It may have started life as a hopeful spin-off from 'Cheers', but right from the very first episodes, 'Frasier' proved that it had enough style and substance of its own to become a TV legend. Granted, it went on for a couple of seasons too many, and toward the end was clearly starting to suffer from a lack of fresh ideas, but for the most part this was a hilarious, insightful and often very moving programme that my Friday nights throughout the late 90s just wouldn't have been complete without. After so many years of viewing, Frasier, Niles, Martin, Daphne, Roz and Eddie feel like more than just TV characters - they're like your very own neighbours, or even great friends. Indeed, 'Frasier' worked so well throughout most of its run not just because of the sharp, intelligent scripting, but also due to the sheer depth of its central characters and the ongoing focus on their relationships with each other. The characterisation here was always so rich and meaningful, taking us right from Dr Frasier Crane himself, the highbrow, slightly arrogant but good-natured radio shrink, to his more laidback everyman father Martin (a retired police officer now living with his son), and prissy younger brother Niles, a fellow psychiatrist who fits two slots as both Frasier's best friend and his mortal enemy! A lot of the episodes revolved around their family troubles and clashes of interest, but were handled in a very meticulous way, and the morals always felt smooth and genuine.
Though rarely quite able to see eye-to-eye with each other, you got a good sense over the course of the series that the Crane men were gradually learning to bond and grow closer together, in spite of their differences. And that's one of the aspects of 'Frasier' that roped me in head and shoulders above its other contemporary sitcoms - it was never afraid to mix heart and poignancy with its laugh-out-loud hilarity. Episodes like 'Martin does it his way', 'Our Father whose Art Ain't in Heaven' and 'Roz's Krantz and Gouldenstein are Dead' are classic examples. Daphne Moon, Martin's amiable English physiotherapist, and Roz Doyle, Frasier's sassy producer, were also great characters who added their own unique streaks of humour and personality to the format. Even Maris, a personage who was never seen but talked about at many an ingenious moment, managed to make her mark - it's to the credit of those wily scriptwriters that they could always have you feeling her presence solely on the word-of-mouth of other characters. On the side, any episode featuring Bebe, Frasier's positively demonic agent, can almost guarantee a laugh-riot - she was utterly hilarious, and there was never another semi-regular character quite like her. In terms of acting quality, the central cast was always strong, particularly Kelsey Grammar, at his utmost prime not just in fulfilling the role of our protagonist, but also in singing 'Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs' over the end-credits of every episode (who knew what those words were supposed to mean, but it was a great theme song!
I still catch myself humming it from time to time). I'll also come clean with my unswerving admiration for Moose, the canine performer who rounded off the Crane household in the role of Eddie, Martin's Jack Russell, for most of the series (before retiring and being replaced by his offspring Enzo for the final fifth). Seriously, he's got to be the most talented animal actor since that cat who played Tao in 'The Incredible Journey'. Those various antics of his amounted to a lot more than just a few dumb pet tricks to secure easy 'aww' reactions from the audience - Eddie had easily as much personality as any of the human ensemble, a subtle and canny little dog who's good at getting what he wants and working his way round the no-nonsense Frasier. As you've probably guessed by now, I loved this show and its cast of characters dearly, and was sorry to see it go in 2004, but at the same time I was pretty much aware that it had run its course.
They were starting to rehash older concepts, like Frasier losing Martin's chair, which is always a bad sign. Also, too many OTT British accents from non-British guest actors had a few of us clenching our teeth this side of the Atlantic (Anthony LaPaglia, I'm looking mainly in your direction here!). But I digress, because the general history of this sitcom was just fantastic.
Even if the latter-day episodes were a little weaker than the previous instalments, it's the truly great material that, in the end, really stays with you. And throughout the years there was so, so much of it. Mark my words - this show is all set in time to go down as the classic US sitcom of the 90s.
'Friends' may have gotten the greater media coverage when it left its own building in the same year, but 'Frasier' will always be the superior show. When I first immigrated to Canada I was living in a bachelor apartment which was too small for.well everything. The only entertainment I had was my little TV (small TV for a small apt). This show literally saved me from killing myself.
If it wasn't for this show, I would have probably jumped out the balcony or something. Every time I came home in the evening from a fruitless job search, I would turn on the TV and started watching Frasier 2-3 hours straight.
And all the situations portrayed in the show with an optimistic look on life really helped me a lot. Frasier became my TV psychologist. This is an awesome show with very intelligent dialogs and conversations. The show begins with Frasier moving to Seattle from Boston (this character is originally from Cheers). He takes a job at a radio station as a radio psychologist. He is over-intellectual, over-refined, witty, sarcastic and a little snobby.but in a delightful way.
However, he is still awkward with women, sometimes with his relation with his father and others. After all, he is a human being too. His brother Niles Crane is just like his older brother (maybe a higher IQ, was it 4 points higher??), only more neurotic and probably more insecure with women.
