Frasier Coffee Talk 2012 Episode 1

[Pat]

Ah, what a breath-taking start into the greatest show ever made. Here in the pilot, the show hits the ground running in the great pace of any season. I think that is very rare.

It sure is interesting to see the details that started in the pilot and the things that changed in his appartment. The paintings by the exit of the living room into the hallway of Frasier's bedroom have been replaced with a large picture. The kitchen was pretty much non-existant as far as any depth or detail.

The pilot named The Good Son originally aired on NBC: 16th September 1993.

In this episode, Frasier announces to a caller that he moved to Seattle from Boston 6 months ago. Thus, if the show was basically real time, Frasier moved to Seattle in March of 1993.

[Pat]

Niles: You know what I think about pop psychiatry.
Frasier: Yes, I know what you think about everything. When was the last time you had an unexpressed thought?
Niles: I'm having one now.

[Pat]

Daphne's room was the adjustment.

Frasier: Dad, I'm not having another person living in this house!
Martin: Give me one good reason why not!
Frasier: Well, for one thing, there's no room for her!
Martin: What about that room right across the hall from mine?
Frasier: My study? You expect me to give up my study - the place where I read, where I do my most profound thinking?
Martin: Ah, use the can like the rest of the world!

In much later episodes Frasier states that when Daphne moves out he will convert her room back into his study.

[andress_jade]

This is my favorite quote from the episode.

Daphne: (with her hand down her blouse)"Oh hello, caught me with me hand in the biscuit tin. I'm Daphne, Daphne Moon."

With that line one of the best characters ever was created and introduced. Daphne was definitely one of a kind and yet we loved her for it...and so did Niles.

[Leigh Ann]

The only quote that comes to mind right now is when Martin starts moving his chair in, and he mocks Frasier by saying, "It's eclectic!"

[bingbangbaby]

Originally Posted by Pat

Ah, what a breath-taking start into the greatest show ever made. Here in the pilot, the show hits the ground running in the great pace of any season. I think that is very rare.

That's really true. I love this pilot, and that's a rare thing, too, I think. Usually pilots seem old and outdated, and sometimes even disconnected with the characters and the show as they progress. But not this one. While the characters are a bit rough around the edges in the pilot, it's perfect that way because as the show progresses we see the characters grow, but not (like a lot of other shows) change completely from the pilot. It's a tribute to the brilliant writers, really, for having these characters so well thought out from the beginning.
The pilot still remains on my list as one of my favorite episodes of the whole series.

Originally Posted by andress

With that line one of the best characters ever was created and introduced. Daphne was definitely one of a kind and yet we loved her for it...and so did Niles.

I loved her eccentricities and quirks. My favorite moment of hers is when she starts pulling all that stuff out of that big bag she carried... a broom, some sort of little wine glass, a big red heart shaped sponge... the bag looked full, I would love to have seen what else she had in there.
I have wondered about how old they wanted us to believe she was? It felt like they wanted her to seem pretty young, maybe around 25 or so? Maybe younger? But Jane Leeves was 32 when she made the pilot, and I definitely think they wanted us to believe Daphne was younger than that. David Hyde Pierce would have been 34 when he made the pilot, and I think his character seemed about that age, or at least 30's. But later in the series as Niles and Daphne got closer, their ages seemed to get a little closer too. I don't know if Daphne seemed a little older than before or Niles seemed a little younger than before, but later on it definitely didn't seem like 8 or 9 years age difference between them.

Originally Posted by Pat

In this episode, Frasier announces to a caller that he moved to Seattle from Boston 6 months ago. Thus, if the show was basically real time, Frasier moved to Seattle in March of 1993.

Other facts we learned in the pilot:
-Maris is 5 years older than Niles
-Daphne had only been in the states "a few months."
-Martin's shooting happened 2 years earlier
-Apparently Martin play golf before his accident

Favorite quote: Martin: "Well if I were Mother Theresa I'd check my jewelry box."

