Kelsey Grammer Eyes NBC Return With New Drama ‘Pops’

Kelsey Grammer is trading the therapist’s couch for an ambulance in a new NBC drama.

According to Deadline, the Emmy-winning actor is gearing up for a possible return to NBC, as the Frasier star is attached to headline Pops, a new drama in development at NBC from Chicago Med veteran Danny Weiss.

According to the publication, the series is based on the unlikely real-life story of Ed Levien, who, instead of retiring, opted for a late-in-life career change as an emergency medical technician after a successful career in advertising. Working with first responders decades younger than him, he is nicknamed “Pops” by his coworkers as he learns about the world of emergency medicine.

According to Deadline, Grammer will star and executive produce the project, marking a potential return to the network where he spent more than two decades playing Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier. He later shifted away from comedy to headline Boss on Starz and The Last Tycoon for Prime Video. In 2023, Grammer’s reprised the role of Frasier in the revival on Paramount+, which ran for two seasons before ending in January 2025.

Over the course of his career, Grammer has won four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane, as well as a trophy for his voice work on The Simpsons.

The new drama shares some similarities with ABC’s hit series The Rookie, starring Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, a man who makes a late-in-life career change to join the LAPD. Nolan’s story was also inspired by a real-life figure, police officer William “Bill” Norcross, who joined the police force later in life.

Weiss, who spent 10 seasons on Chicago Med, will write and executive produce alongside Grammer, Levien, and Jordan McMahon.

Pops, TBA, NBC