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tori_reviews2020-12-20 10:02 pm
jedi_of_urth) wrote in tori_reviews2020-12-20 10:02 pm
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Frasier 3x11-15
Frasier 3x11: The Friend
That wasn't a very good episode, but it wasn't that bad either. Weirdly, the comparison I find myself making is to 'Death Becomes Him' back in s1, and how that episode failed to reach a third act climax, while this one did. It's low stakes, and doesn't quite work, but it does have a payoff.
This episode does raise a relevant point about how small Frasier's (and Niles') social circle is. And considering Frasier wasn't shown to be socially isolated back in the Cheers days it's valid to see this as a problem. Because we don't have the contrast with Niles it's easier to say that he's pretty much a pair-bonder with a small group of people and is fine having the rest of his social group be casual acquaintances; but Frasier had friends in Boston. Part of it is that his work is not a social environment and he doesn't seem to get along with the few people he has interactions with (besides Roz). He doesn't seem to have people he kind of knows decently but not closely in the building. He no longer has the regular bar hangout; that, and when he does get out in the evening it tends to be with Niles so Frasier forgets/doesn't take the time to meet new people.
And I suspect what casual friendships he has often aren't people he would go to the races with.
It does seem that the show was hinting there is something wrong with Bob, some kind of obsessive personality or attachment problem. But it doesn't fully go there, instead it keeps bringing up the point that Frasier can also ramble about subjects others don't care about; which is certainly true and if different interests they liked talking about was the only problem I'd probably still say they needed to find a better balance but maybe they should give it time. The fact that Bob doesn't seem quite right is what has me a lot more worried.
Production: 6/10 it's fine I guess, although Bob's height in the wheelchair seems to vary sometimes and I think this is a rare instance of tablecloths at Nervosa
Story: 6/10 fine and a good idea, but nothing special in execution
Writing: 2/5 nothing really stood out
Characters: 3/5
Relationships: 2.5/5
Comedy: 2.5/5
Drama: 2/5 they didn't really put much effort into making this dramatic either with Bob or between the brothers
Personal: 4,5/10
Overall: 28.5/50 is that just average now?
Frasier 3x12: Come Lie with Me
I'm a little surprised by how much I liked that one; it felt a bit long, but not quite in a bad way. It never seemed to drag, and all the scenes flowed at about the right rate, but there was enough tension and awkwardness (thankfully never becoming cringey) that I felt the length or it.
I do sort of question how this is the first time in two and half years that Daphne's been away for even a weekend, but I can just about pretend that other times have been scheduled when one or the other Crane men was out of town or just busy for a chunk of it. Maybe that's my bit of denial.
Per my relationship notes, Frasier and Martin haven't had a lot of overnight guests at this point either, but I do sort of think that all three of them should have set some ground rules for sleep overs. Because it does seem some form of condescending that Frasier is having this issue with Daphne having sex. I'm not sure whether to consider it sexist or elitist, but he doesn't seem to consider the hypocrisy in his current position. And the episode doesn't cast him as being in the right, but it doesn't have, say, Roz force him to confront why this bugs him. Niles wouldn't because he's be more bothered than Frasier for his own reasons.
I feel like I should have something to say about Niles' subplot, but I just liked it fine and it continues to show consequences for his separation from Maris and I approve of that too. It's also a good lead-in to next ep.
Production: 7/10 there was a some good staging and dog-work in this one
Story: 6.5/10 it's got a couple logical hiccups in it, but it was well done and I felt the tension building
Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Relationships: 3/5 something of step backwards in Frasier and Martin's relationship progression in favor of highlighting the necessity of Daphne's presence in it
Comedy: 3/5
Drama: 2.5/5
Personal: 6.5/10
Overall: 35/50
Frasier 3x13: Moon Dance
I want to get a couple small points out of the way before tacking the main story of this ep.
-Is this the first time we've ever heard that Martin and Hester ever separated? That seems like information that maybe should have come up before and definitely had chances to.
