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+ Best Comedy of the Year + Best Returning TV-series of the Year + Best Romcom of the Year + Best Seattle Title of the Year
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| Kelsey Grammer in front of the regular stars of David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee's Frasier - season 7 with a characteristic broad bravura smile |
Season 7 of the long-running, Seattle-set sitcom-hit opens with a fun episode (Momma Mia) in which the self-centered but affable radio therapist title character (Kelsey Grammer (Galaxies Are Colliding (1992))) falls for a woman, whom he discovers he likes, because she is so akin to his father, retired cop and living companion Martin (John Mahoney (Dan in Real Life (2007))). Hilarity continues in the second episode (Father of the Bride), as Frasier, via a hiccup-induced mistake, comes to take over planning Martin's live-in physical therapist, Englishwoman Daphne's (Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland (2010-15))) wedding to annoying lawyer Danny, and in the third (Radio Wars), wherein Frasier is plagued by a competing prank show that continually stage on-air leg-pulling with him as their victim.
Frasier's single-mother producing partner and friend Roz (Peri Gilpin (Benjamin (2019))) continues a sweet on/off romance with former colleague 'Bulldog' Briscoe, and there's an enjoyable mix-up episode (6: Rivals). Frase and his brother, equally self-centered but affable psychiatrist Niles (David Hyde Pierce (Nixon (1995))) imagine having royal ancestors at an antique show (7: A Tsar Is Born), but instead end up owing Martin 30 grand for a Winnebago. Frasier's teenage son Frederick visits for Thanksgiving (9: The Apparent Trap) with his ex-wife Lilith, and the boy is either cute or manipulative here in a kind of brilliant episode. Frasier goes overboard when tasked with making a jingle for his show (13: They're Playing Our Song), but Martin's way simpler idea turns out to be better.
Martin also has an affair in season 7, and Frasier and Roz nearly have one together, but it is still Niles and Daphne's latent romance that is the main event love-wise, and the writers here come up with another clever way to postpone a solution for another season: This time, finally, Daphne learns of Niles' warm feelings, but without Niles knowing this, she is left to rack her own heart for several episodes, as it gets clearer and clearer for her that she also loves him, - and has married the wrong man. This makes for two of the season's best episodes (10: Back Talk, in which she finds out, and 23/24: Something Borrowed, Something Blue), and in the latter of the two the resolution finally arrives, after 6 seasons of buildup, as the two escape Daphne's pending wedding, in Martin's Winnebago no less. Television history is made.
The season has several great and a handful of really outstanding episodes; none that are bad, and only one negative minor detractor in one, (Daphne's visiting English brother Simon is simply too crude a Neanderthal-reminiscent character to be funny in 22: Dark Side of the Moon). The dramatic evolvement is steady and highly satisfying, and the cast again bring their A game, with resulting laughs aplenty. Creator David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee (Wings (1990-97) all) spun gold.
Best episodes:
4. Everyone's a Critic - Written by Joe Keenan (Desperate Housewives (2006-11)); directed by Pamela Fryman (Abby's (2019, TV-series))
Niles becomes a critic on snob magazine Monocle, and Frasier gets so jealous that he gets his own critic show instated at the radio station, - he thinks. The whole cast are in top shape in this terrific episode.
10. Back Talk - Written by Lori Kirkland Baker (Wings (1996-97)); directed by Fryman
Frase has back problems on his birthday and follows Roz's advice by admitting them - his combined frustrations - to Martin's adorable dog Eddie. But Daphne overhears his outpourings, and over the course of the following hours she also hears that Niles has been in love with her for 6 years! One of the best Frasier episodes ever.
11. The Fight Before Christmas - Written by Jon Sherman (Royal Pains (2009-16)); directed by Fryman
The mix-ups continue, as Niles is about to lose his girlfriend Mel, and Daphne believes him to be on the verge of confessing his love for her. She cannot help feeling overlooked at Frasier's failed Christmas party. A perfect Christmas episode.
15. Out with Dad - Written by Keenan; directed by Lee
Frasier and Martin accompany each other to the opera for Valentine's Day, and Frasier lures a hot women (Marg Helgenberger (Columbus Day (2008))) home, meanwhile Martin accidentally indicates to other patrons that he is gay, which gives rise to ... complications! Hysterically funny.
23/24: Something Borrowed, Something Blue (double-length episode) - Written by Keenan, Christopher Lloyd (Modern Family (2009-20)); directed by Fryman
Daph attempts to talk to Niles, who has just wed another wrong woman named Mel, but soon 100 people are gathered for still doubting Daphne's wedding to Danny. Frasier informs Niles that he has to step up, and the suspense is finally lifted, as Niles and Daphne, in her wedding dress, flee the ceremony. Top-drawer, heart-swelling romance, folks.
Related posts:
David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee (creators): 1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Frasier - season 6 (1998) - Niles finally begins his divorce in solidly hilarious season
Frasier - season 5 (1997) - Grammer, Pierce and Co. still bring home laughs aplenty
Frasier - season 4 (1996) - Angell, Casey and Lee's superb therapist sitcom winner retains its level
Frasier - season 3 (1995) - A comedy triumph
Frasier - season 2 (1994) - Seattle's sitcom power team return, resulting in many more laughs and good times
Frasier - season 1 (1993) - The perfect sitcom arrived
Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV series
= Uncertain - but certainly a TV hit
[Frasier season 7 was first shown from 23 September 1999 - 18 May 2000 on NBC, and it spans 24 episodes, the last one counted as two as it has double-length, of an average 22 minutes, totaling approximately 528 minutes. 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 entire 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 rating's lowest (episode 14: Hot Pursuit) was 14 mil. US viewers and its highest (episode 23/24: Something Borrowed, Something Blue) was enormous 33.7 mil.. The season fell in its Nielsen ratings ranking from season 6's #3 ranking, the series' best overall, to a still great #6 rating, beginning the show's ratings decline. The season was nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys, winning one, and 3 Creative Emmys, also winning one; it was also nominated for 4 Golden Globes, winning one, among other honors. The 8th season started showing in October 2000. Grammer at the time also starred in Stark Raving Mad (2000, TV-series) and gave a voice performance in Gary the Rat (2000, video). 69,139 IMDb users have given Frasier an 8.0/10 average rating.]
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