Niles character was initially meant to be just a secondary character but as the show developed, his character became very essential. The situations that arise from his untold love for Daphne (Martin/Frasier's father's physical therapist) are just hilarious. Roz Doyle, Frasier's producer, is another important character who loves men just a little too much. But she is more complicated than just a simple fool-for-men character (wonderfully portrayed by Peri Gilpin). Martin Crane is probably the most rational, most practical of all and it is a wonder how Frasier and Niles fell so far away from the tree in that department.
Daphne Moon, love object of Niles Crane, is a delightful young woman from Manchester, UK who lives in the same house and is practically a member of the Crane family. Although just a dog, Eddie is a very important part of the show. Eddie is so lovable and probably the best company of Martin Crane. There are so many other notable characters, such as Bulldog (a womanizer with sports-dude attitude), Maris, Niles' wife, who doesn't appear in the show at all but the jokes about her are enough to count her in as an essential character, and Frasier's ex-wife and son. Overall, Frasier is an unforgettable comedy sitcom that has been superbly successful for 10 years and received many awards.
And if I am not mistaken, Kelsey Grammar (Frasier) has the record as the actor who portrayed the same character in TV series for more than 20 years (Cheers and Frasier). I own the entire DVD box-set collection and recommend it to everyone who enjoys intelligent comedy. I love this TV show, and I try to watch it as much as possible!
The humor is intelligent unlike some TV shows that have humor that is stupid and immature and predictable. You just have to laugh at all the situations that Niles and Frasier get into that could have been prevented in the first place if they weren't so concerned with appearances, hence the episode when they wanted to see that actor's final stage performance but couldn't because they would not get cancellation tickets! Jane Leeves' Daphne Moon is a wonderful character; she tries to offer words of advice to the Crane family that are sadly ignored most of the time. Martin is funny as the dad who is clueless as to reasons why his sons won't embrace the ordinary life(and I want a chair as comfy as his).
I like how Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce showcase their musical talents on the show(and I can tell that isn't fake piano playing) quite often. Roz is delicious, and you have to laugh at her dysfunctionally romantic life. I enjoy watching Bebe Glazer when she comes on, Lilith is a roll-over when she makes her presence, and of course, Bulldog and his stupid and immature attitude.
Watch this show! You'll get a good laugh!
Rather like Friends and Seinfeld, Frasier is one of those sitcoms of the 90's with mass appeal. While it probably isn't as internationally famous as 'Friends' it is every bit as good as it. Over the years, 'Frasier' has remained a consistently entertaining and ultimately satisfying sitcom. It always has fresh, witty material and hopefully will continue for another few years. The cast all work perfectly together, the overall effect is very good. 'Frasier' is one of the best sitcoms on television today. I was pleased to see the Crane boys rewarded at the Emmys in 2004; a fitting tribute to 11 years of highly entertaining TV, the like of which I personally will miss terribly.
Reading some of the comments on this site prompted me to write that the characters created are all based on the premise that the two experts on life are constantly frustrated by their own shortcomings and are guided, ignorantly, by the other characters, who demonstrate that their own interpretations on how to run their lives supercede the tertiary-educated brothers. I will sorely miss the interactions between all members of the cast and the ability of the show to hit the nail fairly and squarely on the head, when it comes to addressing the vagaries of interfamilial relationships. If you don't get this, you never will and you will never see the funny side of life. I look forward to Australia receiving the most recent episodes, as we are still watching reruns from about 1998!
Whilst a good fan of 'Cheers', I was somewhat surprised when it was announced that the Frasier character was getting s spin-off series. I did not see how this was going to work and had rather low expectations for both the show and how long it would last. A decade later and 'Frasier' turned out to be simply the best TV sitcom ever made. Virtually unique in concept and presentation, there has been hardly a dud episode in the show and the cast has proved to be one of the best ever assembled for any TV show, certainly in the United States.
I doubt that this show will ever be surpassed on mainstream US TV and it would be hard to imagine life without 'Frasier' either on TV or on DVD. Repeated viewings remain as enjoyable as the first time viewing on TV. Simply the very best. Isn't it refreshing for a TV sitcom not to talk down to its audience but to credit the viewer with some intelligence? Frasier is just about the best written sitcom of all time in my opinion. The performances of even the smallest of characters are always of the highest standard. I have watched Frasier episodes over and over again through the years and always find something fresh in them.
Whether it is a line I missed or some small physical movement there is always something to savour and to make me laugh again. I know most of the lines off by heart now, but the delivery of those lines is so perfect that I laugh often more than the first time. How Seinfeld got all the plaudits escapes me when Frasier is far superior in every respect. The writers, cast and crew must be so proud of their achievement in bringing this superlative piece of work to the screen.It is sadly missed - though still to be seen in daytime reruns.And I do watch it over and over. Even the episodes I think were not up to scratch bear watching again and are always better than I remember them. I bought the entire series in a boxed set but have never watched it because ti still appears on British TV. If you do not find it funny you have no sense of humour.
