"I love you too, Daphne"

Sometimes a comedy can make you sigh more than any "drama" can. In this episode, Niles is showing up at a bar to inform Daphne that her boyfriend Rodney was dumping her for Niles's girlfriend Adelle.

[@InsideUCLA71]

When Niles looks off into the distance after saying "I love you, too, Daphne," that's just a masters class in acting. The blink, the gulp. It's just perfect acting.

[@Timmycoo]

True that, sir. True that. Brings a tear to my eye.

[@babyhuey6342]

+The Gold Standard Agreed. At that moment she must have seemed so close, and yet as far away as ever.

[@Handlethis81637]

David Hyde Pierce is a phenomenal actor.

[@jenpeterson3712]

@@Handlethis81637 he has the most beautiful and precise speaking voice 😍

[@DubsUp-pf9xz]

i loved when niles and fraisier were on the simpsons their banter is just awesome. top notch acting all the time.

[@brandonh6191]

They managed to carry the will they/won’t they storyline for about 7 seasons without it ever getting boring.

[@rohunsaigal2576]

It worked because it was rarely the main focus of anything, just a simmering background plot

[@24magiccarrot]

@@rohunsaigal2576 It also wasn't really a will they won't you, cause up until a few episodes of them actually getting together Daphne never really showcased any signs that she was into Niles. For the most part, it was a one-way unreturned infatuation.

[@JayJay-nc7pr]

It was the complete opposite to the Sam/Diane dynamic a decade before but with more maturity and less drama

[@JoefromNJ1]

didnt friends only last one?

[@jaredreisinger6745]

and they do they have them break up and get back together a few times like friends that was the one thing that that's one of the reasons why I don't really watch the show cuz they just kept doing the whole loss or Rachel Ross and Rachel thing and it's just so stupid

[@MK-ws4tw]

"I love you too, Daphne." What a moment. He means it and she doesn't realize it. Can you imagine, in real life - not a sitcom - how much that would hurt?

[@mikemoore8808]

yes unfortunately i can

[@billrootes-composersongwri5552]

Yup one of the worst feelings ever.... :(

[@mandolinman2006]

Trust me. I know all too well.

[@CavZippo]

Yep

[@bollocksoplenty8417]

Yes. Yes I can. Wherever you are Ms. Friess.

[@dysenteryworld]

"And then I would have said, 'What are you doing for the rest of your life?' " The most beautifully written and acted sitcom of all time.

[@johnmullens2857]

thats a standard pick-up line though lol. but a nice one nonetheless

[@ashtonbowers1122]

@@johnmullens2857 But for Niles there's a deeper meaning behind it. He really would love nothing more than to be with Daphne the rest of their lives.

[@johnmullens2857]

@@ashtonbowers1122 like most men who use thst line

[@kayrobinson859]

Aww

[@qs4177]

I wouldn't go that far but it was a well written show

[@megan_smith]

this has to be one of the sweetest love stories ever played out on television.

[@musicoftimcarson]

+Megan Smith Agreed. Another favourite is Tim Canterbury and Dawn Tinsley from The Office UK.

[@kabalu]

megan, I love you

[@ihumanous9790]

And hilarious. All those years of Niles barely holding it together while Daphne was oblivious. And all the times Niles and Daphne would get caught in innocent but compromising positions, always funny. Love this couple second only to Holly and Michael from The Office.

[@thomasroberts2132]

@@ihumanous9790 haha yes

[@mikeyoung9810]

Exactly. My marriage ended a few years ago but I still dream about romance and every lasting love.

[@Darkmind1970]

I used to be a Niles. Then one day I met my Daphne. And now she's my wife and we have a plate on a wall in our home that reads: "And they lived happily ever after."

[@SpyWhoLovedHimself]

Love that...

[@unbreakable_lindi_schmidt]

Please tell me you still do.

[@hasan_z]

Nice

[@imsljr420]

so you were a snob that only like opera?

[@sublimeade]

Where? I could use a Daphne

[@thatchannel1773]

David Hyde Pierce is brilliant... Of course Jane Leeves is too, but he had me in tears. He plays Niles' character so well, and you could just feel what he was going through here. You have to love these two!

[@dysenteryworld]

Yes, I agree. Every time this show has brought me to tears it was because of David's performance. He's a simply beautiful actor and can convey imense emotion with just a look or a line.

[@ingriddubbel8468]

He deserved every Emmy he was ever bestowed and he deserved the ones he didn't with.