[bingbangbaby]

One other thing I've thought about before is that we can see in this pilot that there is obviously a big gap between Martin and his sons. I sometimes wonder how that happened, or how the distance between them got so wide, because some of the stories they tell in later episodes show that Martin was a good and attentive father, even though he couldn't always relate to his sons. Frasier and Niles also respected him when they were younger, and even as adults Martin still carried a fairly strong element of authority with his sons. It seemed like they had a relationship...at least a better one than they had by the pilot...even as far as Frasier and Niles's early adulthood. So I wonder what happened? Was Hester the glue that held them all together? Or did their wives at the time, Lilith and Maris, cause them to pull away? We know that even as children Frasier and Niles have always been the way they are now, so did Martin change somehow? I don't remember ever getting any clues later in the series about that, other than they were always so different, but that didn't seem to hinder their relationship too much when they were younger.
I think it's Lilith and Maris's fault.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by bingbangbaby

Was Hester the glue that held them all together? Or did their wives at the time, Lilith and Maris, cause them to pull away? We know that even as children Frasier and Niles have always been the way they are now, so did Martin change somehow? I don't remember ever getting any clues later in the series about that, other than they were always so different, but that didn't seem to hinder their relationship too much when they were younger. I think it's Lilith and Maris's fault.

HA! I couldn't help think when Niles what that he and Maris where discussing how they needed to help more with the care of dad...

Frasier: I don't have my life anymore. Tuesday night I gave up my tickets to the theatre, Wednesday it was the symphony... [gets his coffee]
Niles: That reminds me, weren't you going to the opera on Friday?
Frasier: Yes, here. [hands him some tickets]
Niles: Thank you.
Frasier: Niles, you don't suppose there's a chance that you and Maris could...
Niles: Funny you should mention that. Maris and I were just discussing this. We feel we should do more to share the responsibility.
Frasier: You mean you'd take him in?
Niles: [laughs incredulously] Dear God, no! But we would be willing to help you pay for a home care worker.

I was thinking that Niles and Maris' "discussion" about taking care of Martin may have been more of an arguement.

[ajgenard]

Originally Posted by bingbangbaby

That's really true. I love this pilot, and that's a rare thing, too, I think. Usually pilots seem old and outdated, and sometimes even disconnected with the characters and the show as they progress. But not this one. While the characters are a bit rough around the edges in the pilot, it's perfect that way because as the show progresses we see the characters grow, but not (like a lot of other shows) change completely from the pilot. It's a tribute to the brilliant writers, really, for having these characters so well thought out from the beginning.
The pilot still remains on my list as one of my favorite episodes of the whole series.

I concur with bigbangbaby. With almost every sitcom, including the most notable ones in history, the first several episodes (especially the pilot) are somewhat different from what the characters and general outline ultimately become. But with The Good Son, Frasier came right out of the gates with the same quality writing and fully developed characters that would follow for years to come. The only exception to this is Martin who seems to really soften up by the second season, albeit by original design of the character's progression.

Another thing I enjoy about the pilot is that it properly sets up the main premise of the show by (re)introducing Martin and Daphne into Frasier's life while at the same time showing his new life in Seattle already in progress via his job/Roz and Niles. This gave them some room to revisit Frasier's move back to Seattle and fill in some more details in the wonderful Season 3 finale "You Can Go Home Again."

My Favorite Quote from "The Good Son"
Frasier: Six months ago, I was living in Boston. My wife had left me, which was very painful. Then she came back to me... which was excruciating.

[Schmoopie]

Originally Posted by Pat

Niles: You know what I think about pop psychiatry.
Frasier: Yes, I know what you think about everything. When was the last time you had an unexpressed thought?
Niles: I'm having one now.

I'm probably being biased b/c I love David Hyde Pierce so much , but I think it's so awesome that Niles' line was the first one in the series that drew applause from the audience.