theory, make the revival something of a banker for TV companies.

Frasier has long since cemented its place in the American sitcom hall of fame, and will continue to be held in the highest esteem by audiences and critics alike. Its revival series was, at the very least, a gratifying footnote to the show’s legendary original run. But it will be a shame if this revival ends here, and Frasier Crane isn’t given the chance to round off his four decades on television with a fitting goodbye.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter; Closer Weekly