Frasier (1993–2004) User Reviews

Without a doubt, the funniest, touchingly humanistic US sitcom.

[thesmythley · 9/10 · 18 October 2018]

Frasier has a witty, ironic, heart-warming and occasionally self-deprecating humour. Kelsey Grammar's portrayal of the generous, bordering on vain Frasier Crane is brilliant and it is always funny when his gleefully executed pretensions are shot down by the other characters, especially his father and Roz. I think that the humour of the show would be non-existent without well thought out dialogue exchanges between each character. Each character has a depth to them so that you never feel like they're just present within the show as merely a form of comic relief. That said, there are some hilarious side characters, such as Bebe Glazer, who add a little anarchy to the social dynamic of the show and serve to test Frasier's character.

As a result, you have a show strikes a very good and thoughtful balance between comedy, drama and the always interesting and emotive character development throughout the show. For example, Frasier's relationship between his father, Niles and Daphne, Frasier and Roz, Frasier and Niles and so on. All these characters and the way they interact are very thoughtfully written and the comedy never feels contrived. They just bounce off and the way they react to one another forms the perfect chemistry for comedy and drama that any good show needs.

The character of Frasier is complex. He is a romantic who often over-analyses the relationships he's in, only to get disappointed when things don't work out as he had idealised (something I think is quite common). Although he often helps others, he does so because he craves attention from others. At his worst, he comes off as snobby and self-absorbed, particularly in the beginning of the show. At his best, he is very giving. I think that the other characters that come into his life brings the latter out in him and softens the self-absorbed side of his personality, making him a better person throughout the show. This character dynamic is similar to the way his brother Nile's character develops throughout the series, as well as their father.

As a result, the show is very much centred on people, on the importance of family, friends and helping others. I think the show does a stellar job at demonstrating that it is worth confronting and overcoming the many challenges that emerge out of forming relationships with people. If you are ever a bit miserable you can guarantee that Frasier's cast of characters will provide you with some much needed mirth, entertainment and maybe restore a little bit of faith in your fellow human.

The best comedy spin-off you'll ever see.

[jonny_ · 9/10 · 27 February 2020]

Normally spin-offs of any kind usually leads to huge disappointment even if the original show wasn't that good. But i'd go as far to say not only is Frasier great, I would say it's better than Cheers and Cheers was a great show itself. As cliche as the comment is, it is the most intelligent sitcom i've ever stumbled upon. It fills me with joy that this show emerged in the early 90s, I don't think the brand of humour would still be as accessible for the mainstream audience of today. Even though part of the brilliance is that you really don't have to be cultured nor talked down to, to understand it. That's largely down to such a solid cast and writers, their professional lives might not be relatable but the characters and what they experience through the series is very relatable. If all else fails i'd watch it just to listen to Kelsey Grammer, he could sing about salad and eggs and i'd still be drawn in by that mans voice.

Classy comedy from beginning to end

[AlsExGal · 9/10 · 24 December 2011]

When Kelsey Grammar first introduced himself to Sam Malone as psychiatrist Frasier Crane on "Cheers" back in 1984, who would have believed that this television character would tie James Arness' Matt Dillon at twenty years of playing the same TV character? "Frasier" could hardly be called a sequel to "Cheers", though, in spite of guest appearances by alumni of that show that appeared pretty regularly in the early years. Frasier's new job on a radio show combined with his neurotic family and friends were a perfect setting for Frasier's trademark sarcasm and biting wit. The show seemed to lose a little steam around the time that Niles' pining away for Daphne actually became a relationship at the end of season seven through the middle of season eight, but the show could have perhaps overcome that had it not been for the tragic death of David Angell on September 11, 2001. Angell was the mastermind behind some of the funnier episodes of "Cheers", the creator of the series "Wings", and he was the creative force behind "Frasier". It just seemed like the show ran out of steam for a couple of seasons after Angell's death, but then came roaring back in its eleventh and final season. That's not to say that seasons nine and ten were bad seasons by network TV standards, they just weren't up to my expectation levels considering how funny and creative the show had been over past years. "Seinfeld" and "Friends" got more press and had a bigger fan base during the 90's, but Frasier consistently delivered the laughs over the years with a refined and elegant style of humor.

