If Frasier returns, are other Cheers spinoffs possible?

With Kelsey Grammer's revival of classic sitcom Frasier on Paramount+, the door has been opened for more Cheers spinoffs in the same format.

With the revival of the classic sitcom Frasier starring Kelsey Grammer, other spinoffs based on the Cheers cast may follow. Grammer played the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane in both series for 20 years and has reportedly been working on returning his most famous role for years. With Paramount+ officially taking over for the Frasier reboot, some have speculated that the possibility of other Cheers spinoffs is also in the works.

Details about the Frasier reboot are sketchy, except that it will focus on Frasier Crane's new life in a city other than Seattle or Boston. It was also confirmed that Grammer was the only cast member returning for the reboot from the original Frasier, with both David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves (who played Niles Crane and Daphne Moon, respectively) declaring that they had no interest in a cameo on the new Frasier. Biggest hurdle, as many of the original cast members were busy with other projects and didn't want to revisit their old roles.

Could A Tortellis Revival Happen?

Frasier is undoubtedly one of the most successful spin-offs This isn't the first Cheers spinoff in sitcom history. NBC first tried to capitalize on the popularity of The Tortellis' Cheers, and then barmaid Carla's ex-husband, Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya), moved to Las Vegas to win back his second wife, Loretta (Jean Kasem). Nick's big They are joined by son Anthony (Timothy Williams) and his wife Annie (Mandy Ingber), who also previously appeared on Cheers.

Tortellis only lasted 13 episodes, mostly because Nick, Loretta, Anthony, and Annie were more interesting as Carla's foils than as the basis for their own show. Nick's honest efforts to overcome his effeminateness and become a decent father aren't as interesting as the trouble he causes over Cheers. This, combined with complaints about the show's stereotyping of Italian-Americans, drove away any viewers who might have watched the show from Cheers. That makes Tortellis less likely to be considered for a revival the way Frasier was.

How A Ted Danson Led Cheers Spinoff Could Succeed

The most likely route to another successful Cheers spin-off is Ted Danson's Carrier, focusing on Sam Malone. Given that Sam is a Cheers spinoff, it would be the most logical continuation The main character of the original series and one of three characters that appear each episode, the others being Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) and Norm Peterson (George Wendt). Sam Malone's character is also the most likely to develop the character further, as his cameo appearance in Frasier continued the subplot of Cheers' final season, which revolved around Sam's attempt to end his feminine ways and undergo sex addiction treatment.

A Cheers spinoff centered on Sam Malone would also make sense given Ted Danson's continued popularity as a TV star. Danson continued to appear on television after Cheers, with regular roles on Fargo and The Good Place. He played D.B Russell on several CSI series and played himself in several episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Nearly three decades after Cheers ended, Danson still has considerable star power, making him the most obvious choice to lead a Cheers spinoff or revival.

Unfortunately for Cheers fans, Ted Danson has no interest in reprising the role of Sam Malone in a spinoff or revival. Danson scoffed at the idea during a 2018 Late Night appearance with Seth Meyers, saying: "It's going to be a bunch of guys. They're in their 70s in bars saying, 'What? What? A horse walks into a what? Danson further declared that playing Sam again after so many years was a "curse" to him, and that he felt horrible just going back behind a bar while filming a scene for The Good Place. This makes it highly unlikely that Denson would agree to return Cheers to a reunion or revival.

With this in mind, the best Cheers spin-off will likely focus on Sam Malone, who has shed his addiction to booze and women and established himself outside the bar he once owned. A new life. This might be the only way Ted Danson would agree to revisit the Sam Malone character in any capacity for a spin-off. It would also bring irony to the ending of Cheers, with Sam realizing that the Cheers bar was the only true love of his life, which led him to abandon plans to get back together with Diane Chambers (Shelly Long).

An interesting idea is that Sam follows in Frasier's footsteps and becomes a counselor to others struggling with addiction. Sam has heard solve people's problems Working as a bartender and finding work as a therapist will allow him to continue to do so and help others. It might also open the door for his former clients to guest star in Cheers, many of whom could certainly benefit from more therapy than Frasier has given them for free over the years. It would be so ironic, but so perfect, if Sam could find happiness in working for Alcoholics Anonymous and sponsoring Cheers' alcoholic Norm Peterson.

Cheers' Best Spinoff Might Only Be A Spiritual Successor

Since Ted Danson is not interested in returning as Sam Malone, the best possibility for a Cheers spin-off might be a spiritual successor to the original series, focusing on the bar's current management and clients. The new series will likely find Cheers' new owners struggling to revive the once-popular watering hole after a few years of dormancy, paralleling the Cheers revival itself. They may also be trying to win back regulars at the bar, having dropped Cheers after Sam Malone announced his intention to sell the bar and retire. This will mimic multiple storylines from the original Cheers, in which Sam must save the bar and bring back his usual crowd.