[@22espec]

It really surprise me when i saw his biograhy, he is great actor that has not been typecast like many in the industry

[@yorkiemom6144]

@@dysenteryworld check out the movie The Perfect Host with David Hyde Pierce. I ran into it one day and watched it. it was amazing

[@gillies9]

I can only imagine how great David is doing something like Hamlet or Macbeth.

[@houndsofroses3727]

My heart broke when Daphne said "I love you." in a friend way and you hear Niles' voice almost crack saying "I love you too, Daphne." why cant real life be like this? x

[@samf.s.7731]

Because it took a team of brilliant and beautiful people to make this, real life is run by a bunch of sociopaths 😂

[@mustafa8988]

It is... it's called being in the friendzone 😂

[@Wyndamn]

It can be 💖💖💖

[@CaptainRandus]

Smartest Sitcom there ever was. David Hyde Pierce was brilliant

[@ingriddubbel8468]

I also loved him in Down with Love. His tenure on Fraiser has mad his timing perfect.

[@WakandaBabe]

This show was so brilliantly written and acted.

[@justaguy6560]

I completely agree everything just clicked in this series the ones on today are just crap. This was my favorite episode you just cringed though while they were building up getting them together they took too long lol

[@cynthiacorcoran9389]

It wasn't written

[@ecilana1234]

this scene is so brilliantly acted you cant help but feel Niles' pain at the end there

[@Dramaqueenify]

These two just had the most beautiful friendship. I adored how it played out; there's just this tenderness and respect that existed between them. Especially considering how abusive Maris was just seeing how warm and gentle Daphne is with him just adds so much pathos. also DHP's subtle reaction to the wine is priceless.

[@mattd9274]

So very true!

[@ddjmfan]

Which made their relationship when they got together even more special. They had known each other for several years by this point and they had an amazing friendship.

[@lisapineapple]

“What are you doing for the rest of your life?”. Oh, god. My heart 😭

[@cadillac512000]

best line ever!

[@TheOneWhoMightBe]

Niles and Daphne was an absolute masterclass in how to write your characters without falling into the same old tropes. So glad they eventually got together but also thoroughly enjoyed the years of Niles dancing around Daphne while she was completely oblivious to his affections.

[@jaywinner328]

And after that we got a few episodes where the roles were reversed. Daphne knew how Niles feels and she felt the same way while he was oblivious.

[@bighuge1060]

When most sitcoms decide to have moments of consequence, they stick out like sore thumbs because they looked dropped in and to the audience it feels manipulative and contrived. Frasier always kept the comedy grounded in reality and each season all the characters grew naturally within that atmosphere. That is why heartfelt moments like this (or when the three Crane men stood on the apartment balcony to let Seattle know they were available only to have those laughs give way to the realization that they are mate-less again) doesn't feel artificial or inserted. It appears organically. And that's what makes great writing and a great show.

[@countvond233]

David Hyde Pierce - brilliant as Niles. His love for Daphne is inspiring. One of the great romances.

[@saradavidson8370]

I love Niles he is so sensitive so sweet

[@ritzzzy2042]

He was sweet to daphné. He was horrible to roz.

[@gerrynightingale9045]

*A woman was talking to her 'BFF' and telling her "I don't know what to do! One guy is an a-hole and fucks around on me and treats me like his 'personal whore' ...and the other guy always gets me flowers for every holiday and sometimes no reason at all...buys me little gifts...tells me dirty jokes until I finally laugh...always looking at me with 'cow-eyes' like I'm special or something...I just don't know what to do!"* *'BFF says 'What the hell? Dump that ass-hole and stay with 'flower guy'" and girlfriend says "I can't do that! HE'S 'STRAIGHT!'* ( *Yeah...I'm the 'flower guy'...a 'Niles'...American women DO NOT want a 'nice guy'* )

[@cawfeedawg]

forever friend zoned.

[@random6579]

@@ritzzzy2042 ah yes, le daphne

[@cmrwrite]

Gerry Nightingale I want a nice guy so not all American women are the same.

[@naturalcanopy9148]

Most other programmes would make this cheesy and contrived. Not Frasier. The build up over time, the longing, the silliness and, ultimately, the pure and genuine love made it so believable.

[@WebJunk87]

This was so much better than that Ross and Rachel nonsense.

[@ddjmfan]

Let the tomato throwing commence but I am a Ross/Rachel fan. I love them just as much as Niles/Daphne.

[@amythomasson4054]

Because Ross and Rachel were terrible characters. Daphne and Niles were good people who loved and respected each other.

[@mickeye6428]

@@amythomasson4054 You know Niles was married right?

