The Frasier story that overwhelmed Niles actor David Hyde Pierce with emotion

When David Hyde Pierce signed on to play Niles, the titular Physician’s brother in “Frasier” he initially thought the pilot script was “terrible.” The actor believed the writers had primarily created two variations of the identical character in Frasier and Niles and was not sure how the present’s dynamic was ever going to work. Quick ahead two years to the 1995 episode “The Final Time I Noticed Maris” and Pierce was a whole convert. After enjoying Niles for almost three seasons, the actor developed a bond together with his castmates and an appreciation for the standard of the writing on “Frasier,” which stays among the finest and most persistently profitable sitcoms well-written tales in tv historical past. However it appears he additionally developed an actual affection for his character’s spouse, Maris, though she was by no means seen on display.

By 1995, the general public knew Niles’ spouse properly, even when they’d by no means seen her within the flesh. When Maris was first launched to “Frasier,” it was within the pilot episode “The Good Son,” through which Niles reveals that her father, Martin (John Mahoney) would not get alongside together with her. This prompts Frasier to ship the primary of what, over the course of the present’s 11 seasons, would change into many, many critiques of his brother’s companion: “I like her from afar. You realize, such as you love the solar. Husbands is just like the solar. Besides with out the warmth.

As “Frasier” continued, the show never showed Maris. The writers had initially deliberate to forged somebody within the position, however as increasingly episodes got here in and extra characters began portraying Maris in more and more weird methods, it grew to become a operating joke to maintain the character off-screen. So, you’d assume that when Niles and Maris broke up, there would not be a lot to fret about. However for Pierce, it appears his faux divorce was just a little an excessive amount of to bear.

In “The Final Time I Noticed Maris”, Niles’ spouse disappears, stunning him earlier than he discovers that Maris has gone on an impromptu procuring journey to New York. Pressed by his father and Frasier to demand an apology for his callous actions, Niles solely stands his floor when Maris recordsdata for divorce – as soon as once more remaining off-screen at some point of the episode. In the long run, Niles adheres to Maris’s needs and the ultimate scene sees him leaving his and his spouse’s condo for the final time.

Behind the scenes featuretteDavid Hyde Pierce remembers being “emotionally overwhelmed” throughout the desk studying of “The Final Time I Noticed Maris.” The actor remembers being blindsided on the desk learn by how overwhelmed he was by a personality who, in actuality, did not even have an actor hooked up to the position. “I keep in mind the primary time we sat right down to learn this episode,” he stated. “I used to be actually emotionally upset discussing the potential for separation from this girl who would not even exist in actual life. We do not even have an actress to play this position.” He continued:

“It utterly stunned me, as a result of I had learn the script the day earlier than and I used to be like, ‘Oh, that is cool,’ after which one thing about sitting across the desk with the others actors, with the writers, with your loved ones, because it reinforces the fact It was very unusual.

Making an attempt to make sense of his sudden surge of emotion, David Hyde Pierce attributed it to the truth that “the writing is so good” and that he and the actors had “all labored collectively so carefully for, at that moment- there, three years.” He added, “You do not notice how a lot of part of your character’s life, even somebody we have by no means seen, has change into.” In that sense, it isn’t a lot the character from Maris that prompted Pierce’s response, however his empathy for his personal character, which even informal “Frasier” followers would agree he utterly inhabited.

It is fascinating to notice how Pierce not solely felt assured within the high quality of his sequence after initially hesitating over the pilot script, however how deeply the actor immersed himself in “Frasier.” The sequence seems to have a file of changing nonbelievers, with even Kelsey Grammer himself admitting to being a “sitcom snob” earlier than starring in “Cheers,” the sequence from which “Frasier” expands. The truth is, in what constitutes an odd omen of issues to return, Grammar admitted he thought the “Cheers” pilot was “terrible” when he first read it.. After all, as of late the “Frasier” star can not help however get emotionally overwhelmed, with the brand new Paramount+ revival series providing plenty of excuses to turn on the water pipes.

It is a testomony to the standard of “Frasier” that its actors are so completely absorbed on the planet and characters created by Glen and Les Charles. Now, if Grammer may solely persuade Pierce to return again for the revival, audiences may expertise their very own emotionally shattering second.