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In the television series ''Cheers'', Frasier is married to [[Lilith Sternin]] ([[Bebe Neuwirth]]), with whom he has a son, Frederick, and resides in [[Boston]]. For the series ''Frasier'', he moves back to his birthplace [[Seattle]] after his divorce from Lilith, who retained custody of Frederick in Boston. In Seattle, Frasier is reunited with a newly-created family: his estranged father [[Martin Crane|Martin]] and brother [[Niles Crane|Niles]]. |
In the television series ''Cheers'', Frasier is married to [[Lilith Sternin]] ([[Bebe Neuwirth]]), with whom he has a son, Frederick, and resides in [[Boston]]. For the series ''Frasier'', he moves back to his birthplace [[Seattle]] after his divorce from Lilith, who retained custody of Frederick in Boston. In Seattle, Frasier is reunited with a newly-created family: his estranged father [[Martin Crane|Martin]] and brother [[Niles Crane|Niles]]. |
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== |
== Concept and development == |
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Frasier Crane is a licensed [[psychiatrist]] who is, as Kelsey Grammer described, "flawed, silly, pompous, and full of himself, [yet] kind [and] vulnerable".<ref name="Gates 4">Gates, Anita. [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?pagewanted=4&src=pm p. 4].</ref> He is "a [[child prodigy]]", theatre enthusiast, and "frequent target for [[bullies]]".<ref name="june berman">Berman, June. "[http://www.flavorwire.com/228678/tvs-most-memorable-shrinks TV’s Most Memorable Shrinks: Frasier Crane, Cheers and Frasier]." ''FlavorWire.com'' 8 November 2011. Web. 20 May 2012.</ref> He earned his undergraduate degree in [[Harvard University]] and a graduate degree in [[Harvard Medical School]].<ref name=harvard>"The Ready-for-Primetime Facebook." ''[[The Harvard Crimson]]'' 17 October 2003. Web. 20 May 2012 [http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/10/17/the-ready-for-primetime-facebook-the-arrival-of/]. According to the spinoff ''Frasier'', he [http://www.frasieronline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5977 attended] [[Oxford University]]. However, whether he earned a degree there is unknown.</ref> According to Peter Casey, a writer on ''[[Cheers]]'' and co-creator of ''[[Frasier]]'' with [[David Lee (screenwriter)|David Lee]] and [[David Angell]], Frasier has depths within the last three years of ''Cheers'' (1990–1993): he is "very complicated, very intelligent, but also very insecure". He "supposedly [has] all the answers" for others, but not for himself.<ref name=caseyinterview>Levin, Gary. "[http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-05-12-frasier-origins_x.htm So how did 'Frasier' come about?]" ''[[USA Today]]'' 12 May 2004. Web. 20 May 2012.</ref> |
Frasier Crane is a licensed [[psychiatrist]] who is, as Kelsey Grammer described, "flawed, silly, pompous, and full of himself, [yet] kind [and] vulnerable".<ref name="Gates 4">Gates, Anita. [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?pagewanted=4&src=pm p. 4].</ref> He is "a [[child prodigy]]", theatre enthusiast, and "frequent target for [[bullies]]".<ref name="june berman">Berman, June. "[http://www.flavorwire.com/228678/tvs-most-memorable-shrinks TV’s Most Memorable Shrinks: Frasier Crane, Cheers and Frasier]." ''FlavorWire.com'' 8 November 2011. Web. 20 May 2012.</ref> He earned his undergraduate degree in [[Harvard University]] and a graduate degree in [[Harvard Medical School]].<ref name=harvard>"The Ready-for-Primetime Facebook." ''[[The Harvard Crimson]]'' 17 October 2003. Web. 20 May 2012 [http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/10/17/the-ready-for-primetime-facebook-the-arrival-of/]. According to the spinoff ''Frasier'', he [http://www.frasieronline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5977 attended] [[Oxford University]]. However, whether he earned a degree there is unknown.</ref> According to Peter Casey, a writer on ''[[Cheers]]'' and co-creator of ''[[Frasier]]'' with [[David Lee (screenwriter)|David Lee]] and [[David Angell]], Frasier has depths within the last three years of ''Cheers'' (1990–1993): he is "very complicated, very intelligent, but also very insecure". He "supposedly [has] all the answers" for others, but not for himself.<ref name=caseyinterview>Levin, Gary. "[http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-05-12-frasier-origins_x.htm So how did 'Frasier' come about?]" ''[[USA Today]]'' 12 May 2004. Web. 20 May 2012.</ref> |
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[[File:Kelsey Grammer - Cropped.jpg|left|thumb| |
[[File:Kelsey Grammer - Cropped.jpg|left|thumb|110px|[[Kelsey Grammer]], portrayer of Frasier Crane since 1984]] |
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⚫ | The character of Frasier Crane was created in the third season of ''Cheers'' (1984–1985) by series creators [[Glen and Les Charles]] as [[Diane Chambers]]'s ([[Shelley Long]]) "romantic and intellectual ideal" following her breakup with [[Sam Malone]] ([[Ted Danson]]). Frasier Crane was considered Sam Malone's rival and opposite and part of the love triangle, "a different form to the [[Sam and Diane|Sam-Diane relationship]]", said Glen Charles.<ref name=triangle>"[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4rdPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iwYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2783%2C1374175 `Cheers' Sam Gets a Rival]." ''[[Ocala Star-Banner]]: TV Week'' [Ocala, FL] 18 August 1984: 19. ''Google News''. Web. 31 March 2012.</ref><ref name="Gates 3"/> The show's writers saw the character as "the role [[Ralph Bellamy]] used to play in [[Cary Grant]] movies — the guy the lady falls in love with, but is not real. You just know he doesn't have the sexual dynamism Grant does."<ref name="gqraftery201210">{{cite news | url=http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201210/cheers-oral-history-extended?printable=true | title=The Best TV Show That's Ever Been | work=GQ | date=October 2012 | accessdate=September 27, 2012 | author=Raftery, Brian}}</ref> [[John Lithgow]] was originally chosen by ''Cheers'' producers for the role, but turned it down.<ref name=stpaul>"`Frasier' Says `Goodnight, Seattle' for Good." ''[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]'' [St. Paul, MN] 13 May 2004: E1. Web. 06 April 2012.{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=njcom>Filichia, Peter. "[http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2010/04/john_lithgow_to_appear_at_mcca.html John Lithgow to appear at McCarter Theatre]." NJ.com 05 April 2010. Web. 06 April 2012.</ref><ref name=CBSnews>Neal, Rome. "[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500185_162-539348.html 'Frasier' Meets 'Becker']." ''[[CBS News]]'' 11 February 2009. Web. 06 April 2012.</ref> Grammer believed that he had failed the audition because no one laughed, but was chosen because of the quality of his performance with Danson.{{r|gqraftery201210}} Frasier was supposed to only appear on a few episodes before Diane left him, but Grammer's performance was praised by series executives, leading to an extended role in the series.<ref name="Gates 3"/><ref name=duped>{{cite web|title=One more question...|url=http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2008/06/one-more-question.html|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 19, 2012, at ''[[Blogspot]]''|author=Levine, Ken|authorlink=Ken Levine (TV personality)|deadurl=no|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkenlevine.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fone-more-question.html&date=2012-07-18|work=...by Ken Levine|archivedate=July 19, 2012, by ''[[Webcite]]''}}</ref> His character was not universally popular, however, for coming between Sam and Diane; a fan approached Grammer asking "Are you that pin dick that plays Frasier?", and the show received [[fan mail]] denouncing Grammer.{{r|gqraftery201210}} |
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The character of Frasier Crane was created in the third season of ''Cheers'' (1984–1985) by series creators [[Glen and Les Charles]] as [[Diane Chambers]]'s ([[Shelley Long]]) "romantic and intellectual ideal" following her breakup with [[Sam Malone]] ([[Ted Danson]]). Frasier Crane was considered Sam Malone's rival and opposite and part of the love triangle, "a different form to the [[Sam and Diane|Sam-Diane relationship]]", said Glen Charles.<ref name=triangle>"[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4rdPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iwYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2783%2C1374175 `Cheers' Sam Gets a Rival]." ''[[Ocala Star-Banner]]: TV Week'' [Ocala, FL] 18 August 1984: 19. ''Google News''. Web. 31 March 2012.</ref><ref name="Gates 3"/> The show's writers saw the character as "the role [[Ralph Bellamy]] used to play in [[Cary Grant]] movies — the guy the lady falls in love with, but is not real. You just know he doesn't have the sexual dynamism Grant does."<ref name="gqraftery201210">{{cite news | url=http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201210/cheers-oral-history-extended?printable=true | title=The Best TV Show That's Ever Been | work=GQ | date=October 2012 | accessdate=September 27, 2012 | author=Raftery, Brian}}</ref> |
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⚫ | [[John Lithgow]] was originally chosen by ''Cheers'' producers for the role, but turned it down.<ref name=stpaul>"`Frasier' Says `Goodnight, Seattle' for Good." ''[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]'' [St. Paul, MN] 13 May 2004: E1. Web. 06 April 2012.{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=njcom>Filichia, Peter. "[http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2010/04/john_lithgow_to_appear_at_mcca.html John Lithgow to appear at McCarter Theatre]." NJ.com 05 April 2010. Web. 06 April 2012.</ref><ref name=CBSnews>Neal, Rome. "[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500185_162-539348.html 'Frasier' Meets 'Becker']." ''[[CBS News]]'' 11 February 2009. Web. 06 April 2012.</ref> Grammer believed that he had failed the audition because no one laughed, but was chosen because of the quality of his performance with Danson.{{r|gqraftery201210}} Frasier was supposed to only appear on a few episodes before Diane left him, but Grammer's performance was praised by series executives, leading to an extended role in the series.<ref name="Gates 3"/><ref name=duped>{{cite web|title=One more question...|url=http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2008/06/one-more-question.html|date=June 6, 2008|accessdate=July 19, 2012, at ''[[Blogspot]]''|author=Levine, Ken|authorlink=Ken Levine (TV personality)|deadurl=no|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkenlevine.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fone-more-question.html&date=2012-07-18|work=...by Ken Levine|archivedate=July 19, 2012, by ''[[Webcite]]''}}</ref> His character was not universally popular, however, for coming between Sam and Diane; a fan approached Grammer asking "Are you that pin dick that plays Frasier?", and the show received [[fan mail]] denouncing Grammer.{{r|gqraftery201210}} |
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{{details|Sam and Diane|Diane Chambers}} |
{{details|Sam and Diane|Diane Chambers}} |
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Initially, Frasier is too reluctant to be friends with people at the bar, especially [[Sam Malone]]. In his very first two-part episode, "Rebound" (1984), the third season premiere of ''Cheers'', the prestigious and sophisticated Frasier arrives in Boston as a psychiatrist to help [[Sam Malone]] recover from a brief return to his [[alcoholism]] and to help him cope with his breakups with [[Diane Chambers]]. When Diane gets her job back as waitress, Frasier initially refuses to let her do so as he fears that Diane and Sam would lose their stabilities again. However, [[Coach Ernie Pantusso|Coach]] ([[Nicholas Colasanto]]) convinces Frasier to make Diane continue working as a waitress again so she would not pine for Sam. Frasier takes Coach's advice, and Diane once again resumes her job as a waitress. In "Diane Meets Mom" (1984), Frasier's mother [[Hester Crane|Hester]] ([[Nancy Marchand]]) threatens to kill Diane if she marries her son, but admits that her threats are "jokes" because she fears that she would lose her son if he marries Diane. The matter is seemingly resolved with no hard feelings. Unbeknownst to Diane and Frasier, Hester offers to pay Sam to resume his relationship with Diane, but he declines to do so. |
