Frasier 3x01-05

[jedi_of_urth]

Frasier 3x01: She's the Boss

It feels longer since I finished s2 than it has been (at writing), but obviously nowhere near the months it would have been between these eps on original broadcast (not that I was watching live yet). Still, I feel like my week break feels a lot longer than it was. On the other hand it doesn't feel long enough to be able to directly speak to this as a return after a hiatus, so there's that.

This does feel pretty different. Part of that's visual, either they upgraded the cameras or just painted everything a little better so it looks a little less dingy. On the other hand I thought there were a few off choices in the camera work, so it's not all good news.

We're definitely not starting off with my previously stated assumption that s3 was when the show stopped having the spotlight on Frasier quite so much and let the others have more time in focus. This is a very Frasier heavy episode, and it focuses on the workplace drama that's not exactly my favorite part of the show. And in doing so it raises a few interesting notions.

I like that this episode is about someone taking Frasier down a peg or two; but I'm not sure I'm supposed to be on Kate's side. Right from the start of this episode there's an awkward dated attitude toward gender relations that never quite gets expressed again in the story, at least not openly. There's a reason to include it if we're supposed to believe that part of Frasier's hostility is internalized sexism that his conscious modern man attitudes won't admit to. But that also means I cannot be expected to be on his side and the show has always had kind of a mixed attitude towards whether we should see Frasier as wrong. Especially when it's not about him learning a lesson from Martin about not being an arrogant asshole; here Martin is the one taking the explicit stance that sexism is to be expected when women are in charge.

Another area I think Frasier is in the wrong is Kate suggesting they prioritize juicy calls; for one, I'm fairly sure Roz already does to some extent. It's also not as if Kate was saying not to take other calls, just if you have a garden variety over-eater on line 1, vs. line 2 someone struggling with their sexual identity, line 2 is more interesting. The counter argument would actually be that advice to the over-eater might be more applicable to a wider audience, might be the reason they want to listen in case something that can help them comes up. Really Kate should just have talked to Roz about how to weight call screening.

I don't mind Niles' subplot, except that this is the season premier. Season premiers these days take on a lot of the job of introducing the plot for the coming season; but to my memory back in the day unless there was a cliffhanger to wrap up, the focus tended to be more on reorienting the audience with the status quo of the show. In that way, this ep seems to be acting more as a modern premier, setting us up for the plot at the station (which would make more sense if the show was more focused on being a workplace comedy instead of a family one) while the house players get mediocre stuff to do in the background. But I feel like even though Martin and Daphne aren't given much to do, we are reoriented to their characters, and I don't feel Niles is properly handled in that regard; in that while it relies on things we know about him it doesn't foreground things we need to know about him going forward.

As usual it makes more sense in my head I'm sure.

Production: 7/10 it looks better in some ways, but the staging is weird in places; except for the award unpacking scene, which is brilliant
Story: 6.5/10 it introduces a new story line, but it hogs attention from the supporting cast
Writing: 2/5 I have to knock something for not being sure whose side this thinks I should be on
Characters: 3/5 I like having Frasier smacked down, and if I'm supposed to feel that way good; it does still focus on him a lot compared to the others
Relationships: 2/5 I like Frasier and Roz here, and Frasier early on drawing a comparison between Kate and Lilith is actually what makes the attraction component of their conflict more evident (I needed to mention that element somewhere)
Comedy: 2.5/5 Niles does rather steal the show with his leap on the couch
Drama: 2/5
Personal: 3.5/10 as always I prefer the family stories to work stories, but this is a decently done work story

Overall: 28.5/50 at least it's a less bothersome premier than Slow Tango last year



Frasier 3x02: Shrink Rap

I quite liked that one; even if it was going over some familiar ground, it knew it was doing so and worked well with it. I would say they don't quite do enough with the story-telling conceit but it almost seems like they weren't sure it was going to work so they didn't overplay their hand, but it worked well for me.

I'm sure this isn't the last episode we see Frasier and Niles try to work together, but it almost seems like it should be. We had (and they reference) Author, Author in s1, The Innkeepers in s2, and now this; so by the rule of three they should probably let it rest for a while. We still have almost nine seasons though so I'm sure it comes back around.

