Frasier parades all his angst and control before his family. He is a complete ass, dominating everyone else. Eventually, things begin to crumble. I will only say that the ongoing subplot of the kids terrified of Old Man Crane comes to a miraculous conclusion. Don't miss the last five minutes.
5 Reviews
My party, my game, me me me!
dominic-paris22 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I feel I have to stand up for this episode against the bad comments. Apart from a few cringe-worthy performances (Frasier imitating Sigmund Freud (with accent), Niles imitating Martin Crane (head flung back and 'HA!' and subsequent embarrassing dressing down from Martin to a beer-drunken Niles) I found this episode to be one of the funniest of the whole lot and a unique, wonderful illustration of Frasier's deep insecurities, which is what this whole comedy is based on after all - a paranoid, neurotic, obsessive, self-important man (who we love anyway) who just happens to be a psychiatrist, and whose traits are akin to those of patients that should be lying on his couch, not those of which he displays with his immature behaviour, stamping his feet when things aren't going his way: 'Now if we could just return to my game', 'this is my party' and 'I know what you're doing, you're trying to curry favour with dad!' The fact that he's totally oblivious to the fact that people are calling him up pretending to be ill so they don't have to go to his party is hilarious. Some of my favourite Frasier one-liners are in this episode: 'When you saw me in a beard and holding a cigar, what super hero did you think I was supposed to be, hm?', 'Roz, I don't think you can even do that to the flag!', 'I think I know what my game's objectives are and they do not include this nascent migraine!', sulking: 'You're not playing my game. This is chaos, we're just five people in costumes drinking!' and 'Brothers can be 'butt-faces'!' This episode certainly remains at one of my top ten. Maybe number 7, and I recommend it.
"You're A Good Son, Frasier."
atlasmb15 May 2024
This is one of the best episodes, primarily due to the wonderful writing. Set on Halloween, the episode has the main characters dressing as their heroes, per Frasier's instruction, so that they might play an original game of his devising. Frasier's preconception of what they game will be like, when played, is nothing like it turns out to be. He foresees pompously meaningful tributes, rife with psychological insights, but what he gets is some down-to-earth portrayals of blue collar heroes and one superhero. Those who adopt accents in their portrayals do so with mixed success, adding to the humor.
Clever writing abounds. There are laugh out loud moments, touching moments, and poignant moments that turn on a dime to hilarious laughs. Much of the humor arises from the chosen costumes, but the dynamics of the Crane family set up some typical "Frasier" humor. Finally, there is an overriding bit about Old Man Crane that is genius.
It might seem that this episode was easy to write, but that is the sign of good writing: they make it look easy. It is mostly a one-set piece, adding further difficulty in devising a script.
Clever writing abounds. There are laugh out loud moments, touching moments, and poignant moments that turn on a dime to hilarious laughs. Much of the humor arises from the chosen costumes, but the dynamics of the Crane family set up some typical "Frasier" humor. Finally, there is an overriding bit about Old Man Crane that is genius.
It might seem that this episode was easy to write, but that is the sign of good writing: they make it look easy. It is mostly a one-set piece, adding further difficulty in devising a script.
Strange Bad Apple in the Bunch
Pecosa19 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a huge fan of Frasier, but this episode is truly awful.
For starters, it's poorly written; Martin, Daphne, Roz, and the rest are ridiculously out of character. Worst-faring is Niles, who is suddenly given to mushy tributes, beer-drinking, and ill-advised rants. Roz's dialogue is little better, and she is doomed to recite bad-greeting-card drivel about why Wonder Woman is really her hero. (No, seriously.) On top of that, the episode is neither funny nor heart-warming and ends with Martin Crane getting angry with Niles and storming out of the room - a conflict which is never resolved. The episode just ends immediately afterward! I feel really bad for the actors who had to film this. In their position, I would have been embarrassed. I imagine they probably were. David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney do their best to put in some physical comedy when the lines are giving them nothing, and it helps . . . a little. But poor Peri Gilpin and Jane Leeves spend the entire episode sitting on a couch, so they don't even have that opportunity.
What happened here? Was it a budgetary problem? Had they spent too much money in the beginning of the season, thus necessitating a way to recoup the cash with a one-set episode? Or was it a time problem, in which no one had sufficient opportunity to revise the script? In any case, yikes! I guess a series with as many incredible episodes as Frasier can be forgiven the occasional bomb, but this . . . well, this is the atom bomb of situation comedy.
Again - those poor actors! That must have been one tough week.
For starters, it's poorly written; Martin, Daphne, Roz, and the rest are ridiculously out of character. Worst-faring is Niles, who is suddenly given to mushy tributes, beer-drinking, and ill-advised rants. Roz's dialogue is little better, and she is doomed to recite bad-greeting-card drivel about why Wonder Woman is really her hero. (No, seriously.) On top of that, the episode is neither funny nor heart-warming and ends with Martin Crane getting angry with Niles and storming out of the room - a conflict which is never resolved. The episode just ends immediately afterward! I feel really bad for the actors who had to film this. In their position, I would have been embarrassed. I imagine they probably were. David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney do their best to put in some physical comedy when the lines are giving them nothing, and it helps . . . a little. But poor Peri Gilpin and Jane Leeves spend the entire episode sitting on a couch, so they don't even have that opportunity.
What happened here? Was it a budgetary problem? Had they spent too much money in the beginning of the season, thus necessitating a way to recoup the cash with a one-set episode? Or was it a time problem, in which no one had sufficient opportunity to revise the script? In any case, yikes! I guess a series with as many incredible episodes as Frasier can be forgiven the occasional bomb, but this . . . well, this is the atom bomb of situation comedy.
Again - those poor actors! That must have been one tough week.
Room Full of Heroes
studioAT14 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
It's always the sign of a show on the decline when they stick the characters in fancy dress, hoping perhaps that the sheer novelty of seeing them looking different will paper over the cracks of a normally weak plot.
This was a weak episode indeed. It felt like a series eight episode, that's how bad it was.
A weak premise, poorly performed and poorly written - all in all it's a real dud. Other than the interest when the characters first pop up in their costume and Jane Leeves doing an Elton John impression there is precious little to recommend about this episode. I'd avoid it if you're a fan of the show.
This was a weak episode indeed. It felt like a series eight episode, that's how bad it was.
A weak premise, poorly performed and poorly written - all in all it's a real dud. Other than the interest when the characters first pop up in their costume and Jane Leeves doing an Elton John impression there is precious little to recommend about this episode. I'd avoid it if you're a fan of the show.
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