“Frasier” returns to Seattle in this week’s episode, and Variety has a first look at Frasier Crane’s visit to his old stomping grounds. That includes a stop at Café Nervosa — the coffeeshop where Frasier and his brother Niles would often meet over beverages — and a reunion at Frasier’s old KACL radio studio.
“As fans, getting to revisit some of the iconic sets and characters of the original series was one of the highlights of the season for us,” said exec producers Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli in a joint statement. “As producers, we couldn’t believe what a pain it was to find 90s-era radio equipment.”
Star Kelsey Grammer directed the episode, “Thank You, Dr. Crane,” which was written by Stephen Lloyd and premieres tonight at midnight on Paramount+. Per the episode logline, “Roz and Frasier return to Seattle for a KACL anniversary piece Roz is putting together, and we find one of the listeners Frasier gave advice to back in the day quit his job and got into magic.”
The episode (the eighth of Season 2’s 10 episodes) features the return of Dan Butler as Bulldog and and Edward Hibbert as Gil Chesterton. The two join Peri Gilpin as original “Frasier” alums who have returned to appear on the revival. Gilpin is back this season to reprise her role as Frasier’s former radio producer, Roz, as seen in the show’s original 1993-2004 run. (Gilpin also appeared on the current revival’s Season 1 finale.)
Here’s a look at Frasier and Roz visiting Café Nervosa:
And here’s the moment at KACL where Frasier utters his famous on-air words, “I’m listening”:
“Frasier” is filmed in front of a live studio audience at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. The series hails from writers Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli. Both serve as executive producers along with Grammer, Tom Russo, and Jordan McMahon of Grammer’s Grammnet NH Productions. James Burrows also returns to direct two episodes of Season 2. CBS Studios produces in association with Grammnet NH Productions.