Frasier DVD
Paramount Home Video
Rated: Not Rated
Genre: TV Series
Length: 549 minutes
Director: James Burrows
Year: (1993-1994)
Britt Gillette's Frasier DVD (Season 1) Review
Along with Friends and Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer's Cheers spin-off, Frasier, dominated the prime time television landscape during the 1990's. Grammer plays the role of Dr. Frasier Crane who, fresh off of his divorce from Lilith, moves back to his hometown of Seattle where he lands a gig as a radio psychiatrist. Frasier's father, Marty Crane (John Mahoney), a Seattle cop recently shot in an attempted convenience store robbery is in need of physical therapy. Frasier and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) make an effort to mend their relationship with Marty whose plaid shirts and penchant for sports and beer strikes a dramatic contrast with their wine club, opera house culture. After a little prodding, Marty and his dog Eddie (Moose) move into Frasier's upscale apartment, and Frasier hires Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), a housekeeper and physical therapist to look after the two cranes.
The entirety of the show takes place in mostly three places - Frasier's radio station where he works with show producer Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), Frasier's apartment, and the favorite hangout of Niles and Frasier, Café Nervosa. A witty comedic exploration of the nation's clash of cultures (also illustrated by Frasier's run-ins with sports guy Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe), Frasier stands alone as one of the best-written shows in television history. Not a single episode can be considered a dud.
Below is a synopsis of each episode from the first season…
Episode 1 (The Good Son): Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown of Seattle. Happily settled into his new job as a radio psychiatrist as well as his finely furnished apartment, Frasier is placed in an uncomfortable position when his brother Niles points out that their father Marty can no longer live on his own due the gunshot wound he suffered while serving on the Seattle police force. With great reluctance on the part of both, Marty agrees to move in with Frasier. But Frasier gets more than he bargains for when Daphne Moon (a housekeeper/physical therapist who believes she's psychic) moves in along with Marty's dog Eddie…
Episode 2 (Space Quest): Frasier experiences growing resentment as a result of his father's moving in with him (part of this resentment stems from the placement of Marty's aged, duct-taped recliner in the center of Frasier's finely manicured dwelling space). This episode also witnesses the initial appearance of Frasier's workplace pain, "Bulldog" Briscoe…
Episode 3 (Dinner At Eight): The art & croissants culture of Niles and Frasier clashes with Marty's meat & potatoes reality when the two boys agree to accompany their dad to his favorite restaurant, The Timbermill, totally unaware of the laid-back atmosphere that awaits them. Niles meets Daphne for the first time…
Episode 4 (I Hate Frasier Crane): When newspaper critic Derrick Mann (Joe Montegna) publishes a scathing review of The Frasier Crane Radio Show in his Mann About Town column, Frasier just can't leave well enough alone. He begins a feud with columnist which spirals out of control and results in Derrick Mann calling into Frasier's show and challenging him to a fight…
Episode 5 (Here's Looking At You): Marty uses the telescope on Frasier's balcony to spy on other people's apartment, and the new hobby helps him meet a woman. Frasier tries to set up his father with his friend Irene, but he overanalyzes the situation when Marty rebuffs her…
Episode 6 (The Crucible): Frasier throws a lavish dinner party to unveil his newest possession, one of Martha Paxton's original paintings. But Frasier's celebratory tone turns dire when he learns from the artist herself that the painting is a forgery…
Episode 7 (Call Me Irresponsible): Frasier becomes embroiled in a professional ethical dilemma when he starts dating a woman who's boyfriend he advised on his show to break up with her. When the ex-boyfriend comes back for the woman, Frasier goes out of his way to prevent the reestablishment of their relationship…
Episode 8 (Beloved Infidel): Frasier and Niles learn that their father is meeting secretly with an old family friend from years ago. They remember a fight their parents had shortly before the last time they saw the woman, so they draw the conclusion that Marty had an affair with the woman. But when Niles and Frasier confront Marty, they learn that it was their mother who had an affair with the woman's husband…
Episode 9 (Selling Out): Frasier's Lucifer-like agent, Bebe Glazer, makes her first appearance on the show, convincing Frasier to endorse a product which makes him look like a total nut. When Frasier turns down the project, Dr. Joyce Brothers steps in to take his place - stealing the thunder that could've been Frasier's…