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In "Diane's Allergy" (1984), Diane moves into Frasier's apartment, but becomes allergic and blames his female puppy, Pavlov. Frasier gives Pavlov to Sam, and then has his apartment renovated to remove allergens, but Diane is still allergic. Therefore, Frasier misses Pavlov and wants her back, but Sam refuses. (In the spinoff show ''[[Frasier]]'', Frasier does not like Eddie the dog, who resides in his [[Seattle]] apartment.) Meanwhile, Frasier gives [[Carla Tortelli|Carla]] ([[Rhea Perlman]]) a fake "wine glass", a [[gag gift]], along with other gag gifts given by her other friends, on her birthday as a prank. She tries a drink, but the gift results in the drink spilling on her shirt. |
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In "The Heart Is the Lonely Snipe Hunter" (1985), to help Frasier clear his mind from his job at the mental ward, Diane encourages the guys, including ringleader Sam, to invite him on their "Guys Only" weekend. (According to her, Frasier did not have any friends back in his childhood.) They reluctantly invite Frasier but later purposely abandon Frasier, leaving him [[snipe hunt]]ing alone and seemingly unaware of the prank. Frasier returns, apparently proud and happy to be part of the gang. However, Frasier tells Diane that he was already aware that the game was fabricated and of his plan to abandon them in another snipe hunting game. (What actually happens afterwards is unclear, as no other ''Cheers'' episodes continued this episode's story.) In later episodes of the third season, including season finale "Rescue Me", Frasier and Diane travel to London, tour Europe, and rush into engagement in Italy. |
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==== 1985–86: Heartbreak and resurgence ==== |
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{{quote box|width=25em|1=Back in 1984, Frasier was cocky, bright-eyed, incredibly youthful, and had a lot more hair on his gigantic forehead. His awkward integration into the tight-knit group of friends was the subject of many an episode this season, as he stuck out like a gigantic tool. By the end of the season, though, he ceased to be the nerdy kid nobody liked, and fit in with the gang like a glove.<ref>{{cite web|author=Arseneau, Adam|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/cheersseason3.php|date=July 12, 2004|work=DVD Verdict|accessdate=December 9, 2012|title=Cheers: The Complete Third Season}}</ref>|2=—Adam Arseneau, DVD Verdict, July 12, 2004|bgcolor=#F6FFF3}} |
{{quote box|width=25em|1=Back in 1984, Frasier was cocky, bright-eyed, incredibly youthful, and had a lot more hair on his gigantic forehead. His awkward integration into the tight-knit group of friends was the subject of many an episode this season, as he stuck out like a gigantic tool. By the end of the season, though, he ceased to be the nerdy kid nobody liked, and fit in with the gang like a glove.<ref>{{cite web|author=Arseneau, Adam|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/cheersseason3.php|date=July 12, 2004|work=DVD Verdict|accessdate=December 9, 2012|title=Cheers: The Complete Third Season}}</ref>|2=—Adam Arseneau, DVD Verdict, July 12, 2004|bgcolor=#F6FFF3}} |
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Initially, the prestigious and sophisticated Frasier is too reluctant to be friends with lowly people at the bar, especially [[Sam Malone]]. In "The Heart Is the Lonely Snipe Hunter" (1985), according to Diane, he did not have any friends back in his childhood. In the two-part episode, "Rebound" (1984), the third season premiere of ''Cheers'', Frasier first appears as a psychiatrist to help [[Sam Malone]] recover from a brief return to his [[alcoholism]] and to help him cope with his breakups with [[Diane Chambers]]. As discovered, he also happens to be Diane's fiancé. At first Frasier is relieved that Diane refuses to work as a waitress again. However, [[Coach Ernie Pantusso|Coach]] ([[Nicholas Colasanto]]) tells the whole dynamic that refusal would bring disaster among them, prompting her to work again. Throughout the whole season, despite stability and security of the relationship, Frasier admits in "Cheerio, Cheers" (1985) that Diane is still in love with Sam. In "Diane's Allergy" (1984), Diane moves into Frasier's apartment, but becomes allergic and blames his female puppy, Pavlov. Frasier gives Pavlov to Sam, and then has his apartment renovated to remove allergens, but Diane is still allergic. Therefore, Frasier misses Pavlov and wants her back, but Sam refuses. (In the spinoff show ''[[Frasier]]'', Frasier does not like Eddie the dog, who resides in his [[Seattle]] apartment.) In later episodes of the third season, including season finale "Rescue Me", Frasier and Diane travel to London, tour Europe, and rush into engagement in Italy. |
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⚫ | In the fourth season premiere "Birth, Death, Love, and Rice" (1985), Diane leaves Frasier at the altar in Europe, and he becomes heartbroken.<ref name="Gates 3">Gates, Anita. [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm p. 3].</ref> A despondent Frasier loses his license and his job. Later in the same season, he begins to regularly attend Cheers for drinks<ref>Sherwood, Rick. "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mj1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6776%2C4662037 `Cheers' is back in fine, funny form]." ''[[The Gainesville Sun]]'' [Gainesville, FL] 31 Oct 1985: 9A. ''Google News''. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.</ref> and finds himself depending more and more dependent on alcohol. Over time, Frasier becomes every bar person's friend. In "Woody Goes Belly Up" (1985), an under-employed Frasier finds work as a janitor primarily to annoy Diane |
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In "Second Time Around" (1986), after Frasier's bad dates with sophisticated, upper-class women, Sam sets him up with a ditzy woman Candi ([[Jennifer Tilly]]), whom Sam describes as "fun". After a one-night stand, Frasier becomes engaged with her. Finding Candi neither bright nor good enough for Frasier and too different from him, Diane is able to stop their wedding. When Candi is about to speak, Frasier deems her as unable to "think". Realizing what he did, Frasier apologizes to Candi, postpones the wedding, and promises her to rebuild the relationship. (For unknown reasons, his relationship with Candi is short-lived off-screen. Jennifer Tilly would later appear as Kim, played by Tilly, Frasier's attempted one-night-stand in "Miss Right Now" (2004), the 11th season episode of ''Frasier''.) |
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In "Dark Imaginings" (1986), [[Cliff Clavin]] ([[John Ratzenberger]]) realizes that he compares his home-grown vegetables to celebrities, such as [[Meryl Streep]], excessively. He seeks therapy with Frasier, who claims that they are free of charge. At first, Cliff is cured of his obsession, but then he finds out that Frasier charges him hundreds of dollars for therapy sessions. Therefore, Cliff relapses back into obsession with comparing vegetables to celebrities. In "Diane Chambers Day" (1986), Frasier and his recent bar pals, feel sorry for Diane, who is left out of the gang because she has none of their common interests. To make things up to her, as Frasier suggested, his friends take Diane to an opera, although Frasier decides not to go with them. In "Strange Bedfellows, Part Two" (1986), Frasier tells Diane's political campaign co-workers that she is a [[transvestite]], including to a failed political candidate ([[Max Wright]]) who wanted to ask her out. |
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While he hangs out his bar friends, Frasier is considered an "elitist" by the characters, and he mocks and is mocked by his friends and Lilith, who further criticizes and mocks his bar activities and friends. After Diane left Boston in "[[I Do, Adieu]]" (1987), he and his buddies makes jokes about Diane.<ref name=Brown257>{{cite book|accessdate=July 22, 2012, at ''[[Google Books]]''|page=257|last=Brown|year=2005|chapter=''Cheers''|chapterurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=s8ARc_7-NtUC&lpg=PA257&ots=A_iGfnErEX&dq=cheers%20stereotypes%20diane%20lilith&pg=PA257#v=snippet&q=cheers&f=false}}</ref> |
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In "Spellbound" (1987), Frasier wins over Norm. Sam offers him one of Sam's women to take his mind off chess, but Frasier kindly refuses in favor of "fancy", like chess. Later, Frasier loses to Woody and becomes angry, literally pushing his chess set aside. |
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In "Airport V" (1988), Frasier and his friends laughed over his wishing that he should have given Diane a [[Electroconvulsive therapy|shock treatment]] at a [[psychiatric hospital]]. Meanwhile, Frasier wants to help Carla overcome her fear of flying in an airplane but, due to his unusual nature, Carla is too reluctant to be involved in his psychological sessions. However, Carla is later seen in an airplane with other passengers who share her fear as part of a session led by Frasier. Carla, along with other passengers, is unaffected by Frasier's therapy. Nevertheless, Carla overcomes her fear of flying because she witnesses Frasier falling apart into madness and going frantic over dying in an airplane. |
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In "Sam Ahoy" (1989), Frasier's bar friends want to raise $500 to compete against the millionaire [[Robin Colcord]] ([[Roger Rees]]) in a [[Sailing (sport)|sailing]] race with a $10,000 prize. They do not have enough money, so they try to get $500 from Frasier's wallet. Frasier tries to run away, but his friends take the $500, swearing that Frasier will be paid back from the prize money. During the race Norm discovers a bomb on board the boat and the friends miraculously escape as the boat explodes. Since they failed to finish the race, they do not win the prize, but due to the circumstances, Frasier forgives them for taking (and losing) his $500. |
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In "Don't Shoot...I'm Only the Psychiatrist" (1992), Frasier brings a group of low self-esteem men into the bar with Lilith's assistance, despite her doubts that the plan might succeed. Then Norm, Cliff, and Paul ([[Paul Willson]]) heighten the group's self-esteem by remarking how much of an "egghead" and a "snob" Frasier is, telling stories of making pranks on Frasier, and convincing them not to fear their negative thoughts about Frasier. Frasier becomes enraged and storms out of the bar. (Then the bar mates boost the group's self-esteem by encouraging them to pull down Frasier's pants.) |
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The next day, Frasier becomes angry at bar mates for humiliating him in front of the group and then feels guilty about bringing group into the bar. Ironically, the group feels better about themselves, thanks Frasier for this progress, and exits the bar. Then Frasier feels proud for "successfully" helping the group. Furious that he gets credit (instead of bar mates) from the group, bar mates chase after Frasier in attempt to pull down his pants. |
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In an episode of the fourth season "Second Time Around" (1986), Frasier's first date with a stereotypical "intelligent, ice queen"<ref name=Brown257/> [[Lilith Sternin]], whose portrayer [[Bebe Neuwirth]] won two [[Primetime Emmy Award|Emmy Award]]s as an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Supporting Actress]] in [[42nd Primetime Emmy Awards|1990]]<ref>Bjorklund, p. 461</ref> and [[43rd Primetime Emmy Awards|1991]],<ref>Bjorklund, p. 462</ref> did not go well. She disdained his activities at the bar and then left, leaving Frasier disappointed with another of his failed dates. |
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In an episode of the fifth season "Abnormal Psychology" (1986), Frasier becomes aroused by Lilith's makeover, done by Diane, during a talk show. Frasier and Lillith end up leg-embracing each other during the show. After the show is over, both feel guilty about themselves. When Diane unsuccessfully attempts to trick Lilith into removing her hairpin, Frasier tells Lilith to remove it to make Sam and Diane squirm. With Lilith's hair loosened again, Frasier is flabbergasted, is kissed by Lilith, and takes her out to dinner. In another fifth season episode "Dinner at Eight-ish" (1987), they are living together and often argue over issues such as relative neatness and Frasier's concealment of his past relationship with Diane, but the episode ends with them making up. |