Genius writers and superlative performances make this unmissable. I enjoy watching Seinfeld and Becker more than I enjoy watching Frasier, but Frasier leaves them both behind in genuine sitcom quality.
The cast is brilliant and the writing is absolutely top-notch. The first 5 seasons was probably the best display of American sitcom of all time, if not international sitcom. Unfornunately the show ran out of steam in the final few series when the energy seemed to slip away from both the writing and acting. Frasier is a real comedy lovers comedy. Even though it pokes fun at wine-loving snobs, it's upper-class feel may have kept some from experiencing the show.
While it's not my all-time favourite show, Frasier is undoubtedly the most professional sitcom that I have ever seen. A Small Spoiler follows. Like many others, I am a new 'Fraiser' fan thanks to the local TV stations showing its reruns (twice daily where I'm from!).
Most of the time they air the reruns chronologically, year by year, which is what helped me understand the ongoing plot developments and growth of the characters as well as their mutual relationships. When you see the early shows it is amazing how one-dimensional and 'flat' some of the characters used to be. Daphne, for example, began as comic relief-someone to make fun of with her psychic flashes, family anecdotes, and unusual British speech and habits. Niles was a lot more snobby, self-centered, and even somewhat cruel and nasty. Both of these characters evolved dramatically and have become (for several years now), fully developed and fully dimensional 'people' whom you can identify with despite their little eccentricities. Their romance over the years has been frustrating, embarrassing, tender, emotional, and yes, satisfying.
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I feel that one of their most tender and romantic scenes was the duet in 'First Date'-although, yes, 'Moondance' absolutely swept me off my feet, emotionally speaking. But, in 'First Date' there is an innocence and purity that is definitely absent in 'Moondance'-especially when you consider that Daphne admits to acting her part in 'Moondance'. In 'First Date' she is being sincere and open with her feelings, spontaneity, and reactions. On yes, 'Daphne Hates Sherry' definitely wins for the sexiest scene between them, hands down! My favorite character is Niles, because I feel that he is the funniest of all of them. Also, David Hyde Pierce's gift for physical comedy-anywhere from minor facial expressions to a huge pratfall-remind me of 'I Love Lucy.' Recall 'Three Valentines' a fantastic piece of silent, physical comedy that I have never seen before or since, especially on TV sitcoms.
'Frasier' takes chances and mixes things up wonderfully. There was an Valentine's episode a few years ago that was a la 'Sliding Doors' that was unbelievably fantastic!! My favorites by far are the situation episodes: 'The Two Mrs. Cranes', 'The Ski Lodge'-#1 for me, 'Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz', the one where Martin pretends to be gay, 'The Innkeepers', 'The Seal that Came to Dinner', etc.
Although Niles is my favorite character, the heart of 'Frasier' is Dr. Frasier Crane, whom despite his failures and shortcomings, is really everyman in his frustrations, hopes, dreams, and failures to 'fit in' with the beautiful people and popular opinion. Kelsey Grammer portrays him so human and touching that you truly sympathize and feel his triumphs, pain, embarrassments, warmth, lovingness, and failures. A great show!! The BEST on TV presently, and in the past, one of the top 5 of all time!!! Thanks for the reruns!! This is one of the funniest shows on tv.
Kelsey, David and the rest work so well together and are very funny. No wonder it's won the emmy for best comedy all those years in a row.
I can't believe Ally McBeal beat it out this year. I don't think that show is half as funny as Frasier.
What makes it even better is that the show has Peri Gilpin who is the daughter of the great Jim O'Brien who was a newscaster/weatherman for Philly news. I see where she gets her talent! Anyway Frasier is a great show that anyone would enjoy!
That being said it's all a matter of opinion, of course, & I also think Seinfeld is a fine show, but for me nothing can touch Frasier. Both Seinfeld & Friends were more popular shows in that decade, ratings wise, but come awards season they probably dreaded having to go up against this marvel.
Not that that alone makes Frasier better in my eyes. I don't even necessarily think it should have won 5 consecutive best comedy Emmy's (the love could have been spread around)but the acting & writing made me keep tuning in without fail. I loved Grammar on Cheers & when I heard Frasier Crane would get his own spin off I was ecstatic, if also a bit worried.
I was afraid they would water the character down somehow, or that as good as Grammar was on Cheers he couldn't be a lead - how I love to be wrong! Grammar could not only be a lead, I would easily rank him as one of the best actor's of the '90's (drama or comedy). The other masterstroke was to have such a talented ensemble surround him. The brilliant timing & chemistry between them all was evident from the 1st episode.
