Here’s Kelsey Grammer’s personal favorite episode of Frasier. In an alternate timeline, the character of Frasier Crane would have been played by Dexter star John Lithgow. Frasier was created for sitcom Cheers, where he was introduced as the new psychiatrist boyfriend of Diane, with the role being written with Lithgow in mind. The actor wasn’t interested in TV work at the time, so he passed and Kelsey Grammer was cast. Despite being conceived as a guest star with a limited arc on Cheers, he was such a hit that Grammer became a regular cast member.
When he first appeared on the show, Frasier Crane probably wasn’t the most likely candidate for a spinoff, but that’s just what happened when Cheers came to an end. Frasier debuted in 1993 and saw the character move to Seattle to reconnect with his brother Niles and father Martin – who Frasier claimed was dead on Cheers. Frasier ran for 11 seasons in total, and became one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of all time, thanks to a blend of sharp comic writing and a great cast.
Grammer is currently developing a Frasier reboot, though it’s unknown when – or even if – it will happen. Given that the actor spent 20 years playing the role between Cheers and Frasier, it’s clear he has a deep love for the good doctor. The likes of “Moon Dance” and “Out With Dad” are regarded by viewers as some of the best episodes of Frasier, but according to TV special My Favourite ‘Frasier’, Grammer has gone for one of the lesser sung entries. Kelsey Grammer’s favorite Frasier episode is season 4’s “Our Father Whose Art Ain’t Heaven,” where Martin tries to do something nice for his son by buying him a painting – which Frasier detests. Niles (who may not return for Frasier’s reboot) also has a funny subplot of his own, where his planned dinner party is being sabotaged by Maris stealing his guests.
Frasier’s “Our Father Whose Art Ain’t Heaven” opens with the Crane men going out for dinner, and Martin feeling guilty about his sons always paying for him. When he overhears Frasier pretending to like a painting featuring a matador and a bull at the restaurant, he buys it in secret. The episode ends with Frasier telling his father he doesn’t like the painting, which hurts Martin because he thought that after 40 years, he and Frasier’s tastes were finally aligned. Kelsey Grammer’s – whose reboots comments might be a bad sign – favorite Frasier episode is filled with lots of great gags and character beats, but really digs into the complex, but loving, relationship between father and son.
Frasier ends the episode telling Martin the greatest gift his father ever gave him involved telling him off when he was a boy. Frasier was playing with Martin’s badge, with the latter scolding him, telling him it’s not a toy and it’s a symbol of helping people. This, in turn, inspired Frasier to pursue his career so he could help others in his own way. It’s a nice moment of connection between the two – though it does lead to a fun comic payoff at the end. “Our Father Whose Art Ain’t Heaven” isn’t necessarily the greatest the show had to offer, but it’s easy to see why it became Kelsey Grammer’s favorite Frasier episode.
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