The last episode of Frasier aired in 2004, and it ended with Frasier Crane headed to Chicago. The show is a cult favorite, which is why we now have a new reboot of the same, streaming on Paramount+ Channel. It will be interesting to watch where this reboot will take Dr. Frasier Crane’s character, and will there be more new characters in the show?
Spoilers Ahead
Why is Dr. Frasier Crane in Boston?
The first episode of new season begins with Frasier Crane reaching Boston airport with his nephew David, who seems to be worshiping his uncle to the point it gets a tad bit nauseating. Dr. Frasier likes the attention because he feels there is finally someone in the family who gets him. David is a student at Harvard, and it is endearing for Frasier because he is an alumnus of the prestigious Ivy League university, something his son Freddy never found appealing enough. He appreciates the popularity he has gained over the years and as a result enjoys being the center of attention because of the extensive work he has done in the field of psychology. As an extension of that, he has been asked to give a guest lecture to his alumnus. It is implied that his work takes him everywhere, and Boston is one of the cities that is close to his heart.
Dr. Frasier recently lost his father, who was an ex-policeman, and he has been upset ever since. The fact that his son never made it to the funeral of his grandfather upset him. He is a slightly judgmental man and is trying not to understand the story from his son’s perspective. Dr. Frasier feels his popularity should have perks, but sadly, there is nothing that could bring him closer to his son.
While Dr. Frasier is delighted to be at Harvard after many years, the psychiatry department head, Olivia, is trying hard to recruit the man for their unviersity in the hope of gaining some traction, which the university has lost. Frasier’s best friend and fellow psychologist, Alan Cornwall, is taking full advantage of his tenure, which is why she is considering recruiting Dr. Frasier. The man has some respect in the community, and many still like him for the work he did with the broadcasting industry, and she is hoping that could help people take Harvard seriously.
Though Olivia has been career-oriented for most of her life, it kind of bothers her that men still find working women like her intimidating. It is appalling to wonder why, even in the 20th century, men of a certain age find women of the same age with a flourishing career a threat. Frasier is of two minds about whether to take up the offer or not, because that would mean he would have to move to Boston. The second thing would be that he would be more than happy to be living close to his son Freddy.
Is Freddy Avoiding His Father?
Frasier’s son Frederick works as a fireman in the city of Boston, and it is established that he dropped out of Harvard, and that has been a point of contention between the father and son. This is a typical father-son relationship where the parent thinks they know what is right for their grown son. Meanwhile, Freddy has a clear picture of what he wants to do with his life, and he is happy being a fireman because it involves saving lives as well. He has clarity of thought, which is that he cannot be following in his father’s footsteps, something he believes Frasier does not get. We also think this could be because of his father’s popularity, which makes Frasier want his son to be someone just like him instead of forging his destiny.
Frasier plans to make amends with Freddy by making a surprise visit to his apartment. Freddy is living a different life, and he is not expecting his father to understand the choices he has made for himself. Freddy was slightly rude but very clear about the fact that he may not want Frasier around much. Freddy is quick to let his father know about Eve, who he introduces as his girlfriend, but she is not because the man does not have the strength to explain the situation to someone who is not willing to be okay with the choices Freddy has made for himself. Frasier is upset, but he is determined to find a way into Freddy’s life.
Does The Dinner With Freddy And His Acquaintances Now Go As Planned?
To make things up to his son, Frasier plans to make an intimate dinner so that they can talk about the matters they both have been avoiding. Maybe this would be a good ice-breaking session between the two people who seem to have lost touch over the years. Freddy has no option but to let him in because he is out of excuses to push his father away from his life. The dinner does not go as planned because Olive, Alan, and David end up joining the team at Freddy’s home as they have their agenda to keep Frasier around. The dinner hardly goes as planned because Freddy seems to have hidden a big chunk of his life from his father for a reason.
Frasier learns from Alan that Eve works at a local bar, and she has a child, whom Frasier thinks is Freddy’s kid. He is under the assumption that Freddy is ashamed of admitting that he has an illegitimate child. Since Frasier has been away for this long, it only makes sense for him to go ahead and accept his son and grandson as a part of the family. Frasier’s mind might be spiraling at this point, and it is making up a lot of stories in his head. It is only his assumption, and Freddy so far has not confirmed or denied what Frasier claims he knows. We feel Dr. Frasier is trying too hard to work his way into Freddy’s life but he should not be doing that in a manner that forces Freddy to speak up.
Will Frasier Come To Know What Freddy Is Up To?
Freddy, out of frustration, ends up having to reveal the real father of Eve’s kid, John. This kid is not Freddy’s, but his best friend’s, who was a firefighter and died on duty. Eve was pregnant at the time and good friends with Freddy as well. He has been down with guilt, and that could be one of the reasons why he wants to have Eve and her son around so that they do not feel alone. Freddy seems to be a good person who is doing the right thing for his deceased buddy.
Frasier was quick to understand his son’s survivor guilt. Freddy also reveals that his grandfather flew to Boston to get him through this trauma, as he had lost many of his buddies in the line of fire. It seems Freddy was closer to his grandfather than his father, which is understandable in any family dynamic. We are sure Frasier did not have a cordial relationship with his deceased father as well. This allows Frasier to finally open up about everything that has been going on in their lives. Freddy loved his grandfather too much, which is why he was not in a state to say goodbye to him. Freddy could be any of us who were too attached to our grandparents, who were a crucial part of our childhoods. Frasier finally understands his son’s predicament and state of mind and lets him be. It also gave him a reason to come up with an easy decision.
Episode 1 ends with Frasier taking up the job at Harvard because he wants to stay closer to Freddy and get to know his son better. He probably wanted to make things right between them, and it was probably because he never had this bond with his father. He would want to be close to his son and be a contributing factor in his life, something he feels guilty for not doing enough. Since Frasier has a lot of money, he buys the building Freddy lives in and starts living in the apartment next to theirs. Frasier also offers for Freddy to move in with him and makes sure Eve does not have to pay the rent. Frasier is being the good guy here, something that his son is unable to come to terms with. But so far, Frasier is happy, but Freddy is still confused about this new change in his life.
