Frasier Reboot Season 2 - Episode 8 Review

[@garretkrier508]

Before I get into my review wanted to make a couple quick notes. Roz is the station manager of KACL. It was established at the end of the original series that she was taking over. Also in these scenes in the reboot you can see the station manager title on her desk. Thoughts on Frasiers temporary return to Seattle. Good premise. But somehow it missed the mark. I think they wasted a lot of time in Boston at the beginning of this episode. The episode should have started in Seattle with a quick explainer that he was doing an anniversary show. The Boston part of this episode felt like we regressed back to Season 1 of the new series. The whole David/Alan/Olivia assistant storyline has already been done. Last season they already dedicated quite a bit of time to this bit in another episode. The writers must really think they have something with this because it's the 2nd time they've gone to this. Can't they come up with something more original for David to do?? They keep bringing up reasons for not showing Niles and Daphne. Ie they've moved to Arizona. Little bit of a letdown there that theres no Niles and Daphne yet. But it is what it is. Now to the Seattle portion of the episode. I'm not sure what they were doing here. I expected them to line up some previous callers and actually have an anniversary show. And actually take calls. They have tons and tons of storylines and nods to the original show they could have done. But instead we spent entirely too much time on a caller named Lou who as far as I can tell wasn't in the original show. Was he? Bulldog and Gil didn't have enough screen time and were sidelined for this Lou the magician. I had read an article where they interviewed Kelsey Grammer and he basically said the only reason why they went back to Seattle was to justify bringing Roz back to Boston. Throughout the episode they kept throwing small tidbits in that KACL wasn't making the money it used to and was struggling. Then they insinuated it was Roz fault and time to move on from KACL and she would be better off moving to Boston. Somewhat of a nod to the original show by having the Magician out on the ledge as if he was going to jump. Not sure why Freddy tagged along in this episode or was even in it. He served really no purpose. It was like we went to Seattle and no one was home. If you were going to go over the top with nods and storylines from the original show this would have been the show to do it. Instead it takes the entire show for Frasier to even sit down to take calls and he says I'm listening and it immediately cuts off before we hear him interact with even one caller. It seems like this was more of a Goodbye Seattle episode. I doubt they return here again. Nice and funny ending with Bulldog at the end at Mcgintys. The show needs more episodes and more continuity. We get about one or two good episodes a season and then it tends to hop around to something completely different and unrelated. Are the writers different for each episode?? Is this normal? Do the writers writing each episode watch the previous episodes? This would help with continuity and avoid repeating bits and stories that have already been done. Ie David being Alan's assistant. This episode just didnt do it for me.

[@2337baxter]

And they did not need to justify Roz coming to Boston. Her daughter is in Boston, so she could have just moved. That would have been more entertaining.

[@2337baxter]

Bulldog was only guy who had something interesting happen, coming out. And he was still himself despite now being gay, so they could have him drop off Roz in Boston. Also, I did not like Frasier encouraging Roz to move. She should make her own decision.

[@DanReviewsIt]

I think you have really really hit on the many reasons why this episode just didn't work! Thank you so much for all your thoughts and taking the time to write them. About the Boston stuff, yes completely agree. There was really no purpose for that lead-up except to set up the premise and even then, they could have done that just in the first scene and had the rest of the show in Seattle and then just came back to Eve for the end-credits with that plants joke. The David/Alan/Olivia story was (as you mentioned) a rehash, and not a strong one in the least. It added nothing, certainly not laughs. I also agree with a comment someone else made that they didn't even really need to do the whole set-up to get Roz to come back to Boston. Like I mentioned a few weeks ago, obviously they already seemed to be heading in that direction, having her be in several episodes already this season. They didn't need to make up a reason... Alice is going to school in Boston. The end. I appreciate you reminding me of what Roz's position was at KACL. I thought she was a higher up but then in one scene she was taking calls again like back in the old days, so I wasn't quite sure. Also it's kind of rare for the manager of a station to do interview pieces I feel like, so that angle threw me as well. But I missed the nameplate. As for the writers for the episodes... so essentially most shows have what's called a writer's room and everybody pitches ideas and throws out lines for the episodes, but from what I understand, for the Writer's Guild of America, each episode has to be "credited" to one or two writers so most shows just rotate/change who gets credited so as many of the people in the writer's room as possible get the credentials for the season, if that makes sense. So it's likely that most of the names I read off every week have contributed something to many (if not all) of that season's episodes.

[@garretkrier508]

Also another bit of Frasier history. You mentioned the radio station. Frasier was originally developed as a workplace comedy. Thats why they had so many radio characters and built that whole KACL set. But once they got rolling the chemistry with the non radio personalities was so good they shifted course. But kept the radio station for storylines. To me thats part of the secret sauce of the original Frasier.

[@DanReviewsIt]

That definitely makes sense. Many of the characters from the station did become like family, especially Roz and Bulldog (and even Kenny the station manager for a few seasons). Newsradio started the following year on NBC so maybe they still wanted some radio workplace comedy when Frasier shifted to more family-oriented

[@pantherzzz111]

I think this long awaited episode gave the answer to all the old fans of the original show and in its own way explained the reason the reboot has taken the route it has. It’s a simple matter of fact you cannot recreate the past, even if all the old characters came back, it wouldn’t be the same, time changes everything, places and people. This seemed to be the main theme of the whole show, you cannot live in the past, further emphasised by the radio station not doing well, indicating Roz should move on, Cafe Nurvosa changed both in interior and clientele, McGintys with the picture of Martin behind the bar, no longer with us and the pub itself now a gay bar. A very strong life lesson for us all, nothing ever stays the same, everything in life is temporary, make the most of the good people and places in your life, they won’t always be there, learn to accept change however hard, it’s a part of life. Now that’s why I love the Frasier show.

