Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35236 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-09-06
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 521 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
With this third season, Frasier scored an impressive hat trick, winning its third successive Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. You don't need too much analysis to get to the bottom of this unprecedented success. The series was a primetime oasis of wit and sophistication, with welcome forays into farce that pricked Frasier's bubble of pomposity. His priceless reactions to the assaults on his dignity are worthy of Jack Benny. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) can be infuriating, as in "The Focus Group," in which he is obsessed with knowing why a lone focus group participant (guest star Tony Shalhoub) doesn't like him. But he is also endearing in his delusional view of himself as, in the words of one mocking bystander, a "man of the people." Frasier meets his match in new station owner Kate Costas (Oscar-winner Mercedes Ruehl). Their combative relationship turns to lust over the course of the first 10 episodes.

But the season's most pivotal story arc is the separation of Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Maris. "Moon Dance," which marked Grammer's directorial debut, is a series benchmark, as a crestfallen Niles tangos with his unrequited love, Daphne (Jane Leeves), at a high society ball. Not that the Crane family still doesn't have issues to work out. Frasier cannot abide being beaten at chess by Martin (John Mahoney) in "Chess Pains." Frasier and Niles ill-advisedly go into joint practice in "Shrink Rap," and find themselves on the opposite sides of a sanity hearing in "Crane vs. Crane." Lilith is sorely missed, but in this season's blast-from-the-past episode, Shelley Long returns in "The Show Where Diane Comes Back." It is a joy to see Cheers resurrected, if only in Diane's self-absorbed new play, which Frasier agrees to back. And any episode with Frasier's amoral agent Bebe (Harriet Sansom Harris) is must-see television. Frasier's humor was character-based, rather than topical, giving it a longer shelf life. For those who lament the end of one of television's gold standard series, this box set will be excellent therapy. --Donald Liebenson

Synopsis
With its witty dialogue, sophisticated characters, and classic slapstick situations, Frasier is a prime example of smart television comedy. Centered around pompous psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and his call-in radio show in Seattle, the series' brilliant ensemble cast includes his prim and proper brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), their retired cop father Martin (John Mahoney), live-in home care assistant Daphne (Jane Leeves), brassy radio producer Roz (Teri Gilpin), and a charismatic Jack Russell terrier named Eddie. Series 3 introduces Mercedes Ruehl as Frasier's new boss Kate Costas and features a guest appearance by former Cheers co-star Shelley Long.

Customer Reviews

Wonderfully written
Having caught and enjoyed the occational Frasier episode on TV earlier, I bought the Season 3 Set hoping it could confirm its place in the upper division of sit-coms. Having watched the entire collection probably three times now, I hold this show as my favorite and this season my preference.

As mentioned in previous reviews, the genious of the series lies in the absolutely brilliant writing job behind it. It's packed with witty puns, intelligent lines and clever references. I deeply enjoy the recurring themes and conflicts of the show, like Maris in all her absurdity, the two brothers' neverending rivalry and jealousy, and of course Niles' hopeless infatuation with Daphne. They serve well to tie the episodes and even seasons together, allowing us viewers to feel somehow connected to the characters and sad for Niles and Frasier every time they fly high only to be shot down (which happens, well, all the time).

The acting is top notch - David Hyde Pierce's brilliant timing and wonderfully theatrical body language cracks me up every time, and Kelsey Grammer and Jane Leeves always deliver awesome performances.

As any other 20-something episode set, this season has its slower points ("Chess Pains" comes to mind) but also stunning highlights that I enjoy over and over, like "The last time I saw Maris", "Moon Dance" and "Crane vs. Crane".

All in all I can only give this set my best recommendations for all those who enjoy intelligent comedy and good acting.

That little bit extra
Having just trawled through the first 3 seasons of Frasier, I would have to say that it would be a nightmare trying to decide which is the best.They seem to run in a sort of continuum of excellence at this stage, with only a couple of duff entries (I thought 'Chess Pains' in this instance, although it seems to be regarded as something of a classic) All the essential ingredients are intact in Season 3: elegant wordplay, sublimely structured farce, bittersweet Romance. And the superb casting, right down to characters who walk in on one scene and have a comic life of their own. What would seem to make this season somewhat different to the first two is the actual look of the show: there seems to be a predominance of tans and beiges in the design and also that little bit more sharpness in dress and hairstyle (seriously! - check out Frasier's haircut compared to the first two seasons) that give an already unusually classy show that bit extra. The only regret I would express is that Eddie is used somewhat less than previously. This was a show so good that even the dog could act.

Season 3 - Frasier at it`s peak.
It`s been a few years since the last season of Frasier left our screens, but I still watch an episode most days, and certainly nothing funnier has been made since. Not much that is funnier was made before it either. I have minor gripes with some of the characters (Bulldog bores me and Daphne is occasionally irritating) but the consistently high calibre of the acting and writing (hell, even the subject matter of some episodes!) overrides these peeves.

Some of my personal favourites are contained in this box set; "A Word To The Wise Guy" (featuring a great guest performance) and "High Crane Drifter" are particularly good. The former showcases the only occasion that Maris says "thank you" whilst Frasier`s experiences in the latter are not only chillingly similar to what I seem to go through everyday but contains many excellent moments; when Frasier learns that his new neighbour, heavy metaller Freddy Chainsaw, has sold 5 million copies of his latest album, he adds this to his "list of reasons to die" whilst Niles has to endure a hire car, something he calls a "hunchback"; Frasier`s determination to restore manners in Cafe Nervosa inspires callers to anarchy, such as fedexing one-hundred scorpions in the mail, dumping rotting shrimps in a neighbour`s air-con, and setting fire to lawns (guest voices including Eric Idle and Katrina Witt)). "Chess Pains" stars too, with it`s Freudian theme, exruciating sock-puppet show and bordering-on-psychopath obsession with winning. The quintet of shows with Mercedes Ruehl are definitely high points - it`s great to have someone other than the superlative David Hyde Pierce at Frasier`s intellectual level, and the animal attraction between Kate and Frasier leads to some very funny situations. I like "Shrink Rap" too, containing as it does one of my favourite lines - "I`m tired of your constant exaggerations! You always make everything sound 50,000 times worse than they are!" - and "Moon Dance" is quite beautiful and wonderfully acted. I suppose "Martin Does It His Way" is a weaker episode when judged against the above, and I don`t think anyone rates anything with Shelley Long in, do they? But hey, when you have lines like the one about gun play in the living room, it`s almost impossible to complain. High class throughout.