Frasier Episode 4 Teases A Classic Character's Big Return
Contains overall general spoilers for "Frasier"
"Frasier" has been slowly but surely sowing the seeds for an upcoming guest star with masterful regularity. Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) is set to pop up during the show's first season in a guest-starring turn. This untitled episode, according to Entertainment Tonight, will feature Lilith appearing at the birthday party of Freddy Crane (Jack Cutmore-Scott). Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and his ex-wife are slated to clash at this party, which will undoubtedly make life difficult for Freddy, and Episode 4 of Season 1 lays in some groundwork for Lilith's upcoming return.
During Episode 4, while participating in a pub trivia night with his friends as well as Freddy, Frasier replies to an unheard question, "My ex-wife, Lilith! No, I'm kidding, the Arctic Circle!" He then turns to an embarrassed Freddy and apologizes. Lilith also comes up as a topic of discussion during Episode 1, where Frasier claims that Freddy's bleak sense of humor resembles that of his ex-wife, and in Episode 2, where he blames Lilith for failing to tell Freddy who his real father is after a misconstrued story he tells to a reporter leads to Frasier "admitting" he killed his son, forcing the two of them to do some fancy social footwork.
This, naturally, won't be the first time Lilith has ever appeared on "Frasier" — in fact, over time, she has proven to be the show's strongest link to its "Cheers" past.
Lilith loomed large over the original Frasier as well
Over the course of its 11 seasons, Bebe Neuwirth ended up appearing on "Frasier" in a grand total of 12 episodes, frequently enough to build a sense of ongoing continuity. Through those brief sojourns, Lilith and Frasier engage in a psychiatric rivalry and experience an on-again, off-again attraction. Lilith remarries, divorces, has a one-night stand with Frasier's brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), and ultimately asks Frasier to donate his sperm so she can conceive another child, clearly living a full life just outside of Frasier's sphere but always ready to step in and discuss topics like co-parenting and her ex's romantic life. They ultimately part ways as friends in Season 11's "Guns N' Neuroses" after being set up with one another on a blind date.
Not only did Lilith become an institution on "Frasier," Bebe Neuwirth cemented her legend and reapped benefits from the perpetual awards season buzz that graced "Frasier" for most of its run. She ended up earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 1995 for her reprisal of Lilith, adding to the gold she earned for "Cheers" in 1990 and 1991 for playing the same role. And now that Neuwirth is back in Lilith's sensible pumps, the likelihood that she'll be nominated for this version of "Frasier" seems quite possible.