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In "The Crane Mutiny" (1987), Frasier tells the boys that he was coerced by Lilith into becoming engaged to her and that he wants a sexy woman. Then the boys tell him that bar manager [[Rebecca Howe]] ([[Kirstie Alley]]) is attracted to him. (Unbeknownst to Frasier, Cliff tricks Rebecca into licking her lips, which Frasier interprets as a sexual overture.) Frasier dumps Lilith and then tries to win Rebecca unsuccessfully. Then Frasier reassures Lilith that she is the love of his life and reconciles with her again. |
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⚫ | In the fourth season premiere "Birth, Death, Love, and Rice" (1985), Diane leaves Frasier at the altar in Europe, and he becomes heartbroken.<ref name="Gates 3">Gates, Anita. [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm p. 3].</ref> A despondent Frasier loses his license and his job. Later in the same season, he begins to regularly attend Cheers for drinks<ref>Sherwood, Rick. "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mj1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6776%2C4662037 `Cheers' is back in fine, funny form]." ''[[The Gainesville Sun]]'' [Gainesville, FL] 31 Oct 1985: 9A. ''Google News''. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.</ref> and finds himself depending more and more dependent on alcohol. Over time, Frasier becomes every bar person's friend. In "Woody Goes Belly Up" (1985), an under-employed Frasier finds work as a janitor primarily to annoy Diane. In "The Triangle" (1986), Sam and Diane feel bad about Frasier's deterioration, so Sam fakes symptoms to help Frasier regain his own self-confidence. When Frasier concludes that Sam is still in love with Diane, Sam furiously admits that the symptoms are fabricated. Frasier is adamant that Sam and Diane still love each other, but they deny and loathe their feelings for each other all the time. He declares himself to be sober, to be no longer part of their relationship, and vows to practice psychiatry again. |
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Later in "I Kid You Not" (1989), Frasier and Lilith find themselves sharing common interests with hard-working waitress Carla's son Ludlow Tortelli (Jarrett Lennon), such as love of opera, and spend a lot of time with him, which takes away Carla's time with Ludlow. Feeling guilty, Frasier and Lilith invite Carla and Ludlow together for one evening in an upper-class restaurant. Later in the restaurant, Carla and Ludlow mock the upper-class environment and the meal, irritating Frasier and Lilith. Frasier attempts to convince Ludlow to enjoy the restaurant, but Ludlow burns Frasier's shoes, which of course worsens and ultimately severs his ties with Ludlow. After Carla and Ludlow leave the restaurant to find hamburgers, Lilith unexpectedly announces her pregnancy, which excites Frasier. (A similar situation takes place at the steakhouse in the ''Frasier'' episode "Dinner at Eight", involving Frasier, his snooty brother Niles, and working-class father Martin.) |
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After Diane left Boston in "[[I Do, Adieu]]" (1987), he and his buddies makes jokes about Diane.<ref name=Brown257>{{cite book |accessdate=July 22, 2012, at ''[[Google Books]]'' |page=257 |last=Brown |year=2005|chapter=''Cheers'' |chapterurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=s8ARc_7-NtUC&lpg=PA257&ots=A_iGfnErEX&dq=cheers%20stereotypes%20diane%20lilith&pg=PA257#v=snippet&q=cheers&f=false }}</ref> He still harbors his feelings for Diane and hostility toward her concurrently. In "Diane Chambers Day" (1986), Frasier and his bar pals feel sorry for Diane, who is left out of the gang because she has none of their common interests. To make things up to her, as Frasier suggested, his friends take Diane to an opera, although Frasier decides not to go with them. In "Strange Bedfellows, Part Two" (1986), when an unsuccessful political candidate ([[Max Wright]]) wants to ask her out, jealous Frasier tells him that she is a [[transvestite]]. In "Airport V" (1988), Frasier and his friends laugh over his wishing that he should have given Diane a [[Electroconvulsive therapy|shock treatment]] at a [[psychiatric hospital]]. |
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====== Birth of Frederick ====== |
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Frasier and Lillith marry in "Smotherly Love" (1992), and the wedding is handled by Lilith's mother Betty ([[Marilyn Cooper]]). Prior to his date with Diane in the ''Cheers'' episode "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" (1992), Frasier is found out to have been previously married to [[Nanny G]] ([[Emma Thompson]]), real name Nanette Guzman, [[Frederick Crane]]'s favorite singer of [[children's song]]s. (In ''Frasier'', [[Dina Spybey]] in "Don Juan in Hell, Part 2" (2001) portrays her younger version in Frasier's imaginary dream and [[Laurie Metcalf]] in "Caught in the Act" (2004) portrays her as a substitute for Thompson.) |
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His bar friends consider Frasier an "elitist" of all. They, including Frasier, tend to mock each other.<ref name=Brown257/> In "Dark Imaginings" (1986), [[Cliff Clavin]] ([[John Ratzenberger]]) seeks psychotherapeutic treatment of his obsessive comparisons with his home-grown vegetables and celebrities, such as [[Meryl Streep]], from Frasier, who claims that they are free of charge. Then Cliff finds out that Frasier charges him hundreds of dollars for therapy session, causing him to relapses. In "Airport V" (1988), Frasier intends to help a reluctant Carla overcome her fear of flying with sessions in an airplane, along with other passengers. The sessions are proven to be ineffective when the passenger, including Carla, ask questions about their own safety. However, Carla overcomes her fear of flying because she witnesses Frasier falling apart in an airplane that was landing to Seattle. (Coincidentally, in his spin-off, Seattle is Frasier's birthplace.) In "Sam Ahoy" (1989), Frasier's bar friends take $500 from Frasier's wallet against his will to enter the [[Sailing (sport)|sailing]] race. They fail to finish the race because the bomb exploded the boat. However, Frasier forgives them for losing his $500. In "Don't Shoot...I'm Only the Psychiatrist" (1992), when Frasier brings a group of low self-esteem men into the bar, his friends Norm, Cliff, and Paul ([[Paul Willson]]) tell them negative remarks about Frasier and his class, tell stories of pranks on Frasier, and encourage them not to fear their negativity about Frasier. At first Frasier disapproves; ironically, the group regain their self-esteem and credit Frasier for this progress instead of the bar mates. Furious, the bar mates chase after Frasier in attempt to pull down his pants. |
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⚫ | Frasier claims to be an [[orphan]].<ref name=inconsistency/> In "Two Girls for Every Boyd" (1989), Frasier tells bar patrons he studied acting at university and wanted to be a performer, but his father, a supposed scientist who was demanding and neglectful, wanted him to pursue a career in Psychiatry. At first reluctant, Frasier realized that his father was correct before he died.<ref name=inconsistency/> In "Bar Wars III: The Return of Tecumseh" (1990), he tells Sam his parents, including his mother [[Hester Crane|Hester]], portrayer earlier by [[Nancy Marchand]]) in "Diane Meets Mom" (1984), later died off-screen. (This contradicts the situation in his spin off of his having a living, retired cop father [[Martin Crane]] in ''Frasier''.<ref name=inconsistency/> In "The One Where Sam Shows Up" (1995), a 2nd season episode of ''Frasier'', he comments that the story he told in the bar was a lie because at the time he was angry with Martin over a fight on the phone.) |
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==== ''Wings'' (1992) ==== |
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{{details|Wings (NBC TV series)}} |
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In an episode "Trains, Planes, and Visiting Cranes" (1992), Lilith and Frasier arrive at [[Nantucket]] by plane, while their son Frederick is, as Frasier puts it, under the care of their nanny, Dagmar. Frasier is scheduled to host a self-esteem seminar on the island, while Lilith wants a relaxing vacation. At the airport, they meet [[Wings (NBC TV series)#Helen Chappel Hackett|Helen]] ([[Crystal Bernard]]), who wants a refund from Frasier because one of his programs did not work out for her. However, Frasier refuses under policy but does, after Lilith's suggestion, invite Helen to attend his upcoming seminar without charge. One of Frasier's seminars becomes disrupted by Helen's boorish behavior. After unsuccessful attempts to calm down attendees, Frasier loses control and then lashes out at the other attendees. Realizing his mistake, he offers refunds to customers. Before they continue their vacation, Lilith bloodies Frasier's nose off-screen with the train whistle after he says "Home to Dagmar" to the cab driver Antonio ([[Tony Shalhoub]]). |
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In "Second Time Around" (1986), Frasier's first date with a stereotypical "intelligent, ice queen"<ref name=Brown257/> [[Lilith Sternin]] ([[Bebe Neuwirth]]) does not go well. They exchange insults toward each other until she leaves the bar, disappointing him. Therefore, Sam sets him up with a ditzy woman Candi ([[Jennifer Tilly]]) for a one-night stand. Soon Frasier is close to marrying her, but Diane is able to stop their wedding. (For unknown reasons, his relationship with Candi is short-lived off-screen. Jennifer Tilly would later appear as Kim, played by Tilly, Frasier's attempted one-night-stand in "Miss Right Now" (2004), the 11th season episode of ''Frasier''.) In "Abnormal Psychology" (1986), they feel mutual attraction again when he becomes accustomed to her makeover, done by Diane, during the psychological talk show. At first they are reluctant to start over again after the show. Nevertheless, Frasier becomes flabbergasted when she removes her hairpin. They share a kiss and go for another date. In "Dinner at Eight-ish" (1987), they are living together. In "The Crane Mutiny" (1987), his friends trick Frasier into chasing after the new bar manager [[Rebecca Howe]] ([[Kirstie Alley]]). Frasier dumps Lilith, but then he proposes to her, prompting her to reconcile with him and accepting the proposal. |
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⚫ | In "The Stork Brings a Crane" (1989), Lilith gives birth to their son Frederick. In "Breaking In Is Hard to Do" (1990), 11-month-old Frederick is of "average" intelligence. After Lilith fails to raise Frederick herself at home, Frasier takes him to the bar without first notifying her. Lilith then finds out when she comes in the bar, becoming angry at him for exposing their son to the seedy environment. Then [[Norm Peterson|Norm]] ([[George Wendt]]) enters and greets everyone and, suddenly, baby Frederick yells out, "Norm!" (Everybody yells out "Norm!" in a welcoming manner whenever he comes.) However, Lilith thinks that Frederick said, "Mommy" and is pleased. Frasier and Lillith marry in "Smotherly Love" (1992), and the wedding is handled by Lilith's mother Betty ([[Marilyn Cooper]]). Prior to his date with Diane in the ''Cheers'' episode "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" (1992), Frasier is found out to have been previously married to [[Nanny G]] ([[Emma Thompson]]), real name Nanette Guzman, [[Frederick Crane]]'s favorite singer of [[children's song]]s. (In ''Frasier'', [[Dina Spybey]] in "Don Juan in Hell, Part 2" (2001) portrays her younger version in Frasier's imaginary dream and [[Laurie Metcalf]] in "Caught in the Act" (2004) portrays her as a substitute for Thompson.) |
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==== 1992–93: Final years in ''Cheers'' ==== |
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In the eleventh and final season (1992–93), in "Teaching with the Enemy" (1992), Lilith admits her affair with another man Dr. Louis Pascal ([[Peter Vogt]]), which enrages and distresses Frasier. In "The Girl in the Plastic Bubble" (1992), Frasier attempts suicide. Nevertheless, Lilith swears that she will not leave him for Dr. Pascal and their marriage can work out, so Frasier decides not to do so. However, he decides that a reconciliation is too late, so she and Dr. Pascal go to an eco-pod together. |
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In " |