Speaking of that, watch just the first episode of the series again if you think I'm overdoing it a bit.I watch a lot of comedies & I don't know of another that from episode 1 hit the ground running in such a tremendous way. Not even great comedies like MTM, MASH, Taxi, or Seinfeld grabbed you in such a way to make you think you were watching greatness happen. From the performances to the writing (watch how they made Frasier's backstory clear, to why he was now in Seattle, to his less than harmonious relationship with his father & brother)to just being plain funny & heartfelt (the argument Frasier has with Martin, his dad, that could have damaged thing's between them permanently to the wonderful way Martin apologizes). A few last words - the other thing the producers of this show did brilliantly was cast David Hyde Pierce. His Niles simply is one of the best creations ever, right up there with Ed Asner's Lou Grant & Danny Devito's Louie DePalma. Although I said they could spread the love around a bit with the best comedy series Emmy, I actually would have been OK with DHP winning not just 4 awards as best supp. Actor, but 11 of them, 1 every year.
He is that good that there is at least 1 episode in every season that is Emmy worthy. I was sad to this fine program go, but I own all 11 seasons on DVD & randomly stick a disc in to watch when I need a boost or just to witness fine comedy of the like I'm afraid may not get made again. Mainly it is a great show thanks to the cast. Everyone in the show does a good job. The thing that has made the show work from the beginning is the interplay between the characters. The two brothers, Niles and Frasier who are opera loving cultured type people, and their dad the sports loving everyman is great. Also, I can sort of relate to some of the characters as well.
I am a sports fan who doesn't go into all that fancy stuff, but like Frasier I have trouble with women. The show rarely has episodes I don't care for, and I usually get a good laugh during every show. I have taped almost every episode from TV as well. Hopefully, this show will keep going for a long time, but I am afraid it is nearing the end. What can I add to the many positive reviews here of the Frasier series? I would watch 'Cheers' if I happened to be at home when it was shown, but it was never a priority in my life, although I did think it was among the best TV sitcoms.
However, since being introduced to Frasier a decade ago I find it still, after many many viewings, a 'must see'. One of the most interesting aspects of the series is watching the way the writers and actors round out the characters. The very first episodes, where Frasier and Niles argue about who is to get the booby prize and therefore have Martin move in, are amusing. Martin himself starts out as a really cantankerous man, Daphne is introduced as a whacky Mancunian (but without a genuine Mancunian accent)and the initial impression is of a new sitcom trying to find a theme and not really succeeding. However, when you get to see these early episodes again and again, you can see the way the parts quickly meld into the whole, the individuals start to interact and everything lifts off into almost certainly the best sitcom ever written. The mainstay characters Frasier, Martin, Niles, Daphne, Ros, Maris and Eddie become real people, so that part of the joy of watching them and their development is the frisson you get when you know how they will react to some situation, and that almost tangible interaction this creates between the writers and the TV audience.
Some characters are written out - Chopper Dave is an example - and some become casual appearances like Bebe, but all have believable and recognisable behaviours. The casual viewer may well miss many of the asides, the running gags and the double meanings of many of the inserted titles, but this makes it all the more enjoyable for the addicted. There has never been a series so well written, constructed and acted in the history of TV comedy, in my opinion. The setting-it-all-up episodes (probably the first three or four) are at times a little uncomfortable but then the characters have become fully rounded and taken on a life of their own and the series becomes self-sustaining. The apogee probably occurs in the second third: when the unrequited love affair between Niles and the uncomprehending Daphne comes out into the open one of the mainstays of the comedic tension is diminished, and something is lost. However the scripts do then go on to explore other aspects of the Crane mindset, albeit perhaps a little less effectively. Frasier is sometimes compared with Seinfeld.
I cannot watch the latter, which to me epitomises some of the worst aspects of American sitcom shows: the one-liners, the bongy-bongy-BONG musical underlining of each crack as if to tell the canned laughter machine 'this is where you laugh'. Frasier is outstanding, and I can watch each one time and time again. Can you say that about many shows? I started watching it around 2010 when someone suggested it. I had finished other popular Sitcoms like Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Friends and How I Met your Mother and wanted to watch something new. I was hooked after watching couple of episodes and loved the characters.
The sarcasm is really great. The way the intellectual Crane boys interact with regular characters (Daphne, Martin and Roz) is awesome. The other characters specially Eddie and Bulldog also leave a strong impression. Re-watching again in 2017. 'Frasier' is the only sitcom on broadcast television I make a point to watch every week, including reruns. It's amazing how, even after 8 seasons and 200+ episodes, the show maintains such a high standard.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or more appropriately, perhaps, a psychiatrist) to understand why: a simple, plausible concept, interesting characters, an outstanding ensemble cast, and smart, funny writers who seem to understand that TV viewers aren't necessarily idiots. Not every episode is a home run, of course, but the cast (especially Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde-Pierce) can make even a mediocre script funny and witty. And Niles' pursuit of the lovely Daphne has got to be one of the most amusing (and touching) romances in TV history. My favorite episodes? Frasier's typically ham-handed attempt to produce a radio mystery play for Halloween, and 'Moondance', with Niles and Daphne dancing the tango, and Niles having his Quixotic attempt to win the heart of Daphne crushed once again. When it is finally put to rest, 'Frasier' should easily join the list of the best TV sitcoms of all time. Small Spoiler!