[@ingriddubbel8468]

That's because the actors can actually act.

[@imsljr420]

I remember t.v. guide did a poll asking who would fans want to see get together: ross & rachel, jerry & elaine, niles & daphne, and others. and niles and daphne won.

[@andrewsawdon9796]

The attention to detail in the acting is wonderful. A couple of things I noticed (that I might have imagined) were firstly the way Niles says 'I was sitting here when I met....Adelle'. He almost forgets her name because he is so infatuated with Daphne. Then Daphne says 'Go one, just for fun. We could both use a smile' and her face sets into an almost stern gaze, as if challenging Niles to say his true feelings. It's immaculately acted.

[@ddjmfan]

DHP and Jane were brilliant.

[@johnepants]

That was great. It’s a great tie in to later on when she realizes she does love him. You could almost see her reaching out to him here, but timing was always wrong until they went for it

[@MrVnitti]

Danni

[@sarahinsf]

3:00 Very perceptive -- thank you! I replayed it just to watch. You are so right.

[@yambo59]

Youre not alone, im a 52 yr old guys guy but when these two finally got together it was the first time I cried for the first time in my life at a tv show-- this had to be one of the most believable and touching screen romances of all time --- they played it so perfectly, and Ive always had a weakness for british women, and Daphne was a genuine living Doll to me.

[@LaughingblueSu]

So sweet

[@12classics39]

David and Jane have truly magical chemistry. They make you root for Niles and Daphne endlessly.

[@DavidRTribble]

One of many bittersweet moments that made "Frasier" a cut above the rest.

[@buckwrestling]

To me, it was the whole Niles-Daphne storyline that elevated Frasier beyond just being a spinoff from Cheers.

[@lizbrown7232]

No matter how many times I see this scene, it always makes me smile and cry almost simultaneously. Brilliant writing and acting.

[@BibtheBoulder]

One of the most incredible romance scenes in TV history. Puts a lump in my throat every time I watch it....

[@PraviPipez]

What are you doing for the rest of your life? Out of all the 264 Frasier episodes, this is my single best moment. Love it

[@147Hikari]

I was happy for Niles when I saw this. There was a chance for him to say "I love you" to Daphne without need to be nervous or that she could imagine that he ment it in a romantic way.. . *sigh*

[@mindyhanson4124]

Best written & acted sitcom ever, in my opinion :)

[@partyguy101ify]

It would be another four years before Niles and Daphne finally get together. :'(

[@capricowtheunicorn709]

I just got to the ep when they found out she's pregnant

[@lordalessan]

At least we had four years to watch their love grow and develop to where they became a family. It wasn't like Friends, where Ross and Rachel didn't become a couple till the very end.

[@Euphoftoday]

Beautiful acting, what a genius in casting, if you get that right you have perfection as the whole series was.

[@ingriddubbel8468]

Lightning in a bottle

[@cynthiaslade1826]

I, and a Million of other women wishe we have a Niles Crane who loved us the way he loved Daphne.

[@countroshculla]

I actually teared up the first time I watched that. He was so close to telling her but he had to stop himself.

[@STPSDARKNESS]

She had no idea how much he meant it.

[@breeanaflannery]

I bought the script books and just read this scene. It reads beautifully on the page but what David Hyde Pierce does with it elevates it even higher.

[@ddjmfan]

He was brilliant.

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

Which website sells copies? I would love to read them.

[@breeanaflannery]

@@williamj.dovejr.8613 I think all the copies being sold now are second hand. I just looked on Amazon and when you type in “Frasier script book” in the first option that comes up is a used copy for $10.

[@arthistorylite]

Wonderful scene.......the last line is a killer......sums up the great running story between these two

[@executivesolutionsystemsllc]

The story of Daphne and Niles is one of the most beautiful I've ever had the blessing to know. ❤️

[@treblemaker1951]

DHP is just the greatest. What an impeccable performance he brought to this character. The best love story in all of television.

[@shrews12001]

I remember when this episode was new and it got to this scene. I was almost screaming in my head "Just say it. Just tell her." It was such a punch in the gut for it to end that way.

[@barbara-annperry5941]

I think that Daphnie always felt attracted to Niles, but never imagined that anything would happen. Remember the episode when she decided to stay with Niles and it was a heatwave?

[@barbara-annperry5941]

@@emilychristina3172 I was disappointed to find out that David the actor who plays Niles is gay, because I thought that he was handsome too.

[@stephanieclaire2569]

@@barbara-annperry5941 Me too!! I always had a little crush on him. His character of Niles was so cute.

