Critic’s Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
This rollicking penultimate episode leaned hard on everything this series does well and left only one real mystery: Why did we have to wait so long for an episode this good?
On Frasier Season 2 Episode 9, we were treated to the return of not just one but two favorite guest stars and a storyline that played to the strengths of characters new and old.
This episode made me laugh the most out of the season so far, and I even wished it had lasted a few minutes longer.
What Was Not To Like, Here?
First off, it was the very biggest of joys to see Patricia Heaton appear again as Holly the bartender. I had almost forgotten about her and my high hopes for her and Frasier getting together!
Also exciting was the new-to-us information that Frasier had been heading over to the restaurant bar to fill her in on his misadventures since Valentine’s Day.
I’m actually surprised that Holly still has a job after offering Frasier a free glass of Macallan for each embarrassing story. That’s like a drinking game where you take a shot every time Roz flies from Seattle to Boston!
Speaking of: What was that almost rueful admission from Frasier that “there was no sex on Cape Cod?” Had he sort of wanted something to happen with Roz that weekend, or was he just lamenting how his romantic scene-setting for Eve and Freddy didn’t result in them hooking up?
In any event, Roz apparently lives in Boston now (or she’s using Eve’s bar as an airport lounge) and has joined the Harvard faculty tradition of day drinking. She’s assimilated well so far with an invite to Olivia’s party and has even managed to charm Alan (???).
But Roz wasn’t the big reveal of this episode; it was Holly.
I loved Holly’s first appearance on the show because it reminded me of the OG Frasier episode where he got misdialed messages on his answering machine from a woman cellist who sounded like his perfect match. She was stuck at the Seattle airport, so he impulsively drove there for a drink with her.
That character was played by Linda Hamilton (yay!) but was married (boo!), so it ended up being this charmingly flirtatious but wistful encounter where they both sort of wished things were different.
However, she still gave him the whole “You’ll find someone!” speech that single people of all ages just LOVE hearing.
Fast-forward to that same rom-com-gone-wrong feeling on the Valentine’s Day episode when Holly told Frasier she had a boyfriend. My hopes for a season of Frasier in a healthy relationship were crushed!
So when Holly finally asked Frasier out on this episode, it was all sorts of wonderful.
Well, it was wonderful for about six minutes, thanks to Dr. Crane getting in his own way yet again.
It Might Be Sabotage
Part of Frasier’s appeal has always been the way he straddles his erudition and more earthy impulses.
It’s funny that in present-day Boston, he’s reverted to his more upper-crust self, whereas his time at Cheers in the 1980s gave him a sprinkle of everyman grit that kept him from being a complete snob like Niles when he moved to Seattle in the 1990s.
I guess it was too much to hope that Frasier would be able to appreciate a hockey game in the present, but I’ll admit I was disappointed that he couldn’t keep it together to at least be a good sport for his date.
We’ve seen Frasier date TONS of women he didn’t completely vibe with, and the only times he’s really questioned that was when they were much younger.
So it was kind of odd to see him sabotage an age-appropriate relationship with the old, “Oh, we’re so different” excuse.
Frasier already knew that Holly didn’t like many of the same things, like the opera and the ballet, but he seemed more invested in her thinking that he was “cool” than in her appreciating the things that he likes.
Which was… progress?
He couldn’t point to an age difference in this relationship, so he used their taste differences after a whopping TWO DATES to sabotage their relationship.
Lucky for them, they were able to find common ground during an experience that they both disliked.
Olivia’s Murder Mystery Party
I was thrilled to see Olivia get a few more facets added to her character when she went all out for a Regency-themed murder mystery party, complete with ice sculpture.
It was deliciously diabolical how she tricked everyone into attending (although I kind of wanted to see that olive oil tasting!), and her excitement was palpable, if not infectious.
It was also fun to see some of the other faculty members who have been lurking in the background of several other parties this season. Their characters got filled out a little bit more, too!
I loved Alan’s look of absolute horror when he realized what was happening, and all of his quips were wickedly funny, even for him.
I feel like in every other episode, Alan just knocks it out of the park and then has to rest in the background for an episode to recover.
Frasier Season 2 Episode 9 would have been successful even if Olivia’s party really had been about olive oil or caviar.
It was a little weird to see Freddy and Eve at what seemed to be a mostly Harvard faculty event, but I liked their energy as a non-couple couple.
Also, they formed this perfect example of how to cheerfully manage two different interests (his football game and her reality show) in one evening, an example Frasier completely missed.
The banter with them and fellow non-academics Roz and Holly was entertaining on its own, so I settled in to enjoy a quiet party episode with a lot of clever wordplay.
Then everything was turned on its head with the murder mystery party reveal!
This propelled the episode into wacky greatness, including the hilarious push-pull of Frasier trying to deny how much he absolutely would enjoy an event like this if he weren’t busy trying to convince Holly that he was cool.
Alan’s co-opting of Eve’s insight about Ibsen and the dollhouse continued their tradition of stealing each other’s ideas, like when they gave feedback on Frasier’s memoir draft.
I was a little surprised that Eve, as an actress, didn’t get into her mystery game character more flamboyantly. Even Freddy’s fake mustache was more of a scene-stealer!
See also: Holly’s shepherdess hook as the prop that kept on giving (laughs).
But I’m not going to lie — I really did wish that we could have seen what an ice sculpture of the Bronte sisters looked like.
Alan being a mystery aficionado after he so vehemently claimed otherwise was a fun twist, if perhaps a smidge unconvincing. It was nice to see him get excited about something other than alcohol, though!
Clues And Quibbles
I thought there might be a twist upon a twist, with the “ruined” party being the actual planned mystery party all along. But if Frasier hadn’t insisted on finding the true culprit, everyone would have just left.
This made it a stretch to believe that Sharma had the foresight and opportunity to pull that Brontosaurus ice sculpture switch, especially when he supposedly thought he was going to a caviar-tasting party.
But it was pretty cool that his revenge plot ended up giving Olivia the murder mystery party of her dreams.
David had an admittedly GREAT line with “They were famously reclusive.” But as to his presence at the party, I thought he’d gone back to working for just Alan unless the whole department is sharing him as an intern now.
Then again, he really was perfectly cast as the viscount’s illegitimate son-slash-murder victim for the party — I’m almost sorry we didn’t get to see that play out!
This episode reinforced my belief that Olivia’s heart lies with the English department rather than psychology. I feel like the season finale may feature her making a substantial change in her life, and a switch to literature might make sense.
Frasier Season 2 Episode 9 was incredibly polished and filled with sharp, laugh-out-loud dialogue. It felt like you were in such good hands watching it, where it was a complete story that you didn’t have to worry might fall apart at any point.
This episode was superb, from the lighting and costumes to the set design and camera work. It was such a joy to watch, and it made me hope that the show returns for a third season.
What did you think, TV Fanatics? Did this episode charm you, or was it too little too late?
Let us know in the comments!
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