Frasier Online Episode Guide: Episode 10.12

Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 10 -> Episode 10.12

The Harassed

Episode Details

Written by: Chris Marcil

Directed by: Kelsey Grammer

Original US airdate: 14th January 2003

Original UK airdate: 17th March 2003

Cast Information

Main Cast

Frasier Crane	....	Kelsey Grammer
Niles Crane	....	David Hyde Pierce
Martin Crane	....	John Mahoney
Daphne Crane	....	Jane Leeves
Roz Doyle	....	Peri Gilpin

Recurring Cast

Julia Wilcox	....	Felicity Huffman
Bulldog	....	Dan Butler
Kenny Daly	....	Tom McGowan
Gil Chesterton	....	Edward Hibbert
Noel Shempsky	....	Patrick Kerr

Guest Cast

Van	....	Mike Judge
Steve	....	Paul F. Tompkins
Plumber	....	Kendall Clement

Guest Callers

Episode Synopsis

KACL has hired Julia Wilcox, a financial analyst, to present a stock market update in the last 10 minutes of Frasier's show. She has previously had a show on CNBC, and had written a book called 'Daytrade Your Way Out Of Debt' which destroyed her career and credibility. She doesn't get off to the best of starts by treating Roz dismissively and cutting into Frasier's introduction to begin her slot, but later in Cafe Nervosa, Frasier and Roz tell Kenny he should get rid of her. He, however, says that he wants everyone to treat Julia with kid gloves as she sued her last station for wrongful termination. Frasier then says that he is starting to feel sorry for her, and goes over to Julia to offer her an olive branch - which she treats with contempt, and leaves Frasier disliking Julia even more. He gets even more angry when a fan tells Frasier at an art exhibition that he and Julia had chemistry. All this protesting leaves his family wondering whether his dislike of Julia is masking his real feelings for Julia, but Frasier doesn't even dignify that with an answer.

Down at the station, Frasier decides to have it out with Julia once and for all, which turns into a slanging match between the two of them at then end of which Frasier says to Julia "Are you as turned on by this as I am?". Julia screams no, and rushes out in disgust, while Kenny who had seen the whole thing happening rushes in and asks Frasier what the hell he was thinking. The legal department at KACL forces everyone to come in on a Saturday and attend a sexual harassment seminar - something none of them are happy about. There's nearly a fight between Bulldog and Noel over who gets to do a roleplay with Roz, but when Julia and Frasier roleplay what happened between them, she says that she won't be suing the station as it's too small. Kenny says if she puts that in writing everyone can go home, which she agrees, and after everyone's gone Frasier and Julia come to an understanding and decide to work slowly towards a friendship. Meanwhile Niles has to have his patient sessions at his house while his office is being remodelled.

Episode Title Cards

There's A Doctor In The House

Episode Highlights

- Roz wants to know why Julia's credibility has been destroyed:
Frasier: She wrote a book called 'Daytrade Your Way Out Of Debt'. Apparently some people lost money (!)

- Roz brings Julia the coffee she rudely asked for:
Julia: You call this coffee?
Roz: Most of it!

- Julia's book is available on audio tape for $1.50:
Frasier: It's read by Martha Stewart - how's that for a double whammy!

- The remodelling at Niles' office has caused his allergies to start playing up:
Niles: It's worse than the summer we added the breakfast nook to the treehouse!

- Martin can't believe Niles is having his patients over to their house for their sessions:
Martin: What if one of them starts shouting obscenities or running through the house naked?
Daphne: Mum already did that when England lost in the World Cup!

- Frasier can't believe the way Julia treats a work colleague like him:
Julia: We are hardly colleagues - I deliver the news and you are a Magic 8 ball with a Harvard degree!

- Daphne & Niles' answerphone message

- Julia tells the seminar group she and Frasier argued and then asked her if she was turned on:
Van: Where did Frasier go wrong? Bulldog.
Bulldog: People stopped saying turned on 20 years ago!