Finally I also have to say that I personally loved the character of Eddie from the moment he was introduced on the show after it was decided Martin, Frasier's dad, would be moving in with him. Frasier and Martin are having words over Eddie's presence because Frasier claims "Eddie stares at me". Expecting Eddie to be some older male acquaintance, in the next scene I was quite surprised to see Frasier being stared at by Eddie - Martin's Jack Russell terrier. The little dog had a personality of his own and just wasn't window dressing in the series, having a major impact in more than a few episodes and getting more fan mail than any other character on the show. I don't think anyone could call "Frasier" groundbreaking, but I think its humor will stand the test of time and it did manage to deliver the laughs and the heart creatively and intelligently for eleven seasons, which is a pretty big accomplishment.

Frasier has saved my life

[starlit-sky · 10/10 · 9 October 2006]

When I first immigrated to Canada I was living in a bachelor apartment which was too small for...well everything. The only entertainment I had was my little TV (small TV for a small apt). This show literally saved me from killing myself. If it wasn't for this show, I would have probably jumped out the balcony or something. Every time I came home in the evening from a fruitless job search, I would turn on the TV and started watching Frasier 2-3 hours straight. And all the situations portrayed in the show with an optimistic look on life really helped me a lot. Frasier became my TV psychologist.

This is an awesome show with very intelligent dialogs and conversations. The show begins with Frasier moving to Seattle from Boston (this character is originally from Cheers). He takes a job at a radio station as a radio psychologist. He is over-intellectual, over-refined, witty, sarcastic and a little snobby..but in a delightful way. However, he is still awkward with women, sometimes with his relation with his father and others. After all, he is a human being too. His brother Niles Crane is just like his older brother (maybe a higher IQ, was it 4 points higher??), only more neurotic and probably more insecure with women. Niles character was initially meant to be just a secondary character but as the show developed, his character became very essential. The situations that arise from his untold love for Daphne (Martin/Frasier's father's physical therapist) are just hilarious. Roz Doyle, Frasier's producer, is another important character who loves men just a little too much. But she is more complicated than just a simple fool-for-men character (wonderfully portrayed by Peri Gilpin). Martin Crane is probably the most rational, most practical of all and it is a wonder how Frasier and Niles fell so far away from the tree in that department. Daphne Moon, love object of Niles Crane, is a delightful young woman from Manchester, UK who lives in the same house and is practically a member of the Crane family. Although just a dog, Eddie is a very important part of the show. Eddie is so lovable and probably the best company of Martin Crane. There are so many other notable characters, such as Bulldog (a womanizer with sports-dude attitude), Maris, Niles' wife, who doesn't appear in the show at all but the jokes about her are enough to count her in as an essential character, and Frasier's ex-wife and son.

Overall, Frasier is an unforgettable comedy sitcom that has been superbly successful for 10 years and received many awards. And if I am not mistaken, Kelsey Grammar (Frasier) has the record as the actor who portrayed the same character in TV series for more than 20 years (Cheers and Frasier). I own the entire DVD box-set collection and recommend it to everyone who enjoys intelligent comedy.

A Wonderful Sitcom

[soymilk · 18 January 2005]

It may have started life as a hopeful spin-off from 'Cheers', but right from the very first episodes, 'Frasier' proved that it had enough style and substance of its own to become a TV legend. Granted, it went on for a couple of seasons too many, and toward the end was clearly starting to suffer from a lack of fresh ideas, but for the most part this was a hilarious, insightful and often very moving programme that my Friday nights throughout the late 90s just wouldn't have been complete without. After so many years of viewing, Frasier, Niles, Martin, Daphne, Roz and Eddie feel like more than just TV characters - they're like your very own neighbours, or even great friends.

