Frasier - Season 6
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The sixth season of Frasier aired from September 24, 1998, to May 20, 1999, on NBC, consisting of a total of 24 episodes. Beginning with this season, the show took over the time slot previously occupied by Seinfeld after Jerry Seinfeld turned down an offer to renew his show for a tenth season, allowing it to be on a Thursday night again since its move to a Tuesday night for seasons 2 through 5. It would continue to be on a Thursday night for the 7th season as well, before it was moved to Tuesday again with the 8th season.[1]
Mini Synopsis: Frasier is going out with Faye but keeps saying Cassandra's name, Martin is going out with Bonnie again, and Niles has started going out with a hip young Cafe Nervosa waitress called Kit. All three relationships end, leaving the three Crane men to lament their love lifes in the season finale.
David Hyde Pierce is the MVP of this season for me and I actually came away from the season this time feeling that the writers made him the priority over Frasier more often than not; as you point out He is changing and growing while Frasier is stuck in the same cycles. He kind of felt like a supporting player in his own show at times. Do you think this is fair to say? I notice that a lot of the episodes in your list are Niles centric.
I was also very sad to hear about the death of John Mahoney, especially after I was a bit critical of aspects of his performance in season 5. I genuinely thought he was great throughout this season comedically and dramatically. His work in Visions of Daphne brought a lump to my throat, while his subtle and completely unsurprised reaction to Niles hitting himself in the face with the coin in When a Man Loves Two Women is one of my favourite moments. I should have appreciated him more. I will when I watch from now on.
In Season 8, Leeves was pregnant, and even though Daphne was with Niles by this point, her pregnancy could not be written into the show for some reason. So, the writers decided that the way to explain it was that Daphne started eating too much and gained weight. It's a testament to how strong the series is as a whole that it can still be considered so beloved, despite this horrible decision. The fact that the worst season directly follows the best season just makes it all the more frustrating.
Despite this, the 10th season does have a few highlights, including a surprisingly tender and heartfelt dramatic episode called "Rooms with a View," which finds Niles in hospital, reflecting on his past and considering his possible futures. It also has a great Halloween episode called "Tales from the Crypt," in which Frasier pranks Bulldog. Good episodes at the radio station involving the wider supporting cast of eccentrics such as Gil and Noel are not as plentiful as one might hope, but Dan Butler's Bulldog was the best of the lot.
This season also features Tony Goldwyn's guest appearance as Roger the garbage man in "Love Stinks," forcing Roz to realize that she's snobbier than she thought. Elsewhere, "Death Trap" sees a Crane Boys Mystery as Frasier and Niles try to solve a "murder most foul." And a plot revolving around Martin's ancient Lay-Z-Boy chair leads to Frasier setting it on fire and throwing it off the balcony, then having it painstakingly remade so that it becomes the most expensive piece of furniture in the apartment.
The most famous episode from this season is "Three Valentines," which features David Hyde Pierce's masterful silent comedy routine in the show's cold open, ably supported by Eddie, of course. His work with the fire extinguisher alone is comedy gold. This section of just one episode is so good that it cements Season 6's place in the top five of the series.
Season 5 is another mid-series gem for "Frasier." At this point, the characters have had enough time to embed with each other (before things go off the rails with the introduction of Daphne's family). The season shows that much of the humor and farce in "Frasier" surrounds dating and sex, and particularly Frasier's relentless bad luck at finding love.
The highlight episodes of the 3rd season include "Martin Does It His Way," in which Frasier and Niles try to help Martin write a song for Frank Sinatra. Another music-based episode, "Look Before You Leap," will have the phrase "buttons and bows" rattling through your head for days after. Season 3 contains probably the best "Frasier" Christmas episode, where he frantically tries to find an Outlaw Laser Robo Geek for his son Frederick, and it contains one of the best ever "Frasier" lines: "The Cranes of Maine have got your Living Brain!"
In Season 4, "Frasier" hits its peak and rides that wave until Season 8's unfortunate Daphne-based decision. It features banger after banger, with the only slight downside of the season being Martin's girlfriend, Sherry.