Frasier Online Episode Review

Julia Wilcox, played by Felicity Huffman, makes her first appearance in this episode and is a welcome addition to the cast as she makes for a good sparring partner for Frasier. There are also echoes of the argument between Frasier and Kate in 'Sleeping With The Enemy' in Frasier's argument with Julia while Frasier's 'Are you as turned on as I am?' is a reference to a similar argument between Sam and Diane in 'Cheers', but Huffman manages to make the character her own. The sexual harrassment seminar was also fun what with Noel and Bulldog almost coming to blows over roleplaying with Roz and Gil's speech about his wondering eye for the ladies (!). Niles' subplot was disappointingly weak, seemingly thrown in at the last minute, but overall this is yet another above-average episode for this season.

Rating

79 %

Latest Viewer Episode Review

Avg. Viewer Review: 77.3%
Total Number of Reviews: 3

THE HARASSED, Nov 19, 2005

Reviewer: Cake for Brains from Manchester, UK

This episode marks the debut appearance of stock-reporter Julia Wilcox, portrayed with comic coldness by Felicity Huffman; and right from the very beginning of this episode there is a great sense of tension created between her and her fellow KACL colleagues. Her character vaguely resembles the harshness, arrogance and rudeness of Dr. Nora from Season 6, but all in all her performance is solid. Roz declares war on her from the off (because Julia treats her like a slave and insults her coffee) whilst Frasier, initially believes that he can win her over and get to the route of the problem. There is a very funny scene which is set in Café Nervosa, and I loved Kenny and Roz’s lively squabble, especially Kenny’s female impressions. There was also a nice line in which Roz suspects Frasier of harbouring affections towards the new co-worker: ‘She is right up your alley. Smart, tough, a total b*tch!’

The subplot for this episode which involves Niles being forced to see his patients at his home, because his office is undergoing work, manages to throw up the occasional laugh but isn’t overwhelmingly funny. Nonetheless there were some lovely moments, most noticeably Niles and Daphne’s lyrical ‘Nobody’s here’ answer phone message, which was hilarious; but the idea of Daphne bursting in and asking if there was anything Niles wanted from the shops felt a bit contrived I’m sorry to say. I felt a little sorry for John Mahoney as Martin in this episode too, because he was given very little to do, and the few lines he had weren’t really very funny, as all he did was basically make fun of Frasier, and the ‘ran into a fan’ section was deeply unfunny for me.

Luckily the main plot was strong, and there was a scene that created a sort of skit on the argument between Kate Costas and Frasier from ‘Sleeping with Enemy’. It must have been the writer’s deliberate intentions to mimic this scene, because the dialogue feels incredibly similar (I think the word ‘shrew’ was used in both actually), but what was rewarding about this scene was the twist at the end. I was expecting the scene to conclude in the same way that Sleeping with the Enemy did, with Kate and Frasier passionately kissing one another, but as Frasier asked if Julia was ‘turned on’ (a phrase which according to Bulldog hasn’t been fashionable for twenty years), Julia pulls away, repulsed and revolted and crying sexual harassment! I expected this scene to be very predictable, but I found this scene was funny because of the new approach to the material. What follows is the best part of the episode, a sexual harassment seminar, led by Van (played by King of the Hill creator Mike Judge), who, aided by puppets attempts to teach the KACL staff a thing or two about sexual harassment.

It was great to see the entire KACL staff assembled together in one room, from Noel, to Gil, to Bulldog, there were all there and there were some lovely moments. I really liked Roz and Bulldog’s role playing, in which Bulldog feigned consideration and care towards Roz, and Noel insisting that he should get a turn with Roz! Gil’s pompous speech was great fun too, and I loved Edward Hibbert’s delivery of, ‘Know this, Gil isn’t going to stop loving the ladies!’ The episode ends excellently with Julia insulting the whole radio station, and Frasier accusing her of being frightened that she’ll make a fool of herself like she did in her last job. In conclusion then, I enjoyed this episode for the most part, and although it had its flaws, it was entertaining and proved a nice introductory episode for the character of Julia.

Rating: 78%

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Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 10 -> Episode 10.12

The Harassed

THE HARASSED, Nov 19, 2005

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