Indeed, 'Frasier' worked so well throughout most of its run not just because of the sharp, intelligent scripting, but also due to the sheer depth of its central characters and the ongoing focus on their relationships with each other. The characterisation here was always so rich and meaningful, taking us right from Dr Frasier Crane himself, the highbrow, slightly arrogant but good-natured radio shrink, to his more laidback everyman father Martin (a retired police officer now living with his son), and prissy younger brother Niles, a fellow psychiatrist who fits two slots as both Frasier's best friend and his mortal enemy! A lot of the episodes revolved around their family troubles and clashes of interest, but were handled in a very meticulous way, and the morals always felt smooth and genuine. Though rarely quite able to see eye-to-eye with each other, you got a good sense over the course of the series that the Crane men were gradually learning to bond and grow closer together, in spite of their differences. And that's one of the aspects of 'Frasier' that roped me in head and shoulders above its other contemporary sitcoms - it was never afraid to mix heart and poignancy with its laugh-out-loud hilarity. Episodes like 'Martin does it his way', 'Our Father whose Art Ain't in Heaven' and 'Roz's Krantz and Gouldenstein are Dead' are classic examples.

Daphne Moon, Martin's amiable English physiotherapist, and Roz Doyle, Frasier's sassy producer, were also great characters who added their own unique streaks of humour and personality to the format. Even Maris, a personage who was never seen but talked about at many an ingenious moment, managed to make her mark - it's to the credit of those wily scriptwriters that they could always have you feeling her presence solely on the word-of-mouth of other characters. On the side, any episode featuring Bebe, Frasier's positively demonic agent, can almost guarantee a laugh-riot - she was utterly hilarious, and there was never another semi-regular character quite like her.

In terms of acting quality, the central cast was always strong, particularly Kelsey Grammar, at his utmost prime not just in fulfilling the role of our protagonist, but also in singing 'Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs' over the end-credits of every episode (who knew what those words were supposed to mean, but it was a great theme song! I still catch myself humming it from time to time).

I'll also come clean with my unswerving admiration for Moose, the canine performer who rounded off the Crane household in the role of Eddie, Martin's Jack Russell, for most of the series (before retiring and being replaced by his offspring Enzo for the final fifth). Seriously, he's got to be the most talented animal actor since that cat who played Tao in 'The Incredible Journey'. Those various antics of his amounted to a lot more than just a few dumb pet tricks to secure easy "aww" reactions from the audience - Eddie had easily as much personality as any of the human ensemble, a subtle and canny little dog who's good at getting what he wants and working his way round the no-nonsense Frasier.

As you've probably guessed by now, I loved this show and its cast of characters dearly, and was sorry to see it go in 2004, but at the same time I was pretty much aware that it had run its course. They were starting to rehash older concepts, like Frasier losing Martin's chair, which is always a bad sign. Also, too many OTT British accents from non-British guest actors had a few of us clenching our teeth this side of the Atlantic (Anthony LaPaglia, I'm looking mainly in your direction here!). But I digress, because the general history of this sitcom was just fantastic. Even if the latter-day episodes were a little weaker than the previous instalments, it's the truly great material that, in the end, really stays with you. And throughout the years there was so, so much of it.

Mark my words - this show is all set in time to go down as the classic US sitcom of the 90s. 'Friends' may have gotten the greater media coverage when it left its own building in the same year, but 'Frasier' will always be the superior show.

Grade: A

Brilliant!!

[beresfordjd · 10/10 · 28 January 2011]

Isn't it refreshing for a TV sitcom not to talk down to its audience but to credit the viewer with some intelligence? Frasier is just about the best written sitcom of all time in my opinion. The performances of even the smallest of characters are always of the highest standard. I have watched Frasier episodes over and over again through the years and always find something fresh in them. Whether it is a line I missed or some small physical movement there is always something to savour and to make me laugh again. I know most of the lines off by heart now, but the delivery of those lines is so perfect that I laugh often more than the first time. How Seinfeld got all the plaudits escapes me when Frasier is far superior in every respect. The writers, cast and crew must be so proud of their achievement in bringing this superlative piece of work to the screen.It is sadly missed - though still to be seen in daytime reruns.And I do watch it over and over. Even the episodes I think were not up to scratch bear watching again and are always better than I remember them. I bought the entire series in a boxed set but have never watched it because ti still appears on British TV. If you do not find it funny you have no sense of humour. Genius writers and superlative performances make this unmissable.

