mizerable
Fry's dog Seymour
You're the lowest on the totem pole here, Alva. The lowest.
Posts: 23,475
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Post by mizerable on Dec 12, 2017 20:51:39 GMT -5
Maris is one of the all-time sitcom characters, in spite of having no lines and never being onscreen directly. What a terrible creature. The original idea was to talk about her for a few episodes and then introduce her later in the series. However, the writers and producers realised that no matter who the actress was or what she did, she'd never live up to the expectation. Her traits and experiences were so unreal that in the end it was decided she was best left to the viewer's imagination. I thought it was a carry over from Cheers with Norm's wife Vera.
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Post by Limity (BLM) on Dec 12, 2017 20:54:54 GMT -5
Another moment I am likely misremembering.
The radio station is in some kind of danger, and Frasier is stopped by a crowd, spearhead by a stereotypical geek, who says to him, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."
To which Frasier responds, "Out of my way, you strange little man."
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Dec 12, 2017 23:28:23 GMT -5
Another moment I am likely misremembering. The radio station is in some kind of danger, and Frasier is stopped by a crowd, spearhead by a stereotypical geek, who says to him, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." To which Frasier responds, "Out of my way, you strange little man." That would be Noel, the nerd who works at the radio station, trying to convince Frasier to get the on-air staff to go on strike over wage freezes for the technical staff. Naturally, it ends up with Frasier having sex with their boss.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Ultimate Arbiter of Right And Wrong
Spent half my life here, God help me
Posts: 15,027
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Dec 13, 2017 2:27:50 GMT -5
Bebe and Bulldog are two of my favorite characters from any show ever. Bulldog was an amazing asshole. Reminds me of another of my favourite episodes, when everyone thinks Bulldog's a hero and Frasier is driven mad trying to guilt him into confessing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2017 3:40:04 GMT -5
The compleye box set is one of the things if my christmas list. I loves this show when it was on, it has some of the best moments from tv comedy. The silent Niles scene that waa posted is a goddamn classic.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2017 4:16:50 GMT -5
Bebe and Bulldog are two of my favorite characters from any show ever. Bulldog was an amazing asshole. Reminds me of another of my favourite episodes, when everyone thinks Bulldog's a hero and Frasier is driven mad trying to guilt him into confessing. Bulldog when he gets his heart broken and Frasier has to act like a 'guy' not a shrink to pull him out of it is GLORIOUS. Especially when Niles comes in at the end. Niles: [in corridor] Distressing news, Frasier. Francois gave away our table. Frasier: SCREW HIM! Niles: [shocked] Excuse me? Frasier: You heard what I said! We don't need him or his stinky little restaurant! There are plenty of restaurants in town. I say we go somewhere we don't even need a reservation [Niles slaps him] The best line in that episode though is... Bulldog: I just never felt this way about a chick before. I was even thinking about me and her having kids. Isn't that scary? Frasier: [What I can only describe as 'EXTREME Frasier voice'] Positively bone chilling.
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Post by Malibu Stacy on Dec 13, 2017 5:45:10 GMT -5
Love Frasier. Started binging it on Hulu again a week ago. Though I too had to grow up to appreciate it, found it dull as a butter knife during it's initial run.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,045
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 13, 2017 5:47:54 GMT -5
Lilith was great. And not even just because hot damn. Or cold damn, as it were.
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SmashTV
Dennis Stamp
Big Money, Big Prizes, I Love It!
The Excellence of Allocation
Posts: 4,484
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Post by SmashTV on Dec 13, 2017 7:51:28 GMT -5
The original idea was to talk about her for a few episodes and then introduce her later in the series. However, the writers and producers realised that no matter who the actress was or what she did, she'd never live up to the expectation. Her traits and experiences were so unreal that in the end it was decided she was best left to the viewer's imagination. I thought it was a carry over from Cheers with Norm's wife Vera. The writers and producers were initially wary that people would compare the two unseen wives and that's why Maris was eventually going to be an onscreen character. However, they realised that, like Vera, everyone had their own vision of Maris and decided to leave her best unseen. Personally, I think it turned out for the best. Frasier: 'Oh, Niles, you know I like Maris, only from a distance. (*Niles looks in disapproval*) Frasier: 'What I mean is that I appreciate her more from a distance; you know, like you appreciate the sun from a distance. Maris is like the sun....except for the warmth...'
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Post by Tiger Millionaire on Dec 13, 2017 23:44:54 GMT -5
Banger, Dad?
