Why Frasier's Skyline Intro Looks Different In The Paramount Reboot

Given how closely Kelsey Grammer is associated with his delightfully smarmy small-screen creation Dr. Frasier Crane, it always seemed a matter of "when" and not "if" he'd reprise the role for a revival series. He did, after all, portray the character on television for two full decades between the iconic '80s sitcom "Cheers," and its equally beloved spinoff, "Frasier." By the time "Frasier" ended in 2004, Grammer had helped make Dr. Crane one of the most recognizable and best-loved characters in television history. And it's safe to say fans of the character are beyond thrilled to see Grammer back in action for the streaming revival "Frasier."

Even as Grammer has slipped back into his role as the fiercely opinionated Dr. Crane with astonishing, even comforting ease, the new "Frasier" is a dramatically different series than its predecessor. And that's made clear right from the series' new opening title sequence, which finds the familiar Space Needle-adorned Seattle skyline sketch replaced with a whole other skyline entirely. That's because the revival series is not actually set in Seattle.

Rather, it finds Dr. Crane starting a new chapter of his life in his old "Cheers" stomping grounds: Boston, Massachusetts. Fittingly, the opening sketch has been updated to reflect the Beantown skyline, with the familiar outlines of the Prudential building, the Custom House Tower, and more standing in for similarly famous Seattle structures. 

Within the opening, fans now see the outline of Boston's Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, better known by some as the Zakim Bridge. Named after civil rights activist Leonard P. Zakim, the Zakim opened in 2003, with its stark white cable design helping make it one of the more instantly recognizable landmarks in Boston. As such, it's a more than fitting addition to the skyline sketch.

Of course, the opening title card is far from the only thing that separates the "Frasier" reboot from the original NBC hit. Apart from the good doctor himself, much of the cast is largely unrecognizable, as most of Kelsey Grammer's "Frasier" co-stars won't be returning for the revival. However, actors Bebe Neuwirth and Peri Gilpin will guest star in the series. Still, it will no doubt require a serious period of adjustment for longtime fans to dial back in without the familiar faces of Dr. Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce), Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), or the lovably cantankerous Crane patriarch, Martin Crane (John Mahoney).

Mahoney's absence is understandable, as the actor passed away in 2018. Pierce and Leeves seemingly opted out of reprising their roles for the reboot, leaving Grammer to go it alone. The actor has candidly admitted that may have been for the best, allowing Frasier to enter his new life with a clean slate. The question remains, however, whether or not audiences will agree.

New episodes of "Frasier" premiere every Thursday on Paramount+.