Still more intelligent than most of the sitcoms we see on TV.
11) "Motor Skills"—Frasier and Niles end up becoming very bad students in an automotive class for adult education. One of the weaker episodes in the series has the two Cranes acting like a couple of drop-outs.
12) "The Show Must Go Off"—A great episode finds Frasier and Niles trying to help one of their acting idols, but finding out that he's not as good as they remembered as lads.
13) "Sliding Frasiers"—A strange episode finds Frasier spending Valentine's Day alone . . . and with a good-looking waitress.
14) "Hungry Heart"—Illeana Douglas stars as a woman Frasier dates. Trouble is, she's the wife of the station manager.
15) "Hooping Cranes"—Niles gets to shoot a basket during a Seattle Supersonics game and Frasier is hopping with envy.
16) "Docu.Drama"—John Glenn plays himself in an episode about Roz's space documentary that's all but spoiled when she changes her mind about having Frasier do the narrative voiceover.
17) "It Takes Two to Tangle"—Frasier and Niles schmooze with Martin's latest dating interest because she's loaded and they're hoping she'll contribute to their old prep school.
18) "Forgotten but not Gone"—Niles skews Frasier's chance to get the wine club on his radio show, and that leads to some pretty sour grapes.
19) "Daphne Returns"—Daphne returns from the spa and fingers Niles as the source of her ballooning.
20) "The Wizard and Roz"—Rene Auberjonois returns as Frasier's mentor, whom Frasier catches with his friend and producer.
21) "Semi-Decent Proposal"—Frasier gets in over his head again when he escorts his old prom queen (Jean Smart) in order to impress another woman (Patricia Clarkson).
22) "A Passing Fancy"—Nighttime disturbances put another strain on Niles' and Daphne's relationship.
23) "A Day in May"—Patrick Breen guests as a husband whose wife has left and taken their children, whom Frasier tries to help.
24) "Cranes Go Caribbean"—Everyone packs up for a getaway that has Frasier thinking too much again, this time about his latest relationship.
Video: As with other seasons, the video is decent but not spectacular, presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The way the series was shot, a number of the characters look fun-house mirror fat in some scenes if the picture is stretched to fit a widescreen TV, and it's not just Leeves. But it's nothing too distracting.
Audio: The audio is a functional English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, with a surprising number of Foley sounds and voices coming from the left and right main speakers instead of everything emanating from the center, as is often the case. That's a bit striking at first, but you get used to it fairly quickly and it adds a nice separation of voices.
Extras: There are no extras. But fans are just grateful that the seasons keep coming.
Bottom Line: Season Eight isn't the most memorable that "Frasier" had to offer, but it includes several classic episodes, and its still more intelligent than most of the sitcoms we see on TV. And over 16 years, Kelsey Grammer has emerged as one of the most consistently funny actors that we've had.
12) "The Show Must Go Off"—A great episode finds Frasier and Niles trying to help one of their acting idols, but finding out that he's not as good as they remembered as lads.
13) "Sliding Frasiers"—A strange episode finds Frasier spending Valentine's Day alone . . . and with a good-looking waitress.
14) "Hungry Heart"—Illeana Douglas stars as a woman Frasier dates. Trouble is, she's the wife of the station manager.
15) "Hooping Cranes"—Niles gets to shoot a basket during a Seattle Supersonics game and Frasier is hopping with envy.
16) "Docu.Drama"—John Glenn plays himself in an episode about Roz's space documentary that's all but spoiled when she changes her mind about having Frasier do the narrative voiceover.
17) "It Takes Two to Tangle"—Frasier and Niles schmooze with Martin's latest dating interest because she's loaded and they're hoping she'll contribute to their old prep school.
18) "Forgotten but not Gone"—Niles skews Frasier's chance to get the wine club on his radio show, and that leads to some pretty sour grapes.
19) "Daphne Returns"—Daphne returns from the spa and fingers Niles as the source of her ballooning.
20) "The Wizard and Roz"—Rene Auberjonois returns as Frasier's mentor, whom Frasier catches with his friend and producer.
21) "Semi-Decent Proposal"—Frasier gets in over his head again when he escorts his old prom queen (Jean Smart) in order to impress another woman (Patricia Clarkson).
22) "A Passing Fancy"—Nighttime disturbances put another strain on Niles' and Daphne's relationship.
23) "A Day in May"—Patrick Breen guests as a husband whose wife has left and taken their children, whom Frasier tries to help.
24) "Cranes Go Caribbean"—Everyone packs up for a getaway that has Frasier thinking too much again, this time about his latest relationship.
Video: As with other seasons, the video is decent but not spectacular, presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The way the series was shot, a number of the characters look fun-house mirror fat in some scenes if the picture is stretched to fit a widescreen TV, and it's not just Leeves. But it's nothing too distracting.
Audio: The audio is a functional English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, with a surprising number of Foley sounds and voices coming from the left and right main speakers instead of everything emanating from the center, as is often the case. That's a bit striking at first, but you get used to it fairly quickly and it adds a nice separation of voices.
Extras: There are no extras. But fans are just grateful that the seasons keep coming.
Bottom Line: Season Eight isn't the most memorable that "Frasier" had to offer, but it includes several classic episodes, and its still more intelligent than most of the sitcoms we see on TV. And over 16 years, Kelsey Grammer has emerged as one of the most consistently funny actors that we've had.
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[release]19093[/release]