My Favourite Frasiers
Throughout the 11 year run of the series there have 257 episodes of snobbery, romance, analysis, farce, misunderstandings, operas, wacky callers, staring Jack Russells, but most of all plenty of good laughs. Even the worst episodes of Frasier have at least a few good jokes!
Trying to choose 10 or 20 favourite episodes of the lot is like trying to pick a favourite child, or trying to pick a favourite word out of a copy of War And Peace! So rather than picking my top 20, or top 5, I've picked my favourite episode from each season and given the reason why that particular episode is my favourite. Here we go then, My Favourite Frasiers, season by season.
Season 1 - 21 Travels With Martin
This is one of John Mahoney's favourite episodes and is also my favourite from Season 1. Focusing on one of the show's main themes - the relationship between Frasier and Martin - plus a little Niles/Daphne bit as well, this episode take the characters out of their familiar settings as they head out in a Winnebago. The episode has a lot of comic gems, such as Daphne's attempts at an American accent, and the scene at the border, but this episode shows us how much Frasier and Martin want to get along, but find out they get along better when they don't try so hard to get on. The last scene between father and son is funny but also has a tender moment between them. Plus Niles in a baseball cap means this episode is my favourite from the first season.
Season 2 - 41 Daphne's Room
So many brilliant episodes from Season 2 to choose from, but I eventually was able to pick one episode from them! This episode is classic farce, with a lot of psychical comedy between Kelsey and Jane, and it also proves that the 5 main characters have no problem holding an episode by themselves - there are no guest stars or callers in this episode. The Niles/Daphne saga has a big role in this episode, rather than just being a subplot, as without Niles' obsession he never would have gone into her room at the end and the finale scene would never have taken place. You feel for Daphne and the position she's in, but also feel sorry for Frasier as he tries sneaking out of her room without her catching him. Lots of great gags, and the scene where he is in her room remains one of the show's classic moments. Hardly anything is said, but the facial expressions of Kelsey help add to a brilliant scene.
Season 3 - 64 Look Before You Leap
I might be a bit controversial here by not picking the fan favourite "Moondance" as my favourite episode from Season 3, but although I love that episode, this one is my favourite. 22 minutes of pure comedy gold, with both physical comedy and normal witticisms. Frasier's "song" at the end remains one of the show's classic moments that always makes me laugh when I think about it. Everyone has something to do with the main storyline, and the main plotlines are there - Roz wants a man, Niles is having problems with Maris, and Frasier tries to help but finds everything backfiring on him. One of the best episodes of the show.
Season 4 - 73 The Two Mrs Cranes
This is still one of my favourite episodes ever, written by the master of farce and misunderstandings, Joe Keenan. Almost everything is perfect about this episode - with the exception of Scott Atkinson's accent as Clive! - as the Cranes find themselves telling one lie to get Daphne out of a predicament and end up having to tell more. Highlights include Niles enjoying being "married" to Daphne, Frasier's face when he finds out he's "had a spat with his wife, Maris!", Martin having fun at everyone else's expense, and the bitching between Daphne and Roz near the end. Of course things go wrong which makes it more the funnier. This was an excellent start to a good season, and one of the better season premieres. It was also the first "farce" episode I saw so that makes it special to me as well. :-)
Season 5 - 104 Perspectives On Christmas
Another tough choice here - again, Season 5 had lots of wonderful episodes to choose from, including a lot of farce! But this one won, as it is a rather interesting episode - the same story told through 4 different points of view - as well as being funny. Little things such as how a character says something varies depending on who is telling the story, how the story differs slightly overtime, how characters misunderstand something that only we know about, and Martin's attempts at singing "Holy Night" are amongst the gems in this episode. Episodes such as this, with flashbacks, or alternative versions, are amongst my favourites as they are different from the "let's tell the story in 22 minutes" that most episodes are. But I think of all of those episodes, this one was one of the best. I also liked how everyone was involved and how all the plots tied together. Niles' segment was probably the best, but all of them were very funny and made up a brilliant episode.
Season 6 - 133 Three Valentines
Season 6 is considered by many fans, myself included, to be very uneven. There were a few more not-so-good episodes compared to the previous 5 seasons. That is not to say that Season 6 wasn't good though, because it was, but compared to the excellence of the previous seasons..... Anyway, it was this episode that I'm choosing to be my favourite - or, more particularly, the first act. One of the best scenes ever in the show's history sees Niles at Frasier's apartment preparing for a date, but he discovers a crease in his trousers. The scene is almost like a silent movie, with classical music in the background as Niles tries to rectify the situation, only for things to get worse. What other show could do something like this? The other 2 stories are not as good as the "silent movie" but are still funny, making this an above average episode in an average season.