The 4th contains the best episode title, "Roz's Kranz and Gouldenstein are Dead," and it has a great Eddie episode, "Death and the Dog," as well as a Bulldog episode, "Love Bites Dog." This season also sees Daphne dating a Niles clone in "Mixed Doubles." One of the undoubted highlights is "A Lilith Thanksgiving," in which Lilith and Frasier are preoccupied with getting Frederick into a prestigious prep school while Niles and Martin do their best to injure the precious boy himself at every turn. It also features "a turkey so underdone a skilled veterinarian could still save it." There's also "Ham Radio," in which Frasier tries to produce an elaborate murder mystery for the radio station.
This is also the season where Niles moves into the Montana, starting many epic episodes of him throwing disastrous parties, including "To Kill a Talking Bird," where his highly-strung cockatiel gets stuck on his head. And then there's "Are You Being Served," which sees Niles getting "hot and foamy" and is the closest we'll to seeing the cast corpsing on camera. Season 4 is certainly in contention for the best season of "Frasier."
It was a tough decision and hard to narrow down, especially when it came to choosing between the top two seasons, but there can be only one winner, and it's Season 7. Unfortunately, "Frasier" hits its peak just before a series of baffling Daphne-based decisions derail things somewhat for Season 8 through 10.
When Niles Crane is introduced on Frasier, he is married to an unseen woman named Maris. Maris becomes Frasier's biggest running joke as she is never shown but her odd appearance and personality are constantly commented on. Encouraged by his friends and family, Niles stands up to Maris when she ridicules him and this sparks a two-year-long separation. She eventually cheats on him with their marriage counselor, Dr. Bernard Shenkman. From then on, Niles dates women who are more often his polar opposites to satiate a long-time desire to be with Daphne. On a whim, he marries Mel Karnofsky in season 7 but their romance dissolves after he and Daphne finally get together before she marries the lawyer Donny Douglas.
In Frasier season 6 episode 23 "Shutout In Seattle: Part I" nearly every character is seen entering a relationship that is neither healthy nor sustainable for them. Niles Crane, out of desperation to be loved, starts dating a woman named Kit. The only problem is that he changes his personality and appearance to be more compatible with her. Kit is played by Legally Blonde actress Jessica Cauffiel and appears in a two-parter Frasier episode. Niles Crane ends his marriage with Maris for good in Frasier season 5 and ends up sharing an awkward affair with Frasier's ex-wife Lilith. By dating Kit the next season, Niles Crane is attempting to break free of the bad habits that prevent him from finding true love. However, their precarious dynamic proves to Niles that he cannot be who he is not in a relationship and be satisfied. Niles breaks up with Kit in "Shutout In Seattle: Part II."
In Frasier season 7, episode 2 "Father of the Bride," Niles Crane joins what he believes to be an executive dating agency but is actually an escort service. The agency sets him up with a woman named Sabrina who he starts dating despite Niles' brother Frasier warning him that she is a sex worker. The scenario is used for laughs but Niles' experience with Sabrina paints a bigger picture of his dating life following his dissolved marriage with Maris. Sabrina's devotion to him is a sham because of her occupation, a fact that is understood by everyone other than Niles. Their dynamic represents his romantic naivete. Their breakup in "Father of the Bride" is eye-opening for Niles as he decides there is no such thing as a perfect relationship.
Poppy Delafield (played by Katie Finneran) appears in Frasier season 7 episodes 4 and 6. She is the spoiled daughter of KACL's station owner. During her appearance in "Everyone's A Critic" Frasier Crane manipulates her into becoming a critic at his radio station because of his jealousy towards Niles' new job writing for a pretentious magazine. Poppy returns for Frasier season 7 episode 6 "Rivals" where she and Niles become infatuated with each other. With her outgoing attitude and heedless chatting, she can be described as another foil of Niles. After several misunderstandings, both Frasier's love interest and Poppy effectively break things off with the brothers by ditching a ball they attend together.
Mel Karnofsky is introduced in Frasier season 7 episode 8 "The Late Dr. Crane" and is portrayed by actress Jane Adams. The plastic surgeon quickly becomes the second wife of Niles Crane. Mel is compatible with Niles in many ways yet thrives on the control she has over him. Her dominant personality is at its most extreme when she drags out her separation with Niles by holding his and Daphne's affair over his head. Marrying Mel is a negligent choice Niles makes because he worries life is passing him by, but their ensuing breakup remains a huge stepping stone in his character development. Their relationship helps him to finally shed his insecurities and also break his pattern of being a pushover for the sake of receiving love. 781b155fdc