Given his status as a beloved sitcom character, it makes sense they wouldn't kill off Niles in the new "Frasier" series. While David Hyde Pierce may not want to make a habit of returning to old roles, he may be up for a small appearance down the line. After all, the original "Frasier" run lasted for 11 seasons, so hopefully, the revival will stick around for a while. However, in the universe of the show, it's kind of sad to think that Frasier and Niles are no longer close.
If Niles had died on "Frasier," the characters could have moved on, but as it stands, there's a David Hyde Pierce-shaped hole missing. And now that Frasier is spending time with Niles' son, David, it's even weirder if he never comes around. The two could remain estranged within the series if Pierce is adamantly against ever returning, which would be a sad end for the brothers. And it sort of shows how Frasier can never make any familial relationships last. The revival sees him move to Boston, mostly so that he can reconnect with his own son, Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott). Frasier never had a chance to get close to him before, and it may have come at the expense of his relationship with his brother taking a turn for the worse.