I like Frasier, i always have and it's always annoyed me that people won't give it a chance because they think it's high-brow and pretentious. First of all the entire concept of the show is based on a long-standing character out of Cheers, i'm sure everyone would agree that even Friends could seem snobby compared to such an every-man sitcom so how can it be so that Frasier is only for 'intellectual' people? So with that in mind let me dispel some misconceptions about Frasier: It is not snobby or difficult to get into, if you see a random episode with Niles and Frasier talking psychobabble in Armani suits while sipping latte's in a posh coffee shop then i can see why you'd think that. But Frasier is a sitcom that rewards commitment, I've had friends who've hated frasier even though they've only seen little bits, i've sat them down and shown them a few choice episodes and they've completely fallen in love with it and borrowed the DVD's. But back to the coffee suppin' snobs, the recurrent theme of the programme is how utterly ridiculous Niles and Frasier actually are, they live ludicrous lifestyles where they consider themselves to be better than everyone else because they appreciate the 'finer things' in life.
Were it not for the excellent writing and brilliant actors then these 2 would be detestable human beings, but as it is you see them as a source of pity rather than arrogant idiots, they were heavily bullied at school and have both had ridiculously trying marriages with women who made them feel inadequate, not to mention the fact the brothers are insanely competetive with each other. The whole premise of the show isn't 2 people discussing Freud's theories in a coffee shop, Frasier's down to earth ex-policeman father martin got shot and is now unable to live on his own, he and his dog and his hideous green chair have to move in with Frasier, this is the tempo for the first few seasons, frasier and martin and martin's English healthcare worker Daphne Moon. Frasier usually being the aggressor in arguments and constantly being the one who's unreasonable, all the while doling out advice on tolerance and forgiveness at his job at a radio station (the show's longest recurring theme, Frasier being someone who believes himself to be very self aware but in actual fact he's a massive hipocrite) all the while usually being mocked by his free wheeling producer Roz Doyle who thinks that Frasier has no fun.
The comedy comes thick and fast at home too with Martin and Daphne pointing out Frasier's ludicrous habits and pretentous tendencies while they all try to get along under the same roof. Then there's the 7 series long run of Niles being in love with Daphne and her being miraculously unaware even though his behaviour around her is incredibly goofy and/or flirtatious.
It is true that Frasier and Niles pull every little problem to pieces with intense over-analysis, but far from being boring this just emphasizes the fact that these 2 couldn't possibly exist outside of their perfect little worlds. Not once does the programme take itself too seriously, it's often incredibly touching when Martin and Frasier connect over something as they are 2 radically different people that occasionally ponder if they are even blood related because fraiser and niles are nothing like him but much more like their dead mother, but you are never led to believe that Frasier and Martin don't love each other and Frasier often tells his father that he respects him more than anyone else he's ever met and that his father's integrity has made him the man he is today. As the seasons go on you see Niles and Frasier trying to better theirselves and be less pretentious, everything from fatherhood to relationships gets a look-in through all 11 seasons and Frasier's capacity to sabotage his own relationships is surely second to none. To sum it up i'd say that Frasier is, funny, touching, clever and rewarding, but if you don't understand the premise then you will not enjoy it. Frasier's writers and actors proved that a show can be written intelligently, even too intelligently, and still come off hilariously witty and relatable.
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Frasier, along with Seinfeld and The Golden Girls is one of the best written comedies of all time. Although not present initially, it only took a few episodes for the chemistry between smarty-pants Frasier (Kelsey Grammar) and his on-screen brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) to develop. What ensued was some of the nerdiest and funniest high-brow dialogue ever performed. Combine that with the painfully delayed romance of Niles and Daphne (Jane Leeves), and you get great entertainment.
Frasier has a witty, ironic, heart-warming and occasionally self-deprecating humour. Kelsey Grammar's portrayal of the generous, bordering on vain Frasier Crane is brilliant and it is always funny when his gleefully executed pretensions are shot down by the other characters, especially his father and Roz. I think that the humour of the show would be non-existent without well thought out dialogue exchanges between each character. Each character has a depth to them so that you never feel like they're just present within the show as merely a form of comic relief. That said, there are some hilarious side characters, such as Bebe Glazer, who add a little anarchy to the social dynamic of the show and serve to test Frasier's character. As a result, you have a show strikes a very good and thoughtful balance between comedy, drama and the always interesting and emotive character development throughout the show. For example, Frasier's relationship between his father, Niles and Daphne, Frasier and Roz, Frasier and Niles and so on.
All these characters and the way they interact are very thoughtfully written and the comedy never feels contrived. They just bounce off and the way they react to one another forms the perfect chemistry for comedy and drama that any good show needs. The character of Frasier is complex. He is a romantic who often over-analyses the relationships he's in, only to get disappointed when things don't work out as he had idealised (something I think is quite common). Although he often helps others, he does so because he craves attention from others.
