When Doctor Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) returned to our screens in the reboot of “Frasier,” he brought with him a band of fresh-faces to join in the laughs. Among them was Nicholas Lyndhurst, who became the perfect addition to the reboot as Harvard professor Alan Cornwall, clashing with our favorite psychiatrist in the best ways, all for our amusement.
While not a huge name in America, Lyndhurst is a staple of British television with a career-defining role stretching back to 1981 when he appeared on the beloved sitcom, “Only Fools and Horses.” The show saw Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter, the brother of a south-east London-based, shady street tradesman, Derek “Del Boy” Trotter played by David Jason. Across the pond, the show is held in as high regard as the likes of “Monty Python” and the original iteration of “The Office” as a benchmark in British comedy.
In an interview with Metro, Grammer was asked if he could ever see a crossover happening with the other Trotter brother making an appearance, and it sounds like the good doctor has it all figured out. “It makes sense. Who knows? I mean, he [Del Boy] could just walk by and say ‘Dipstick’, couldn’t he?” suggested Grammer, referring to one of David Jason’s signature catchphrases. “It might be really fun to have Alan maybe watching it, watching the old show or something?”
Kelsey Grammer thinks Nicholas Lyndhurst could take over Frasier
With “Frasier” now into its second season, Nicholas Lyndhurst has certainly made a mark on the show, with a dry delivery that matches Kelsey Grammer. Lyndhurst does a good job of filling a vacuum left by David Hyde Pierce, who still has yet to return as Niles Crane (whose absence was explained in season 2 of the “Frasier” reboot). The show’s lead had nothing but praise for his new co-star. “He’s remarkable,” Grammer said. “I and the writers were talking about, ‘Boy, I can’t wait until maybe next season where Frasier doesn’t even have to do anything at all, we’ll just let Nick have the show.'”
If a crossover did happen, it’s uncertain whether Lyndhurst’s other character would work as well as his turn in the reboot of “Frasier.” Back in 2012, it was revealed that a US remake of “Only Fools and Horses” was in the works, hoping to catch the same kind of success that “The Office” had obtained. ABC hired “Scrubs” writers Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley to adapt it and even signed the likes of John Leguizamo and Christopher Lloyd to star in the show before it was unceremoniously axed. For now, we’ll wait and see if Grammer’s suggestion makes the cut. To quote Del Boy, play it nice and cool, son. Nice and cool, you know what I mean?