"Beloved Sitcom Revived"

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What You Need To Know:
The trend of reviving older TV television programs continues here. The new FRASIER is just as charming and witty as any good episode of the original program, but the writing could be stronger. Watching the memorably intractable Frasier Crane allow himself to accommodate the presence of another person in his life is the revival’s most rewarding element. FRASIER also offers a positive view of firefighters and other first responders. However, some light references to sexual immorality, mild foul language and pervasive depictions of alcohol use warrant strong caution.
Content:
More Detail:
Nearly 20 years after the conclusion of the hit sitcom FRASIER, Paramount+ has revived the program. The “new” series picks up the titular celebrity psychiatrist’s life as he returns to his hometown of Boston to reconnect with his grown-up son, Freddy. Although Frasier Crane was absent for most of Freddy’s life, after divorcing his mother and moving to Seattle to host a radio program (the subject of the original program), the father and son move in together and begin to re-establish their relationship. Meanwhile, Frasier takes up a guest teaching post at his alma mater, Harvard University, alongside his old friend, British alcoholic Alan, and psychology department chair Olivia.
The trend of reviving last generation’s television programs continues. Although the new FRASIER is just as charming and witty as any good episode of the original show, its writing could be a little stronger. The emotional heart of Season One is the relationship between Frasier and Freddy, which evolves from awkwardly distant to genuinely affectionate. Watching the memorably intractable Frasier finally allow himself to change to accommodate the presence of another person in his life is the most, if not the only, rewarding element of the revival. The series also has a pro-life subplot and a positive view of firefighters and other first responders. As always, Kelsey Grammer is a tremendously charismatic actor. Sadly, though, the series doesn’t give him as much to work with as a more innovative, original program might.
Discerning viewers, however, will be pleased that the revival eschews the sexual humor of the original program and its progenitor, CHEERS. Although sex is indirectly referenced in about half the episodes, the primary comedic content is based on uncomfortable but innocent situations that arise in the domains of higher education and the Cranes’ shared living arrangements. The biggest area of objectionable content is alcohol, which is consumed in excess by the characters and either ignored or played for comedy. This content, combined with some foul language, warrants strong and extreme caution for the new incarnation of the classic sitcom FRASIER.