Frasier Season 1 Episode 8 Review: The B Story

Finally!

I do know we’re solely as much as Frasier Season 1 Episode 8, nevertheless it feels prefer it’s taken far too lengthy for David to have a narrative.

And even when it was formally “The B Story,” I’m giving it an A.

Frasier combating for a professorship after lower than one semester of instructing at a prestigious college was silliness, however I suppose, given Frasier’s ego, it made some sense.

Even Alan sided with him.

Well, he form of made Frasier’s level whereas nonetheless having fun with that he was above his well-known pal, at the very least the place the board at Harvard University was involved.

Frasier: Surely, there should be some form of an alternate path to professorship, a Crane lane, if you’ll.
Alan: Well, you understand, Olivia, Frasier, and I’ve the identical degree of schooling. We have the identical expertise as psychiatrists. We’re mainly doing the identical job, besides that I’m a professor and he’s not.
Olivia: And you assume that’s unfair?
Alan: No, I’m simply gloating.

But go away it to Frasier to by no means be happy.

He’s a outstanding psychiatrist. He’s been a profitable radio speak present host. He had a success TV present for over a decade and received an Emmy, though, as Alan was fast to level out, solely a Daytime Emmy.

Now, he is a visitor lecturer at Harvard! But good isn’t adequate for a Crane.

There’s at all times one thing higher to be attained. The higher bottle of wine. The greatest desk on the most unique restaurant.

On the unique Frasier, even when the gold degree appeared excellent, Frasier and Niles needed to be platinum members at their spa, even when they did not know for sure what it was, even when it did not truly exist.

As regular, Frasier would not know when to chop his losses and go away properly sufficient alone.

Freddy: Why are you making pastries?
Frasier: Well, I’ve embarrassed myself twice with Provost Sharma in my makes an attempt to get a professorship.
Freddy: So, you’re being accountable, reducing your losses, and making an attempt once more subsequent yr. I’m kidding, in fact. Please inform me your silly plan.

That is without doubt one of the optimistic issues concerning the new sequence. It has no downside making enjoyable of itself.

Most regular people would stroll away, give issues time to chill down and are available again later to strive once more. But Frasier cannot cease himself from pushing forward.

The espresso mix-up was a reasonably normal sitcom trope. I half anticipated Provost Sharma to get drunk on the spiked espresso himself.

And simply when it regarded like Alan would possibly save the day and take duty for the espresso mishap, he merely corrected the idea that it was brandy when it was rum.

If Provost Sharma knew Frasier in any respect, he’d have identified rum is not Frasier’s drink of selection. 

For the primary time within the sequence, I appreciated Olivia as she saved making an attempt to rein Frasier in and maintain him from making extra of a large number of issues.

She was actually making an attempt to assist. Leave it to Frasier to not pay attention.

And kudos to Kelsey Grammer for his distinctive bodily comedy as Frasier stumbled into the assembly, affected by the unwanted side effects of the epinephrine.

It was one of many funniest falling-down drunk moments I’ve seen in a very long time.

But now to my favourite plot from this installment.

David acquired a B. He’s by no means gotten lower than an A in his life, and now his personal uncle has given him a B.

This storyline made me want that David Hyde Pierce had been prepared to return as Niles, even when only for a few episodes. It would have been fantastic to listen to Frasier and Niles argue over David’s grade.

David started his combat for a greater grade accurately. He went to Frasier and requested for a second probability on the paper.

That this problem gave David and Freddy extra time collectively on even floor was a plus.

That Freddy’s mental aspect comes out when he is drunk was each candy and humorous. Frasier could not have been prouder to listen to his son communicate French.

Frasier: Freddy, what’s happening? Are you pontificating?
Moose: When Freddy will get drunk, he will get depraved sensible.
Freddy: That’s so reductive.
Smokey: See. He sounds such as you. What a nerd.

And David had an opportunity to bond along with his older cousin over a topic they each liked as a result of regardless that Freddy did not select it as a profession path, he clearly nonetheless loves psychology.

David idolizes his older cousin, and who would not? He’s sensible, good-looking, humorous, and a firefighter. But I’m joyful that David likes Freddy and is not jealous of him.

Freddy: I do know you’re taking this kinda onerous, nevertheless it’s actually not the tip of the world.
David: Says the man with brains and brawn who can eat all of the tree nuts he needs.

Seeing these cousins get nearer throughout this installment is a spotlight of Frasier Season 1.

No one understands household like household, and the Cranes definitely have their particular quirks. Sometimes, these quirks are tough to reside with, and the expectations are onerous to reside as much as, as each Freddy and David have realized.

Which leads us to probably the greatest and most insightful Frasier quotes of the sequence.

Freddy: Buddy, it’s only a B.
David: To anybody else, it’s only a B. But I’m a Crane. You know what it’s like.
Freddy: Oh yeah. The Crane Curse. Nothing’s ever adequate. There’s at all times a shiner object simply out of attain.
David: Exactly. You at all times should get the very best grade. Win each award.
Freddy: Spend each summer season at Trigonometry Camp.
David: While all your pals are taking it straightforward at Algebra Camp. Why is our household like this?
Freddy: I don’t know. I imply, rising up, I felt like I needed to always show I deserved to be on this household.
David: How did you take care of the expectations?
Freddy: I assume I may till I couldn’t. Then, one lecture, I simply walked out and by no means walked again in.
David: Because of the strain?
Freddy: Because I wasn’t joyful.

And Freddy is joyful now.

He could also be grieving his pal, Adam, and navigating his relationship along with his father, however he appears actually pleased with the life he is chosen, even when it wasn’t what Frasier anticipated of him.

Now, David will get to decide on what makes him joyful, and if it is a diploma in psychology from Harvard, possibly that is value having to endure by way of the very occasional B.

It’s nice that we all know David’s mother and father so properly from the unique sequence as a result of I can hear Niles’ shock on the grade, whereas Daphne would shake her head and surprise why it is such a giant deal.

But this episode was a beautiful introduction to what Anders Keith can do as an actor.

David is a mixture of harmless, humorous, quirky, and sensible. He’s each simply harm however harder than he appears. “The B Story” solely makes me need to see extra of him.

And one very last thing to say: did anybody else see Freddy’s smile as he carried out a magic trick for Eve on the finish of the episode?

There’s particular chemistry between Eve and Freddy. I’m effective ready a season or two earlier than that is explored, nevertheless it makes me root for Frasier Season 2 all of the extra.

Now it is your flip, TV Fanatics. Was this your favourite episode of the sequence as far as it was mine? Are you hoping to see extra of David and Freddy collectively?

Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button beneath to tell us. Then come on again to take a look at our Frasier Season 1 Episode 9 evaluation.

New episodes of Frasier air Thursdays on Paramount+.

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