-I'm partly willing to let Roz's comment about Freddie just finishing the first grade go, it's sort of just a turn of phrase. I'm more perplexed by the idea of Frasier taking Freddie on a week trip in the middle of the school year, in which case it would make more sense if Freddie had just finished first grade and was on break. It has to be winter time since they're having a snow ball, and Roz references Freddie having just been there, presumably for Christmas, so it's probably not all the way the spring break either.
Because this is effectively Frasier without Frasier, there's a lot that feels different about it. Because it can't default to Frasier's perspective, it feels much less bound to one POV. I'd say we're seeing Niles' perspective on events but Martin's perspective on Niles, and I found myself developing a Daphne read that I'll get to in a bit. This is kind of the first time we're seeing Niles' interactions with Martin and Daphne without Frasier around for the scene's gravity to shift back to him. I suspect this is another step (and there have been a few this season) in the writers realizing that while Frasier is the main character, Niles is the one with an actual story, that so often we focus away from because out attention is on Frasier's antics. Martin seems to give better advice when Frasier isn't there to butt in; when Niles takes his advice he does get the initial date and recognizes that he's taking advantage of Daphne's attention, and Martin accurately predicts what would happen if Niles let his guard down.
It's not as if I don't want Frasier around, but he tends to take up a lot of space in a format with limited time for multiple plotlines. I don't even want any of the others to necessarily be the lead, I just want a more ensemble take on the series.
Because I've seen the later part of this series, a lot of the readings I might make now about what happens at the ball, I know aren't true. Daphne is not aware that Niles wasn't acting but is letting him down easy by suggesting they pretend that's all it was (which was more or less what Martin's expectation would suggest). Nor the quite logical reading of this episode that Daphne is just as into Niles as Niles is into her but doesn't realize that he likes her (somehow; though if it were true neither does he) and so for her own sake assumes he was acting a part to impress his crowd so that he doesn't have to explain what happened out there.
Because I feel like there's a scene missing that explains why she would assume he was acting, I can see them having a discussion about putting on a show and leaving people with no doubt that he's not the wounded animal they seem to think; so when he does slip up she assumes he taking the act a step further, that he wants people to think they're really dating, and so she goes along with that idea never even considering the truth. And he would never have dreamed of including that under the idea to give them a show so he still assumes at first that her reaction is genuine and takes a minute to really understand her suggestion that it wasn't. I suppose having a scene like that might have been a bit obvious foreshadowing?
But I also don't know that we're ever supposed to fooled into thinking the show is ready to go there with this relationship. While I can see a reading of this being Daphne's episode of realizing feelings for Niles, consciously or not (she is very keen for them to spend together and go out dancing together), having them on the same page with regard to their feelings would be a big leap at this point in the show with no lead up. And the show is just starting to have any kind of relationship arcs (Daphne dating Joe for multiple episodes, Niles and Maris' marriage troubles), where progressing Niles/Daphne would require a big commitment to a relationship arc.
And for a little diagnosis of Niles' feelings for Daphne, I'm still not sure I'd say he's in love with her. He's smitten with her, he adores her, if she gave any indication that she returned his slightly nebulous feelings he'd fall hard and fast, but I'm not sure that where he is now is love. Of course this a very acorns question that I'm trying to not only decide if an acorn is a tree but whether one that was planted, watered, nourished, and now covered in snow is a tree.
Production: 8,5/10 I'm a little torn, the ballroom set is clearly too small but they some nice camera work for the dances themselves. The acting is tops though
Story: 9/10 I do think it's missing that scene I suggested, though I'm not sure where it would have fitted in
Writing: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5 great Niles and Martin, very good Daphne, very limited Roz
Relationships: 4/5 there will be consequences and reflections on this down the line but definitely not immediately
Comedy: 4/5
Drama: 4.5/5
Personal: 9/10
Overall: 47.5/50
Frasier 3x14: The Show Where Diane Comes Back
I don't know exactly what it says about the difference between young me and old me, but I was aware of a different feeling as I watched it. Back when I saw this initially I would have only had very basic knowledge of Cheers, probably a handful of episodes and what I absorbed through cultural osmosis; and this episode totally worked anyway. It still works wonderfully, but I'm actually more aware of the gaps in my Cheers knowledge than I was back in the day. As much as anything I think it has to do with the fact that I understand Frasier so much better now, so the difference in understanding is more evident.