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,045
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 14, 2017 9:54:15 GMT -5
I've occasionally seen people ask why two psychiatrists would so callously joke about someone who presumably has a severe eating disorder, body dysmorphia, or other problems, and outside of the obvious "it's a comedy show" or how the brothers demonstrate ethical problems outside of that at times, anyway, I subscribe to the fan theory/headcanon that the characters are willfully exaggerating about someone who otherwise is a very exxentric and strange creature of a person. This would be because, while Niles demonstrated maybe some affection or patience for Maris early on, most of what we ever see is his marriage disintegrating due in large part to her being a rather terrible person, and Niles' friends and family mock Maris to cheer him up a little throughout the ordeal, as well as to show their distaste for her.
I'd compare to to Lilith, who they very obviously exaggerate the frigidity of. Sure, she's a pretty harsh woman, but she's also someone Martin and Niles didn't like, anyway, who also f***ed over Frasier in their marriage and subsequent divorce, and whose appearances since then often result in twisting the knife. They have plenty of reason to get colorful in their insults about her, in addition to whatever kernel of truth to it there is and for the humor of the show. They also eased up a tad when she got some semblance of closure with Frasier.
Maris, too, is probably not QUITE as disturbing as they paint her, but she's still plenty strange, considering characters who don't know her immediately commenting on it, gags where oddities about her are presented rather factually, or how even Niles at his most affectionate towards her paints a pretty ludicrous picture of a person with his compliments.
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Sephiroth
Wade Wilson
Surviving
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Post by Sephiroth on Dec 14, 2017 15:41:30 GMT -5
Lilith was great. And not even just because hot damn. Or cold damn, as it were. Hell I took half a step before I realized she was talking to the dog.
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Post by Limity (BLM) on Dec 14, 2017 16:19:06 GMT -5
I've occasionally seen people ask why two psychiatrists would so callously joke about someone who presumably has a severe eating disorder, body dysmorphia, or other problems, and outside of the obvious "it's a comedy show" or how the brothers demonstrate ethical problems outside of that at times, anyway, I subscribe to the fan theory/headcanon that the characters are willfully exaggerating about someone who otherwise is a very exxentric and strange creature of a person. This would be because, while Niles demonstrated maybe some affection or patience for Maris early on, most of what we ever see is his marriage disintegrating due in large part to her being a rather terrible person, and Niles' friends and family mock Maris to cheer him up a little throughout the ordeal, as well as to show their distaste for her. I'd compare to to Lilith, who they very obviously exaggerate the frigidity of. Sure, she's a pretty harsh woman, but she's also someone Martin and Niles didn't like, anyway, who also f***ed over Frasier in their marriage and subsequent divorce, and whose appearances since then often result in twisting the knife. They have plenty of reason to get colorful in their insults about her, in addition to whatever kernel of truth to it there is and for the humor of the show. They also eased up a tad when she got some semblance of closure with Frasier. Maris, too, is probably not QUITE as disturbing as they paint her, but she's still plenty strange, considering characters who don't know her immediately commenting on it, gags where oddities about her are presented rather factually, or how even Niles at his most affectionate towards her paints a pretty ludicrous picture of a person with his compliments. Another theory is that maybe Maris doesn't have any mental disorders, and is really just that big of a bitch.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2017 17:04:00 GMT -5
It does serious moments so well too, never beats you over the head with them and uses silence immaculately.
Examples...
Martin at the parole hearing for the man who shot him. Meets with his Mother, stands up apparently to make a statement in favour of the guy being released buto finds himself undone, parole denied. Rest of the scene is silence. The mother devastated, Martin motions to comfort her, can't and leaves. It's so achingly human and real.
Daphne and Niles dancing with each other then with Mel and Donny, making eye contact, only the music playing, and you can cut the tension with a knife.
That episode has some brilliant dialogue too with Frasier and Martin, so subtle, when Martin asks what's going on, Frasier says "How do you know?"
"I've got eyes don't I?"
Man I could write essays about how brilliant this show is
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Post by Porky's Butthole on Dec 14, 2017 18:14:23 GMT -5
More thoughts...
-Once the show hit it's stride (around season 2 or 3), David Hyde Pierce was the star of the show. Just absolutely brilliant.
-I didn't notice anyone in the thread talking about the caller segments. Some of those were great, such as the one with the man at the airport at Christmas deciding whether to go to Hawaii or visit his family.
-Very subtle moment...naming Niles' and Daphne's baby David.