[@DanReviewsIt]

I definitely am glad we got a few answers in the throwaway lines about Niles & Daphne and the state of KACL. But if they had leaned a little more into that idea of not living in the past and those life lessons you mentioned, I really think this could have been a better episode. Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[@2337baxter]

Roz’s daughter could save David. Actor had chemistry with Grammer’s daughter. Give David a new role and a girlfriend.

[@DanReviewsIt]

I could agree with that. Since it's Grammer's daughter I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her, especially with Roz coming to Boston

[@2337baxter]

Bulldog being gay was literally best part of episode. That might be one of the only “coming out” moments for an old character that has ever worked. The radio station’s condition was just absurd and unbelievable. The caller was okay. Not great.

[@DanReviewsIt]

Absolutely! Bulldog being gay was interesting and funny and harkened back to the original show when a couple of times, it was hinted at by guest stars that he might have been over-compensating

[@marylikes8908]

PLEASE tell this guy to go away and NEVER COME BACK!! Don’t tell me that someone is actually PAYING him to do this!?!?!😢

[@DanReviewsIt]

I do my channel for fun. I truly hope someone tells you that you are horrible at your hobbies too! Thanks for the comment so the algorithm can help more people find my video

[@NjK601]

I'm not exactly sure what I expected, but this ended up being kind of disappointing, the ending was touching but otherwise if someone came out and said this was adapted from a script meant for season 1, I wouldn't be surprised, especially with that B plot.

[@DanReviewsIt]

That B-story was so terrible, one of the worst of the series. Definitely a disappointing episode

[@JT-rx1eo]

I thought it was one of the stronger episodes of the season. Go figure. And interestingly, as you are going through the show scene by scene, it's as if you are talking yourself into changing your mind that it was actually a good episode. Not that it couldn't have been better. But even if it were just for the reminiscing and trip down memory lane, it has added value.

[@DanReviewsIt]

So glad it worked for you! That's why I love chatting with the Frasier fans in this way. Every episode is going to work differently for different people. I must admit, I don't often have my exact grade in mind until the end of my review so yes it does help to go scene by scene and remind myself the positives and negatives of each episode as I go. Believe me, the KACL stuff and trip down memory lane is the reason the episode didn't get a lower grade! Thanks so much for the comment

[@DCampbellAnimator]

While I understand the actor being gay possibly played a part, it feels like a bit of a stretch for the character, maybe I’m wrong, I never felt there was any hint of Bulldog being gay.

[@DanReviewsIt]

There were even a few jokes in the original Frasier from the 90s that Bulldog was possibly overcompensating, and the idea that the person coming out wasn't Gil (which would have been the obvious choice) made it a great punchline. Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[@yoshiike1]

Love it

[@DanReviewsIt]

Glad it worked for you!

[@2337baxter]

D- and it was so bad I wondered if they might cancel reboot. Shame. Bulldog, Frasier and Freddy were good enough.

[@DanReviewsIt]

Luckily, streaming shows don't really have to get as many eyeballs on them as network shows because they don't rely on sponsors, so hopefully we get more of this show. It's just starting to get great (this episode certainly notwithstanding)

[@2337baxter]

Eve was fine. She was a call back to the Fraiser Cheers reunion. Two quick scenes, but B story awful.

[@DanReviewsIt]

I think I missed the Cheers connection there, but yes Eve wasn't the problem with the episode.

[@kathrynoneill5862]

That was time. I have been waiting for Gill to come out and they do this. Why? Is it not politically correct for gay men to play straight anymore? I always thought of Bulldog as a less suave Sam Malone. Bull dog coming ouy made no sense to me. It would have been better if Gill came out, and Bulldog finally settled down and was the polar opposite of who he used to be. Why did the pull this How i met your mother twist. I hated it. Sorry.

[@DanReviewsIt]

The actor who plays Gil (Edward Hibbert) is gay in real life, so that instantly proves your point wrong. They definitely could have had Bulldog settle down with a wife and kids and the the opposite of who he used to be, but the much funnier laugh comes from him coming out yet still being the exact same as he used to be in every other way. But clearly it wasn't going to work for everyone. Thanks so much for your comment!

[@2337baxter]

The episode did not work and it should have worked. 1. Roz would no longer work at a station. That became a dump. Years have passed, and Roz could have already quit. They wanted to get Roz to Boston. Just have her move. 2. David was back to being awful. This time he made Olivia and even the great Alan bad. Terrible B story. 3. We go back to Seattle. Let us stay in Seattle. Foolish jumps. 4. The only laughs I had were Bulldog. Bulldog being gay was funny. That worked and the episode went out on a heartfelt moment and a laugh. Freddy and Frasier worked well this episode and the show could just had them. Not quite as good as Cheers reunion on Frasier, which was NOT that good. This was a bad episode and it should have been a good one. Bad episode, period.

[@2337baxter]

Agree people stay in radio, but not when it’s that bad. David needs to leave Harvard. In fact Harvard is pointless. Alan is great, but neither he nor Olivia make sense at Harvard. Olivia is not a bad actress. She’s a bad character. Go full Rebecca with Olivia and get her out of Harvard. Maybe have Alan go down with her and get the characters out of a set location that has no charm and few laughs.

[@DanReviewsIt]

Glad you appreciated the Bulldog bit and the heartfelt moments at the end, as those were definitely a bright spot for me as well. There is really no need at all to stay in Seattle, we have been there and done that to perfection with the original show so I can't agree with that. But what I do agree with is how terrible the B-story was this week. My goodness, just horrible! Thanks for your thoughts! I also agree with what you said in another comment that we didn't need to go to Seattle for Roz to decide to move to Boston. Alice is already there, and so is her best friend Frasier, that's all the justification we really need.