The performances are wonderful, but the real stars of the show are the writers. Snappy writing makes Frasier consistently entertaining.
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After basking in the Emmy limelight for its first five seasons and winning just a single award its sixth season (David Hyde Pierce, as Best Supporting Actor), it took guest star Jean Smart (Outstanding Guest Actor) to keep the "Frasier" winning streak going. And that's not to say that the show took a nosedive. On the contrary, "Frasier" is one of a select group of shows, like "The Simpsons" and "Friends," that has remained fairly consistent in the quality of writing and performances over the course of a long and successful run. The seventh season may not have as many classic episodes as earlier seasons, but there isn't a stinker in the bunch.
"Frasier," which stars Kelsey Grammer as radio-show psychiatrist Frasier Crane, has been popular ever since the show spun off of "Cheers," where Grammer occupied a barstool for seven years. But given his own show and the freedom to run with the character, he was really able to explore the lovable pomposity of Dr. Crane—especially playing off of a brother who's equally prissy and high-browed (Pierce) and a father who's an ex-cop and as down-to-Ballantine Ale-earth as it gets (John Mahoney).
The show finished #6 in the Nielsens this season, with the main plotlines concerning Niles and Daphne's attraction for one another, the continued dating desperation of Frasier and his producer, Roz (Peri Gilpin), and Daphne's impending romance and marriage to Donny (Saul Rubinek), who helped Niles with his divorce to the never-seen Maris.
1) "Momma Mia"—Frasier's attraction to a woman seems perfectly normal until he introduces her to the family and their jaws drop: she's a dead-ringer for his mother.
2) "Father of the Bride"—The Crane boys get in sticky situations when Niles phones an escort service thinking it's a matchmaking outfit, and Frasier's offer to pay for Daphne's wedding flowers is mistaken for a generous offer to take care of the whole tab.
3) "Radio Wars"—In the tradition of Bulldog taunting, the station's shock jocks taunt Frasier and put a bounty on him . . . or rather, his behind.
4) "Everyone's a Critic"—Niles riles his brother when he gets a gig as an art critic for a highbrow magazine, and Frasier tries to get an art commentary of his own.
5) "The Dog that Rocks the Cradle"—Bulldog, recently fired from the station, ends up babysitting for Roz . . . and threatening all of her potential suitors.
6) "Rivals"—Paranoia strikes the Cranes once more as Frasier and Niles are convinced that the other wants to steal his new love interest.
7) "A Tsar is Born"—It's Antiques Road Show time, and Martin's embarrassing bear with a clock in his belly turns out to be a Romanoff treasure that sets the boys on a hunt to trace the family's royal pedigree.
8) "The Late Dr. Crane"—When he's reported dead and less-than-flattered by the language, Frasier rethinks the choices he's made in life, while Niles dips into his own past by deciding to ask his ex-wife's plastic surgeon out on a date.
9) "The Apparent Trap"—This clever episode finds Frasier's son playing Cupid and trying to get his father and mother back again . . . or does the little deviate have an ulterior motive?
10) "Back Talk"—When Frasier's back goes out and he's overmedicated, he blabs to Daphne that Niles has the hots for her.
11) "The Fight Before Christmas"—Part 2 of "Back Talk" finds Daphne looking at Niles in a completely different way, while Niles is also looking a completely different way . . . at new flame Mel (Jane Addams).
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