Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6795 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-11-24
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 526 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Thanks to sharp writing and a pitch-perfect ensemble cast, Frasier became one of the smartest and funniest television shows of the 1990s. Following the 1993 demise of Cheers, Diane's fussy psychiatrist boyfriend, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), seemed an unlikely candidate for a spin-off series, yet the show earned smash ratings and dozens of Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor (Grammer) in the very first season. In an inspired bit of casting, Grammer was matched with David Hyde Pierce as his brother and fellow psychiatrist Niles, and the rest of the players included his radio-program manager, Roz (Peri Gilpin), his father, Marty (John Mahoney), his father's physical therapist, Daphne (Jane Leeves), and the dog Eddie (Moose). In the first season, Frasier and Marty try to learn how to coexist in the same apartment; Niles and Daphne spend a stormy evening in Niles's house; Frasier acquires pushy agent Bebe (Harriet Sansom Harris) and searches for love with Amanda Donohoe among others; his ex-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) makes a guest appearance; the family takes a cross-country trip in a Winnebago; and the two brothers collaborate on a book. --David Horiuchi

DVD Description
Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar), renowned Boston psychiatrist and regular patron of the bar known as Cheers, has decided to pick up and start anew in Seattle, where he hosts a radio show. Residing in a luxury high rise apartment with his retired cop father Martin (John Mahoney), his prim and proper brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his father's physical care assistant, Daphne (Jane Leeves), and a charismatic Jack Russell terrier named Eddie, Frasier's life is populated with at least as many colourful characters as he was surrounded by back in Boston. Picking up the slack upon the departure of Cheers from American television in 1993, Frasier is a prime example of smart television comedy. This set includes all 24 episodes from the first series.

Synopsis
Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar), renowned Boston psychiatrist and regular patron of the bar known as Cheers, has decided to pick up and start anew in Seattle, where he hosts a radio show. Residing in a luxury high rise apartment with his retired cop father Martin (John Mahoney), his prim and proper brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), his father's physical care assistant, Daphne (Jane Leeves), and a charismatic Jack Russell terrier named Eddie, Frasier's life is populated with at least as many colourful characters as he was surrounded by back in Boston. Picking up the slack upon the departure of Cheers from American television in 1993, Frasier is a prime example of smart television comedy. This set includes all 24 episodes from the first series.

Customer Reviews

Brilliant, right from the off
Most sitcoms need at least one season to introduce the characters and then another to develop them, after which things take off - Seinfeld is a classic example. However, Frasier hits its stride in the first season, with clever, insightful and often farcical comedy - virtually from the first episode. This is a clear sign of things to come as it went on to become arguably the greatest sitcom to date.

The show looks like its from another period (remember it is 1993) as Frasier has his originally long hair (like in Cheers) and there are no mobile phones, which are used to much comic effect in later seasons. However, the comedy isn't dated at all. The Crane brothers are witty, desperate, pompous yet lovable, and dad Martin keeps them down to earth in that way we are all used to. Daphne is probably at her wackiest in this season as we see her in her psychic mode more often than not.

The episodes were mostly top drawer with a number of outstanding ones:

'The Good Son' - the first episode introducing Frasier to his new Seattle surrounds, which won an Emmy award; that must say something!
'Space Quest' - Frasier struggles to read his book in peace living with dad Martin and therapist Daphne.
'Selling Out' - introduces the agent from hell; Bebe Glazier.
'Here's Looking at You' - Frasier gets his dad a telescope, which helps him get a date.
'Call Me Irresponsible' - Frasier dates a caller but this conflicts with his ethics.
'Miracle on Third or Fourth Street' - Frasier eats at a local diner on Christmas Day, without his wallet.
'A Mid-Winter Night's Dream' - Niles has his first close encounter with an unsuspecting Daphne.
'Travels with Martin' - on a road trip in Martins Winnebago (caravan), they all end up in Canada.
'Frasier Crane's Day Off' - Frasier falls ill and asks Niles to cover for him on the radio. Niles quickly gets the hang of it causing Frasier much angst.

If you are new to Frasier - start at the beginning and watch this series. You will enjoy comedy of the highest order.

First season of one of the best TV comedies ever
This is where the sophisticated series gets started. It isn't quite at its best by this point, but the material is very funny indeed. Strongly recommended.

"I can take criticism!"
Thus says Frasier to Roz in the opening pilot episode. All twenty-four episodes of the first series are here, including the return of Lilith and our first view of Niles's home.

Some would argue that the first season was the best in terms of writing, and that's probably true. As this first series progressed, the writing did become sometimes trite and contrived, but still there are a plethora of brilliant one-liners and some fantastic repartee. Here are some of my favourites that make this series a cut above all the rest: -


FRASIER to Niles: "Oh Niles, you're a psychiatrist; you know what it's like to listen to people prattling on endlessly about their mundane lives." NILES: "Touché! And on that subject, I heard your show today."

FRASIER (in anger) to Niles: "Yes, I know what you think about everything. When was the last time you had an unexpressed thought?" NILES: "I'm having one now."

FRASIER to Dad: Dad, I can't read my paper; Eddie's staring at me." DAD: "Just ignore him." FRASIER: "I'm trying to." DAD: "I'm talking to the dog."

FRASIER to Niles (about Daphne): "She's psychic; we've decided to find it charming."

FRASIER to Niles: "I hate lawyers. NILES: Me too, but they make wonderful patients. They have excellent health insurance and they never get better."

ROZ to Frasier: "The whole point of gossip is to talk behind the person's back, not in front of them. I didn't realise you were unclear about this concept."

DAPHNE to Niles: "Why does she [Maris] take the train instead of flying [to Chicago]?" NILES: "She's been afraid to fly since her harrowing accident." DAPHNE: "Oh dear! Did her plane almost crash?" NILES: "No, no, she was bumped from first class."

FRASIER to Dad: "Dad, ... don't you believe in second chances?" DAD: "I did; then we had Niles."

FRASIER to Niles: "Dad can be so judgemental." NILES: "He is, and I've often condemned him for it."

FRASIER to Roz: "What do you do when the romance goes out of a relationship?" ROZ: "I get dressed and go home."

FRASIER: "Back in prep school the existentialist club once named me `Most Likely To Be'."

NILES (on the urge to write a book): "Al my life I have dreamed of one thing: the day I could go into a library and go to the card catalogue and see my name under `mental illness'."

NILES (of Roz): "She is comely, in a back-alley sort of way."


What about the extras? There are separate replays of the calls made by various celebrities into Frasier's radio show; there is a twenty-minute documentary called `Behind the Couch - the Making of Frasier', made in 2003; and a piece entitled `Frasier Crane's Apartment' where we are shown around his condo by the Production Designer. In addition, there is a commentary on the first episode by the creators of the show. Here we learn that the original intention was to have long scenes, like a play, and no music cues. Maris never appeared, as the character was deemed impossible to cast. It was assumed from the start that the audience would have some intelligence, and that the character of Daphne would be played by a Latino.

If you're into good writing, witty dialogue, fine acting, clever characterisation, and self-deprecating humour (who says the Americans don't understand irony?) then you cannot go wrong with this first season collection.