In a nutshell, the best TV comedy ever. Seriously. Here's why.
CHARACTERS: Dr. Frasier Crane and his brother, Dr. Niles Crane, are a couple of annoyingly (and hilariously) highbrow, snobby psychiatrists. They are both out of touch with the regular Joes and Janes and hide their insecurity behind the well-educated, well-read façade. Or, you can call them hopelessly geeky. Their father, Martin, is a down-to-earth retired policeman who, like many older men his age, has trouble expressing his affection and emotions but has plenty to say when it comes to his sons' shortcomings. Oh, by the way, he and his dog, Eddie, move in with Frasier by the end of the first episode. Daphne Moon is Marty's live-in physical therapist who is a "bit psychic." Niles is married to an heiress but gets infatuated the moment he lays his eyes on Daphne. In addition to this dysfunctional family, that sure could use some psychiatric help, there are Frasier's colleagues at KACL radio. Roz Doyle has street smarts, and her love life can make Don Juan/Giovanni proud! Bulldog is rude, crude and loves humiliating Frasier. Gil Chesterton
Well, is he, or isn't he
.?
ACTORS: Individually and as a whole, the cast is impeccable. The chemistry among the actors and the characters is real. I read it somewhere that, when Kelsey Grammar's substance abuse became apparent during the show's eleven-year run, the rest of the cast paid a visit to his residence one night as concerned friends, not to confront him but to urge him to seek help. These actors are mostly middle-aged stage or film veterans. They may not be young sex kittens or stud muffins, but their acting skills make up for their average looks and then some.
SCRIPTS: No praise seems good enough for Frasier's scripts and the writers. Who needs a pretty face when the scripts are so crisp, sharp, witty, intelligent and often naughty. Retorts and double-entendres between Frasier and Niles come at you so fast, so often. They constantly refer to literature, performing arts, history, mythology, gourmet dining, what have you, so you may not have the slightest idea what the heck they are talking about at one point or another but still be able to laugh. Good scripts do that to you.
EDDIE: Okay, it's Eddie played by Moose. Jack Russells are known for their intelligence, but Moose must have been an exceptionally bright pup. Among the cast, he was the one with good looks and brains. Towards the end of the series, Moose's son, Enzo, replaced him, but it wasn't the same without Moose.
CALLERS: You wouldn't believe how many famous film actors rendered their voices as callers at the KACL station. Christopher Reeves, Linda Hamilton, Matthew Broderick, John Cusack
The list goes on. If you write well, they will come.
TITLES: For those who are not familiar with Frasier, each scene in every episode has a short title shown briefly on the black background. You can find jokes anywhere you look while watching Frasier. For movie buffs, there are such titles as 'My Coffee with Niles," "Three Days of the Condo," "Out and In," "A Room with Four Views (with a Rashomonesque story--only funnier)" and "To Kill a Talking Bird" for starters. Since I'm a Mozart fan, I have to mention "Cosi Fan Tushy" as well.
END CREDIT: After each episode, the audience gets to enjoy watching a short video clip during the credit roll at the end. There are no dialogues, but the video clip is an extension of the episode you just saw, so there's no need for dialogues. When you watch Frasier, it ain't over until the final fade-to-black.
BONUS: Frasier and Niles' favorite meeting place is called Café Nervosa! Details, details, details.
EXTRA BONUS: In the last episode of Season 5, the owner of KACL decides to change the station format to all-salsa, and the staff, including Frasier, subsequently lose their jobs. During the last credit roll where Frasier is seen carrying his personal effects in the background as a new Latino DJ occupies Frasier's booth, we hear salsa music. But pay close attention to the lyric of the music--it's the Spanish translation of the little ditty Frasier/ Kelsey Grammar sings at the end of each episode!
29 out of 31 found this helpful