Best lines ever

[lestatis-364-506019 · 10/10 · 9 June 2019]

I have not seen any TV show that made me laugh that hard ever - smart and funny and unique, the crane Brothers are absolutely amazing and this show is absolutely one of the best ever created

I'm Listening!

[nicholls_les · 10/10 · 12 November 2019]

What an amazing series this was. One of the best comedy series ever produced, excellent actors, writers and directors. It is unusual to say this but there are no flaws with this wonderful comedy. It still makes me laugh after watching it several times. Perfectly developed characters make this stand out from many other comedy series.

The best TV sitcom ever

[ian959 · 10/10 · 29 October 2006]

Whilst a good fan of "Cheers", I was somewhat surprised when it was announced that the Frasier character was getting s spin-off series. I did not see how this was going to work and had rather low expectations for both the show and how long it would last. A decade later and "Frasier" turned out to be simply the best TV sitcom ever made. Virtually unique in concept and presentation, there has been hardly a dud episode in the show and the cast has proved to be one of the best ever assembled for any TV show, certainly in the United States. I doubt that this show will ever be surpassed on mainstream US TV and it would be hard to imagine life without "Frasier" either on TV or on DVD. Repeated viewings remain as enjoyable as the first time viewing on TV. Simply the very best.

Good To The Last Frame

[miknnik · 10/10 · 3 August 2008]

In a nutshell, the best TV comedy ever. Seriously. Here's why.

CHARACTERS: Dr. Frasier Crane and his brother, Dr. Niles Crane, are a couple of annoyingly (and hilariously) highbrow, snobby psychiatrists. They are both out of touch with the regular Joes and Janes and hide their insecurity behind the well-educated, well-read façade. Or, you can call them hopelessly geeky. Their father, Martin, is a down-to-earth retired policeman who, like many older men his age, has trouble expressing his affection and emotions but has plenty to say when it comes to his sons' shortcomings. Oh, by the way, he and his dog, Eddie, move in with Frasier by the end of the first episode. Daphne Moon is Marty's live-in physical therapist who is a "bit psychic." Niles is married to an heiress but gets infatuated the moment he lays his eyes on Daphne. In addition to this dysfunctional family, that sure could use some psychiatric help, there are Frasier's colleagues at KACL radio. Roz Doyle has street smarts, and her love life can make Don Juan/Giovanni proud! Bulldog is rude, crude and loves humiliating Frasier. Gil Chesterton… Well, is he, or isn't he….?

ACTORS: Individually and as a whole, the cast is impeccable. The chemistry among the actors and the characters is real. I read it somewhere that, when Kelsey Grammar's substance abuse became apparent during the show's eleven-year run, the rest of the cast paid a visit to his residence one night as concerned friends, not to confront him but to urge him to seek help. These actors are mostly middle-aged stage or film veterans. They may not be young sex kittens or stud muffins, but their acting skills make up for their average looks and then some.

SCRIPTS: No praise seems good enough for Frasier's scripts and the writers. Who needs a pretty face when the scripts are so crisp, sharp, witty, intelligent and often naughty. Retorts and double-entendres between Frasier and Niles come at you so fast, so often. They constantly refer to literature, performing arts, history, mythology, gourmet dining, what have you, so you may not have the slightest idea what the heck they are talking about at one point or another but still be able to laugh. Good scripts do that to you.

EDDIE: Okay, it's Eddie played by Moose. Jack Russells are known for their intelligence, but Moose must have been an exceptionally bright pup. Among the cast, he was the one with good looks and brains. Towards the end of the series, Moose's son, Enzo, replaced him, but it wasn't the same without Moose.

CALLERS: You wouldn't believe how many famous film actors rendered their voices as callers at the KACL station. Christopher Reeves, Linda Hamilton, Matthew Broderick, John Cusack… The list goes on. If you write well, they will come.

