Frasier's Final Episode Aired 22 Years Ago: A Look Back at Its Legacy

For 11 seasons, Kelsey Grammer entertained audiences as Dr. Frasier Crane, the title character of CBS' popular Cheers spin-off. On this day 22 years ago, Dr. Crane held his final session as Frasier went off the air following a highly-successful run.

Debuting on Sept. 16, 1993, Frasier won over 100 awards and aired 264 episodes, including the finale on May 13, 2004. In the process, it became one of the most acclaimed sitcoms in television history.

Frasier left an enduring legacy

The series was centered around Grammer's character from Cheers, a psychiatrist who returns to his hometown of Seattle and hosts a radio show.

Frasier also starred John Mahoney as Martin Crane, Frasier's father, David Hyde Pierce as his younger brother Niles, Peri Gilpin as Frasier's radio producer and Jane Reeves as Martin's live-in caretaker. Bebe Neuwirth also reprised her role from Cheers as Lilith, Frasier's ex-wife.

Overall, the show captured 112 awards, including 37 Primetime Emmys. From 1994-98, Frasier won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series five consecutive times.

Frasier boasts a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.2/10 grade on IMDB

Going out with a bang

Entitled "Goodnight, Seattle," the Frasier finale was a double episode airing 22 years ago tonight, one week after the final episode of Friends. It drew over 25 million viewers, making it the show's most-watched installment in nearly four years.

To this day, Frasier fans still debate the way the series ended. Despite the ambiguity, Entertainment Weekly naming "Goodbye, Seattle" the ninth-best television series finale of all time.

A short-lived reboot

Frasier was revived by Paramount+ in 2023. Unfortunately, the reboot lasted only two seasons, getting cancelled in 2024, much to the chagrin of Grammer.

"I mean, obviously, they didn't really promote or spend much time on it," Grammer told the New York Post at the time.

"The fellow that worked at Paramount Plus when we first sold the show there left, and so it sort of fell into their laps, the next administration, without having any real conscious and what to do with it. So I think they gave it sort of a good try, but they weren't particularly passionate about the project."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 7:44 AM.