I'm a little curious what motivated this story idea. Was it something they thought of for a sweeps stunt? Or did these writers feel that the Frasier and Diane relationship had never been resolved with Frasier as the primary focus of the plot? Because while the first raises some questions about how much people were longing for a Diane appearance so many years after she left the franchise; the latter makes the play almost an indictment of the Cheers writers. Frasier was actually a character on the show for much longer than Diane, and yet the show (and I sort of remember this being the case) seemed to care less about Frasier's character arc in this than maintaining Sam and Diane's will-they-won't-they status.
I guess I kind of wish we could have gotten anything from Roz during this story, and more from Daphne wouldn't have hurt, but I understand why it happened with such a prominent guest appearance driving things. Martin gets a few good moments and Niles is a hoot.
Production: 10/10 the closing joke alone demands it, and KG does act the hell out of this one
Story: 8.5/10 I don't really get the feeling of weeks passing even though they say there are
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5 top marks to Frasier and Diane, and maybe Niles, but could have used some input from the rest
Relationships: 3/5
Comedy: 5/5
Drama: 4/5
Personal: 9.5/10
Overall: 49/50
Frasier 3x15: A Word to the Wiseguy
I'd sort of gotten it into my head that I wasn't going to like this one very much; and while I wouldn't use it as a selling point for the show and it wouldn't make any top 10, 20, or maybe 50 lists for the series, it was perfectly acceptable. I'm a little curious how long they will actually keep continuity with Brandy, or how easy it will be to headcanon that she got tired and quit. I sort of feel that I should have more to say about a Niles focused episode like this, but I really don't.
Production: 7/10 no complaints
Story: 6.5/10 all the plot threads worked together will, though I do question if Nervosa would really be open that late and I do think they missed a trick in not seeing Frasier explain the situation to Roz
Writing: 3.5/5 not a lot that stands out, but it uses language well
Characters: 3.5/5
Relationships: 2/5
Comedy: 2.5/5
Drama: 2.5/5
Personal: 6/10
Overall: 33.5/50
That wasn't a very good episode, but it wasn't that bad either. Weirdly, the comparison I find myself making is to 'Death Becomes Him' back in s1, and how that episode failed to reach a third act climax, while this one did. It's low stakes, and doesn't quite work, but it does have a payoff.
This episode does raise a relevant point about how small Frasier's (and Niles') social circle is. And considering Frasier wasn't shown to be socially isolated back in the Cheers days it's valid to see this as a problem. Because we don't have the contrast with Niles it's easier to say that he's pretty much a pair-bonder with a small group of people and is fine having the rest of his social group be casual acquaintances; but Frasier had friends in Boston. Part of it is that his work is not a social environment and he doesn't seem to get along with the few people he has interactions with (besides Roz). He doesn't seem to have people he kind of knows decently but not closely in the building. He no longer has the regular bar hangout; that, and when he does get out in the evening it tends to be with Niles so Frasier forgets/doesn't take the time to meet new people.
And I suspect what casual friendships he has often aren't people he would go to the races with.
It does seem that the show was hinting there is something wrong with Bob, some kind of obsessive personality or attachment problem. But it doesn't fully go there, instead it keeps bringing up the point that Frasier can also ramble about subjects others don't care about; which is certainly true and if different interests they liked talking about was the only problem I'd probably still say they needed to find a better balance but maybe they should give it time. The fact that Bob doesn't seem quite right is what has me a lot more worried.
Production: 6/10 it's fine I guess, although Bob's height in the wheelchair seems to vary sometimes and I think this is a rare instance of tablecloths at Nervosa
Story: 6/10 fine and a good idea, but nothing special in execution
Writing: 2/5 nothing really stood out
Characters: 3/5
Relationships: 2.5/5
Comedy: 2.5/5
Drama: 2/5 they didn't really put much effort into making this dramatic either with Bob or between the brothers
Personal: 4,5/10
Overall: 28.5/50 is that just average now?