TITLES: For those who are not familiar with Frasier, each scene in every episode has a short title shown briefly on the black background. You can find jokes anywhere you look while watching Frasier. For movie buffs, there are such titles as 'My Coffee with Niles," "Three Days of the Condo," "Out and In," "A Room with Four Views (with a Rashomonesque story--only funnier)" and "To Kill a Talking Bird" for starters. Since I'm a Mozart fan, I have to mention "Cosi Fan Tushy" as well.

END CREDIT: After each episode, the audience gets to enjoy watching a short video clip during the credit roll at the end. There are no dialogues, but the video clip is an extension of the episode you just saw, so there's no need for dialogues. When you watch Frasier, it ain't over until the final fade-to-black.

BONUS: Frasier and Niles' favorite meeting place is called Café Nervosa! Details, details, details.

EXTRA BONUS: In the last episode of Season 5, the owner of KACL decides to change the station format to all-salsa, and the staff, including Frasier, subsequently lose their jobs. During the last credit roll where Frasier is seen carrying his personal effects in the background as a new Latino DJ occupies Frasier's booth, we hear salsa music. But pay close attention to the lyric of the music--it's the Spanish translation of the little ditty Frasier/ Kelsey Grammar sings at the end of each episode!

Intelligent and funny

[Kingslaay · 7/10 · 9 November 2019]

Frasier is witty, intelligent and clean humour. Hard not to love this show, humour is top class. The cast hit it out of the park in this great sitcom and is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys some good intelligent humour. 7.5/10

This show, not Seinfeld, is the best comedy of the '90's

[jazzkinnison · 10/10 · 25 April 2009]

That being said it's all a matter of opinion, of course, & I also think Seinfeld is a fine show, but for me nothing can touch Frasier. Both Seinfeld & Friends were more popular shows in that decade, ratings wise, but come awards season they probably dreaded having to go up against this marvel.

Not that that alone makes Frasier better in my eyes. I don't even necessarily think it should have won 5 consecutive best comedy Emmy's (the love could have been spread around)but the acting & writing made me keep tuning in without fail. I loved Grammar on Cheers & when I heard Frasier Crane would get his own spin off I was ecstatic, if also a bit worried. I was afraid they would water the character down somehow, or that as good as Grammar was on Cheers he couldn't be a lead - how I love to be wrong! Grammar could not only be a lead, I would easily rank him as one of the best actor's of the '90's (drama or comedy). The other masterstroke was to have such a talented ensemble surround him. The brilliant timing & chemistry between them all was evident from the 1st episode.

Speaking of that, watch just the first episode of the series again if you think I'm overdoing it a bit.I watch a lot of comedies & I don't know of another that from episode 1 hit the ground running in such a tremendous way. Not even great comedies like MTM, MASH, Taxi, or Seinfeld grabbed you in such a way to make you think you were watching greatness happen. From the performances to the writing (watch how they made Frasier's backstory clear, to why he was now in Seattle, to his less than harmonious relationship with his father & brother)to just being plain funny & heartfelt (the argument Frasier has with Martin, his dad, that could have damaged thing's between them permanently to the wonderful way Martin apologizes).

A few last words - the other thing the producers of this show did brilliantly was cast David Hyde Pierce. His Niles simply is one of the best creations ever, right up there with Ed Asner's Lou Grant & Danny Devito's Louie DePalma. Although I said they could spread the love around a bit with the best comedy series Emmy, I actually would have been OK with DHP winning not just 4 awards as best supp. actor, but 11 of them, 1 every year. He is that good that there is at least 1 episode in every season that is Emmy worthy. Seriously.

I was sad to this fine program go, but I own all 11 seasons on DVD & randomly stick a disc in to watch when I need a boost or just to witness fine comedy of the like I'm afraid may not get made again.

Brilliant...for seven years

[studioAT · 6/10 · 28 March 2016]

'Frasier' not only is one of the best spin-off's of all time but also one of the best sitcoms ever.

