18 Things You Might Not Know About Frasier 

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during the series’ third season as a temporary release for some of the Sam and Diane relationship tension. Dr. Crane was only supposed to be around for a few episodes, but thanks to a combination of good writing and Kelsey Grammer’s performance, Frasier became a series regular by

\'s fifth season. He was so popular that he was eventually spun off into his own series, which premiered on September 16, 1993—and lasted an amazing 11 years. Here are some fun behind-the-scenes facts for all you

1. THE ORIGINAL IDEA FOR THE SHOW HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH FRASIER.

(David Lee, David Angell, and Peter Casey) originally thought that any use of the Dr. Crane character would encourage unfair comparisons to

, so their initial ideas involved Kelsey playing a paralyzed media mogul cared for by a street-smart nurse in a Manhattan penthouse. Paramount hated the idea and convinced all concerned that it would be unwise not to capitalize on the built-in

2. THEY WANTED TO SET THE SHOW AS FAR AWAY FROM BOSTON AS POSSIBLE.

Once it was agreed that Grammer would continue as Dr. Crane, the creators still wanted to distance themselves from Boston and the whole "crossover syndrome." They knew that the network would insist on having former

characters make guest appearances if the show was set anywhere in Massachusetts, so they moved

across the country to Seattle. The gourmet coffee scene was just taking root in that area, which provided a central meeting place for the characters. The creators didn\'t want Frasier Crane to work in private practice, since that had already been done on

. Grammer\'s resonant voice seemed natural for radio, so the concept of a call-in psychiatry show seemed natural.

star Lisa Kudrow originally won the role of Frasier’s producer, Roz Doyle. But during the third day of rehearsals prior to filming the pilot, the producers realized that while Kudrow was certainly funny enough, she just wasn’t forceful enough to match Grammer when he went all out. They needed a female “alpha dog” to play the part, so Kudrow was out and second choice Peri Gilpin was in. The character was named after Roz Doyle, one of the producers of

Rosie Perez was this close to being psychic home health care worker Daphne. Grammer was pushing for the character to be a Latina, while the producers had their eye on Jane Leeves. Grammer’s main objection to the British Leeves was that the show might too closely resemble

, a warm and fuzzy family sitcom of the 1970s that starred Juliet Mills as an English nanny with psychic abilities. Grammer agreed to Leeves as the choice when his initial table reading with the actress went exceptionally well.

5. KELSEY GRAMMER SANG THE SHOW\'S THEME SONG.

Composer Bruce Miller was given the challenging assignment of writing a theme song for the series that didn’t specifically mention psychiatry, radio, or the name “Frasier.” Lyricist Darryl Phinnesse came up with the cryptic phrase “tossed salad and scrambled eggs” as a metaphor for the “mixed up” patients that Dr. Crane saw regularly. Miller originally envisioned Mel Tormé singing the theme over the closing credits, but the producers preferred to employ Grammer’s golden throat.

6. THE SHOW\'S DESIGNERS SPENT MAJOR MONEY FURNISHING FRASIER\'S APARTMENT.

“So what do you think of what I’ve done with the place?” Frasier asked his father, Martin, in the pilot episode. “You know, every item here was carefully selected. The lamp by Corbu, this chair by Eames, and this couch is an exact replica of the one Coco Chanel had in her Paris atelier.” The show’s set designers spent almost half a million dollars to give Frasier’s apartment its “eclectic” look. The Coco Chanel replica sofa was covered with 24 yards of Italian suede for an estimated cost of about $15,000. The Eames chair was rented, but the Pastoe curved sideboard was purchased for $3,200 and the Wassily chair had a $1,395 price tag. Martin’s eyesore of a recliner was also on the pricey side, since the prop department couldn’t find an appropriately ugly chair at any second-hand store. The chair was eventually covered with tape and covered with fabric purchased from an exclusive shop that specialized in deliberately tacky 1970s-era textiles.

After seven passes, it still came in sixty seconds more than it should and the creative team decided they couldn’t cut any more. NBC agreed and said they would find the extra time—not by cutting a commercial, but by taking 15 seconds from the other 4 shows on that night.

8. JANE LEEVES WORKED WITH AN ACCENT COACH.

Leeves grew up just north of London, England, but since her character was from Manchester she used an affected Mancunian accent (which received a lot of criticism from fans when

aired in the U.K.). Leeves worked with a voice coach to ensure that her accent would be understood by American viewers. John Mahoney, on the other hand, grew up in Manchester but emigrated to the U.S. when he was 19 years old. He concentrated on losing his accent shortly after settling in Illinois so that he would “blend in.”

