Bob Hoskins

[Dave]

what a glorious episode this week - and Bob Hoskins was one of the greatest ever guest stars. One of my all time favourite episodes....how can they axe a show as good as this??????????????

[Commodus]

yeah it was fantastic, I dont know why their axing it but youd think the cast might offer to have a pay cut or something I mean Kelsey is great but an alleged 1.5million a show and the rest are all on good money so its no wonder it has become too expensive.

[Jocelyn]

Well it was certainly a surreal idea to show the audience what Frasier was imagining. I don't think I'm going to be able to dislodge the image in the bathroom from my mind! The number of English actors on the show (John Mahoney/Jane Leeves/Millicent Martin - not sure about Edward "Gil" Hibbert - anyone?) is beginning to outnumber the Americans. Personally I would love to see John Cleese guest star before the show is put to rest. He was brilliant on Cheers and was obviously an influence on the more farcial episodes (ie last week's gem "Daphne Does Dinner").

[Dave]

you're right Commodus....the main reason they're axing the show is it's become too expensive to make...if they all did it for much less, maybe they could continue. In fact, they haven't actually axed the show, they've said that it probably won't be renewed after season 11...there IS still a glimmer of hope.

[Dan]

There's all the finacial mumbo jumbo, but really it's a moot point because the show is going to end after season eleven. The reason is because that's not only when NBC's contract with Grub Street/Paramount ends, but it also all the casts contracts expire and most of the cast wants to move on to other things. In fact John Mahoney himself said in an interview that if they tried to do a twelveth season...that they would have to do it without him because he's fininshed after next season. They can't do the show without John. In order for the show to work you need all five principles there. Let's also look at the fact that Jane Leeves most likely wants to be a stay home mom, I'm sure Peri Gilpin wants to start a family fairly soon. Kelsey Grammer wants to go on to producing TV instead of staring in it. David Hyde Pierce easily has a solid stage/film career ahead. Let's face it, the shows whinding down as it is. I think eleven seasons is enough when you consider most shows are lucky to make it past two seasons.

[commodus]

Fair point concerning john mahoney but jane leeves said in an interview that not only did she want to do a twelth but kelsey was keen to become the longest running tv comedy character and was also keen to do a twelth.
saying that if john doesnt want to do a twelth then i agree you cant have frasier without martin. Still its a shame I appreciate people are keen to move on but I dont understand why they always have to say thats it.
Like famous pop bands, why not just say that thats it for 3 to 5 years and then we may come back cos lets face it if they all fail and fall away they may fancy another pay day and it looks less emabarrasing and puts less pressure on the then new series if they had intimated at it all along.
and if it doesnt happen then nobody really notices.

[Dan]

Are you refering to her appearance on Graham Norton. I thought she just said that Kelsey has been trying to convince the cast to go for a twelveth season if NBC decides they still want to pay for it.

More over, there was an interview with Kelsey on a recent Entertainment Tonight and they asked him if next year was going to be the last season and he said most likely with a sad tone in his voice. I think the bottom dollar will decide it in the end. Because last new episode shown here in America placed 37th in the Neilson ratings, which was only 8 or 9 million viewers. That is down considerablely from the normal-which is an average of 12-15 million. NBC is paying 5 million per show, which means they barely made money on the last new episode. I really don't think NBC could afford a twelveth season. Peri, John, and Jane get about 400,000 dollars an episode and they don't get paid nearly as much as Kelsey and David do. Kelsey makes in one season of Frasier, and keep in mind this is actor salary and doesn't account for the excutive producer cut he gets as well, what it takes Jane, Peri, and John four seasons to make.

I would like more than anything for the show to go on for another year after next...but I just don't see it happening.

[commodus]

fair enough, yes it was on graham norton. but you seem to be more informed than myself. but I still dont see why they dont just take a five year sabaatical or something yeah sure interest may wain but I doubt it.
They could all come back with fresh enthusiasm etc lets face it I doubt that they will go on to do anything as remarkable as this and in lifer there are few chances to make a difference and these people have the opportunity to make people happy for many years to come,

[Dan]

Maybe in our eyes it is not as remarkable but the actors might feel differently. I would question the amount of intrest there would still be after taking a theoretical five year hiatias. I reason I say this is because I loved the show Cheers(which Frasier is a spin-off)but that show as been over for ten years now and to be honest, I'm not interested in seeing a reunion at all.