The first seven seasons of this show are as good as sharp, intelligent comedy and be. The central cast (headed by Kelsey Grammar reprising his 'Cheers' role spark so well of each other and the writing at times is great, combining pathos and farce with equal measure.

But like many a good sitcom before it there was a dip in quality, starting around the season 8 mark. There is a lot of debate around 'Frasier' fans as to when this dip ended and the show regained its momentum, but for me it never matched the heights of the first seven years.

But what a great seven year period it was!

The best part of this show was the title card.

[Wes47 · 3/10 · 24 May 2016]

264 episodes, about 30 good ones. Most of the series is like watching a demolition derby. Everyone tries to make themselves feel better by attacking everyone else.

If my brother kept accusing me of undermining his career, hurling insults at my best friend, and staying in a loveless marriage while drooling all over my maid, I'd not only tell him he needs his head examined, he should have it removed first.

The only character I consistently liked was Eddie, the dog. He should have gotten his own show. -------- I have nothing more to say about the show. This text is just here to meet the 10 line requirement. Really. Nothing more to see here. Move on now, OK?

Why can't all TV shows be as intelligent as this?

[TheNovelist · 8 February 2002]

I love this TV show, and I try to watch it as much as possible! The humor is intelligent unlike some TV shows that have humor that is stupid and immature and predictable. You just have to laugh at all the situations that Niles and Frasier get into that could have been prevented in the first place if they weren't so concerned with appearances, hence the episode when they wanted to see that actor's final stage performance but couldn't because they would not get cancellation tickets! Jane Leeves' Daphne Moon is a wonderful character; she tries to offer words of advice to the Crane family that are sadly ignored most of the time. Martin is funny as the dad who is clueless as to reasons why his sons won't embrace the ordinary life(and I want a chair as comfy as his). I like how Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce showcase their musical talents on the show(and I can tell that isn't fake piano playing) quite often.

Roz is delicious, and you have to laugh at her dysfunctionally romantic life. I enjoy watching Bebe Glazer when she comes on, Lilith is a roll-over when she makes her presence, and of course, Bulldog and his stupid and immature attitude. Watch this show! You'll get a good laugh!

One of my favorite shows now after watching it on Netflix

[sundevilemily · 10/10 · 23 July 2017]

I always wondered for a while what the show Frasier is like and I saw that it was on Netflix and I decided to watch the first episode and go from there to see if I really liked it.Now I am almost done watching season 3 since I watched the first episode and it is such a funny show to watch and it's a show where people can really connect to.Kelsey Grammar does such a great job at bringing heart and soul to the character Frasier Crane who helps out people on his radio talk show.

Gem in the world of Sitcoms

[utsavs-01514 · 9/10 · 4 July 2017]

I started watching it around 2010 when someone suggested it. I had finished other popular Sitcoms like Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Friends and How I Met your Mother and wanted to watch something new.

I was hooked after watching couple of episodes and loved the characters. The sarcasm is really great. The way the intellectual Crane boys interact with regular characters (Daphne, Martin and Roz) is awesome. The other characters specially Eddie and Bulldog also leave a strong impression.

Re-watching again in 2017.

This Show is a Rare Gem

[Java_Joe · 10/10 · 14 April 2018]

There's a big problem with most sitcoms in that they age like a bad curry. Years later they're just not that funny anymore and they feel somehow forced and unfunny. And it could have been a sitcom that you loved watching week after week. But when you try to revisit it, it's not the same and you might watch an episode or two but in the end you just leave it as a relic of it's time.

Frasier is not one of those shows. It's aged like a fine wine and just as funny today as it was when it first came out. The writing still feels sharp, the acting is still on point and while it's been off the air for almost 15 years you could almost feel like it's happening right now.

Sure there were bits that were a little forced like when they hid Jane Leeve's pregnancy. And part of the magic that was Niles always mooning after Daphne took a hit when they finally started dating and got married but David Hyde Pierce still managed to pull off a terrific character as Niles the compulsive and overly fastidious brother to Frasier.

But like all good things they knew to pack it in eventually and they still left on a high note. Very few other sitcoms can claim this.