Episode 10 (Oops): After Frasier repeats a rumor he heard that Bulldog was going to be fired, Bulldog charges into the boss's office and disperses every expletive in his vocabulary. The only problem is, the rumor wasn't true, and now Frasier is tasked with doing everything in his power to get Bulldog his job back…
Episode 11 (Death Becomes Him): Frasier is caught off guard when a man his own age suddenly drops dead. The incident prompts Frasier to contemplate his own mortality. He attends the deceased's wake to investigate the true reason the man died at such a young age…
Episode 12 (Miracle On Third Or Fourth Street): When Frasier learns that his son Frederick will not be coming to Seattle for Christmas, he volunteers to work on Christmas Day. Frasier is as depressed as his callers, and he decides to cheer himself by eating dinner at a local diner where patrons make the assumption that he's a homeless man…
Episode 13 (Guess Who's Coming To Breakfast): Frasier gets in deep trouble when he discusses at length a romantic encounter between his father and another woman on his radio show. The awkward situation causes the woman to stop talking to Marty who gives Frasier the cold shoulder…
Episode 14 (Can't Buy Me Love): At Marty's behest, Frasier agrees to participate in a charity bachelor auction along with such notable Seattle sophisticates as "Bulldog". Frasier is purchased by a lingerie model, but she has to cancel their date to attend a late-night shoot, Frasier is tasked with babysitting her nine-year-old daughter. When the daughter tells Frasier ridiculous tales of her mother's abuse, Frasier confronts the woman who points out the flaws in her daughter's lies before telling Frasier they won't be going out…
Episode 15 (You Can't Tell A Crook By His Cover): Marty hosts a poker game with two cops and ex-con, and he bets Frasier he can't tell which one served time. When Daphne agrees to a date with one of the men, Frasier and Niles (thinking he's an ex-con) set out to defend her honor…
Episode 16 (The Show Where Lilith Comes Back): Frasier's ex-wife Lilith visits Seattle under the guise of attending a convention, but Frasier soon discovers that she has returned to seek a reconciliation…
Episode 17 (A Midwinter Night's Dream): In effort to make up for an argument with Maris, Niles decides to treat his wife to a romantic dinner which Daphne offers to prepare. But when a violent storm delays Maris's arrival, Frasier realizes that Daphne and Niles are all alone in his dark mansion and he sets out to avert a disaster…
Episode 18 (And The Whimper Is…): At the urging of his devilish agent Bebe Glazer, Frasier campaigns hard to win a "Seabee," Seattle's biggest award for radio talk show host. However, he regrets his actions when it's revealed that Seattle's most eminent talk show host is retiring at the end of the year…
Episode 19 (Give Him The Chair!): Frasier throws away Marty's favorite chair, trying to rationalize that he's actually helping him. When he realizes the mistake he made, Frasier is forced to search all of Seattle (leading him to a high school drama production) to retrieve the valuable chair…
Episode 20 (Fortysomething): While shopping with father, Frasier flirts with a 22-year-old store clerk, but avoids asking her out because he's afraid he's having a mid-life crisis. He changes his mind, however, and returns to the store to ask out the clerk only to learn that she changed her mind because she was afraid she was only attracted to him as a father figure…
Episode 21 (Travels With Martin): Frasier, Niles, Marty, and Daphne set off on a trip to Mount Rushmore in the family Winnebago. But when Marty takes a wrong turn which lands them in Canada instead, Daphne fears for her future because her work permit doesn't allow her to leave America…
Episode 22 (Author, Author): Frasier and Niles decide to collaborate on a self-help book, but when it comes to actually writing the book, they wrack their brains attempting to write the first sentence. After an all-nighter which accomplishes nothing, the two brothers end up in a wrestling match which brings out all of the suppressed emotions of their sibling rivalry...
Episode 23 (Frasier Crane's Day Off): Out of commission with the flu, brother Niles agrees to fill in for Frasier on his radio show. But when Niles begins to enthrall the audience, Frasier's paranoia leads him to believe a conspiracy is underway to steal his radio show. Despite his sickness, he's absolutely determined to get rid of Niles and get back on the air…
Episode 24 (My Coffee With Niles): Frasier meets Niles at their regular hangout, Café Nervosa, where they discuss the one-year anniversary of Frasier's move to Seattle and recount all of the things that have taken place, including their renewed brotherly bond…
Britt Gillette
Source: The DVD Report, Frasier
(DVD)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Read more Frasier DVD Reviews (MRQE)
Read more Frasier
DVD Reviews (MRI)
Frasier (Season 1)
Frasier (Season 2)
Frasier (Season 3)
Frasier (Season 4)
Frasier (Season 5)
Posted on 22 November 2004