At his worst, he comes off as snobby and self-absorbed, particularly in the beginning of the show. At his best, he is very giving. I think that the other characters that come into his life brings the latter out in him and softens the self-absorbed side of his personality, making him a better person throughout the show. This character dynamic is similar to the way his brother Nile's character develops throughout the series, as well as their father. As a result, the show is very much centred on people, on the importance of family, friends and helping others. I think the show does a stellar job at demonstrating that it is worth confronting and overcoming the many challenges that emerge out of forming relationships with people.
If you are ever a bit miserable you can guarantee that Frasier's cast of characters will provide you with some much needed mirth, entertainment and maybe restore a little bit of faith in your fellow human. I hate to admit this but I binge-watched the entire series this month! While it was 11 seasons long, mercifully, the episodes were short, so you can watch about 3 episodes an hour. I originally watched the character, Frasier on Cheers and found him to be an insufferable snob. Only Lillith made him tolerable.
Neuwirth was so good in that role. Glad they brought her back to guest star in this series.
But because this series lasted 11 seasons I figured it had to be good to last this long. I was glad I took the time to watch this. It is a well-written and well-produced sitcom with a nice blend of characters that counter-balanced one another.
Frasier continues to be a snob, but he meets his match with his brother, Niles, who is a much nicer person but just as snobby as Frasier. Their father, Martin, is the stablizing factor in the rivaling siblings.
It's so incredible for such a down-to-earth man to have these 2 sons, but many working-class parents can identify with him when they have college-educated children who all of a sudden act like they are too good and too smart to hang with their parents. Daphne adds a nice comedic touch who offers a more refined perspective but is never accepted as an equal until she marries Niles. And, finally, Roz, who is my favorite character, adds the touch of reality the boys need to be somewhat likable. The ending was good.
This is a series worth catching. This spin off of Cheers was equally high quality and worth watching for 11 years. It sadly got overshadowed by the network's sister show, 'Friends,' whose popularity surpassed this show. This show is smart and funny with a first rate cast. David Hyde Pierce is equally funny and brilliant to Kelsey Grammar's Frasier. Pierce plays his younger psychiatrist brother and fellow snob, Dr Niles Crane. John Mahony is brilliant and perfectly cast Martin Crane, their retired policeman's father, who lives reluctantly with Frasier.
He brings Eddie, his pet dog along too. Jane Leeves is cast as Daphne Moon, Martin's therapist, and Peri Gilpin is perfectly cast as Roz Doyle, Frasier's radio producer.
With celebrity guest callers and recurring roles of Gil Chesterton and Bulldog too! This show was high quality in writing and acting too! This show is worth seeing daily!
Seinfeld virtually defined an era and appears on countless lists as one of the. In fact, the show even served as the inspiration — or was 'ripped off,' as some would say — for another legendary primetime series (but more on that later.) After airing for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998, it's nearly impossible not to have heard of the classic sitcom or its star, stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld. He's found more recent success with his online series, but how much do you really know about this guy? This is the untold truth of Jerry Seinfeld.
During his early days as a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld took odd jobs to pay the rent. In some cases, those jobs became an excuse to try out new material, like the time he sold light bulbs over the phone with his friend Mike Costanza (whose last name would become a on Seinfeld.)'We would come up with scripts to sell the most light bulbs,' Costanza told the. 'We called down South. 'This is Mike Davis. You remember me? The handicapped veteran?
You ordered two cases of bulbs from me?' And I would drop the phone and knock it around. 'You know, it's hard to get used to these hooks.' Jerry and I would be on the floor.
And we would sell two to three cases.' Seinfeld later found himself waiting tables, but according to the Daily News, he quit after landing a job emceeing at the Comic Strip two nights a week. He remembers heading home to tell his parents the good news. 'I remember standing on the platform of the Long Island Rail Road in Massapequa,' he said. 'That was the highest moment of my career. I was a comedian. I had made it.'
In a 2007 interview with, Seinfeld revealed that he studied Scientology during his early years as a comic, and he apparently loved it, despite never becoming an active member of the church like Tom Cruise and John Travolta.' I actually got to it from my auto mechanics teacher in high school, who was into it, and he was telling me about it,' Seinfeld said. 'In my early years of stand-up, it was very helpful. I took a couple of courses. One of them was in communication, and I learned some things about communication that really got my act going.' 'They have a lot of very good technology,' he added.
'That's what really appealed to me about it. It's not faith-based.
It's all technology. And I'm obsessed with technology.' When Seinfeld first tried acting, he ended up fired from the sitcom Benson after just three episodes. According to, the humiliating incident only encouraged him to work harder on his stand-up act, which eventually caught the eye of a Tonight Show scout.
