Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 11 -> Episode 11.01

No Sex Please, We're Skittish

We open the 11th season the day after the events of the previous episode, with Roz joining Niles for coffee in Cafe Nervosa to seek his advice: her new job at KPXY is a disaster, her boss has already hit on her and her new assistant is a complete idiot. Niles wonders aloud whether she left in the first place because she has feelings for Frasier, which Roz dismisses out of hand saying if she had, it would have been after they slept together two years ago. Niles is somewhat taken aback, and answers Roz's original question rather facieously by saying she should just waltz back in to KACL as if nothing had ever happened - which Roz thinks is perfect! After she rushes off, Niles is joined by Martin and Daphne and a lot of pregnancy preparation equipment, including Niles' fertility software, which somewhat surprises Frasier when he then joins them, but it's Daphne who is all the more surprised when Frasier reminds Niles about the sperm he donated to a sperm bank when he was in college. Niles decides to go down to the bank and see whether they ever used his deposit, but is left feeling deflated when the nurse tells him that his sample was discarded as his sperm had low motility which would make it very difficult for he and Daphne to conceive.

Back at KACL, Frasier settles down to do his show with his new wheelchair bound producer, when Roz makes her return which leaves Kenny rather surprised and Frasier even more so when turns to the booth to introduce his new producer and sees Roz staring back at him! Niles arrives at Frasier's apartment wearing baggy pants after doing some research to see what he can do to improve his sperm's motility, not to mention wearing the Testi-Cool 2000 which keeps his nether regions at a constantly cool temperature. Frasier returns home and seeks Niles advice over Roz - he tells his brother she arrived back at KACL in deep denial which leads to Frasier to come to just one conclusion: Roz is still in love with him two years after they slept together. Sensing delusions of grandeur, Niles departs and Julia arrives to make dinner for the two of them. Not long after, however, Roz arrives - prompting Julia to leave, saying the situation is too weird - before they patch things up with each other as Roz says she's definitely not in love with him.

Over at Niles' apartment, he arrives home to a candle lit apartment and the sight of Daphne in some provocative clothing, all of which prompts Niles to tell Daphne about his 'slow sperm'. She tells Niles that they can do lots of things nowadays for infertile couples, and as she has taken an ovulation test, why not give Mother Nature a try. As they head off to the bedroom, Niles notices that she hasn't taken an ovulation test, it's a pregnancy test - and it's positive.......

- Roz explains to Niles why she hates her new job:
Roz: ... and my assistant is an idiot, but I can't fire her as she's like 3 minorities rolled into one!

- Martin learns Niles bought his fishing poles with money from the 'S' bank:
Martin: You bought those with 'S' money ?!

- Frasier's reaction to seeing Roz back in the producers booth.

- The sight of a Cheeto stained Eddie

- Niles can't believe Frasier thinks Roz still has feelings gfor him 2 years after they slept together:
Niles: I'm leaving now, can I pick you up anything on Earth (!)

- Roz finally sets Frasier straight about the feelings she has for him:
Frasier: Just to be clear, you haven't been pining for me since we slept together?
Roz: God, no - weren't you there ?!

- Daphne wonders why Niles' nether regions have started humming:
Niles: That would be my Testi-Cool 2000.

- Niles' Testi-Cool 2000 suddenly short circuits and he runs off upstairs in a panic:
Daphne: [talking to her unborn child] That's your daddy (!)

Let me start by welcoming back to the show some long time 'Frasier' stalwarts Joe Keenan and Christopher Lloyd, who after the failure of their sitcom 'Bram and Alice' return to see the show through it's last season, not to mention the return of another great writer Rob Greenberg, all of which should help recover some of the sparkle the show seems to have lacked these past few seasons. I never expected the change in staff to have such an impact, but right from the the first scene in this episode, there is a definite improvement both in the writing and direction of the show. One of the more unpleasant things left over from the end of last season was to deal with Roz leaving KACL, and I have to say, they coped with it magnificently. Getting Roz to just waltz right back into KACL was brilliant, and Frasier and Roz's scene at the end was well written too.

There is also much to enjoy in the rest of the episode: Martin getting Niles to say 'S' instead of sperm, Niles visit to the sperm bank with a hilarious cameo from Debra Monk as the dry-witted receptionist, not to mention a Cheeto stained Eddie. It also ends both touchingly and amusingly as Niles and Daphne learn they are pregnant. This isn't the best ever episode of 'Frasier' but it represents such a major step change from the previous few seasons that it is a real return to form and left me feeling much more confident that this final season will go out with a bang and not a whimper!

Rating

80 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 81.2%
Total Number of Reviews: 5