I do have some issues with the way this wraps up, but only mild ones. Frasier and Niles only dismiss the other doctor's opinions through snobbery, so it's not as if that proves them right. But the other doctor is partially wrong; Martin is the most right, the boys don't work together well, but that doesn't mean they should throw in the towel on the rest of their relationship. They're good friends for the same reasons they don't work together well; they feed on each other, bringing out the best and worst in each other, and when you throw an element of competition in there even if it's mild professional rivalry, it tends to be the worst. The episode itself highlights this, how much joy they can take in each other, even when they disagree; it just can turn nasty pretty quickly when circumstances shift.

Production: 8.5/10
Story: 8/10 I do wish they had taken a little more advantage of the format experiment, and it wraps up pretty quickly, but it's mostly good
Writing: 3.5/5 knowing the Crane boys' physical weakness as we've been show, I do find trust falls a bit awkward
Characters: 4/5 good for Frasier and Niles, a bit sparse on others
Relationships: 3.5/5 ditto
Comedy: 3.5/5
Drama: 3.5/5
Personal: 8/10

Overall: 42.5/50



Frasier 3x03: Martin Does It His Way

I can't say exactly why, but I was a little skeptical going into this ep, I just had an odd feeling I wasn't going to like it very much. Thankfully I was wrong; this is a pretty good episode, maybe not an all time classic but definitely pretty good.

While I remain somewhat divided on how much I wish Roz got more to do (I want more Roz, but if it means more KACL plots I'm not so into it), I'm always happy when her limited time is used well. And while the end of the episode isn't entirely satisfying, it's not bad and it is a good performance of Martin's song.

But the real strength of the episode is the middle section. I guess I'm just a sucker for the Crane family (including Daphne since this episode basically treats her as adopted family) all banding together and working as a team. When the boys immediately step up and want to help Martin, including some childish battle to see who got the piano; and having him actually appreciate their abilities and finding value in their geeky hobbies; with Daphne being included in the family time even if she doesn't seem to have much to contribute beyond snacks and coffee.

I sort of expected there to be some final joke based on Daphne's cold; people either assuming she was super sad even though she hadn't know the aunt, or maybe symptoms further aggravated by the ashes they wore back, but there wasn't a closing beat to it and that seemed odd. Also odd and Daphne related is that I'm pretty sure for most of the middle seasons of the show (and maybe would be here if the episode wasn't so Martin focused) the line she has about how it must be sad to go through life with a secret dream would cut to Niles, but it doesn't here. I guess that's a sign that the show hasn't quite settled into the tragedy (still somehow treated humorously) of unrequited love yet.

Production: 7.5/10 it is a little weirdly cut together and I don't understand how Frasier got copies of the (somewhat rewritten for multiple parts) song to the choir, but a lot of it's good
Story: 6.5/10 it's not super ambitious but it mostly works
Writing: 3.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Relationships: 3.5/5 I really do like the family time even if nothing is very furthered here
Comedy: 3/5
Drama: 2/5 I kind of feel like Hester doesn't cast enough of a shadow over this
Personal: 6.5/10

Overall: 35.5/50



Frasier 3x04: Leapin' Lizards

I'm pretty sure this was written by someone who thought Bulldog needed to be more of a presence on the show and I very much do not agree with that. That or is started with the one joke about Frasier being made a fool out of on air, and Bulldog became the likely person to do so.

What this episode also made me feel was some of why I care so little about the KACL stories, they're usually just not very good. The station characters aren't characters, even Roz is barely a character at this point and she's the most we have. This show was not built to be a workplace comedy, Frasier's job is a background detail to the character stories we get elsewhere.

Also, what kind of radio station is this? Most of the other shows we hear about seem to be helpful and measured, giving out advice of one kind of another' then there's Bulldog who just yells and makes loud noises. He may be one of if not the highest rated show, maybe partly because he's something different at the station. He's also a fair bit more main stream than Pet Chat and whatever Father Mike's show was about. But if KACL was going to have a brand I think he's the one who doesn't fit it.