In "Teaching with the Enemy" (1992), Lilith admits her affair with another man Dr. Louis Pascal ([[Peter Vogt]]), enraging and distressing Frasier. In "The Girl in the Plastic Bubble" (1992), Frasier attempts suicide. Fortunately, Lilith swears that she will not leave him for Dr. Pascal and their marriage can work out, prompting Frasier to stop attempting. However, he decides that a reconciliation is too late, so he lets her and Dr. Pascal live in an eco-pod together. In "The Bar Manager, The Shrink, His Wife and Her Lover" (1993), Lilith goes back to Frasier and admits regretting her life with Dr. Pascal, who is [[claustrophobia|claustrophobic]]. Later, Dr. Pascal arrives with a gun to hold everyone hostage, but when Lilith swears that she must die first before Frasier, her selflessness motivates Dr. Pascal into surrendering to the police. Although Frasier does not forgive her initially, Frasier is soon won over by Lilith's sobbing. |
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==''Frasier''== |
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According to an April 1–4, 1993, telephone survey of 1,011 people by the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press (now [[Pew Research Center]]), before the ''Frasier'' premiere and the [[One for the Road (Cheers)|''Cheers'' finale]], [[Sam Malone]] ([[Ted Danson]]) scored 26 percent as a favorite character, and Frasier Crane scored 1 percent.<ref name="Gazette survey">Mills, Kim I. "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UpYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RuEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1185%2C331083 TV viewers glad Sam stayed single]." ''[[The Daily Gazette|The Sunday Gazette]]'' [Schenectady, NY] 2 May 1993: A3. ''Google News''. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. The margin of error in the survey was ±3, according to the polls. In this web edition, scroll down to see the title of the headline.</ref><ref name="Morning Call survey">Leefler, Pete. "[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mcall/access/92139221.html?dids=92139221:92139221&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT Show Piles Up Viewer Cheers]." ''[[The Morning Call]]'' [Allentown, NY] 2 May 1993: A01. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. {{subscription required}}</ref> For a question of spinning off a character, 15 percent voted Sam, 12 percent voted [[Woody Boyd]] ([[Woody Harrelson]]), 10 percent voted [[Norm Peterson]] ([[George Wendt]]), and 29 percent voted no spin-offs.<ref name="Morning Call survey"/> Frasier Crane, whose own spin-off ''[[Frasier]]'' debuted in September 1993, was voted 2 percent to have his own show.<ref>"[http://www.people-press.org/1998/05/10/mixed-reaction-to-post-seinfeld-era/ Mixed Reaction to Post-Seinfeld Era]." ''Pew Research Center for the People & the Press''. ''[[Pew Research Center]]'' 10 May 1998. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.</ref> |
According to an April 1–4, 1993, telephone survey of 1,011 people by the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press (now [[Pew Research Center]]), before the ''Frasier'' premiere and the [[One for the Road (Cheers)|''Cheers'' finale]], [[Sam Malone]] ([[Ted Danson]]) scored 26 percent as a favorite character, and Frasier Crane scored 1 percent.<ref name="Gazette survey">Mills, Kim I. "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UpYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RuEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1185%2C331083 TV viewers glad Sam stayed single]." ''[[The Daily Gazette|The Sunday Gazette]]'' [Schenectady, NY] 2 May 1993: A3. ''Google News''. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. The margin of error in the survey was ±3, according to the polls. In this web edition, scroll down to see the title of the headline.</ref><ref name="Morning Call survey">Leefler, Pete. "[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mcall/access/92139221.html?dids=92139221:92139221&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT Show Piles Up Viewer Cheers]." ''[[The Morning Call]]'' [Allentown, NY] 2 May 1993: A01. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. {{subscription required}}</ref> For a question of spinning off a character, 15 percent voted Sam, 12 percent voted [[Woody Boyd]] ([[Woody Harrelson]]), 10 percent voted [[Norm Peterson]] ([[George Wendt]]), and 29 percent voted no spin-offs.<ref name="Morning Call survey"/> Frasier Crane, whose own spin-off ''[[Frasier]]'' debuted in September 1993, was voted 2 percent to have his own show.<ref>"[http://www.people-press.org/1998/05/10/mixed-reaction-to-post-seinfeld-era/ Mixed Reaction to Post-Seinfeld Era]." ''Pew Research Center for the People & the Press''. ''[[Pew Research Center]]'' 10 May 1998. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.</ref> |
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Frasier works for the radio station, [[KACL (Frasier)|KACL]], as the host of his psychotherapeutic radio show, ''The Dr. Frasier Crane Show'', produced by his producer and friend, [[Roz Doyle]] ([[Peri Gilpin]]), who flirts with men and has many ex-boyfriends. Later, his father [[Martin Crane|Martin]] ([[John Mahoney]]), a retired [[Seattle Police Department]] detective who was shot in the line of duty, ends up living with him. Frasier becomes worried about his father in his current state as he can barely walk, and requires a cane to move. (In ''Cheers'', Frasier's father is supposed to be an off-screen dead scientist.<ref name=inconsistency/>) Therefore, Frasier hires him a live-in physical therapist, [[Daphne Moon]] ([[Jane Leeves]]), although he wanted someone classier than Daphne, a eccentric, working-class [[Englishwoman]] who professes to be "a bit psychic". Moreover, Martin brings his beloved [[Jack Russell Terrier]], Eddie, whom Frasier despises. Throughout the series, while Frasier had several friends in Boston, he is not able to forge many close friendships in Seattle.{{or|date=August 2012}} His brother [[Niles Crane]] and his producer [[Roz Doyle]] are essentially his only close friends. |
Frasier works for the radio station, [[KACL (Frasier)|KACL]], as the host of his psychotherapeutic radio show, ''The Dr. Frasier Crane Show'', produced by his producer and friend, [[Roz Doyle]] ([[Peri Gilpin]]), who flirts with men and has many ex-boyfriends. Later, his father [[Martin Crane|Martin]] ([[John Mahoney]]), a retired [[Seattle Police Department]] detective who was shot in the line of duty, ends up living with him. Frasier becomes worried about his father in his current state as he can barely walk, and requires a cane to move. (In ''Cheers'', Frasier's father is supposed to be an off-screen dead scientist.<ref name=inconsistency/>) Therefore, Frasier hires him a live-in physical therapist, [[Daphne Moon]] ([[Jane Leeves]]), although he wanted someone classier than Daphne, a eccentric, working-class [[Englishwoman]] who professes to be "a bit psychic". Moreover, Martin brings his beloved [[Jack Russell Terrier]], Eddie, whom Frasier despises. Throughout the series, while Frasier had several friends in Boston, he is not able to forge many close friendships in Seattle.{{or|date=August 2012}} His brother [[Niles Crane]] and his producer [[Roz Doyle]] are essentially his only close friends. |
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=== Family === |
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During the course of the spin-off's run, especially in scenes at Frasier's apartment, Frasier and Martin regularly bicker over the living arrangements and each other's personalities: Frasier is sophisticated, intellectual, and erudite and somewhat pompous, while Martin is enthusiastic about more blue-collar likes, such as sports, television, American-style foods and beer and speaks (according to Frasier) and words that no "sophisticated, educated" person could understand.<ref>Gates 1998, [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?src=pm p. 1].</ref> Moreover, Frasier has many common interests with Niles and shares adventures (or misadventures) with him, while he has little in common with his father. |
During the course of the spin-off's run, especially in scenes at Frasier's apartment, Frasier and Martin regularly bicker over the living arrangements and each other's personalities: Frasier is sophisticated, intellectual, and erudite and somewhat pompous, while Martin is enthusiastic about more blue-collar likes, such as sports, television, American-style foods and beer and speaks (according to Frasier) and words that no "sophisticated, educated" person could understand.<ref>Gates 1998, [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/19/arts/television-yes-america-has-a-class-system-see-frasier.html?src=pm p. 1].</ref> Moreover, Frasier has many common interests with Niles and shares adventures (or misadventures) with him, while he has little in common with his father. |
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In an episode of the seventh season "A Tsar Is Born" (1999), Martin takes an old family clock, which Frasier and Niles consider hideous, to exhibit on the television show ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]''. As the boys soon discover, the clock is related to their ancestors and royalty, and may be worth a fortune, and heightens their expectations of being descended from royalty. Unfortunately, when they try to sell the clock later, the brothers realize from an antique specialist was stolen from the daughter of [[Tsar Alexander II]]. Moreover, their great-great-grandmother was discovered to have been the clock thief and the daughter's [[scullery maid]], and is discovered to have later been a [[Prostitution|prostitute]] in [[New York City]]. Therefore, the brothers are left without a fortune, a clock, and their royal dreams are dashed, as Frasier puts it, they are descended from "thieves and whores". Much to their chagrin, Martin buys a [[RV|Winnebago]] RV with money Frasier claimed were the proceeds from selling the clock. |
In an episode of the seventh season "A Tsar Is Born" (1999), Martin takes an old family clock, which Frasier and Niles consider hideous, to exhibit on the television show ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]''. As the boys soon discover, the clock is related to their ancestors and royalty, and may be worth a fortune, and heightens their expectations of being descended from royalty. Unfortunately, when they try to sell the clock later, the brothers realize from an antique specialist was stolen from the daughter of [[Tsar Alexander II]]. Moreover, their great-great-grandmother was discovered to have been the clock thief and the daughter's [[scullery maid]], and is discovered to have later been a [[Prostitution|prostitute]] in [[New York City]]. Therefore, the brothers are left without a fortune, a clock, and their royal dreams are dashed, as Frasier puts it, they are descended from "thieves and whores". Much to their chagrin, Martin buys a [[RV|Winnebago]] RV with money Frasier claimed were the proceeds from selling the clock. |
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==== Reunion with Lilith and Frederick ==== |
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Actress [[Bebe Neuwirth]] left ''[[Cheers]]'' for fear of becoming a Lilith-"typcast" and to do theatre, (mostly Broadway), and she did not expect to appear recurrently in the spin-off ''[[Frasier]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Not Much Adieu About Lilith|date=May 13, 2004|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2004-05-13/entertainment/18258375_1_frasier-crane-times-square-role-of-velma-kelly|author=Dominguez, Robert|accessdate=July 29, 2012|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref> ''Cheers'' and ''Frasier'' writers [[Ken Levine (TV personality)|Ken Levine]] and [[David Isaacs (writer)|David Isaacs]] found chemistry of Frasier and Lilith "special" enough to compare them with [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Spencer Tracy]] mixed with "[[Prozac]]" and to comfortably write stories about.<ref>{{cite news|page=3-D|title=Her love for ''Frasier'' lures Bebe Neuwirth for return visit|accessdate=July 28, 2012|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55268489.html?dids=55268489:55268489&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|author=Graham, Jefferson|date=November 15, 1994}}</ref> In "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back" (1994), Lilith surprises Frasier by dialing to the radio show. When they make love in the hotel room, they end up regretting it, prompting them to part ways again. They still decide to remain friends and be parental to their son Frederick ([[Trevor Einhorn]]),<ref name=about.com/> who also appears occasionally in this spin-off. In "Adventures in Paradise, Part Two" (1994), Lilith and Brian are engaged, much to Frasier's dismay. In "A Lilith Thanksgiving" (1996), Frasier and Lilith have Frederick admitted into a private school after they annoy the administrator ([[Paxton Whitehead]]) several times on [[Thanksgiving]]. In "The Unnatural" (1997), Frasier is proven as unathletic and bad at [[softball]], which he reluctantly admits to Frederick. Then Frasier tells him that, when Frasier was a third-grade elementary student, his father Martin was bad at [[mathematics|math]]. |