9. THE CAST MEMBER WHO RECEIVED THE MOST FAN MAIL ISN\'T THE ONE YOU MIGHT EXPECT.

first started topping the Nielsen ratings every week, which cast member received the most fan mail? Eddie the dog. Leeves once wryly observed that when

as a lead story in 1993, Eddie was the only cast member to appear on the cover. Eddie was portrayed by a Jack Russell Terrier named Moose, who\'d originally been adopted by a family that wasn\'t aware of the breed\'s rambunctious nature. Moose had relentless energy—he dug holes in the back yard, chased anything in his path, chewed furniture and even climbed trees to escape his enclosure. His family gave him up to a rescue organization, which is where professional trainer Mathilde de Cagny discovered him. She decided he would be a good working dog because of his boundless energy and desire to always be doing something. Moose turned out to be an apt pupil, and learned to follow commands immediately. During the doggie auditions for the show, the producers were looking for a pooch that could stare endlessly at Kelsey Grammer (a running joke on the series), and Moose performed flawlessly, staring at Mathilde\'s outstretched index finger offstage until he was "released."

Moose retired at the age of 10 (after the end of Season 7) and his son Enzo took over the role of Eddie. Moose had been bred with the idea of achieving a look-alike replacement when it became obvious that

would have a long run. Enzo had two siblings, a sister named Miko who was too small to play Eddie, and Moosie, who had noticeably different markings. Peri Gilpin, who played Roz, fell in love with Moosie and adopted him.

One famous example was the recreation of a scene where Sam and Diane were embroiled in a vicious argument that almost ended up in fisticuffs but instead resulted in a passionate embrace. Of course, when Frasier used the same tactic during a shouting match with financial analyst Julia Wilcox, he ended up being accused of sexual harassment.

Most of the main Boston tavern regulars made appearances on

. Lilith, logically, visited the most since she was Frasier’s ex and Frederick’s mom. Sam, Diane, and Woody all found themselves in Seattle for varying reasons, and a business trip to Boston in Season 9 enabled the Crane family to see the rest of the

gang in one fell swoop. Noticeably absent, however, was Rebecca Howe, played by Kirstie Alley. Alley had contacted co-creator David Lee when

was in the planning stages and informed him that as a Scientologist she did not believe in psychiatry and as a result would not be able to make an appearance on the series. Lee responded simply, “I don’t recall asking.”

13. THE EPISODE WHERE NILES CO-HOSTED HIS BROTHER\'S SHOW WAS RE-WRITTEN WHEN GRAMMER WENT TO REHAB.

On the evening of September 21, 1996, Kelsey Grammer flipped his Dodge Viper (a gift from NBC) not far from his driveway in Agoura Hills, California. He wasn’t severely injured, but the resulting DUI arrest spurred him to check in at the Betty Ford Clinic.

was on hiatus for the following three weeks due to the Major League Baseball playoffs, and the episode 4.05 (“Head Games”) was quickly rewritten to feature Niles hosting his brother’s radio program while Frasier was away at a convention. Grammer filmed his bit for the intro at a later date and it was tacked on to the show before broadcast.

14. THE PRODUCERS CREATED NILES SPECIFICALLY FOR DAVID HYDE PIERCE.

There wasn’t any particular plan in place to give Frasier a brother until the assistant casting director approached the creators with a photo of David Hyde Pierce in hand and asked, “Doesn’t he look like Kelsey did 10 years ago?” Startled by the physical resemblance, the creative team dug up some tapes of a short-lived Norman Lear-produced political sitcom called

, on which Pierce portrayed a shy, suicidal Congressman. A meeting was arranged with the actor and he was offered the newly created role of Niles Crane after a brief interview.

15. THE WRITERS EXPLAINED AWAY JANE LEEVES\' PREGNANCY IN AN INTERESTING WAY.

Leeves was expecting in real life during Season 7, and her burgeoning baby bump was explained on the show as weight gain from Daphne’s sudden compulsive overeating as a method of dealing with her relationship with Niles. She was sent away to a spa for a few episodes and returned svelte (after daughter Isabella was born).

Roz’s pregnancy in Season 5, however, was strictly a plot device—an attempt by the writers to give the character a story arc of her own. Gilpin wasn’t with child, and she had a lot of explaining to do to friends and family members who thought she’d neglected to tell them about her impending motherhood. The entire Roz’s baby storyline was a misstep in retrospect, Gilpin and the producers agreed, and the infant remained behind the scenes for the most part because Grammer didn’t want the hassle of the tightly restricted work schedule of child actors.

16. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS RETIRED, MOOSE HAD ONE LAST CURTAIN CALL.

came to an end. The dog\'s fur had turned snow white and he was almost completely deaf, but his trainer carried him out onstage after the final episode taped so that the pooch could take his bows with the rest of the cast. David Hyde Pierce commented that it was one of the most moving moments of the evening, watching Moose recognize and react to the applause one last time.

17. KELSEY GRAMMER PLAYED FRASIER FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME ...

, Kelsey Grammer played the character of Frasier Crane in prime time for 20 consecutive years, a record TV-land hadn’t seen since James Arness played Marshall Dillon on

for the same length of time. Grammer\'s publicist invited Arness to join Kelsey on

in 2004, but according to Grammer, Arness rejected the idea with a brief expletive that rhymes with “duck shoe.”

