In a Reddit poll posted by u/zangoose28, fans were asked to vote for their favorite main character: Frasier, Niles, Martin, Daphne, Roz or Eddie (Martin's dog). Out of the 150 votes, Niles received 91, winning in a landslide. Frasier came in second with 30 votes, followed by Martin with 13. Finally, Roz received ten, Eddie received four and Daphne received two.
One fan, u/gchypedchick, compared the poll to asking a parent to pick a favorite child, but ultimately chose Niles. They continued, "I think the show really works because of [Niles'] character. I think his silliness balances out Frasier and keeps him from being too serious. His bit in Season 6's 'Three Valentines' is my favorite!" Similarly, u/Cadbury93 concluded, "Has to be Niles for me. They're all great though." When one fan remarked that they were a bit surprised that Niles led the poll by much, the original poster simply responded, "He's a popular boy."
Niles was loved not just by fans, but also by critics, as David Hyde Pierce received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for every single season of "Frasier," winning the award a whole four times.