Actress [[Bebe Neuwirth]] left ''[[Cheers]]'' for fear of becoming a Lilith-"typcast" and to do theatre, (mostly Broadway), and she did not expect to appear recurrently in the spin-off ''[[Frasier]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Not Much Adieu About Lilith|date=May 13, 2004|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2004-05-13/entertainment/18258375_1_frasier-crane-times-square-role-of-velma-kelly|author=Dominguez, Robert|accessdate=July 29, 2012|newspaper=[[New York Daily News]]}}</ref> ''Cheers'' and ''Frasier'' writers [[Ken Levine (TV personality)|Ken Levine]] and [[David Isaacs (writer)|David Isaacs]] found chemistry of Frasier and Lilith "special" enough to compare them with [[Katharine Hepburn]] and [[Spencer Tracy]] mixed with "[[Prozac]]" and to comfortably write stories about.<ref>{{cite news|page=3-D|title=Her love for ''Frasier'' lures Bebe Neuwirth for return visit|accessdate=July 28, 2012|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55268489.html?dids=55268489:55268489&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|author=Graham, Jefferson|date=November 15, 1994}}</ref> In "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back" (1994), Lilith surprises Frasier by dialing to the radio show. When they make love in the hotel room, they end up regretting it, prompting them to part ways again. They still decide to remain friends and be parental to their son Frederick ([[Trevor Einhorn]]),<ref name=about.com/> who also appears occasionally in this spin-off. In "Adventures in Paradise, Part Two" (1994), Lilith and Brian are engaged, much to Frasier's dismay. In "A Lilith Thanksgiving" (1996), Frasier and Lilith have Frederick admitted into a private school after they annoy the administrator ([[Paxton Whitehead]]) several times on [[Thanksgiving]]. In "The Unnatural" (1997), Frasier is proven as unathletic and bad at [[softball]], which he reluctantly admits to Frederick. Then Frasier tells him that, when Frasier was a third-grade elementary student, his father Martin was bad at [[mathematics|math]]. |
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In "Room Service" (1998), Lilith is recently divorced from Brian, who [[coming out|comes out]] of the [[homosexuality|closet]] with a [[same-sex relationship|male lover]]. Frasier is almost tempted to make love to her. However, when he finds Niles and her in a hotel room together, Frasier realizes that they drunkenly slept together, prompting him to lose his own desire for her. In Lilith's last episode, "Guns 'N Neuroses" (2003), Lilith's colleague, Nancy (Christine Dunford), meets Frasier at the coffeehouse without recognizing him as Lilith's ex-husband and then sets him up with Lilith as her "blind date". Lilith and Frasier are close to restarting a relationship in the hotel room, but they are interrupted by a loud argument between a young married couple next door. Frasier and Lilith are able to resolve the couple's dispute, spend the night together watching television, and finally fall asleep on the couch without intimacy. The next morning, they part ways at their final onscreen moment together. |
In "Room Service" (1998), Lilith is recently divorced from Brian, who [[coming out|comes out]] of the [[homosexuality|closet]] with a [[same-sex relationship|male lover]]. Frasier is almost tempted to make love to her. However, when he finds Niles and her in a hotel room together, Frasier realizes that they drunkenly slept together, prompting him to lose his own desire for her. In Lilith's last episode, "Guns 'N Neuroses" (2003), Lilith's colleague, Nancy (Christine Dunford), meets Frasier at the coffeehouse without recognizing him as Lilith's ex-husband and then sets him up with Lilith as her "blind date". Lilith and Frasier are close to restarting a relationship in the hotel room, but they are interrupted by a loud argument between a young married couple next door. Frasier and Lilith are able to resolve the couple's dispute, spend the night together watching television, and finally fall asleep on the couch without intimacy. The next morning, they part ways at their final onscreen moment together. |
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=== Reunion with ''Cheers'' characters === |
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With the exception of [[Kirstie Alley]] ([[Rebecca Howe]]), all the surviving main cast members of ''Cheers'' appear in the show at various points. In "[[The Show Where Sam Shows Up]]" (1995), [[Sam Malone]] reunites with Frasier in Seattle. At Frasier's apartment, Sam meets Martin and retells Frasier's faux story of his dead scientist father and as "the only child", as first told in other show ''Cheers''. Later, Frasier is discovered to have slept with Sam's fiancée Sheila ([[Téa Leoni]]), but Sam has not discovered the affair, much to Frasier's relief. Nevertheless, Sam finds out her dalliances with [[List of Cheers characters#Paul Krapence|Paul Krapence]] ([[Paul Willson]]) and [[Cliff Clavin]] ([[John Ratzenberger]]), which ends the romantic relationship. In "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" (1996), Frasier is reunited with [[Diane Chambers]] and learns that her recent relationship failed and that a foundation refused to afford her upcoming play, prompting him to fund it. The whole play turns out to be an imitation of Cheers and portrays the Diane imitation as the protagonist. Admonished, Frasier angrily remarks about the Diane imitation and her abandonment on the Frasier imitation at the wedding altar. Because of those remarks, Diane tries to rewrite the play unsucessfully, so she decides to postpone the play and to go back to Los Angeles. Before she leaves, she and Frasier make amends. |
With the exception of [[Kirstie Alley]] ([[Rebecca Howe]]), all the surviving main cast members of ''Cheers'' appear in the show at various points. In "[[The Show Where Sam Shows Up]]" (1995), [[Sam Malone]] reunites with Frasier in Seattle. At Frasier's apartment, Sam meets Martin and retells Frasier's faux story of his dead scientist father and as "the only child", as first told in other show ''Cheers''. Later, Frasier is discovered to have slept with Sam's fiancée Sheila ([[Téa Leoni]]), but Sam has not discovered the affair, much to Frasier's relief. Nevertheless, Sam finds out her dalliances with [[List of Cheers characters#Paul Krapence|Paul Krapence]] ([[Paul Willson]]) and [[Cliff Clavin]] ([[John Ratzenberger]]), which ends the romantic relationship. In "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" (1996), Frasier is reunited with [[Diane Chambers]] and learns that her recent relationship failed and that a foundation refused to afford her upcoming play, prompting him to fund it. The whole play turns out to be an imitation of Cheers and portrays the Diane imitation as the protagonist. Admonished, Frasier angrily remarks about the Diane imitation and her abandonment on the Frasier imitation at the wedding altar. Because of those remarks, Diane tries to rewrite the play unsucessfully, so she decides to postpone the play and to go back to Los Angeles. Before she leaves, she and Frasier make amends. |
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In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" (1999), [[Woody Boyd]] ([[Woody Harrelson]]), still married to Kelly with his son and daughter, accidentally reunites his old friend Frasier after landing in the wrong destination, Seattle. However, they realize that they no longer enjoy their time together. Frasier abhors beer and karaoke. (He was addicted to karaoke in ''Cheers'' episode "Wedding Bell Blues" (1991), and he frequently drank beer in ''Cheers''.) Woody does not fit in with Frasier's upper-class lifestyle and pities him for having fewer friends and lacking plans. Nevertheless, they admit that their times together in Boston were good and are irreplaceable. In "[[Cheerful Goodbyes]]" (2002), Frasier arrives to Boston for a psychiatric conference. At the airport, Frasier unexpectedly bumps into old friend, [[Cliff Clavin]] and is invited to Cliff's retirement party the following evening, where he is reunited with waitress [[Carla Tortelli]] ([[Rhea Perlman]]) and then barfly [[Norm Peterson]] ([[George Wendt]]). Later, Cliff admits to Frasier about not being missed by his friends. Therefore, Frasier advises everyone to say a nice farewell to Cliff for his own sake, including a reluctant Carla who hates him. After a nice farewell, Cliff decides to stay in [[Boston]], much to Carla's chagrin. |
In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" (1999), [[Woody Boyd]] ([[Woody Harrelson]]), still married to Kelly with his son and daughter, accidentally reunites his old friend Frasier after landing in the wrong destination, Seattle. However, they realize that they no longer enjoy their time together. Frasier abhors beer and karaoke. (He was addicted to karaoke in ''Cheers'' episode "Wedding Bell Blues" (1991), and he frequently drank beer in ''Cheers''.) Woody does not fit in with Frasier's upper-class lifestyle and pities him for having fewer friends and lacking plans. Nevertheless, they admit that their times together in Boston were good and are irreplaceable. In "[[Cheerful Goodbyes]]" (2002), Frasier arrives to Boston for a psychiatric conference. At the airport, Frasier unexpectedly bumps into old friend, [[Cliff Clavin]] and is invited to Cliff's retirement party the following evening, where he is reunited with waitress [[Carla Tortelli]] ([[Rhea Perlman]]) and then barfly [[Norm Peterson]] ([[George Wendt]]). Later, Cliff admits to Frasier about not being missed by his friends. Therefore, Frasier advises everyone to say a nice farewell to Cliff for his own sake, including a reluctant Carla who hates him. After a nice farewell, Cliff decides to stay in [[Boston]], much to Carla's chagrin. |
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=== Final years === |
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In the final season of ''Frasier'' (2003–2004), he falls in love with the matchmaker [[Charlotte Connor]] ([[Laura Linney]]), but the romance turns out to be short-lived when she moves to [[Chicago]]. In the 2004 two-part series finale, "[[Goodnight, Seattle]]", Frasier is offered a job as the host of his own television talk show, located in San Francisco and has decided to take it. However, in the final scene of the show, It is revealed that Frasier has taken an airplane to Chicago where Charlotte has moved. |
In the final season of ''Frasier'' (2003–2004), he falls in love with the matchmaker [[Charlotte Connor]] ([[Laura Linney]]), but the romance turns out to be short-lived when she moves to [[Chicago]]. In the 2004 two-part series finale, "[[Goodnight, Seattle]]", Frasier is offered a job as the host of his own television talk show, located in San Francisco and has decided to take it. However, in the final scene of the show, It is revealed that Frasier has taken an airplane to Chicago where Charlotte has moved. |
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== Other appearances == |
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Kelsey Grammer has made several appearances as Dr. Frasier Crane outside of [[Cheers]] and [[Frasier]]. |
Kelsey Grammer has made several appearances as Dr. Frasier Crane outside of [[Cheers]] and [[Frasier]]. |
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Revision as of 07:46, 8 October 2013
Dr. Frasier Crane | |
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Cheers and Frasier character | |
Frasier Crane in a radio station | |
First appearance | Cheers: "Rebound (Part 1)" (season 3, episode 1) |
Last appearance | Frasier: "Goodnight, Seattle" (season 11) |
Created by | Glen Charles Les Charles |
Portrayed by | Kelsey Grammer Kendall Schmidt (flashbacks) |
In-universe information | |
Nickname | Frase, The Doc, Old Man Crane |
Gender | Male |
Occupation |
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Family |
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Spouse |
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Children | Frederick Crane (son, with Lilith Sternin) |
Relatives |
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Nationality | American |
Frasier Winslow Crane,[2] M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Cheers and Frasier, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer. Grammer received award recognitions for portraying this character in three different NBC shows, including a 1992 one-time appearance in Wings.
