Warning: Spoilers for Frasier season 2, episode 8

Upon his return, the second season of the Frasier reboot dropped a surprising reveal about one of the characters from the original series. Bob “Bulldog” Briscoe reunited with Dr. Crane on his trip back to Seattle in Frasier season 2, episode 8. Their reunion surprisingly confirmed that Bulldog is actually gay. Played by actor Dan Butler, this former sports show host was infamous for his womanizing and for annoying Frasier and his peers, eventually becoming a main character in the series in season 6.

In the episode, Bulldog’s sexuality is brought to light when Roz says, “someone finally came out of the closet.” This prompted a moment of confusion, until it became clear that Roz was referring to a decision that Bulldog apparently made sometime after the original show’s ending. This series has dabbled with featuring returning characters from the original Frasier before, bringing back fan favorites like Roz and Bebe Glazer. However, the way the show reinvents Bulldog’s character forces its audience to rethink previous perceptions of the show, making his coming out one of the best twists in the Frasier revival show.

Was Bulldog Gay In Frasier’s Original Run, Or Was It Hinted At?

Bulldog Didn’t Present Himself As Gay In The Original Frasier

As a product of its times, this sitcom didn’t feature many long-running gay characters. Nevertheless, Frasier has been known for its LGBTQ+ undertones, with Frasier and his brother Niles displaying stereotypical gay qualities as well-mannered men interested in fine culture. One episode even featured a gay man who assumed the two brothers were interested in men as well. Despite this, the series never hinted at Bulldog’s attraction to men beforehand, which makes the revelation in the reboot all the more surprising.

All in all, Bulldog was an effective contrast to Frasier’s more sophisticated character, presenting different images of what a straight man could be like, at least until now.

Across its first 11 seasons, Frasier instead portrayed Bulldog as Frasier’s polar opposite: an aggressively masculine and ill-mannered sports fan who loved to fool around and pick up women (including Roz at one point). This often made him an inappropriate presence in the workplace and an especially great annoyance to Dr. Crane, as the former messed with Frasier on more than one occasion. All in all, Bulldog was an effective contrast to Frasier’s more sophisticated character, presenting different images of what a straight man could be like, at least until now.

Why Bulldog Is Gay In Frasier’s Reboot

Bulldog As A Gay Person Makes Frasier More Diverse

Since Frasier first aired in the ’90s, the reboot featuring a gay character like Bulldog helps the franchise catch up with modern times by shining a greater spotlight on LGBTQ+ people and allowing them to better represent themselves on television. Frasier already featured two gay actors in its main cast: Dan Butler and David Hyde Pierce. Even one of the show’s creators, David Lee, is gay. But having one of the original show’s main characters come out as gay in the reboot only promotes more inclusivity and LGBTQ+ representation in the series.

It’s also an inventive way to honor and reflect Butler’s true self in the show while doing something fresh and surprising with his character in Frasier. While Roz and Bebe returned to the show beforehand, the new series didn’t change much about their already beloved characters. But by having a main character return to the show as an openly gay person, the Frasier reboot goes beyond providing mere fan service with Bulldog, going in a bold new direction by exploring preconceived notions of sexuality.

Bulldog Being Gay Brilliantly Subverts Expectations

Bulldog Shows How Sexuality Doesn’t Always Follow Stereotypes

The original Frasier had already hinted at one of its characters being gay. Gil Chesterton, Dr. Crane’s colleague at KACL radio, has had his sexuality frequently questioned by Frasier and his peers due to his flamboyant personality. Even though Gil is married to a woman, the question of his sexual orientation became a long-running joke throughout the show. One would likely have expected Gil to have been gay all along rather than Bulldog (Frasier himself thought when he returned to Seattle in Frasier season 2, episode 8).

But by having Bulldog turn out to be gay (or at least openly gay) in the reboot, Frasier defies previous expectations of the character and sexuality as a whole. Since Bulldog comes across as a stereotypical straight male for constantly hitting on women, talking about sports, and making sexist jokes, one would likely not think he would really be gay.

The twist surrounding his character shows how a person’s sexuality doesn’t always fall under social stereotypes. Though he has now expressed his interest in men, Bulldog proves in the reboot he is still the same old Bulldog. Frasier assumed that he was overcompensating for being gay with his “toxic, frat boy masculinity” directed towards women, but Bulldog quickly disproved that theory by saying he just directs that at men.

All in all, Frasier‘s reboot proved once more that it has something new to say to its audience with Bulldog coming out as gay. Not only does it provide greater LGBTQ+ representation within the series, Bulldog displays how a person is not always what they appear to be, encouraging the show’s audience to open their minds and accept new ideas about masculinity and sexuality.