Timeless

[mysafeshop · 10/10 · 23 August 2020]

I love this show, after revisiting it several times I can just listen to it on my headphones without even watching it and still have a great laugh, that's how eloquent I find this comedy show. Much appreciated.

Just the Best !!

[Lew777 · 10/10 · 3 October 2019]

Always a guaranteed laugh, with French-farce comedy situations and richly drawn supporting characters as Frasier tries to look for love in Seattle while working as a radio psychiatrist. Magnificent comedy of the highest order. Nothing has come even close to it's quality. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favour and watch it !

Possibly the only sitcom worthy of a 10!

[beaconb · 10/10 · 26 October 2021]

I watched this series on and off when it originally aired, then binge watched the entire series a few years ago. I am now occasionally watching reruns and as good as it is the first time, it almost seems better with each new viewing! The writing is so clever that you really have to make sure you hear, and see, EVERYTHING to appreciate all the details that went into this show! Unlike many series, there is no "jump the shark" episode, or even a decrease in quality during the last years. The series also seems to defy appearing dated because whether intentional or not, there don't appear to be markers of the time period of the original airing. I would like to meet someone who doesn't like this show because I can't think of any good reason not to.

A cozy half an hour every now and then

[nitedrive73 · 7/10 · 10 September 2006]

Frasier is one of those sitcoms that makes you laugh cordially every now and then and will make sure you feel comfortable and cozy in your favorite chair for half an hour a week.You don't have to dwell in angst and sentimentality(which can be a relief sometimes as we all know,still the humor is intelligent),nothing too startling is likely to happen,you just feel warm and happy inside for most of the time.Ideal when you're tired and worn after a hard day. It's a very decent sitcom without too conservative and/or boring ideals.People have their flaws and they are sometimes lonely and desperate like we all are at some point in life.Frasier's amicable,hearty dad Martin and their home-help Daphne with her lovely British accent adds even more warmth and they contrast to the somewhat stiff and self-absorbed psychiatrist/radio show host Frasier and his brother Niles,both very preoccupied with their social status. Frasier's sharp-witted producer Roz(my favorite) is something of a man-eater and has problems with finding Mr Right in her life.Still,she's a fun character with sharp lines. Frasier is as you all know a Cheers spin-off.I have never seen a lot of Cheers,just some random episodes that can be counted on the fingers on my hand,still I think I can tell Frasier is more enjoyable.

The BEST comedy sitcom ever!

[mmpatriot · 10/10 · 22 March 2020]

My husband bought the whole 11 years of Fraiser and we love this show more than anything else. We've watched the whole thing over and over and still laugh out loud at all the antics. The talents they brought on to the show were of excellent caliber. One of my favorites was with Ted Danson and Tia Leoni. Yet all episodes were solid, wonderfully funny, and of course we LOVE Eddie. Kelsey, you are a genius at humor and even poking fun at yourself. you deserved to have your own series because you brought so much laughter to so many people. You deserve a 10 all the way through. Thank you for your talent.

Funny show that occasionally falls in a rut

[aramis-112-804880 · 7/10 · 16 July 2022]

I watched no series TV between "Twin Peaks" in 1990 and "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" in 2002. So I was delighted, when finding "Frasier" in reruns in the 2010s, to see it wasn't half bad.

I was afraid at first I'd have to be conversant with "Cheers," which I've never watched to this day. But living through the 1980s left me with enough knowledge to get by. So when Lillith, Frasier's ex-wife, shows up I understand her, having heard friends in the 1980s discussing "Cheers."

As a boy in the 1960s I grew up watching comedy shows set on POW camps and western forts and desert islands; comedies featuring genii and witches and talking horses. Fish out of water stories about hillbilly families striking it rich and moving to swanky neighborhoods; fish out of water stories where swanky city slickers move to bizarre country towns . . . In fact, I grew up watching TV comedies that showed imagination. Shows where people drove cars and trucks and tractors. Where they managed funny situations and funny lines without an obsession with sex.