Frasier 3x12: Come Lie with Me
I'm a little surprised by how much I liked that one; it felt a bit long, but not quite in a bad way. It never seemed to drag, and all the scenes flowed at about the right rate, but there was enough tension and awkwardness (thankfully never becoming cringey) that I felt the length or it.
I do sort of question how this is the first time in two and half years that Daphne's been away for even a weekend, but I can just about pretend that other times have been scheduled when one or the other Crane men was out of town or just busy for a chunk of it. Maybe that's my bit of denial.
Per my relationship notes, Frasier and Martin haven't had a lot of overnight guests at this point either, but I do sort of think that all three of them should have set some ground rules for sleep overs. Because it does seem some form of condescending that Frasier is having this issue with Daphne having sex. I'm not sure whether to consider it sexist or elitist, but he doesn't seem to consider the hypocrisy in his current position. And the episode doesn't cast him as being in the right, but it doesn't have, say, Roz force him to confront why this bugs him. Niles wouldn't because he's be more bothered than Frasier for his own reasons.
I feel like I should have something to say about Niles' subplot, but I just liked it fine and it continues to show consequences for his separation from Maris and I approve of that too. It's also a good lead-in to next ep.
Production: 7/10 there was a some good staging and dog-work in this one
Story: 6.5/10 it's got a couple logical hiccups in it, but it was well done and I felt the tension building
Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Relationships: 3/5 something of step backwards in Frasier and Martin's relationship progression in favor of highlighting the necessity of Daphne's presence in it
Comedy: 3/5
Drama: 2.5/5
Personal: 6.5/10
Overall: 35/50
Frasier 3x13: Moon Dance
I want to get a couple small points out of the way before tacking the main story of this ep.
-Is this the first time we've ever heard that Martin and Hester ever separated? That seems like information that maybe should have come up before and definitely had chances to.
-I'm partly willing to let Roz's comment about Freddie just finishing the first grade go, it's sort of just a turn of phrase. I'm more perplexed by the idea of Frasier taking Freddie on a week trip in the middle of the school year, in which case it would make more sense if Freddie had just finished first grade and was on break. It has to be winter time since they're having a snow ball, and Roz references Freddie having just been there, presumably for Christmas, so it's probably not all the way the spring break either.
Because this is effectively Frasier without Frasier, there's a lot that feels different about it. Because it can't default to Frasier's perspective, it feels much less bound to one POV. I'd say we're seeing Niles' perspective on events but Martin's perspective on Niles, and I found myself developing a Daphne read that I'll get to in a bit. This is kind of the first time we're seeing Niles' interactions with Martin and Daphne without Frasier around for the scene's gravity to shift back to him. I suspect this is another step (and there have been a few this season) in the writers realizing that while Frasier is the main character, Niles is the one with an actual story, that so often we focus away from because out attention is on Frasier's antics. Martin seems to give better advice when Frasier isn't there to butt in; when Niles takes his advice he does get the initial date and recognizes that he's taking advantage of Daphne's attention, and Martin accurately predicts what would happen if Niles let his guard down.
It's not as if I don't want Frasier around, but he tends to take up a lot of space in a format with limited time for multiple plotlines. I don't even want any of the others to necessarily be the lead, I just want a more ensemble take on the series.
Because I've seen the later part of this series, a lot of the readings I might make now about what happens at the ball, I know aren't true. Daphne is not aware that Niles wasn't acting but is letting him down easy by suggesting they pretend that's all it was (which was more or less what Martin's expectation would suggest). Nor the quite logical reading of this episode that Daphne is just as into Niles as Niles is into her but doesn't realize that he likes her (somehow; though if it were true neither does he) and so for her own sake assumes he was acting a part to impress his crowd so that he doesn't have to explain what happened out there.
Because I feel like there's a scene missing that explains why she would assume he was acting, I can see them having a discussion about putting on a show and leaving people with no doubt that he's not the wounded animal they seem to think; so when he does slip up she assumes he taking the act a step further, that he wants people to think they're really dating, and so she goes along with that idea never even considering the truth. And he would never have dreamed of including that under the idea to give them a show so he still assumes at first that her reaction is genuine and takes a minute to really understand her suggestion that it wasn't. I suppose having a scene like that might have been a bit obvious foreshadowing?