-Room Full Of Heroes, Farewell Nervosa (love Elvis Costello!), The Gift Horse, Hooping Cranes rank among my favorite episodes (outside of the video I posted earlier)
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Dec 15, 2017 10:15:27 GMT -5
Bulldog was an amazing asshole. Reminds me of another of my favourite episodes, when everyone thinks Bulldog's a hero and Frasier is driven mad trying to guilt him into confessing. Bulldog when he gets his heart broken and Frasier has to act like a 'guy' not a shrink to pull him out of it is GLORIOUS. Especially when Niles comes in at the end. Niles: [in corridor] Distressing news, Frasier. Francois gave away our table. Frasier: SCREW HIM! Niles: [shocked] Excuse me? Frasier: You heard what I said! We don't need him or his stinky little restaurant! There are plenty of restaurants in town. I say we go somewhere we don't even need a reservation [Niles slaps him] The best line in that episode though is... Bulldog: I just never felt this way about a chick before. I was even thinking about me and her having kids. Isn't that scary? Frasier: [What I can only describe as 'EXTREME Frasier voice'] Positively bone chilling. If I could only explain to you how frequently I want to respond to things with 'SCREW HIM!' It does serious moments so well too, never beats you over the head with them and uses silence immaculately. Examples... Martin at the parole hearing for the man who shot him. Meets with his Mother, stands up apparently to make a statement in favour of the guy being released buto finds himself undone, parole denied. Rest of the scene is silence. The mother devastated, Martin motions to comfort her, can't and leaves. It's so achingly human and real. Daphne and Niles dancing with each other then with Mel and Donny, making eye contact, only the music playing, and you can cut the tension with a knife. That episode has some brilliant dialogue too with Frasier and Martin, so subtle, when Martin asks what's going on, Frasier says "How do you know?" "I've got eyes don't I?" Man I could write essays about how brilliant this show is The early seasons were very hard-hitting too, especially the stuff with Martin and Frasier.
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msc
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,438
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Post by msc on Dec 15, 2017 11:11:06 GMT -5
Sorry to Twilight Zone, Simpsons, Trek, and any other fine show, but Frasier is the greatest TV show ever produced for American TV, imo. Absolute genius, with different strands of humour for different sections of the audience. So, aged 9, when I saw episodes with Dad, all the intellectual stuff went over my head, but the farce episodes were hilarious, and now I'm older, the adult jokes are too!
Favourite episodes include: most of the Daphne/Niles heavy ones (Moon Dance, the double dating one where Daphne winds up dating Nile's double, the one where Daphne nearly seduces Niles, only to get an allergy so they go back to Frasier's, he saves the day, and then Niles suddenly is reminded by his brother that, with his Doctorate, he could have signed a prescription for the chemists on the street next to Niles flat. "Oh my god!"), High Crane Drifer (the one where the late John Cygan "get an etiquette lesson"), the one with Derek Jacobi (and Patrick Macnee!!!!), the one where Daphne's fiance shows up ("I'm an astronaut!"), Frasier Crane's Day Off, the chess one, and every single house party episode. All of them. They all go so spectacularly badly. Perhaps the Hallowe'en one is the best.
Oh, and of course, Ham Radio.
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msc
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,438
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Post by msc on Dec 15, 2017 11:20:00 GMT -5
Here's the thing. 7th November 1997. I was eleven. Dad was on the late shift as a nurse, so the shows he liked were set to record and he'd watch them when he got in close to midnight. Next morning, I was off sick from school, and Mum was at work, so Dad was watching sick kid me.
Around 9am, knock on my bedroom door.
"Michael, you awake?" "Sort of?" "You need to see this TV show from last night. It was incredible."
This is entirely atypical for Dad, incidentally. He rarely emotes about pop culture.
Anyhow, I get up, come through, and hide under a duvet as he turned on... Ham Radio. He didn't expect me to get all the jokes, but enough of the jokes I'd be able in join in with the laughs. I laughed myself hoarser than I was. I think I've seen that episode at least 100 times in the 20 years in between, and I still laugh at all the same places. It's just magical.
"Look out! He's got a nug!" "You said my dwarf sounded too tall!" "I can't believe any of my guests could be a.... (wait for it)....... mubbible murburer!" "That''s easy for you to say!" "I'm the ice cream man. I went to school with Nigel..." "You never know whats lurking in the shadows. Muhahahahaah." "Well that'll help your caller with paranoia!"
It's bloody magic, that's what it is. TV magic.
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Post by Milkman Norm on Dec 15, 2017 11:32:49 GMT -5
Did he ever find out what to do with all that tossed salad and scrambled eggs?
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Post by YAKMAN is ICHIBAN on Dec 15, 2017 11:38:36 GMT -5
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