Production: 7/10 I'm crediting this with something that probably happened at the start of the season, but the KACL set has clearly been expanded so they can do walk and talks instead of being stuck in the booth
Story: 5/10 there's no real objective problem, but it's bland
Writing: 3/5 the last scene drags on, but the other set pieces work
Characters: 2/5
Relationships: 1.5/5
Comedy: 2.5/5 the Three Little Maids scene is pretty funny
Drama: 0/5 I think this is the first time I gave anything a zero, but what drama there was didn't work so it doesn't earn any points
Personal: 3/10

Overall: 24/50



Frasier 3x05: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

In a surprise to probably no one, I have a lot to say about this episode. It's a Niles heavy, shipping heavy, arc related story, so basically catnip for me.

First thing I have to observe is that as mentioned I was semi-watching the show before I decided to settle in for a big rewatch and review, and this was an episode I more or less fully watched. And it's kind of a different experience watching it in semi-isolation than watching everything up to this point. On it's own, it seemed a lot more Niles and shipping *centric* as opposed to heavy on those fronts. It actually did some of the big work to put the idea in my head that s3 was a turning point in how the show treated the supporting cast in general and Niles' character arc specifically. And when I was jumping around seeing what sparked a memory or interest, it probably does seem different from s1; but going through the turn gradually actually makes this seem less turned than it did before.

Because this is still largely in Frasier's perspective, and he's not particularly sympathetic to Niles' situation. Towards the end I think it either does finally shift into Niles' headspace or I finally did because I find that to be a more satisfying way to watch this episode. But until we're past the point where Frasier confronts Niles, it seems to mostly take a stance that Niles' feelings are an annoyance and a problem. He's not entirely wrong, but we'll come back to that. It's only when Niles sucks it up (almost literally) and puts aside his feelings that I feel we've shifted into his perspective where we feel sad about him doing the right thing. The fact that I don't feel the sympathy comes from Frasier yet is a little surprising as I guess I keep expecting him to be more sympathetic.

And yes, Niles' feelings for Daphne at this point are objectively still a problem. It's inappropriate and sometimes (like this) causes him to act like a jackass. He can say that Joe just isn't good enough for her, but not only is that not his call to make but I'm sure in Niles' mind the only person good enough for Daphne is Niles. Except that he's also not good enough for her; he calls her a goddess and he means it. And that kind of adoration is its own problem, but only mildly in play here. Right now there is no good ending for them except for him to get over it, but he can't; the other options go through a lot of painful turns to get to a better ending, and he's not ready for that either. I'm not sure Niles even thinks about that, I'm not sure what fantasy he has but he certainly doesn't have a plan.

I have a small observation to question why they were holding this wine event at Frasier's place to start with when Niles has a mansion. Believe it or not I don't think this is a 'needs of the plot/sets' thing, at least not in character. I take issue with Frasier's attitude to finding his apartment has bad wiring and gas, Martin is right that not dying is more important that wine tasting and Niles dropping the chair may have saved their lives; so if I thought this was a bad step on the writing I'd call it out. I think it's perfectly in character for Maris to not let Niles have people over; if a little out of character that this isn't exactly the kind of crowd she would want to come over. Maris has all kinds of her own groups over, we've certainly heard of some, and Niles clears out when asked, but I don't think Maris lets the shoe end up on the other foot.

Or it's more simple and Frasier just wanted to host a party and this was his event rather than him and Niles the way it seems in a lot of the episode.

Production: 8.5/10 this is a pretty well staged episode for all it's largely contained to the apartment
Story: 8.5/10 I do think the focus is a little off, and shifts radically depending on who the audience focuses on. Though I suppose that may be a feature rather than a bug
Writing: 5/5 there are some really good lines in this one, start to end, though I could dock it for the kind of clunky reintroduction of Niles' nose bleeds, we've seen Niles not start bleeding for more questionable ethics than secreting away a bottle of wine
Characters: 4.5/5
Relationships: 3.5/5 unless this actually proves to be a gear shift in Niles' feelings for Daphne and Frasier's feelings about Niles/Daphne it doesn't end up being very relationship driven
Comedy: 4/5
Drama: 4/5
Personal: 9/10

Overall: 47/50