In all seriousness, "Frasier" is about as close as it gets to sitcom perfection these days. "These days" are the key words here. To me, Dr. Crane's former haunt, "Cheers", was the setting for TV's perfect sitcom. Whenever an episode of "Cheers" wrapped up, I never felt dissatisfied with the conclusion. "Cheers" delivered real comedy from the point of view of real people, and it never faltered in doing so. On the other hand, you'd be hard pressed to bump into someone on the street that acts like the pompous Dr. Frasier Crane(Kelsey Grammer). For he and his brother Niles(David Hyde Pierce) seem to have taken a wrong turn on the way to their home planet, where people eat caviar and go to the opera on a daily basis. As much as the brothers Crane would like to float through life on Earth, everyday human conflicts weigh them down. The major conflict, which was the subject of "Frasier"'s very first episode, is the ongoing war between the savvy, culture-smart Frasier, and his practical, street-smart father, Martin(John Mahoney). The good doctor's old man is a retired cop, forced out of duty by a gunshot wound to his leg. Since his injury, he has grown even more cynical than Frasier recalls from his childhood. Against every instinct in his body, Frasier allowed Martin to move into his apartment. Along with himself, Martin brought his seemingly eccentric dog, Eddie, and his zany physical therapist, Daphne Moon(Jane Leeves). Frasier just couldn't adjust to Martin's blue-collar demeanor, and if that wasn't enough, he was having a disastrous time getting settled in at his new workplace. Frasier was a new Seattle radio shrink, having to deal with a tough as nails, nymphomaniac producer, Roz Doyle(Peri Gilpin), and an annoying sportscaster named Bulldog(Dan Butler).
If you know anything about the show, then you knew all of that already. You also knew that the formula I just summed up produced hilarious episodes for the first two seasons, and well into the third. The high-society doctors always had their whimsical plans deflated by their father's common sense. Throw in Niles' longing for Daphne(Woops! He's married already!),and Frasier's increasingly neurotic callers, and you had one funny show.
That was then, and this is now. According to my scorecard, "Frasier" is still pitching a shutout against the juvenile "Home Improvement". However, the pitches of comedy aren't being delivered with as much speed and frequency as in past innings. "Frasier" is starting to tire. Grammer is still perfect as Frasier, and his subtle comedy gets even better with every installment. David Hyde Pierce is Grammer's ideal foil. In Niles, he answers the question, "What if Frasier had no backbone as well?" Frasier always seemed to get pushed around by Lilith on "Cheers". Standing him next to Niles, the living definiton of "wimpy", however, has brought out the strong points in his character. Jane Leeves still gets the job done as Daphne, but the once charming Niles-Daphne romantic tension is fizzling faster than Alka-Seltzer. Mahoney's Martin always was a one-dimensional character, but the actor does what he can. The show's wit was at it's sharpest when father was at odds with his sons. Recently though, the brothers have sweetened up to dear old dad, and it's throwing the dysfunctional hilarity out the window. The only area of the show in which quality has remained a constant is at Frasier's radio station. Peri Gilpin's Roz was always meant to be a maneater with human emotions, and she has used every comic line the writers have thrown her way to it's full potential. When Frasier and Roz get snippy, turn up the volume, because it's comedy at its best.
So, if the acting is just fine, where's the problem? Writing, writing, writing. Unique, exciting episodes are few and far between. When the writers of "Frasier" are on their game, you're in for a treat. They've got writing Emmys to prove it. However, an Emmy is for excellence in one episode. There are about thirty episodes a season. "Frasier"'s still a comedy gem, and the cast is impeccable, but if the southpaw keeps hurling wild pitches, NBC might have to look to the bullpen in the not too distant future.
Step back into the Saloon
Get your ownFree Home Page