X-Men stars Kelsey Grammer and Patrick Stewart played a power couple in one of the greatest sitcoms in the history of television – Frasier. The episode, titled The Doctor Is Out (Season 11, Episode 3, aired September 30, 2003), saw Patrick Stewart play Alistair Burke, a gay opera director, who is romantically inclined towards Frasier.
Throughout the episode, the chemistry between Stewart and Grammer is electric, with a memorable dance scene between the two. What makes this episode special is how Frasier embraces the awkward situation he is in and explains to his family:
All my life, I have dreamed of being half of a power couple, and I finally am! Is it perfect? No. But it’s fun, and I don’t want it to end
Even Patrick Stewart admits that his role on Frasier was one of his favourite cameos (via Reddit). The episode was universally praised for being ahead of its time with how casually it represented LGBTQ+ characters.
Frasier Revolutionised Queer Representation on Sitcoms
Frasier played a pivotal role in revolutionizing queer representation on sitcoms by blending sophisticated humor with sensitive and progressive portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters at a time when television largely relied on gay panic and stereotypes. Here are key details of the show.
The show was crucial in the fight against homophobia in the United States. The producers changed the show’s setting to Seattle after Colorado passed a controversial law banning cities from passing pro-LGBTQ+ civil rights ordinances. Nico Lang of The Daily Beast reports:
…what makes Frasier different from the traditional comedy of manners is that it was able to openly discuss the subject of homosexuality due to changes in so-called “public decency” laws—and very often did. The queer centerpiece of Frasier’s original run is a trio of episodes known among fans as the Gay Trilogy: “The Matchmaker,” “Out With Dad,” and “The Doctor Is Out.” Each written by out gay staff writer Joe Keenan…
The show marked a shift in queer representation in the public’s eyes, from the 1990s to the 2000s, never stooping to making homophobic jokes but treating all its queer characters with tender respect. Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer closed out a fantastic final season with their dynamic, with collaborations continuing to today.
From Star Trek to Doomsday: Grammer & Stewart’s On-Screen Legacy
Patrick Stewart played a gay guy really well on Frasier (se11.ep3) pic.twitter.com/eMXsQpamtG
Kelsey Grammer spoke to Evan Jacobs of Movie Web regarding his longstanding friendship with Patrick Stewart:
I have known Patrick, I did a Star Trek several centuries ago and Patrick was my boyfriend on Frasier; in the last season. It was wonderful to work with him, he’s a terrific actor and we had a wonderful time doing that.
Before appearing together on Frasier, Kelsey Grammer had guest-starred in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Cause and Effect (1992), playing Captain Morgan Bateson of the USS Bozeman. After their on-screen “relationship” on Frasier, Grammer and Stewart would go on to star together in the X-Men franchise.
Grammer played Dr. Hank McCoy (Beast) in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), alongside Stewart’s iconic portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier. The duo took care of the students at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
Once again, Stewart and Grammer will be starring alongside one another in Avengers: Doomsday as the X-Men make their way officially into the MCU in the fight against Doctor Doom.
What do you think of Frasier? Let us know in the comments.
Frasier is available to stream on Prime Video, Hulu, and Paramount+ in the U.S.