Season 7 - 162 To Thine Old Self Be True
Again, I am going to be controversial here and not pick the fan's favourite, "Something Borrowed Someone Blue", although I count that episode as one of my favourites. Season 7 had a few episodes to choose from, but I decided to pick this one due to it being a clever little farce, where more problems keep arising for Frasier. He has to throw a stag party for Donny and has to interview a stripper without Donny or Daphne finding out. Needless to say, chaos soon descends..... The image of Frasier handcuffed to a stripper is very funny, and the tension between Daphne and Mel helps develop a major arc during the season. I also liked how Maris, for the first time for a while, had a part in the story, and how Frasier wanted to be "one of the guys". A very good episode from a good season.
Season 8 - 169 Taking Liberties
Season 8 was the worst of the 11 in my opinion, with a few stinkers and episodes with poor scripts. However each of them had at least one good bit, so they weren't that bad! I'm picking this one as my favourite though because of the 2 main plots in it. In the first, Frasier gets a butler. Ferguson fits in very well with Frasier and Victor Garber is very good in the role. I also liked Martin's treatment of Ferguson! :-) However this episode is a very important one because Niles and Daphne are finally free to be together in public, and Mel exits the show in a very realistic (well, for Frasier!) way. The argument in the final act between Niles and Mel, with Niles finally standing up to her, and the final scene between Niles and Daphne, are written very well, and I liked how the characters of Niles and Daphne are developed in this great little episode.
Season 9 - 190 The Return Of Martin Crane
Another Martin episode in this list, but this one is a good example of what Frasier can be. Very entertaining, lots of good jokes, but also a lot of dramatic moments. It's also one of those shows which contrasts then and now - in this case 1991 and 2001 - and, unusually for Frasier, focuses on the relationship between Martin and Niles and how much that has grown over those 10 years. Martin's actions in 1991, where we see how much he misses his kids and wishes he could get along with them, contrast with present day Martin who does get along with them. The scene at the end where Martin gives his sons a kiss before he leaves for work is a very touching ending. Comedy is also provided when Frasier, Niles, Daphne and Roz argue about who will be walking Eddie whilst Martin is at work, and the thought of Niles at a Billy Joel concert! John Mahoney is very good in this episode, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Season 10 - 232 Fathers And Sons
This episode is my favourite of Season 10, because in many ways it returns to what I call "classic Frasier". We have the return of Eddie staring at Frasier, the return of the "how can they be Martin's sons?" issue, but most importantly it was funny. Even the subplot was funny, unlike many subplots from Season 10. David Ogden Stiers gave a good performance as Leland Barton, who was so much like Frasier and Niles that Eddie didn't know who to stare at! You realised in the end how much Martin loves his boys, despite their differences, and we learn a little bit more about Martin and how he ticks. Overall, a brilliant episode.
Season 11 - 256 Crock Tales
I haven't counted the finale in this, as despite it being a fantastic episode it is a special one and I wanted to pick my favourite of the 22 "regular" episodes of the final season. So I went for the second to last.:-) This episode doesn't really have a plot as such, but is a set of flashbacks. Not a clip show though, as the present day cast are playing their younger selves! As we head further and further back in time, from the present (2004) to 2003, 2002, 1999, 1998, 1996 and back to 1993 when it all began, we see how much the characters have changed and grown over the past 11 years. We also see the "return" of Niles' secret obsession with Daphne, Frasier looking for "the one", Maris and other plotlines from the early years. The contrasts between 2004 and 1993 especially show how the characters have developed for the better. But more importantly than that, all of the "clips" are funny as well. This could easily have been the finale, it's that good and would have been a good send off to the show.
What are your favourite Frasiers? Do you agree with my selection? Or not? Contact me and let me know.
Legal Stuff:
Frasier created by David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee. Based on the character "Frasier Crane" created by Glen and Les Charles and featured in the NBC / Paramount production "Cheers". Frasier is a Grub Street Production for NBC and Paramount. All Frasier characters are copyright NBC, Paramount and Grub Street Productions.
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