"sophisticated"

1993 · 11 Seasons · NBC · Comedy

Frasier is the rare spinoff that surpassed its parent show, turning a supporting character from Cheers into the lead of a sophisticated comedy of manners built on farce, wit, and the relationship between two brothers whose pretensions mask genuine vulnerability. Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce are one of television's great double acts, the farce episodes are among the finest in sitcom history, and the show maintained its quality across eleven seasons with a consistency that few comedies achieve. The sophistication occasionally tips into repetitive snobbery, and the romantic subplots are the show's weakest recurring element.