[@zacatecas2002]

There were times in Frazier when things just seemed to come together in such a magical way. This scene is definitely one of those times. Just amazing acting and writing. This is a truly touching scene.

[@jamesventola6883]

One of the most relatable story lines in all of TV.

[@nicolestevens4039]

Daphne and Niles were so meant for each other!! 💖

[@MrValz0]

It's unreal how the writers and actors managed to cram humour, sweetness, bitterness and hope into a simple chat at the bar. Some of the best television I've had the pleasure of watching, if not the best.

[@dannysimion]

The characters in this show are so charming and 3-dimensional that you root for all their happiness. Especially these two!

[@TheWackokid1974]

it was corny, sappy, campy, but through the whole show, his love was sincere, and their finally getting together, was so satisfying. (especially for Niles! *wink wink nudge nudge*) Good story telling. This back ground story set the hook early and kept us on the line so well. I miss this show. RIP John Mahoney.

[@Paraprax]

Man, I teared up the first time I saw this. Thank god they got married and lived happily ever after.

[@ericofthewest24]

Jim: "I waited eight years to finally Marry Pam!" Niles: "That's cute."

[@coastalnana2766]

This is one of my all time favorite episodes of Frasier and this is the absolute best scene. Never get tired of it.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

He does a perfect job conveying that gut wrenching feeling of unrequited love. Thank goodness I quit on "romance" years ago and found inner peace for it.

[@darraghfarrell2245]

This scene shows why Frasier is such a great show and is so rewatchable. Although it's incredibly funny I watch the show mainly because I enjoy the characters so much and enjoy spending time with them .They managed to create real people not cardboard cut out characters with zero depth.Seinfeld for example is a great show but it's characters are incredibly shallow and unrealistic and once you've seen the jokes so many time there's nothing more to be got from it, Frasier is great because the characters are like real people and you want them to do well in life.

[@sushmitamukherjee4025]

The writing in this scene is so simple but so masterful. This show uses subtext so well

[@albertoavena]

What a scene....wow.... I really miss this show!

[@spomusmo2349]

I always loved the way he fell for Daphne from the instant he met her. I love seeing a man so in love.

[@sharadbhutoria]

"what are you doing for the rest of your life" .... Best line ever. 😊

[@bbhrdzaz]

one of the best written, acted and produced shows ever. hence it's great success. The direction is awesome as well.

[@ronaldomadrebien7045]

bbhrdzaz ...........yes, so pleased I was of an age to appreciate it

[@laurab9867]

Frazier was successful because for the first time in a TV sitcom, the writing was superb (no wishy-washy crap, for a change) and each one of the actors was excellent in their own right. This scene is a perfect example of that. What a joy to watch...

[@ahlamiat]

".... what are you doing for the rest of your life" ... AAAAH ! Melting .

[@PhatBoyzClub]

I will never get to see a show like this again in my lifetime :(

[@keithbannister9271]

Jane Leeves is extremely gorgeous, I've had a t.v. crush on her ever since I saw her on the Benny Hill show!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@patriciabyrne5089]

I remember in this scene when he says 'There was someone else who was too much on my mind' and Daphne say 'I had a feeling'. I thought she realised he was talking about her but of course she thought he meant Maris.

[@stevewisniewski5860]

One of the best scenes ever in the episode of Fraser sense the closing scene of mash. Beautiful. Simplistic, beautiful. Thank you. Such a good teaching moment.

[@Ambienfinity]

The writing was so sharp, delivered perfectly.

[@Smufter69]

Best American comedy by far. Closely followed by Cheers. Two classics.

[@cindybee9270]

No matter how many times I watch this scene it tugs at my heart strings.

[@joebutler3608]

Wonderfully bittersweet. I catch this show in reruns sometimes in the wee hours and it evokes a similarly bittersweet nostalgia for a better time.

[@sabrina.h2737]

We love you too, Daphne and Niles. 💖

[@HoustonCougarsGermany]

Yes, we do.

[@beckymcshannon7088]

Ahhh...I love this so much. Such a sweet, silly and sometimes frustratingly painful love story. So real in many ways. Being great friends first, maybe what what makes it work. Wish we could all have that. Simply amazing acting.

[@carolinehaf21]

Heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Displays the unmatched gentleness and patience that true love requires. A joy to rewatch 😍

[@ShawnsterVideos]

It's a mutha fuckin masterpiece. Form the script to the acting to the camera moves to the background actors not stealing focus and the editing is a perfect rhythm, too. ugh. Amazing.