18. GRAMMER IS THE FIRST AMERICAN ACTOR TO BE NOMINATED FOR THE SAME CHARACTER ON THREE DIFFERENT SERIES.

are obvious, but Frasier Crane also made an Emmy-nominated guest appearance on

that are instantly recognizable—SpongeBob\'s shrill laugh, Squidward\'s nasal complaining, Mr. Krabs\'s pirate-esque demands for yet more money. Occasionally, though, a voice pops up that\'s familiar in a different way.

and found yourself thinking “Hey, isn\'t that ... ?,” you probably weren\'t imagining things. The show is littered with guest voices from all walks of life, and here are 15 of the most memorable.

In the season six episode "SpongeBob vs The Big One," Depp plays Jack Kahuna Laguna, a surf guru attempting to teach SpongeBob and his friends some of his surf moves. This episode also features a cameo by The Monkees\'s Davy Jones as himself.

actor appears in the episode "Night Light" as The Moth, an arch enemy of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy.

The late rock legend starred in the made-for-TV feature length special

as Lord Royal Highness, ruler of Atlantis who becomes annoyed with SpongeBob when he accidentally pops the world\'s oldest bubble.

The former Spice Girl makes an appearance in the season six episode "The Clash Of Triton," as Queen Amphitrite. Well, of course she was going to be playing royalty.

legend plays Stanley S. SquarePants, SpongeBob\'s accident-prone cousin, in the season five episode of the same name. But Guest isn\'t the only member of Spinal Tap to have a guest role on the show...

In the season nine episode "License To Milkshake," SpongeBob discovers his milkshake license has expired, so he must go back to the Milkshake Academy and relearn his skill under the tutelage of Captain Frosty Mug, voiced by McKean.

to others. In the season six episode "Dear Vikings," McShane plays Gordon, leader of a group of Vikings from whom SpongeBob wants to learn about Viking history.

Better known as ultimate TV mom Marion Cunningham from

, Ross had a recurring role on the show between 2010 and 2011 as Grandma SquarePants.

Gene Simmons: Gene Simmons from KISS. In the season five episode "20,000 Patties Under The Sea," Simmons plays a sea monster who has been asleep for the last 79 years, only to be woken up by ... you guessed it: SpongeBob and Patrick.

star appears in the season nine episode "Extreme Spots," in which SpongeBob and Patrick attempt to join a stunt team called The Drastic Radicals. Knoxville plays Johnny Krill, one of the lead stunt performers in the team.

movies, Pat Morita definitely can\'t be accused of playing against type in

. In the season four episode "Karate Island," he plays a self-styled karate guru who will stop at nothing to sell timeshares to SpongeBob.

In the season seven episode "Back To The Past," the original Batman and Robin star as a young version of their

counterparts, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, whose adult selves are voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.

star appears in the season five special "WhoBob WhatPants" (also known as "Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?") as leader of the street gang the Bubble Poppin\' Boys.

Scary rock metal guys Pantera have a song featured in the season two episode "Prehibernation Week." The song accompanies a montage of Sandy and SpongeBob taking part in the most dangerous activities they can think of.

Looking for More Diversity In Your Next Binge-Watch? This Website Can Help

Hollywood is notorious for telling the stories of white men at the expense of just about everyone else. Despite research that says movies that cast more women and minority actors are actually more profitable than less diverse media options, studies have found that the majority of Hollywood jobs—both in movies and on television—still go to straight, white males.

On the audience side, there is strong demand for diversity in movies and TV. Despite UCLA sociologist Darnell Hunt\'s contention that “Audiences prefer content that looks like America,” truly diverse storytelling is still a relatively rare find. That’s where Mediaversity comes in. As Motherboard reports, the website rates on-screen entertainment according to how it depicts racial, sexual, and gender diversity—or if it represents it at all.

The site, founded by New York City visual designer Li Lai, looks at the gender, ethnicity, and nationality of a show or film’s creators, as well as if they’re LGBTQ. It grades each piece of entertainment on an A+ to F scale, looking at the quality of the work, the gender breakdown of the characters and their screen time, how people of color are presented, and how queer culture is treated. The reviewers also award bonus points if a film or show highlights a particularly underrepresented group, like seniors or people with disabilities, in a thoughtful way. But while the ratings do cover overall quality, the site is grading with an eye toward the diversity metrics, not toward the kind of reviewing Rotten Tomatoes does.

Your high school’s grade inflation does not apply here: a piece of media doesn’t need straight As to be considered good. An A+ film is “some woke shit,” while a C is “chilling in that inoffensive groove.” A B+ means the creators “nailed it,” even if it didn’t shine in every single category. If a TV show gets an F, meanwhile, that means the reviewer questions how a studio even greenlit the project in the first place.

The reviews tend to be straightforward, giving you a sense of what you’re in for immediately. “

is so obviously a male work with an unapologetic male gaze,” one reviewer wrote. The show gets a D. “The writers of

prove that you can create ridiculous, exaggerated characters without ever having to reach for flat characterizations or stereotype,” wrote another reviewer of the NBC series, which received an A- rating from the site.

If you’re looking for a new show to watch, you could do worse than scan Mediaversity first, checking out which shows might actually paint a realistic portrait of the world you live in, and which will only present you with the same tired stereotypes.

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