Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 10 -> Episode 10.16

Fraternal Schwinns

KACL is organising a bike-a-thon in aid of AIDS research, which Frasier has no intention of taking part in and will instead be making a donation. When Kenny asks Julia if she is taking part, she at first says she isn't but then admits she is pulling Kenny's leg and will be taking part - saying that anyone who isn't doesn't have a heart. This provokes Frasier into changing his mind, something that Niles has no hesitation of making light of which backfires on him when Daphne suggests that she and Niles take part as well. The problem? Neither Frasier or Niles ever learnt to ride, something they try to cover when they go to the bike shop to buy a bike. Frasier suggests he and Niles go off to a parking lot that night and not come home until they can ride a bike, an idea which goes disastrously wrong as Niles' bike gets ruined and Frasier keeps falling off.

The next day at Cafe Nervosa, Daphne arrives with horrible news - someone has stolen her and Niles' bikes which leads to Daphne learning that her husband and Frasier have never really learnt how to ride a bike, and how Niles hid their bikes in the boiler room. To overcome one of their childhood demons, Daphne suggests she take Frasier and Niles to the park and teach them how to ride, something which is not as easy as she though it might be as Niles struggles to find his balance and Frasier can't seem to stop bumping into one particular tree. Will they be ready for the bike-a-thon.......? Meanwhile, Martin bumps into Cam Winston's mother Cora and wants to know why she never phoned him. It seems that Mrs Moon told Cora that she was his girlfriend and was a British secret agent, so Cora should leave him alone. Martin is as angry as hell and refuses to even talk to Mrs Moon but will they be able to resolve their problems?

- Frasier tells his listeners he will be at the bike-a-thon and mentions there will be some surprises too:
Kenny: So what are the surprises?
Frasier: First of all - I'm not going!

- Cora tells Martin that Mrs Moon had warned her off him:
Cora: Because she was in the British Secret Service and had a licence to kill!

- Martin tells Mrs Moon that someone told him she had been warned off by Daphne's mother:
Mrs Moon: Is she the woman from the bookstore?
Martin: Nooooo...... The bookstore!

- Frasier and Niles can't believe that they can't ride a bike:
Frasier: If a child of 4 can ride one then so can we!
Niles: That's what we said when we were 6!

- Mrs Moon says she found 2 bikes behind the furnace in the boiler room:
Niles: What were you doing behind the furnace anyway?
Mrs Moon: Drinking!

- Martin reveals he tried to teach his sons to ride:
Martin: I tried to teach them but I had to take them to the hospital so many times, social services started looking in!

- Daphne offers to teach Frasier and Niles in the midst of Martin trying to ignore Mrs Moon:
Martin: You're a good wife, Daphne - and I bet you were a good daughter when you're mother was alive (!!)

After a number of somewhat average episodes, this is something of a return to form with an episode blessed with a great plot - Frasier and Niles confronting another of their childhood demons and finally learning how to ride a bike. This gives rise to some great scenes such as the Crane brothers returning from a disasterous attenpt to teach themselves to ride, and Daphne's lesson in the park. There is also a great subplot in which Martin finds out that Mrs Moon warned Cora Winston off him by saying she was a secret agent with a licence to kill, which leads to a very funny scene in Cafe Nervosa when Martin pretends that Mrs Moon doesn't even exist. This all adds up to a highly amusing and memorable episode.

For those, like me, who didn't know what the word 'Schwinn' means, it is the name of a very popular brand of bike in the US.

Rating

80 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 89.2%
Total Number of Reviews: 5