A New Frasier Season 2 Character Has A Real-Life Connection To Kelsey Grammer

It might be too early to say that the "Frasier" revival is getting better. But after season 2, episode 5 brought back one of the best recurring characters from the original series, and with Peri Gilpin's Roz Doyle confirmed as a recurring guest for this season, things are certainly looking up for the show.

Star Kelsey Grammer has done his best to carry the modern incarnation of "Frasier," but he's thus far been hampered by a supporting ensemble that, try as they might, were never going to live up to the original series' excellent cast. As more characters from that beloved '90s sitcom return to the revival, however, the show has started to feel a bit more like the "Frasier" of old we all miss. It's bittersweet to recognize that the 2024 "Frasier" is only really good when it's more obviously pandering to our collective nostalgia, but that is, for better or worse, the case. Still, fans of the original series surely won't complain about getting to see some beloved characters crop back up, and with Frasier set to return to Seattle later in the season, the new run of "Frasier" episodes are sure to go down well with audiences.

In the meantime, episode 6 of the series maintains season 2's more obvious commitment to picking up on elements of classic "Frasier." Not only does Gilpin return to once again elevate the series as a whole, but also this installment, titled "Cape Cod," sees Frasier, his son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott), Eve (Jess Salgueiro), David (Anders Keith), and Roz vacation in the titular region and we get a good old "Frasier" farce as a result. What's more, we also get yet another "Frasier" guest star, who not only portrays a character from the original series, but also happens to have a close personal connection to Grammer himself.

In "Cape Cod," once the gang arrives at their beach house, Roz's daughter Alice joins the party, marking the first time we've seen the character since 2004's "Goodnight, Seattle: Part 1." Alice appeared in multiple episodes of the original series after being born at the end of the season 5 episode "The Life Of The Party" and becoming a recurring character as the show progressed. For her appearances on those classic episodes, Alice was portrayed mostly by Ashley Thomas. But just as Frasier's son, Freddy, was recast for the revival, Alice is portrayed by a new actor in "Cape Cod," and it just so happens to be Kelsey Grammer's second daughter, Greer Grammer.

This isn't the first time the 32-year-old actor has appeared on-screen, either. The daughter of Grammer and make-up artist Barrie Buckner, Greer has been acting since her 2010 appearance in an episode of Nickelodeon's "iCarly." She also previously played Lissa Miller in MTV's "Awkward" and more recently appeared in the 2021 Netflix film "Deadly Illusions." Now, she's acting opposite her father in "Frasier," portraying an older version of Alice who arrives at the beach house and immediately develops feelings for Freddy, showcasing some of her mother's influence in the process.

In the "Frasier" revival, Alice has moved to Providence to study architecture, which gives the writers a good excuse to bring Roz back as a recurring character. But it also means we get to see yet another character from classic "Frasier" all grown up and reinterpreted for the new series. Thankfully, the writers handle it all well and Alice's return feels natural, even if it doesn't qualify as one of the guest stars we most wanted to see in the "Frasier" revival. What's more, Alice's presence contributes to the show's slow shift from kind of okay to actually pretty good as it connects more deeply with its predecessor.

Greer Grammer isn't given too much screen time as Alice in "Cape Cod," but she does slot in nicely with the cast. Perhaps some of that is down to her familiarity with the show itself. Greer previously told Nylon, "I remember going to tapings of 'Frasier' when I was around four. I knew I was at my dad's work, but I didn't get that he was acting for TV. It wasn't until the second grade that it really hit me." So, the actor got to see first-hand how her father and the original "Frasier" cast put an episode together, and was arguably more prepared than anyone to join the revival and do what was needed to support the episode.

With Roz now a recurring character on the revival, no doubt we'll see more of Alice in the future, too — which is a good thing. In "Cape Cod" her presence complicates what may or may not be a burgeoning romance between Freddy and Eve, and this is exactly the kind of thing the revival needs to become more interesting than it has been so far. The less we see of Toks Olagundoye's Olivia and Jimmy Dunn's Moose and their awkward relationship, and the more we get to see the dynamic between Freddy and Eve develop, the better. So, if Alice can help propel that particular storyline, the show should use her as much as possible.

Meanwhile everyone's still waiting for when David Hyde Pierce will agree to return as Niles and restore "Frasier" to its full greatness. For now, nothing has been confirmed but the actor has seemed more amenable to such a thing in recent months than he previously did. For now, we hopefully have more scenes between Grammer and his daughter to look forward to.

New episodes of "Frasier"premiere Thursdays on Paramount+.