From there, Seinfeld became part of the NBC roster, teaming up with fellow comic Larry David to create what began as. Can you believe the show almost dropped off the air after only one season?' In the history of pilot reports, Seinfeld has got to be one of the worst of all time. I have it next to my desk; it says overall evaluation 'weak,' former NBC President of Entertainment Warren Littlefield told. 'The audience did not like the show and that scared us, but we did manage to find money to film four episodes to hold the show intact by making one less two-hour Bob Hope special, and it did ok.
It was against repeat competition in the summer and then we just took a deep breath and ordered 13 more.' Those 13 episodes didn't go well either, but NBC could tell they had something special and continued to gamble on the show. 'We put it up against Home Improvement and it got slaughtered, but we still really liked what they were doing,' said Littlefield. 'It made us laugh, so we stuck with it and ultimately that reward was enormous.' During his stand-up career, Seinfeld dated comedian and writer Carol Leifer, and the two remained close friends even after they broke up. If that scenario sounds familiar, that's because it's exactly like the relationship between Jerry and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on Seinfeld.
Though Leifer is generally believed to be Elaine's true inspiration, she won't go so far as to confirm it.' Well, you'd probably have to ask Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David,' she told. 'People make that connection because I dated Jerry many years ago and we have stayed friends all these years. So I think when they were thinking about characters for the show it always makes it interesting when you have a friend who you've dated before. It kind of makes it more of an interesting relationship, so that's why people make the connection.'
It's also worth mentioning that Leifer won four Emmy Awards writing for Seinfeld, which only adds to the evidence of just how deeply connected she is to the characters. Part of what makes Seinfeld a comedy classic is that Seinfeld and David were not afraid to admit when a joke or premise was falling flat. During a, Seinfeld admitted to stopping an episode in the middle of filming because even their best writers couldn't make a certain subject work.'
There was one episode where Jerry bought a handgun.' Seinfeld wrote. 'And we started making it and stopped in the middle and said 'this doesn't work.' We did the read-through and then cancelled it.
A lot of other stuff happened, but trying to make that funny ended up being no fun.' During the fourth season of Seinfeld, there's a meta plotline about Jerry and George pitching a sitcom to NBC called Jerry that they describe as a 'show about nothing.'
While the plotline was an obvious joke about the behind-the-scenes mechanizations of making a network sitcom, many people felt it was a direct commentary about the show itself. Seinfeld soon became known as the 'show about nothing,' and Seinfeld apparently wasn't thrilled with that description.Calling Seinfeld a 'show about nothing' is 'nonsense,' he told. 'That was made up by the press.' He likened the show's 'crispness and precision' to the The Abbott and Costello Show (1952-57) and described a self-imposed rule on his series: 'No hugging.
No learning.' He added, 'Nobody wants to learn from a comedy. Learn somewhere else.' By the time Seinfeld began its ninth season in 1997, David had stepped down as showrunner and Seinfeld was in full creative control of the series, but the star of the show dropped a bombshell just a few months into that season by announcing that Seinfeld would. Even more surprising was the fact that Seinfeld turned down a ridiculous amount of money by declining a Season 10.'
Over $100 million. We offered him $5 million an episode,' former NBC executive Littlefield told.
'We didn't mess around. What we put on the table was unheard of.
We went in there with a staggering sum and there was tremendous confidence that no one could walk away from it. He came to me and said, 'I don't have a life, I'm not married, I don't have kids.' We gave it everything we had, he was tempted, but in the end it was a quality of life decision.' Seinfeld wasn't exactly strapped for cash, either. According to, he earned $267 million in 1999 alone thanks, in part, to Seinfeld going into syndication.
But following Seinfeld, he did get started working on his personal life, and let's just say it really needed some help. In 1993, a then 38-year-old Seinfeld raised eyebrows after he was romantically linked to 17-year-old Shoshanna Lonstein after meeting her at Central Park while she was still a high school senior. It was pretty shady, and the comedian was noticeably flustered when pressed about the relationship by Howard Stern.' I didn't realize she was so young,' Seinfeld told the shock jock, according to.
'This is the only girl I ever went out with who was that young. I wasn't dating her.
We just went to a restaurant, and that was it.' However, People noted that wasn't just it; Seinfeld was often spotted at George Washington University where a then 18-year-old Lonstein was attending college.
She even took weekend trips to Los Angeles with him and was introduced to the comedian's friends. 'I think it's serious between them,' said pal George Wallace. 'She's beautiful and mature. She's good for him.'
They reportedly dated four years, and Seinfeld is rumored to have at one point.His next attempt at marriage would be more successful, yet not without its own brand of controversy. Shortly after breaking up with Lonstein, Seinfeld met Jessica Sklar in 1998, and the two immediately formed a connection. There was just one small problem. She was a newlywed! According to, Sklar had walked down the aisle about a month prior with a guy named Eric Nederlander and just returned from a 3-week honeymoon in Italy. But that didn't stop Seinfeld and Sklar from forging ahead and getting engaged in 1999.