The character debuted in 1984 as Diane Chambers's love interest, to add interest to the "Sam and Diane" dynamic. Intended to appear for only a few episodes, however, Grammer's performance for the role was praised by producers, prompting them to expand his role and to increase his prominence in Cheers. After Cheers ended, the character moved to his spin-off series Frasier, totalling his overall appearance into a twenty-year span.[3][4]
In the television series Cheers, Frasier is married to Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), with whom he has a son, Frederick, and resides in Boston. For the series Frasier, he moves back to his birthplace Seattle after his divorce from Lilith, who retained custody of Frederick in Boston. In Seattle, Frasier is reunited with a newly-created family: his estranged father Martin and brother Niles.
Concept and development
Frasier Crane is a licensed psychiatrist who is, as Kelsey Grammer described, "flawed, silly, pompous, and full of himself, [yet] kind [and] vulnerable".[5] He is "a child prodigy", theatre enthusiast, and "frequent target for bullies".[6] He earned his undergraduate degree in Harvard University and a graduate degree in Harvard Medical School.[7] According to Peter Casey, a writer on Cheers and co-creator of Frasier with David Lee and David Angell, Frasier has depths within the last three years of Cheers (1990–1993): he is "very complicated, very intelligent, but also very insecure". He "supposedly [has] all the answers" for others, but not for himself.[8]
The character of Frasier Crane was created in the third season of Cheers (1984–1985) by series creators Glen and Les Charles as Diane Chambers's (Shelley Long) "romantic and intellectual ideal" following her breakup with Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Frasier Crane was considered Sam Malone's rival and opposite and part of the love triangle, "a different form to the Sam-Diane relationship", said Glen Charles.[9][10] The show's writers saw the character as "the role Ralph Bellamy used to play in Cary Grant movies — the guy the lady falls in love with, but is not real. You just know he doesn't have the sexual dynamism Grant does."[11] John Lithgow was originally chosen by Cheers producers for the role, but turned it down.[12][13][14] Grammer believed that he had failed the audition because no one laughed, but was chosen because of the quality of his performance with Danson.[11] Frasier was supposed to only appear on a few episodes before Diane left him, but Grammer's performance was praised by series executives, leading to an extended role in the series.[10][15] His character was not universally popular, however, for coming between Sam and Diane; a fan approached Grammer asking "Are you that pin dick that plays Frasier?", and the show received fan mail denouncing Grammer.[11]
Cheers
1984–86: Sam and Diane
Back in 1984, Frasier was cocky, bright-eyed, incredibly youthful, and had a lot more hair on his gigantic forehead. His awkward integration into the tight-knit group of friends was the subject of many an episode this season, as he stuck out like a gigantic tool. By the end of the season, though, he ceased to be the nerdy kid nobody liked, and fit in with the gang like a glove.[16]
—Adam Arseneau, DVD Verdict, July 12, 2004
Initially, the prestigious and sophisticated Frasier is too reluctant to be friends with lowly people at the bar, especially Sam Malone. In "The Heart Is the Lonely Snipe Hunter" (1985), according to Diane, he did not have any friends back in his childhood. In the two-part episode, "Rebound" (1984), the third season premiere of Cheers, Frasier first appears as a psychiatrist to help Sam Malone recover from a brief return to his alcoholism and to help him cope with his breakups with Diane Chambers. As discovered, he also happens to be Diane's fiancé. At first Frasier is relieved that Diane refuses to work as a waitress again. However, Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) tells the whole dynamic that refusal would bring disaster among them, prompting her to work again. Throughout the whole season, despite stability and security of the relationship, Frasier admits in "Cheerio, Cheers" (1985) that Diane is still in love with Sam. In "Diane's Allergy" (1984), Diane moves into Frasier's apartment, but becomes allergic and blames his female puppy, Pavlov. Frasier gives Pavlov to Sam, and then has his apartment renovated to remove allergens, but Diane is still allergic. Therefore, Frasier misses Pavlov and wants her back, but Sam refuses. (In the spinoff show Frasier, Frasier does not like Eddie the dog, who resides in his Seattle apartment.) In later episodes of the third season, including season finale "Rescue Me", Frasier and Diane travel to London, tour Europe, and rush into engagement in Italy.
In the fourth season premiere "Birth, Death, Love, and Rice" (1985), Diane leaves Frasier at the altar in Europe, and he becomes heartbroken.[10] A despondent Frasier loses his license and his job. Later in the same season, he begins to regularly attend Cheers for drinks[17] and finds himself depending more and more dependent on alcohol. Over time, Frasier becomes every bar person's friend. In "Woody Goes Belly Up" (1985), an under-employed Frasier finds work as a janitor primarily to annoy Diane. In "The Triangle" (1986), Sam and Diane feel bad about Frasier's deterioration, so Sam fakes symptoms to help Frasier regain his own self-confidence. When Frasier concludes that Sam is still in love with Diane, Sam furiously admits that the symptoms are fabricated. Frasier is adamant that Sam and Diane still love each other, but they deny and loathe their feelings for each other all the time. He declares himself to be sober, to be no longer part of their relationship, and vows to practice psychiatry again.
After Diane left Boston in "I Do, Adieu" (1987), he and his buddies makes jokes about Diane.[18] He still harbors his feelings for Diane and hostility toward her concurrently. In "Diane Chambers Day" (1986), Frasier and his bar pals feel sorry for Diane, who is left out of the gang because she has none of their common interests. To make things up to her, as Frasier suggested, his friends take Diane to an opera, although Frasier decides not to go with them. In "Strange Bedfellows, Part Two" (1986), when an unsuccessful political candidate (Max Wright) wants to ask her out, jealous Frasier tells him that she is a transvestite. In "Airport V" (1988), Frasier and his friends laugh over his wishing that he should have given Diane a shock treatment at a psychiatric hospital.
1986–93: Later years
His bar friends consider Frasier an "elitist" of all. They, including Frasier, tend to mock each other.[18] In "Dark Imaginings" (1986), Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) seeks psychotherapeutic treatment of his obsessive comparisons with his home-grown vegetables and celebrities, such as Meryl Streep, from Frasier, who claims that they are free of charge. Then Cliff finds out that Frasier charges him hundreds of dollars for therapy session, causing him to relapses. In "Airport V" (1988), Frasier intends to help a reluctant Carla overcome her fear of flying with sessions in an airplane, along with other passengers. The sessions are proven to be ineffective when the passenger, including Carla, ask questions about their own safety. However, Carla overcomes her fear of flying because she witnesses Frasier falling apart in an airplane that was landing to Seattle. (Coincidentally, in his spin-off, Seattle is Frasier's birthplace.) In "Sam Ahoy" (1989), Frasier's bar friends take $500 from Frasier's wallet against his will to enter the sailing race. They fail to finish the race because the bomb exploded the boat. However, Frasier forgives them for losing his $500. In "Don't Shoot...I'm Only the Psychiatrist" (1992), when Frasier brings a group of low self-esteem men into the bar, his friends Norm, Cliff, and Paul (Paul Willson) tell them negative remarks about Frasier and his class, tell stories of pranks on Frasier, and encourage them not to fear their negativity about Frasier. At first Frasier disapproves; ironically, the group regain their self-esteem and credit Frasier for this progress instead of the bar mates. Furious, the bar mates chase after Frasier in attempt to pull down his pants.
Frasier claims to be an orphan.[19] In "Two Girls for Every Boyd" (1989), Frasier tells bar patrons he studied acting at university and wanted to be a performer, but his father, a supposed scientist who was demanding and neglectful, wanted him to pursue a career in Psychiatry. At first reluctant, Frasier realized that his father was correct before he died.[19] In "Bar Wars III: The Return of Tecumseh" (1990), he tells Sam his parents, including his mother Hester, portrayer earlier by Nancy Marchand) in "Diane Meets Mom" (1984), later died off-screen. (This contradicts the situation in his spin off of his having a living, retired cop father Martin Crane in Frasier.[19] In "The One Where Sam Shows Up" (1995), a 2nd season episode of Frasier, he comments that the story he told in the bar was a lie because at the time he was angry with Martin over a fight on the phone.)
Family life with Lilith and Frederick
In "Second Time Around" (1986), Frasier's first date with a stereotypical "intelligent, ice queen"[18] Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) does not go well. They exchange insults toward each other until she leaves the bar, disappointing him. Therefore, Sam sets him up with a ditzy woman Candi (Jennifer Tilly) for a one-night stand. Soon Frasier is close to marrying her, but Diane is able to stop their wedding. (For unknown reasons, his relationship with Candi is short-lived off-screen. Jennifer Tilly would later appear as Kim, played by Tilly, Frasier's attempted one-night-stand in "Miss Right Now" (2004), the 11th season episode of Frasier.) In "Abnormal Psychology" (1986), they feel mutual attraction again when he becomes accustomed to her makeover, done by Diane, during the psychological talk show. At first they are reluctant to start over again after the show. Nevertheless, Frasier becomes flabbergasted when she removes her hairpin. They share a kiss and go for another date. In "Dinner at Eight-ish" (1987), they are living together. In "The Crane Mutiny" (1987), his friends trick Frasier into chasing after the new bar manager Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley). Frasier dumps Lilith, but then he proposes to her, prompting her to reconcile with him and accepting the proposal.