But I also don't know that we're ever supposed to fooled into thinking the show is ready to go there with this relationship. While I can see a reading of this being Daphne's episode of realizing feelings for Niles, consciously or not (she is very keen for them to spend together and go out dancing together), having them on the same page with regard to their feelings would be a big leap at this point in the show with no lead up. And the show is just starting to have any kind of relationship arcs (Daphne dating Joe for multiple episodes, Niles and Maris' marriage troubles), where progressing Niles/Daphne would require a big commitment to a relationship arc.
And for a little diagnosis of Niles' feelings for Daphne, I'm still not sure I'd say he's in love with her. He's smitten with her, he adores her, if she gave any indication that she returned his slightly nebulous feelings he'd fall hard and fast, but I'm not sure that where he is now is love. Of course this a very acorns question that I'm trying to not only decide if an acorn is a tree but whether one that was planted, watered, nourished, and now covered in snow is a tree.
Production: 8,5/10 I'm a little torn, the ballroom set is clearly too small but they some nice camera work for the dances themselves. The acting is tops though
Story: 9/10 I do think it's missing that scene I suggested, though I'm not sure where it would have fitted in
Writing: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5 great Niles and Martin, very good Daphne, very limited Roz
Relationships: 4/5 there will be consequences and reflections on this down the line but definitely not immediately
Comedy: 4/5
Drama: 4.5/5
Personal: 9/10
Overall: 47.5/50
Frasier 3x14: The Show Where Diane Comes Back
I don't know exactly what it says about the difference between young me and old me, but I was aware of a different feeling as I watched it. Back when I saw this initially I would have only had very basic knowledge of Cheers, probably a handful of episodes and what I absorbed through cultural osmosis; and this episode totally worked anyway. It still works wonderfully, but I'm actually more aware of the gaps in my Cheers knowledge than I was back in the day. As much as anything I think it has to do with the fact that I understand Frasier so much better now, so the difference in understanding is more evident.
I'm a little curious what motivated this story idea. Was it something they thought of for a sweeps stunt? Or did these writers feel that the Frasier and Diane relationship had never been resolved with Frasier as the primary focus of the plot? Because while the first raises some questions about how much people were longing for a Diane appearance so many years after she left the franchise; the latter makes the play almost an indictment of the Cheers writers. Frasier was actually a character on the show for much longer than Diane, and yet the show (and I sort of remember this being the case) seemed to care less about Frasier's character arc in this than maintaining Sam and Diane's will-they-won't-they status.
I guess I kind of wish we could have gotten anything from Roz during this story, and more from Daphne wouldn't have hurt, but I understand why it happened with such a prominent guest appearance driving things. Martin gets a few good moments and Niles is a hoot.
Production: 10/10 the closing joke alone demands it, and KG does act the hell out of this one
Story: 8.5/10 I don't really get the feeling of weeks passing even though they say there are
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5 top marks to Frasier and Diane, and maybe Niles, but could have used some input from the rest
Relationships: 3/5
Comedy: 5/5
Drama: 4/5
Personal: 9.5/10
Overall: 49/50
Frasier 3x15: A Word to the Wiseguy
I'd sort of gotten it into my head that I wasn't going to like this one very much; and while I wouldn't use it as a selling point for the show and it wouldn't make any top 10, 20, or maybe 50 lists for the series, it was perfectly acceptable. I'm a little curious how long they will actually keep continuity with Brandy, or how easy it will be to headcanon that she got tired and quit. I sort of feel that I should have more to say about a Niles focused episode like this, but I really don't.
Production: 7/10 no complaints
Story: 6.5/10 all the plot threads worked together will, though I do question if Nervosa would really be open that late and I do think they missed a trick in not seeing Frasier explain the situation to Roz
Writing: 3.5/5 not a lot that stands out, but it uses language well
Characters: 3.5/5
Relationships: 2/5
Comedy: 2.5/5
Drama: 2.5/5
Personal: 6/10
Overall: 33.5/50