You can guess how all of this went over with her ex-husband.' Jerry and Jessica have no respect for decent values,' Nederlander told the. 'They deserve each other. I'm going on with my life.'
Ironically, Seinfeld's friends told the Post that the comedian loves the bachelor life, and they had doubts about the engagement. However, Seinfeld and Sklar are still happily married with three children. In fact, their only scandal (besides this how-they-met story) was over allegedly stealing recipes. In 2007, Jessica Seinfeld published Deceptively Delicious, a cookbook about how to hide vegetables in your children's food to help them eat healthier.
However, earlier that year, Missy Chase Lapine published a very similar cookbook called The Sneaky Chef, and she decided to sue Jessica for plagiarism.Jerry reportedly made the situation worse when he defended his wife on the Late Show with David Letterman. 'One of the fun facts of celebrity life is wackos will wait in the woodwork to pop out at certain moments of your life to inject a little adrenaline into your life experience,” he told Letterman (via ). 'My wife never saw the book, read the book, used the bookBut the books came out at the same time. So this woman says, 'I sense this could be my wacko moment.' 'Lapine then sued Seinfeld for libel. Both of her lawsuits against the Seinfelds were eventually tossed out of court.
Turns out you can't copyright sneaking vegetables into your children's foods, and Jerry's jokes were protected under the First Amendment. After conquering network TV with his hit sitcom, Seinfeld turned his attention to the web and launched the online series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee in 2013, but it wasn't easy.
According to, despite his fame and showbiz success, Seinfeld was repeatedly told by social media and content experts that people won't watch web videos that are longer than five minutes. He even got shot down by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who opted not to sponsor the show. Fortunately, Acura stepped in and let Seinfeld have full creative control of the series, which not only became a hit for Crackle, but was nominated for two Primetime Emmy awards.However, things got dicey when audiences noticed that the majority of Seinfeld's guests were white male comedians. He didn't exactly take the criticism well. 'Funny is the world that I live in. You're funny, I'm interested. You're not funny, I'm not interested.
I have no interest in gender or race or anything like that.' Despite bristling at the criticism, Seinfeld did to feature a more diverse selection of comedians.
Still, he landed in hot water again after sending out an unfortunate to promote Lewis Black's appearance on the series. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Black's life matters.' Needless to say, that did, but Seinfeld never offered an apology nor did he delete the tweet.
During an interview on NBC News, Seinfeld became embroiled in controversy yet again after self-diagnosing himself with autism. 'I think on a very drawn-out scale, I think I'm on the spectrum,'. 'Basic social engagement is really a struggle.' Parents of autistic children called the comedian's comments a 'slap in the face,' according to. Seinfeld quickly walked back his remarks in an interview with. 'I don't have autism.
I'm not on the spectrum,' he told Billy Bush (via.) 'I just was watching this play about it and thought, 'Why am I relating to it?' I related to it on some level.
That's all I was saying.' It's no secret that Bill Cosby had a huge impact on Seinfeld's career. In the 2002 documentary Comedian, Seinfeld and Chris Rock both, who makes an appearance in the film. During his, Seinfeld even admitted that he wore white sneakers because of the elder comedian. So it's no surprise that Seinfeld hedged his reactions when allegations of Cosby sexually assaulting women started piling up. 'It's sad, and incomprehensible,' is all Seinfeld would say to in 2014.While Seinfeld remained quiet in public about the growing scandal, his actions behind the scenes spoke louder than words. In July 2015, Seinfeld had a blurb about 'idolizing' Cosby pulled from Mark Whitaker's biography, Cosby: His Life and Times, after learning that it was being used in promotional materials and on Amazon.
'We were unaware that those quotes were still in circulation, and are asking the publisher to refrain from their future use,' Seinfeld's rep told. It was the most significant stance Seinfeld took to distance himself from his idol. When Friends debuted in 1994, some critics noticed striking similarities to Seinfeld. The Houston Chronicle's Ann Hodges even dubbed it '.' Initially, Seinfeld bit his lip as the two shows became ratings juggernauts as part of NBC's 'Must See TV,' but in 2003, he that he felt Friends was a Seinfeld rip-off. Seinfeld didn't broach the subject again until appearing on 'Awards Chatter' podcast in 2016, where he once again mentioned the similarities, but this time, with some signature Seinfeld humor.
'We thought, 'They wanna do our show with better-looking people. That's what they're doing here.'
' he told the podcast. 'And we thought, 'That should work.' 'NBC actually suggested a crossover episode between the shows, but Seinfeld showrunner Larry David put his foot down.
'Larry immediately said, 'No way are we doing that,' former Seinfeld writer Peter Mehlman told. 'And I said to Larry, 'You know what would be good, though, if we just tell NBC we will do the crossover but in our show Ross would die.' I think Larry's arm twitched towards the phone. We had a big laugh about it.'
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