In "The Stork Brings a Crane" (1989), Lilith gives birth to their son Frederick. In "Breaking In Is Hard to Do" (1990), 11-month-old Frederick is of "average" intelligence. After Lilith fails to raise Frederick herself at home, Frasier takes him to the bar without first notifying her. Lilith then finds out when she comes in the bar, becoming angry at him for exposing their son to the seedy environment. Then Norm (George Wendt) enters and greets everyone and, suddenly, baby Frederick yells out, "Norm!" (Everybody yells out "Norm!" in a welcoming manner whenever he comes.) However, Lilith thinks that Frederick said, "Mommy" and is pleased. Frasier and Lillith marry in "Smotherly Love" (1992), and the wedding is handled by Lilith's mother Betty (Marilyn Cooper). Prior to his date with Diane in the Cheers episode "One Hugs, the Other Doesn't" (1992), Frasier is found out to have been previously married to Nanny G (Emma Thompson), real name Nanette Guzman, Frederick Crane's favorite singer of children's songs. (In Frasier, Dina Spybey in "Don Juan in Hell, Part 2" (2001) portrays her younger version in Frasier's imaginary dream and Laurie Metcalf in "Caught in the Act" (2004) portrays her as a substitute for Thompson.)
In "Teaching with the Enemy" (1992), Lilith admits her affair with another man Dr. Louis Pascal (Peter Vogt), enraging and distressing Frasier. In "The Girl in the Plastic Bubble" (1992), Frasier attempts suicide. Fortunately, Lilith swears that she will not leave him for Dr. Pascal and their marriage can work out, prompting Frasier to stop attempting. However, he decides that a reconciliation is too late, so he lets her and Dr. Pascal live in an eco-pod together. In "The Bar Manager, The Shrink, His Wife and Her Lover" (1993), Lilith goes back to Frasier and admits regretting her life with Dr. Pascal, who is claustrophobic. Later, Dr. Pascal arrives with a gun to hold everyone hostage, but when Lilith swears that she must die first before Frasier, her selflessness motivates Dr. Pascal into surrendering to the police. Although Frasier does not forgive her initially, Frasier is soon won over by Lilith's sobbing.
Frasier
According to an April 1–4, 1993, telephone survey of 1,011 people by the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press (now Pew Research Center), before the Frasier premiere and the Cheers finale, Sam Malone (Ted Danson) scored 26 percent as a favorite character, and Frasier Crane scored 1 percent.[20][21] For a question of spinning off a character, 15 percent voted Sam, 12 percent voted Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), 10 percent voted Norm Peterson (George Wendt), and 29 percent voted no spin-offs.[21] Frasier Crane, whose own spin-off Frasier debuted in September 1993, was voted 2 percent to have his own show.[22]
Initially, the creators did not plan a spinoff from Cheers out of concerns for a spinoff's failure. Instead, they wanted to star Kelsey Grammer as a different character who would resemble Malcolm Forbes, "a magazine mogul" and "a motorcycle enthusiast", and then would have been paralyzed by an accident. The idea was deemed a unsuitable and scrapped. Then the creators decided to move Frasier Crane out of Boston to avoid any resemblance to its predecessor Cheers. The spinoff idea would have focused on "his work at a radio station", but they were concerned about its resemblance to an older sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati. Therefore, they decided to add in his private life, such as his father Martin and brother Niles.[8]
In 1993, after Cheers ended and before Frasier premiered, Frasier and Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) divorced, and their son Frederick was awarded custody under Lilith's care child custody, leaving Frasier childless. In the pilot "The Good Son", as announced in the radio show, Frasier no longer enjoyed his life in Boston, such as frequently visiting the Cheers bar and a practice that became stagnant. Therefore, he has moved to Seattle, where his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) lives, to establish a new beginning.
Frasier works for the radio station, KACL, as the host of his psychotherapeutic radio show, The Dr. Frasier Crane Show, produced by his producer and friend, Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), who flirts with men and has many ex-boyfriends. Later, his father Martin (John Mahoney), a retired Seattle Police Department detective who was shot in the line of duty, ends up living with him. Frasier becomes worried about his father in his current state as he can barely walk, and requires a cane to move. (In Cheers, Frasier's father is supposed to be an off-screen dead scientist.[19]) Therefore, Frasier hires him a live-in physical therapist, Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves), although he wanted someone classier than Daphne, a eccentric, working-class Englishwoman who professes to be "a bit psychic". Moreover, Martin brings his beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Eddie, whom Frasier despises. Throughout the series, while Frasier had several friends in Boston, he is not able to forge many close friendships in Seattle.[original research?] His brother Niles Crane and his producer Roz Doyle are essentially his only close friends.
Family
During the course of the spin-off's run, especially in scenes at Frasier's apartment, Frasier and Martin regularly bicker over the living arrangements and each other's personalities: Frasier is sophisticated, intellectual, and erudite and somewhat pompous, while Martin is enthusiastic about more blue-collar likes, such as sports, television, American-style foods and beer and speaks (according to Frasier) and words that no "sophisticated, educated" person could understand.[23] Moreover, Frasier has many common interests with Niles and shares adventures (or misadventures) with him, while he has little in common with his father.
In "Dinner at Eight" (1993), Martin takes Frasier and Niles to a themed steakhouse, where health-conscious, snobby Frasier and Niles mock the food, the restaurant's customs, and the clientele. Martin becomes embarrassed and angry and leaves, remarking upon departing that their mother Hester would feel ashamed about the boys' behavior, leaving Frasier and Niles self-conscious about their attitudes. The boys try to prove that they are not "snobs", and they end up slowly finishing their meal after closing time. (Earlier in Cheers episode "I Kid You Not", Frasier berates Carla and her son Ludlow for mocking the upper-class, expensive restaurant.)
In "Chess Pains", Martin does not know how to play chess, but is taught by Frasier, eventually winning game after game against his son, which motivates Frasier into questioning and becoming obsessed with his own intellect. After several matches, including one that Frasier won, Martin has had enough of Frasier's obsession with chess and does not want to play with Frasier anymore. One late night, Frasier wakes up Martin and asks him whether Martin lost the chess match on purpose to let Frasier win. Martin responds that Frasier "won, fair and square" and nothing more.
In an episode of the seventh season "A Tsar Is Born" (1999), Martin takes an old family clock, which Frasier and Niles consider hideous, to exhibit on the television show Antiques Roadshow. As the boys soon discover, the clock is related to their ancestors and royalty, and may be worth a fortune, and heightens their expectations of being descended from royalty. Unfortunately, when they try to sell the clock later, the brothers realize from an antique specialist was stolen from the daughter of Tsar Alexander II. Moreover, their great-great-grandmother was discovered to have been the clock thief and the daughter's scullery maid, and is discovered to have later been a prostitute in New York City. Therefore, the brothers are left without a fortune, a clock, and their royal dreams are dashed, as Frasier puts it, they are descended from "thieves and whores". Much to their chagrin, Martin buys a Winnebago RV with money Frasier claimed were the proceeds from selling the clock.
Reunion with Lilith and Frederick
Actress Bebe Neuwirth left Cheers for fear of becoming a Lilith-"typcast" and to do theatre, (mostly Broadway), and she did not expect to appear recurrently in the spin-off Frasier.[24] Cheers and Frasier writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs found chemistry of Frasier and Lilith "special" enough to compare them with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy mixed with "Prozac" and to comfortably write stories about.[25] In "The Show Where Lilith Comes Back" (1994), Lilith surprises Frasier by dialing to the radio show. When they make love in the hotel room, they end up regretting it, prompting them to part ways again. They still decide to remain friends and be parental to their son Frederick (Trevor Einhorn),[26] who also appears occasionally in this spin-off. In "Adventures in Paradise, Part Two" (1994), Lilith and Brian are engaged, much to Frasier's dismay. In "A Lilith Thanksgiving" (1996), Frasier and Lilith have Frederick admitted into a private school after they annoy the administrator (Paxton Whitehead) several times on Thanksgiving. In "The Unnatural" (1997), Frasier is proven as unathletic and bad at softball, which he reluctantly admits to Frederick. Then Frasier tells him that, when Frasier was a third-grade elementary student, his father Martin was bad at math.
In "Room Service" (1998), Lilith is recently divorced from Brian, who comes out of the closet with a male lover. Frasier is almost tempted to make love to her. However, when he finds Niles and her in a hotel room together, Frasier realizes that they drunkenly slept together, prompting him to lose his own desire for her. In Lilith's last episode, "Guns 'N Neuroses" (2003), Lilith's colleague, Nancy (Christine Dunford), meets Frasier at the coffeehouse without recognizing him as Lilith's ex-husband and then sets him up with Lilith as her "blind date". Lilith and Frasier are close to restarting a relationship in the hotel room, but they are interrupted by a loud argument between a young married couple next door. Frasier and Lilith are able to resolve the couple's dispute, spend the night together watching television, and finally fall asleep on the couch without intimacy. The next morning, they part ways at their final onscreen moment together.
Reunion with Cheers characters
With the exception of Kirstie Alley (Rebecca Howe), all the surviving main cast members of Cheers appear in the show at various points. In "The Show Where Sam Shows Up" (1995), Sam Malone reunites with Frasier in Seattle. At Frasier's apartment, Sam meets Martin and retells Frasier's faux story of his dead scientist father and as "the only child", as first told in other show Cheers. Later, Frasier is discovered to have slept with Sam's fiancée Sheila (Téa Leoni), but Sam has not discovered the affair, much to Frasier's relief. Nevertheless, Sam finds out her dalliances with Paul Krapence (Paul Willson) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger), which ends the romantic relationship. In "The Show Where Diane Comes Back" (1996), Frasier is reunited with Diane Chambers and learns that her recent relationship failed and that a foundation refused to afford her upcoming play, prompting him to fund it. The whole play turns out to be an imitation of Cheers and portrays the Diane imitation as the protagonist. Admonished, Frasier angrily remarks about the Diane imitation and her abandonment on the Frasier imitation at the wedding altar. Because of those remarks, Diane tries to rewrite the play unsucessfully, so she decides to postpone the play and to go back to Los Angeles. Before she leaves, she and Frasier make amends.
In "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" (1999), Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), still married to Kelly with his son and daughter, accidentally reunites his old friend Frasier after landing in the wrong destination, Seattle. However, they realize that they no longer enjoy their time together. Frasier abhors beer and karaoke. (He was addicted to karaoke in Cheers episode "Wedding Bell Blues" (1991), and he frequently drank beer in Cheers.) Woody does not fit in with Frasier's upper-class lifestyle and pities him for having fewer friends and lacking plans. Nevertheless, they admit that their times together in Boston were good and are irreplaceable. In "Cheerful Goodbyes" (2002), Frasier arrives to Boston for a psychiatric conference. At the airport, Frasier unexpectedly bumps into old friend, Cliff Clavin and is invited to Cliff's retirement party the following evening, where he is reunited with waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) and then barfly Norm Peterson (George Wendt). Later, Cliff admits to Frasier about not being missed by his friends. Therefore, Frasier advises everyone to say a nice farewell to Cliff for his own sake, including a reluctant Carla who hates him. After a nice farewell, Cliff decides to stay in Boston, much to Carla's chagrin.
