A successful remake of the classic sitcom Cheers looks more doubtful than ever, with the news that a reboot of its spinoff Frasier has been cancelled by Paramount+ after two seasons. Until a few months ago, Cheers was simply a beloved and acclaimed American comedy from the 1980s, doing the syndication rounds on daytime TV across the world. Given what’s happened to Frasier following the lukewarm reception of its remake, it’s probably best that things stayed that way.

But last October, it was announced that British sitcom writer Simon Nye was adapting Cheers for a new generation of UK viewers. Never mind that the sitcom’s premise feels somewhat dated and done to death, with How I Met Your Mother, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, as well as Britain’s own Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps and Early Doors, all remaking elements of Cheers during recent decades. A new British version of Cheers also seems completely at odds with the groundbreaking comedy-dramas to have come out of the UK in recent years, from Sex Education to Baby Reindeer.

Frasier's Revival Being Canceled After 2 Seasons Shows The Challenge A Cheers Remake Would Face

Streaming Platforms Aren't Open To Risky Ventures, Like A New British Remake Of A Classic US Show

When Frasier returned with new episodes in 2023, its first iteration was still one of the highest-grossing TV shows in the world (via Frasier has been canceled by Paramount+ before it’s reached season 3, an ignominious fate suffered by the likes of forgettable Friends spin-off Joey.

Frasier’s fate demonstrates how streaming platforms are becoming increasingly trigger-happy, with even shows considered safe bets a couple of years ago no longer safe. This is the worst possible environment for the development of a British Cheers remake, which, far from being something a streaming platform could bank on, has the potential to be an unmitigated disaster from the start. Just look at previous attempts to remake the classic show in Spanish and Irish, which lasted a combined total of one season.

Cheers' Remake Doesn't Have The Same Advantages As Frasier's Revival

It Can't Take Advantage Of Returning Characters Or Cast

Therein lies the first problem a British remake of Cheers will face, as it will have to revamp the show’s entire cast and characters for a UK audience. At least Frasier had the opportunity to bring beloved characters back to its previous setting. The failure of its showrunners to get David Hyde Pierce back as Niles for Frasier’s reboot was probably a major factor in the series getting canceled at this stage, since Niles is arguably the original show’s most celebrated character. With that in mind, a new version of Cheers would seem to stand little chance of succeeding, especially if it can't bring back any of the original show's cast or characters.

Despite its success, the American adaptation of The Office shows just how difficult bringing a sitcom across the Atlantic can be. It's important to , too, that there were only four years between David Brent and Michael Scott first appearing on the small screen, whereas the British version of Sam Malone would arrive more than 30 years after his Bostonian counterpart last appeared in a new episode.

The American Office included just one brief Ricky Gervais cameo which was wholly inconsequential to the series, and that’s almost certainly more than Simon Nye will be getting from Ted Danson if Cheers makes it to Britain. As it stands, that “if” looks like a big one.