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+ 3rd Best Title of the Year
+ Breakthrough of the Year, Male: Kelsey Grammer + Best New TV-series of the Year + Shooting Star of the Year, Male: David Hyde Pierce + Best Sitcom of the Year + Best Washington Title of the Year
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| The Seattle skyline and the five leads - and dog Eddie - make up this poster for the first season of David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee's Frasier |
Frasier was created for NBC by David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee (Wings (1990-97), all). It might be the most perfect first season of a sit-com ever made.
It is solid right off the bat; the first episode presents the central characters with the series' signature title cards presenting them, ('the son', 'the father' etc.)
Successful psychiatrist Frasier (Kelsey Grammer (Partners (2014), TV-series))) has moved from Boston to Seattle after a divorce, which removes him from his son Fredrick. He is setting himself up as the city's top radio therapist and rekindles his friendly but also deeply competitive relationship with his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce (The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human (1999))), also a psychiatrist with a successful private practice. But as the two Crane brothers' father, widower Martin's (John Mahoney (The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000))) health is declining, Frasier allows his old man, - naturally his complete counterpart in terms of lifestyle and preferences, - to move into his swanky new penthouse apartment.
From here on their father-son relationship is put to the test: Martin's Easy-chair and smart dog Eddie are a great nuisance to perfectionist Frasier, whereas Martin's residential, British physical therapist Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves (Garfield 2 (2006))) is mostly a joy to have around, - although mostly to frequent visitor Niles, who quickly falls for her completely and courts her more and more openly. Daphne of course never realizes this, (despite her claims to have psychic abilities.)
Niles, who is married to upper class mansion-owner Maris, (whom Frasier at one point describes as "like the sun, but without the warmth", and whom we never see, which is a funny ploy), admits late in the season that he isn't happy, and that he longs for an affair with Daphne.
At work Frasier is partnered with his radio show producer Roz Doyle (played with feisty affability by Peri Gilpin (Occupy, Texas (2016)), and we are introduced to other radio station characters such as Bulldog Briscoe (Dan Butler (Hey Arnold! (1997-04)) is supremely energetic), Gil Chesterton and Chopper Dave; and each episode has celebrities making the listener calls to Frasier. - First season includes calls from names such as Jeff Daniels, Jay Leno, Mel Brooks, Ben Stiller, Piper Laurie, Henry Mancini, Elijah Woods, Malcolm McDowell, Reba McEntire, Mary Tyler Moore and Tommy Hilfiger. These radio 'sessions' of Frasier's are almost always failed attempts at telephonic therapy - and usually hilarious. Roz is a notorious man-eater, while Frasier is lonely and mostly alone: He has a relapse with his ex-wife Lilith, but otherwise little action romance-wise on his part in season 1.
When Martin strikes up a short-lived relationship to a woman, Frase unintentionally ruins their growing fling by discussing their sex life on his show! He attempts to make it up again, and such is the basic structure of many an episode: Expectations, analyzing, mistakes being made, arguments, conflicts - and reunification.
It is always the snappy, intelligent and deeply humorous dialog served up by a terrific team of writers, which amazes and entertains in the warmest fashion from episode to episode. - An example of of the show's many familiar jabs could be this reply from Frasier, when Niles in one episode suddenly boasts to Daphne about his having begun pumping iron: "Niles, you don't even pump your own gas!"
The cast is also brilliant, especially leading man Grammer, who creates a grand comical figure in Frasier Crane, and the series is much in his debt. The season is so lovely that at its conclusion, you will be ready to join in Frasier's late admittance of happiness.
Best episodes:
Episode 1: The Good Son - written by Angell, Casey, Lee; directed by James Burrows (Man with a Plan (2016-17))
The characters are introduced, and Frasier accepts his father into his new Seattle abode.
Episode 12: Miracle on Third or Fourth Street - written by Christopher Lloyd (Modern Family (2009-19)); directed by Burrows
A delightfully unpretentious anti-Christmas Christmas episode in which Frasier is mistaken for being a homeless man.
Episode 17: A Mid-Winter Night's Dream - written by Chuck Ranberg (House Blend (2002), TV movie), Anne Flett-Giordano (Mom (2015-18)); directed by Lee
Niles and Daphne are caught in Niles' mansion, and the Maris jokes are many and uproariously funny.
Episode 21: Travels with Martin - written by Linda Morris, Vic Rauseo (Roomies (1987), TV-series, both); directed by Burrows
The family of four go camping to Canada, where Daphne isn't supposed to be, officially!
Episode 24: My Coffee with Niles - written by Angell, Casey; directed by Burrows
The sublime episode takes place exclusively in Frasier and Niles' regular hangout, the aptly named Cafe Nervosa, where the two carry out an intense conversation on the topic of happiness, disturbed by the series' regulars. SPOILER Frasier answers Niles' question, finally, to the waitress; yes, he is mostly fairly happy.
Related post:
1993 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV series
= Uncertain - but certainly a TV hit
[Frasier season 1 was first shown from 16 September 1993 - 19 May 1994 on NBC, and it spans 24 episodes of an average 22 minutes, totaling approximately 528 minutes. The series is a spin-off of Cheers (1982-93), wherein Frasier (Grammer) was a regular in Sam's (Ted Danson) bar in Boston. Shooting took place in Hollywood, Los Angeles, with establishing shots from Seattle, Washington. The series' cost grew during its run, and the cost per episode at its closure after 11 seasons was reportedly 5.2 mil. $ (124.8 mil. $ for the 24 episodes), of which 60 % went to its regular stars, of which Grammer commanded an impressive 1.6 mil. $ (amounting to 38.4 mil. $ for the season). Still, with syndication, foreign sales, home video etc., the series was likely a great asset for NBC. The season's ratings lowest were 25.5 mil. US viewers and its highest was 33.1 mil, - impressive numbers, - ranking it #7 on the Nielsen rank, which the series only bested in its seasons 6 and 7. The season won 4/6 Emmy nominations, was nominated for 3 Golden Globes and other honors. The second season started showing in September 1994. Grammer at the time also starred in TV movies Beyond Suspicion (1993) and The Innocent (1994). 62,422 IMDb users have given the show an 8.0/10 average rating.]
What do you think of Frasier's first season?
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