Final years
In the final season of Frasier (2003–2004), he falls in love with the matchmaker Charlotte Connor (Laura Linney), but the romance turns out to be short-lived when she moves to Chicago. In the 2004 two-part series finale, "Goodnight, Seattle", Frasier is offered a job as the host of his own television talk show, located in San Francisco and has decided to take it. However, in the final scene of the show, It is revealed that Frasier has taken an airplane to Chicago where Charlotte has moved.
Other appearances
Kelsey Grammer has made several appearances as Dr. Frasier Crane outside of Cheers and Frasier.
- Mickey's 60th Birthday (1988)
- Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Season 34, Episode 15, "Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration" (1990)
- The Earth Day Special (1990)
- Wings Season 3, Episode 16, "Planes, Trains and Visiting Cranes" (1992)
- The John Larroquette Show Season 3, Episode 1, "More Changes" (1995)
- Dr Pepper TV Commercial (2008)
Reception
Critical reaction
At the time Cheers originally aired, Rick Sherwood from Los Angeles found Frasier himself and his involvement with the "Sam and Diane" story arc gimmicky and unnecessary.[27] Moreover, Sherwood found Frasier's frequent visits to "his girlfriend's former lover's bar", especially after he was dumped by Diane Chambers at the wedding, unrealistic, unusual, and unbelievable.[27] Later, after Frasier's prominence increased in the series and then inspired a spin-off Frasier, in a 1999 book Writing and Responsibility, Beverly West and Jason Bergund noted that Frasier's father Martin was supposed to be dead in Cheers but turns out still alive in Frasier, calling it inconsistent with "a bout of amnesia", "poor scriptwriting", or a desperation to elicit more laughter.[19] (This is later addressed in the 1995 episode "The Show Where Sam Shows Up", in which Frasier explains to Sam that he claimed Martin was dead after an argument.)
In another book TV Therapy, Frasier Crane in Cheers is considered "high-strung [and] pseudo-sophisticated" and an attraction to 1980s demographics of "anti-intellectual snobbery",[28] but Frasier in Frasier is considered a good, positive role model for intellectuality and sophistication.[29] In 2004, he was ranked by Bravo No. 26 of Bravo's The 100 Greatest TV Characters of all-time.[30][31] In 2009, the National Lampoon website ranked him No. 20 of "Top 20 Sitcom Characters You'd Kill in Real Life" and called him "hilarious" in the fictional world and "unbearable" in the real world.[32]
Robert Bianco from USA Today considered Frasier Crane masculine in the days of "Fred Astaire and William Powell" instead of recent "beer-belching" days of the reality show, Survivor. Bianco found series of Frasier's love life repetitive and "tiring".[33] Gillian Flynn from Entertainment Weekly considered Frasier Crane's "diction" an inspiration of Fringe's Walter Bishop (John Noble), who has an addition of "daffiness" of roles portrayed by actor Christopher Lloyd.[34]
Joe Sixpack, a pseudonymous name for writer Don Russell, called Frasier an "insufferable twerp".[35] An internet user from Ken Levine's blog considered Frasier a successor to more prestigious, experienced medical doctor and surgeon, Charles Winchester, from the television series M*A*S*H. However, Levine did not acknowledge it when Frasier was the new character in Cheers in 1984.[36] Television Without Pity called Frasier "snooty and pretentious", even if he may be "smart" on television and a "rare" species of all characters.[37]
Steve Silverman from Screen Junkies praised Kelsey Grammer's performance as Frasier Crane but found them "predictable". Silverman thought that Grammer did not deserve an Emmy, especially in 1998. In note, Silverman deemed the character Frasier as "a windbag with a sense of humor" and "a whining schoolboy with a series of lame excuses."[38] Lance Mannion from his Typepad blog depicted Grammer as partially responsible for turning Cheers "from a light romantic into farce" by physical comedy.[39]
Reviews on Frasier and Lilith
Martha Nolan from The New York Times called Frasier and Lilith "repressed" when married together in Cheers.[40] Josh Bell from About.com called Frasier and his ex-wife Lilith Sternin one of the "best sitcom divorced couples" of all-time.[26] Steven H. Scheuer from Sarasota Herald-Tribune considered Lilith's significance to and marriage with Frasier "fun" to watch, especially when, in "Severe Crane Damage" (1990), she used comparisons between "the duller good boy" Frasier and "the interesting bad boy" Sam Malone as "psychiatric examples of the good boy-bad boy syndrome".[41]
Faye Zuckerman and John Martin from The New York Times called their marriage in Cheers a hilariously "perfect mismatch".[42] Television critic Kevin McDonough from New York praised Kelsey Grammer and Bebe Neuwirth's performances as "repressed individuals" and "separate couple on TV" with "acidic and hilarious" chemistry together.[43] Lance Mannion depicted Frasier and Lilith as separate halves of Diane Chambers.[39]
Accolades
For his performance as Frasier Crane in Cheers, Kelsey Grammer was Emmy Award-nominated twice as an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and did not win in 1988 and 1990.[44][45] For the same role in Wings episode "Planes, Trains, and Visiting Cranes", he was Emmy-nominated for the same category in 1992. For the same role in Cheers spin-off Frasier, Grammer was consecutively nominated as an Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series during the show's whole run except in 2003. He won that Lead category in 1994, 1995, 1998, and 2004.[44] Grammer won the Screen Actors Guild Award as part of an ensemble cast of Frasier in 2000.[46]
References
- Bjorklund, Dennis A. Cheers TV Show: A Comprehensive Reference. Praetorian Publishing, 1993. Google Books. Web. 8 April 2012. Another edition
- Gates, Anita. "TELEVISION; Yes, America Has a Class System. See 'Frasier'." The New York Times 19 Apr. 1998. Web. 09 Feb. 2012.
- West, Beverly; Jason Bergund (2005). TV Therapy: The Television Guide To Life. New York: Bantam Dell, an imprint of Random House, Inc. ISBN 0-385-33902-X.
- Brown, Robert S (2005). "Cheers: Searching for the Ideal Public Sphere in the Ideal Public House". The Sitcom Reader: America Viewed and Skewed. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. pp. 253–260. ISBN 0-7914-6570-5.
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Notes
- ^ Kolbert, Elizabeth (February 27, 1994). "TELEVISION; A Chip Off The Old Sitcom". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ Gumbel, Andrew (15 May 2004). "Kelsey Grammer: The darker side of TV's favourite shrink". The Independent.
- ^ Isenberg, Barbara (September 21, 2003). "Cheers to the long run". LA Times. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ "Condo by condo, Seattle has become a lot like Frasier". Seattle Times. May 13, 2004. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
- ^ Gates, Anita. p. 4.
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- ^ "The Ready-for-Primetime Facebook." The Harvard Crimson 17 October 2003. Web. 20 May 2012 [1]. According to the spinoff Frasier, he attended Oxford University. However, whether he earned a degree there is unknown.
- ^ a b Levin, Gary. "So how did 'Frasier' come about?" USA Today 12 May 2004. Web. 20 May 2012.
- ^ "`Cheers' Sam Gets a Rival." Ocala Star-Banner: TV Week [Ocala, FL] 18 August 1984: 19. Google News. Web. 31 March 2012.
- ^ a b c Gates, Anita. p. 3.
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- ^ "`Frasier' Says `Goodnight, Seattle' for Good." St. Paul Pioneer Press [St. Paul, MN] 13 May 2004: E1. Web. 06 April 2012.(subscription required)
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{{cite web}}
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- ^ Sherwood, Rick. "`Cheers' is back in fine, funny form." The Gainesville Sun [Gainesville, FL] 31 Oct 1985: 9A. Google News. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.
- ^ a b c Brown (2005). "Cheers". p. 257.
{{cite book}}
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- ^ a b Leefler, Pete. "Show Piles Up Viewer Cheers." The Morning Call [Allentown, NY] 2 May 1993: A01. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ "Mixed Reaction to Post-Seinfeld Era." Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Pew Research Center 10 May 1998. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.
- ^ Gates 1998, p. 1.
- ^ Dominguez, Robert (May 13, 2004). "Not Much Adieu About Lilith". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
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- ^ a b Bell, Josh. "The Best Sitcom Divorces". About.com. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ a b Sherwood, Rick (31 October 1985). "'Cheers' is back in fine, funny form". The Gainesville Sun. p. 9A.
- ^ TV Therapy 2005, p. 57, "You've Got a Friend TV".
- ^ TV Therapy 2005, p. 44, "Diva TV".
- ^ "Kelsey's Launches Ad Campaign with Cheers TV Theme Song." Canada NewsWire 03 Feb. 2008. Web. 10 Feb. 2012.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest TV Characters." Bravo, 2004. Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. Archived from the original.
- ^ Economou, Thane. "Top 20 Sitcom Characters You'd Kill in Real Life." National Lampoon 27 May 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2012.
- ^ Bianco, Robert. "Sophisticated 'Frasier' signs off." USA Today 29 March 2004. Web. 20 May 2012 [2].
- ^ Flynn, Gillian. "Fringe (2008)." Entertainment Weekly 17 September 2008. Web. 20 May 2012 [3].
- ^ Joe Sixpack, pseudonymous for Don Russell (March 23, 2007). "The Hall of Foam: The 20 bartenders I wish could pour for me". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 65. Record no. at NewsBank: 7006886267. JoeSixPack.net
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suggested) (help) - ^ Ariano, Tara; Sarah D. Bunting (2006). Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate (And Hate to Love) About TV. 2006903875: Quirk Books. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-59474-117-3.
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: CS1 maint: location (link) ISBN 1-59474-117-4. Distributed in North America by Chronicle Books (San Francisco) - ^ Steve Silverman (January 7). "5 Of The Most Overrated Best Actor Emmy Winners". Screen Junkies. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
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(help) - ^ a b Mannion, Lance (June 21, 2006). "Shelley, what were you thinking?". Typepad.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013.
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(help) - ^ Scheuer, Steven H (February 15, 1990). "Lilith Labels Frasier a 'Good Boy on Cheers". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. p. 7E. Retrieved July 28, 2012, at Google News Archive.
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(help) - ^ McDonough, Kevin (March 3, 1998). "Exes mark the spot on Something So Right". Star-Banner. Ocala, Florida. p. 9C. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
- ^ a b "Kelsey Grammer". Emmys.com. 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012. There were no nominations for guest performances in television series in 1992 Primetime Emmy Awards.
- ^ Bjorklund, pp. 460–461
- ^ "The 6th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards." Screen Actors Guild Awards, 2000. Web. 30 March 2012. He has been nominated as a "Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" many times and did not win once individually.