After watching all the episodes this season so far, what really hit me in this one is that the title cards and the silent end credits sequences are, still, very well done. Kudos to whoever is in charge of those. It's safe to say that the one about the plumber was probably the high moment of the episode for me. That being said, I thought there was also some very insightful commentary on the nature of the father-son relationships in the original show. In terms of the comedy, I think the episode works for you if you're someone with older parents - the fridge noises, home repair, etc. - it's hard not to laugh at the fact that these are things that regularly come up in your daily interactions with them. Outside of that, it's hard to say that there was anything terribly funny here. I must say that Frasier does a better and funnier job of being Frasier than he does of being Martin - but I suppose that was what the episode wanted to say in the first place.
5 Reviews
You Win, I'll Retire
jameswyattranks1 December 2023
Had its funny moments that's for sure. The plumber improv and the handbook scenes in particular. Its deeper themes were nice to explore even if I didn't entire love every second of that. Frasier's reactions to scenarios will always be funny.
Absolutely love the addition of Alan. The addition of Olivia is great too. There's also an awesome guest star in this one that I would like to see return.
I loved the callbacks and mentions to some of the shows original characters and it's a fitting tribute and acknowledgment to their impact and influence on Frasier and how it's affected him both in a positive but also in a negative way!
Absolutely love the addition of Alan. The addition of Olivia is great too. There's also an awesome guest star in this one that I would like to see return.
I loved the callbacks and mentions to some of the shows original characters and it's a fitting tribute and acknowledgment to their impact and influence on Frasier and how it's affected him both in a positive but also in a negative way!
Strong episode!
taylorabrahamse6 December 2023
The show is starting to feel as great as the original, has been since about episode 4. Knowing that the writers strike is over now, and we got such strong writing and development even in the midst of those difficult conditions, I can only imagine season 2 will be even better.
I really appreciate them cutting Freddie's arrogance down to size a bit in this, and each character becoming their own, when they could have served the same purposes of the characters in the original. Instead, Nile's son is voluntarily resistant of a sedentary, coddled lifestyle, gleefully wanting to do grunt work for Alan.
Andy Daley was great as the plumber, see his show 'Review' if you can - absolutely one of the most slept-on hillarious comedies of the last decade, perhaps the most slept-on.
The only thing that still gets on my nerves a bit is the somewhat sweetened and fake laugh track - it feels a bit forced and overbearing compared to the original, which also had the benefit of being a bit dulled by analog recording. Infuriating if thats the new normal for sitcoms - still, I do think they're pulling back on it. I can imagine a hair-brained CBS exec trying to make them sweeten the laughter more, and the mix engineer not touching a thing, and saying 'is this better?' and them nodding in satisfaction. Its a common trick live sound mixers will do to test if its all in the musicians heads when they make a note about the sound!
Anyways, don't be jaded by nostalgia. I'm watching the original and the new one side by side, and I can say with utmost sincerity, they both have their benefits and drawbacks. Seeing Frasier be old is fascinating in a new way - I just think 10 episodes is far too short a season length for a new cast & crew to work on all cylinders. The OG Frasier had the benefit of having a lot of people in it who were either fresh from Cheers, or other sitcom projects since sitcoms were so adundant. This one had to bravely jump in with a lot of actors, crew & writers with limited sitcom experience - but regardless, I think they were all smartly chosen and the show was smart to still keep essential old blood behind the scenes too.
Don't let nostalgia fool you. Don't project pining for simpler or better times have you project your personal dissatisfactions onto a show.
I really appreciate them cutting Freddie's arrogance down to size a bit in this, and each character becoming their own, when they could have served the same purposes of the characters in the original. Instead, Nile's son is voluntarily resistant of a sedentary, coddled lifestyle, gleefully wanting to do grunt work for Alan.
Andy Daley was great as the plumber, see his show 'Review' if you can - absolutely one of the most slept-on hillarious comedies of the last decade, perhaps the most slept-on.
The only thing that still gets on my nerves a bit is the somewhat sweetened and fake laugh track - it feels a bit forced and overbearing compared to the original, which also had the benefit of being a bit dulled by analog recording. Infuriating if thats the new normal for sitcoms - still, I do think they're pulling back on it. I can imagine a hair-brained CBS exec trying to make them sweeten the laughter more, and the mix engineer not touching a thing, and saying 'is this better?' and them nodding in satisfaction. Its a common trick live sound mixers will do to test if its all in the musicians heads when they make a note about the sound!
Anyways, don't be jaded by nostalgia. I'm watching the original and the new one side by side, and I can say with utmost sincerity, they both have their benefits and drawbacks. Seeing Frasier be old is fascinating in a new way - I just think 10 episodes is far too short a season length for a new cast & crew to work on all cylinders. The OG Frasier had the benefit of having a lot of people in it who were either fresh from Cheers, or other sitcom projects since sitcoms were so adundant. This one had to bravely jump in with a lot of actors, crew & writers with limited sitcom experience - but regardless, I think they were all smartly chosen and the show was smart to still keep essential old blood behind the scenes too.
Don't let nostalgia fool you. Don't project pining for simpler or better times have you project your personal dissatisfactions onto a show.
Episode 9
bobcobb3012 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This show has not been great, but it is good to have an old-school laugh-track comedy back to watch and I am disappointed knowing we are getting down to the wire here.
I wish we got more of Amber Stevens West as Nicole, but maybe that relationship will continue. But the episode was made by Frasier embracing the idea of being an insane and dementia-ridden father to help his son get some action.
The other storyline just felt a little too cliched and beneath the kind of humor that we usually get from Frasier.
This show feels very authentic and true to the original, but overall some episodes like this fall a little flat.
I wish we got more of Amber Stevens West as Nicole, but maybe that relationship will continue. But the episode was made by Frasier embracing the idea of being an insane and dementia-ridden father to help his son get some action.
The other storyline just felt a little too cliched and beneath the kind of humor that we usually get from Frasier.
This show feels very authentic and true to the original, but overall some episodes like this fall a little flat.
The Fix Is In
studioAT3 February 2024
I thought this was a bit of a weaker episode actually.
It felt like a bit of a filler one ahead of the final episode, with sort of half plots being stuffed together to make a whole.
I wasn't really keen on Freddy here and how he was written, and Frasier seemed a bit off too.
I didn't care for the David/Alan storyline either.
I like the supporting cast, there's potential in all of the characters, but they do at times feel a bit like sitcom standards, and need a bit of fleshing out. They've had moments of depth, but nothing consistent.
I did like this episode, I thought it was fine, but it didn't grab me as much as others.
It felt like a bit of a filler one ahead of the final episode, with sort of half plots being stuffed together to make a whole.
I wasn't really keen on Freddy here and how he was written, and Frasier seemed a bit off too.
I didn't care for the David/Alan storyline either.
I like the supporting cast, there's potential in all of the characters, but they do at times feel a bit like sitcom standards, and need a bit of fleshing out. They've had moments of depth, but nothing consistent.
I did like this episode, I thought it was fine, but it didn't grab me as much as others.
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