We didn’t have a lot of good things to say about the “Frasier” revival when it premiered in 2023. While star Kelsey Grammer declared it to be the ‘third act’ for the titular character, we noted that not everything needs a third act, Frasier included. And while the show decided to focus on an entirely new set of actors, one of the few bright spots of the season was the finale, which brought back Frasier’s friend and former radio producer, Roz Doyle. If you were a fan of the revival, or of Roz in general then there’s some good news, you’ll be seeing more of her in the show’s upcoming second season.
Peri Gilpin played the character of Roz Doyle throughout the entire 11 year run of “Frasier.” Originally portrayed as a feisty workplace equal who could put Frasier in his place, the character of Roz eventually became known more for her sexual escapades and man hungry behavior rather than her production skills. Despite this, Peri played the role fantastically and solidified a beautiful chemistry of (mostly) platonic love with Frasier. That love carried over to her appearance in the finale of the revival season.
That was not the last of Roz. In fact, Peri Gilpin will be moving from her role as a guest star in on episode to a recurring guest star in season two. According to new reports Peri will be appearing multiple times in the upcoming season. How many is multiple? That hasn’t been disclosed yet but more Roz is never a bad thing. Roz was the only one of the show’s five main characters who didn’t really have a satisfying ending. Everyone else got married off but they stuck Roz with a whole, “her true love is radio” kind of thing and made her the manager of KACL. She deserved better.
Also worth noting is that legendary television director James Burrows is returning to direct a couple of episodes of season two. Burrows has a long history with the character of Frasier. He was the primary director of the vast majority of “Cheers” episodes and went on to direct a number of “Frasier” episodes in the series’ first, second, and fourth seasons. He was also on-hand to usher in the series’ revival last year.
It’s also worth mentioning that although there’s no word yet about Bebe Neuwirth returning as Lilith for more episodes, “Frasier” fans know you never rule her out from appearing. Lilith almost always shows up at some point or other and we’d be staggered if she didn’t show up again in season two. Regardless, having Peri coming back for even more Roz is an absolutely welcome addition. Could it help make the show better? Well, if anyone can do it, it’s Roz.
Both the original “Frasier” and revival series are currently streaming on Paramount+.
