The NBC sitcom "Frasier" has turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the season.
And not only because it's a big hit - it's currently the sixth most popular show of the season.But also because it's so good. Consistently well-written, it's one of the funniest half hours on television.
Despite the fact that it follows "Seinfeld" on the schedule and that it is a spinoff of the mega-hit "Cheers," this was not a show that was a sure bet for success.
(Remember "After-M.A.S.H.?")
A big part of the success of "Frasier" is attributable to an outstanding cast - Kelsey Grammer as the title character, John Mahoney as his father, Jane Leeves as Daphne, Peri Gilpin as Roz, and Moose as Eddie - the funniest dog on television.
But at the top of the list is the hilarious portrayal of Frasier's brother, Niles, by David Hyde Pierce. Their dueling and bickering as rival brothers - and psychiatrists - is an absolute hoot.
And, while Pierce showed his comedic flair as the suicidal congressman son-in-law on the short-lived "The Powers That Be," his rather remarkable physical resemblance to Grammer is what got him on the show.
"Every single night that I watched `Cheers' I thought of myself as playing a relative," Pierce deadpanned. "But, unfortunately, no one else did. Until now."
But that physical resemblance was finally noted when "Frasier" was being cast.
"The way we found David Hyde Pierce was our casting director brought in a picture of David and said, `I don't know if you have any plans of having Frasier have a brother, but if you do, this is the man who should play him,' " said Peter Casey, the show's co-creator and co-executive producer. "And we said said, `Well, he sure looks like Kelsey. That would be great.'
"But . . . we were sitting there going, `We've never seen his work.' So they brought in some tapes of `The Powers That Be' and we loved David's work. So we knew we wanted him."
Pierce said it was the easiest time he'd ever had getting a job.
"All we knew is that we looked a lot alike. And it seemed like a good idea," he said. "And, actually, it was strange, because to be cast in something without auditioning or read was, at first, very exciting and then I got panic-stricken. I thought, `I haven't seen a word of this. I have no idea what it's going to be like.'
"And, of course, when I got the script, I was thrilled."
From the first script, the Frasier-Niles relationship has been rather prickly and full of humor - but there's never been any doubt that the two brothers love each other. Pierce has the priggish, difficult and henpecked brother down beautifully.
"Niles is intelligent, well-dressed and badly married," Pierce said.
Ah, the as-yet unseen wife - Maris. Just hearing the tales of her is enough to make any man's blood run cold.
And, while she has yet to actually make an appearance, it is a possibility.
"We really haven't made a determination," said David Angell, another of the show's creators and executive producers. "But for now we're having a lot of fun hearing about her."
"My feeling is if you're lucky, you'll never meet her," Pierce said.
QUOTABLE: Grammer, whose per-son-al problems have been played out in the tabloids, on what it's like to play a psychiatrist on TV:
"Well, I don't know if it's comforting to play a psychiatrist, especially one who is as confused about life as anybody I've ever known."
JOHN JETTISONED: NBC is just tickled to announce that Leeza Gibbons will be hosting a new daytime talk show on the network.
If that sounds a bit odd, it's because she's already co-hosting a daytime talk show on the network, "John and Leeza."
Guess what? John Tesh is being dumped.
The new show, which debuts on Jan. 17, is expected to focus more on women's issues than the glitz-and-gossip-oriented "John and Leeza."
The new show has not yet received a title.
Gee, how about "and Leeza."
NEW NETWORKS: Local viewers are already assured on seeing the Paramount Network, when (and possibly if) it debuts in January 1995, because KJZZ-Ch. 14 has signed on as a Paramount affiliate.
Local cable subscribers are also assured of seeing Warner Bros.' WB Network when (and possibly if) it debuts in the fall of 1994. Chicago superstation WGN has agreed to become a WB affiliate and beam that fourth network into the roughly 37 percent of the nation it reaches over the cable.
WGN will beam alternate programming into markets where there are local affiliates, which doesn't seem likely here in Utah.
While both WB and Paramount say their networks will arrive as schedule, neither is a sure thing.
Of course, the Paramount Network is sort of iffy these days because of the takeover battle. If Viacom succeeds in swallowing Paramount, the network is a go.
But if QVC takes the studio over, it will reportedly cancel those plans.
Whatver happens, the "Star Trek: Voyager" series is a go. Even if there's no network, Ch. 14 will still get "Voyager."
QUOTABLE: David Letterman on the "Late Show":
"Former President George Bush is now available to speak at functions and engagements for a price of $100,000 - and for an extra twenty-five grand, he'll show up with an upset stomach."