People complained about canned laughter but I found it less annoying than live audiences forcing laughter on cue by signals and signs at what might have been a twelfth take. I got quickly tired of comedies run like stage plays where characters have entrances and exits rather than filmed comedies cut like movies. And though only a teen in the 1970s I got sick of the same-ness. Shows about families, some that got along, some that didn't. Some that had lots of kids, some with even more kids. And all the episodes of all the shows pausing just after the 2/3s mark to demonstrate a moral that never had anything new to say. The only show I watched regularly in the 1980s was "Newhart," a "Green Acres" retread but which, stagey though it was, was at least funny--a quality comedy writers had been abandoning for years in favor of high- and ham-handed social commentary.

"Frasier" was as stagebound and moralistic as any comedy show broadcast since the comedic imagination of the 1960s pooped out. And like the worst of the shows since then, it was just as obsessed with sex (well, Frasier Crane was a Freudian psychologist). And sex is titillating as the lowest common denominator for audiences and provides lots of easy laughs for lazy and unimaginative comedy writers.

What's funny about "Frasier" is, first, the characters. Frasier Crane is a psychologist on the radio (sometimes wonderfully, sometimes overactingly, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer). His brother, Niles, is a psychologist of a different branch of the discipline who has a weird (never seen) wife. Their father, a crippled ex-cop, hates their hoity-toity ways. The father's strange dog and his live-in physiotherapist, who has "psychic" episodes, add to the humor.

Frasier and Niles are like real siblings: similar but different; in constant rivalry, but closing shoulders and standing together when outsiders, or their father, threaten one or both. My late brother and I had a similar relationship.

Funniest of all are the sometimes insane things their father tells about Frasier and Niles in boyhood (for instance, seeing then gad about with derby hats and umbrellas after they started watching "The Avengers"); hearing the nutty things about Niles' off-stage wife; or hearing more of Frasier's or Niles' unnatural tastes. Neither is the sort of person normal people would love hanging with in real life--we've met too many who think their tastes are superior. Who sling around, say, opera terms. Or who claim superiority in wine or musical or artistic knowledge. Who needs them? But both Frasier and Niles make such types laughable, yet endearing.

And what other show can claim hosting legendary stage and screen actor Derek Jacobi as a notably bad actor?

Nevertheless. . . It might not have been so obvious when "Frasier" was first on, but watching it daily I noticed too many episodes where Frasier meets a girl who might have committed to him. Then he agonizes over some penny-ante problem in her or in their relationship and plunges headlong into making a speech about it, running her off. What a nincompoop.

Apart from that recurring nightmare, the episodes are usually written well to a high standard (apart from the constant, annoying misuse of "me" for "I") with enough bizarre twists in some episodes and even more bizarre mentions if something off-stage, to make them funny. Enough. Not as funny as "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," but that show sank like a stone while "Frasier," with a familiar character from "Cheers" and appealing to a lower common denominator, stayed afloat through the 1990s.

It's worth a peek; but since the humor is nearly all verbal (with, yes, notable exceptions) it can be followed just as well while you're doing other things and not keeping your eyes on it all the time. An especial irritation of mine since the 1970s: television is a visual medium but most comedies tell you what's going on and have little action and lots of talk. It's like visible radio. Whereas shows like "Green Acres," with lots of slapstick, demanded watching. And so did a notorious comedy featuring Barbara Eden, for different reasons. Apart from the silent-movie "tags" at the end of each episode, most of "Frasier" can be listened to from the next room with little loss.

Where is the American "Mr. Bean"?

Pretentious and annoying

[gary-talbot-2 · 1/10 · 7 April 2008]

I hate Frasier. It is without a doubt the most annoying sitcom ever made. It is proof that a spin off series can never work. Cheers was good and didn't deserve to have Frasier besmirch its memory.

I hate it when American sitcoms show characters who have such an easy life. I know sitcoms don't have to be ultra realistic, but come on, no one is like Frasier or Niles.

And what the hell is up with Daphne? I've been to Manchester and no Mancunian sounds like her. And she is nothing like any English person who ever lived.

The only good character is Eddie the dog. He should have had a series to himself.