[@jamgirl86]

The tears come every time.

[@paulguzman1634]

Like a lot of us out here, I know exactly how Niles feels when he tells Daphne he loves her too, and she doesn't know he is sharing his True feelings! It is truly bittersweet!

[@elrenato82]

I have found my Daphne and I love her with all my heart! her name is Sofie btw...

[@pragatibhushan8697]

The writers sure how to create magic

[@rexmaximilian9548]

The show creators/writers really played the character arcs between these two perfectly... they didn't ruin the show's chemistry by getting them together too soon, nor did they wait too long to bring them together, as we had enough of a payoff for the last few seasons... very few missteps throughout this show's run.

[@stephenrivera4382]

Superb writing - and brilliant acting!

[@alyqat4]

This show was brilliant

[@DBAllen]

This will bring a tear if you've ever been in a situation similar. to this.

[@prxducerhxktxk]

The weirdest thing is that with most tv shows with the “will they wont they” storylines that when they finally get together it feels stale and weird. But when daphne and niles finally got together it was a sigh of relief. Mainly because it showed the realistic way a crush can turn into a loving connection and finally turn into a relationship. It showed maturity.

[@davidcarlin3850]

This is a cherished moment and what made Frasier such a wonderful series.

[@bloofan06]

This makes me cry every time I see it. I absolutely love this scene!

[@schneeevchen]

:O omg his face! he is just such a good actor!

[@kabalu]

schneeevchen schneeeeeee!

[@DrQuizzler]

This show had it all, and this will-they-or-won't-they ongoing love story between Niles and Daphne is a great example. Their feelings for each other was separated by a paper thin wall of propriety, creating palpable tension, masterfully fleshed-out by both actors. How many of us were yelling "Come on Niles!!" at the screen whenever he would come this close to confessing his bottled-up feelings for her?

[@gaamatsu4dewin]

Amazing a gay man can play a straight man SO well......

[@scotty6858]

That's why they call it "acting"

[@outrotearseven]

breaks my heart, he can barely look at her, and if he does he is yearning for her... *sigh*

[@lewisedwards4058]

My favorite tv couple of all time.

[@AndrewKendall71]

I think possibly the most beautiful moment in their romance

[@kichigan1]

So freaking romantic!

[@jamesparkerjr5539]

The best. I mean, come on. This is so good, Frasier at it's best.

[@InfernalShadowDragon]

Niles is so sweet! I just love him.

[@darth856]

Interesting that it is Daphne who bring up the whole "the two of us could have met" angle. Gets me thinking what would have happened if he wasn't "Dr Crane" to her. It seems a part of her was wondering that too.

[@SpyWhoLovedHimself]

Yes she makes almost every move on him throughout the series. She tells him how close she feels to him in season 1 at his mansion. She suggests teaching him to dance and invites herself to the ball, and ropes him into doing the tango. She comes up with this little role play scenario in this episode like you said. She makes all the moves during the heatwave at Niles's apartment. The only thing Niles ever did was ask her to stay and have dinner with him in First Date. Apart from that he was too shy to ever do anything, so it was always down to her to spark the romance.

[@darth856]

Agreed, which suggests she was interested, even if she supressed it. She is basically saying "I could have seen myself going for you, if circumstances were different". As Jane Leeves says, Daphne felt inferior to Niles due to class difference. I think her feelings were sort of latent, becuse she wouldn't allow herself to "go there". Until she did when she learned how he felt about her.

[@lordalessan]

darthen856 I read somewhere that Jane Leeves said that Daphne would’ve been interested in Niles but she never assumed she would have a chance because of her lower class background in contrast Nile’s finer tastes in life, which is why she saw him as a friend for most of the series. That actually made sense to me why she seemed oblivious to his crush on her.

[@Yesica1993]

This is so unbearably sad!

[@TheBoglin]

I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying!

[@hensonlaura]

Jesus, what skill. That actually made me cry.

[@andrewhazlewood4569]

The serious moments in this show always hit the mark.

[@nataliejohnson9526]

This scene ALWAYS gets me.

[@lubzeN]

Sweet, simple but yet truly beautiful lovely moment- the best !

[@fernandopierpaoli5562]

And they both didn't even realized...........

[@raikazuchi2516]

I don't particularly like HIMYM, but when Lily spews some shit about Ted having "more emotional endurance than anyone"? Stand down, Mosby, Niles has you completely beat.

[@ninjadarthjuju117]

I'm a fan of both and I completely agree.

[@Milfuelle100]

I want to be a Daphne to a Niles!!!