I’m Sorry Sam & Diane, But The Frasier Reboot Season 2 Will Continue Its Cheers Ignorance

The Frasier reboot season 2 will likely continue its Cheers disrespect, as Sam Malone and Diane Chambers’ proposed cameos will have to wait. Kelsey Grammer has been involved in the show in front and behind the camera. As its main creative force, he has a say in all aspects of the show. So when he revealed that he wanted Ted Danson and Shelley Long to reprise their roles as Sam and Diane in the revival, I believed he could make it happen. Sadly for me and everyone hopeful for this to pan out, it may not pan out anytime soon.

My introduction to Grammer’s Frasier Crane was from Cheers. I was already hooked on the antics in Sam’s pub long before the snooty psychiatrist arrived. At first, I hated him, because I was rooting for Sam and Diane to be together. Revisiting Cheers in recent years made me realize how problematic their relationship was. Still, it doesn’t mean that I’m opposed to seeing them again on the screen. I’m on board with Grammer’s plan to bring them back. However, knowing what’s in store for the Frasier reboot season 2, I’m convinced that the revival will just continue its Cheers erasure.

Several Original Seattle Characters Will Appear In The Frasier Reboot Season 2

I may have loved Cheers first, but I prefer Frasier. The original Seattle show is special for a few reasons, including its masterful writing and fantastic ensemble. Like David Hyde Pierce, however, I was opposed to reviving it, having seen several reboots that ended up not being worth it. The Frasier reboot season 1 was okay. It wasn’t remotely near the quality of its parent series’ inaugural year, but it has potential, despite its limited references to the past. Grammer is leaning more into nostalgia for season 2, however, with the return of several legacy characters.

That being said, behind-the-scenes content confirms that Roz, Gil, and Bulldog will appear in a single episode for a fun KACL reunion. The outing is directed by Grammer.

After her appearance in the Frasier reboot season 1 finale, Peri Gilpin is confirmed to return as Roz as a recurring guest star. Meanwhile, Dan Butler and Edward Hibbert will also reprise their roles as Bulldog Briscoe and Gil Chesterton. Finally, Harriet Sansom Harris will play the fan-favorite Bebe Glazer in the revival too. Specific plot details about their respective appearances are still kept tightly under wraps. That being said, behind-the-scenes content confirms that Roz, Gil, and Bulldog will appear in a single episode for a fun KACL reunion. The outing is directed by Grammer.

The Frasier Reboot Season 2 Has No More Time For A Proper Cheers Tribute

All these confirmed cameos are great, especially since the Frasier reboot season 1 was light on legacy character appearances. I love the original Frasier ensemble, so seeing Bulldog, Gil (our Surrey boy), and Bebe again after two decades is exciting and intriguing. That said, lest we forget that, unlike the NBC series which usually had upwards of 20 episodes per year, the Paramount+ revival only has 10 episodes every season. Couple these with other guest stars lined up for the rest of the Frasier reboot season 2, and I doubt that it still has time for Sam and Diane’s cameos.

At this point, the Frasier reboot season 2 may only have at least a couple of episodes left without any special guest, which could be detrimental to its endeavor to establish its cast as an ensemble that can carry the show on its own. Adding Sam and Diane will surely boost people’s interest in the show, but considering the limited time that the revival has, it may end up ultimately being a disappointment, especially if it’s rushed. I’d rather Grammer wait for a good time to bring them back, so as not to waste their much-awaited cameos.

Doing Sam and Diane’s cameos is particularly important because it would mark the first time for Long and Danson’s characters to be reunited on the screen since the Cheers finale in 1993. While both returned in the Seattle offshoot, they appeared separately. Perhaps seeing them back on the small screen together can lead to Frasier finally getting over Diane jilting him at the altar — something that he hasn’t really let go of.

Why The Frasier Reboot Still Needs To Honor Cheers

While Sam and Diane’s cameos will likely not happen in the Frasier reboot season 2, the revival still needs to do a better job at handling the show’s legacy in its sophomore year. Considering Frasier’s history in Boston and Sam’s underground pub, it is disappointing that the revival has been skittish about acknowledging it. Until now, it’s still unclear what happened to the Cheers bar. In the few times that the Frasier reboot season 1 indirectly referenced Cheers, it was in a mocking tone — as if Sam and his people didn’t take Frasier in long after Diane was gone.