Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 11 -> Episode 11.02

A Man, A Plan And A Gal: Julia

At Cafe Nervosa, Niles and Daphne plan how to tell their family about the fact that Daphne is pregnant. They agree on a dinner, with Niles excitedly offering to recite a poem by Robbie Burns. Daphne then leaves, just as Frasier joins his brother, who wants to unburden himself over his relationship with Julia. Niles tells Frasier that his problem with Julia is the same problem he has had with almost all of his recent relationships - as soon as he senses the relationship is getting serious, Frasier runs a mile. Niles tells his brother to "commit to committment" in an effort to save his relationship with Julia, which Frasier agrees to give a try.

Frasier arrives back at his apartment, where Martin asks him not to reveal the score for the Mariners game (not something he's likely to know anyway) before heading out with Eddie to the vet and then over to Niles and Daphne's to help them prepare their dinner, reminding Frasier about it as well. Just as Frasier is about to head out to see a movie, however, Julia stops by - she dropped one of her earrings the previous night and while helping to look for it, Frasier starts to tell Julia about the message he had left on her answering service (which ended with a sonnet). It turns out that Julia had heard the message after all, and the pair of them head off to the bedroom. While they are in bed together, Martin, Niles and Daphne come in to the apartment and head for the kitchen with their dinner - it seems Niles' expensive German cooker is on the blink, but while he is in the kitchen he receives a phone call from his brother (currently in the bedroom with Julia) saying he is coming down with a cold after seeing the movie and is going to go home to bed. Niles begs him to reconsider, just as a half naked Frasier meets his brother coming out of the kitchen!

This leaves Frasier no choice but to invite Julia to Niles and Daphne's dinner, unaware of what the real purrpose of the dinner is, but doesn't endear herself to Martin instantly by taking the beer meant for him, and then ruins Niles and Daphne's surprise by revealing it after overhearing them talk about it in the kitchen! Frasier and Martin are obviously over the moon for them, but leaves Niles and Daphne seething. A ill-tempered game of Pictionary is the final straw for everyone except Frasier, as no-one helps Julia when she chokes on some nuts, but when Julia insults his brand new Italian hand towels, Frasier breaks up with her and throws her out of the apartment.....

- Frasier wants to know why Niles doesn't want to hear him unburden himself:
Niles: I wish to remain in my good mood, therefore I demur.
Frasier: You demur?
Niles: I demur!

- Martin tells Frasier not to tell him the score to the Mariners game:
Frasier: Dad, the odds of me knowing the score to the Mariners game is about the same as you knowing the score to Pacific Overtures!

- Niles' German oven requires more power than his building can generate:
Martin: Leave it to the Germans - even their ovens crave power!

- Martin's reaction to Julia taking his beer.

- Daphne tells Julia that it's partridge for dinner:
Julia: I don't eat birds - they live in the own faeces.
Martin: More for me!

- Martin's reaction to Julia telling him the Mariner's score

- Julia and Frasier's turn at Pictionary

- No-one bothering to help Julia when she is choking

- Julia can't believe Frasier is breaking up with her:
Frasier: Do you want me to draw you a picture?
Julia: We'd probably be here all night!
Frasier: Get out!!

How to deal with Julia is the last of the tasks the writers had to deal with, and this wonderfully funny episode takes full advantage of everyone's comedic skills with special mention going to Kelsey Grammer - his ill-advised committment to committment leads to some great laughs and it's always a pleasure to hear him cry 'Get out!' in that loud bellowing voice of his. There was lots to admire in this episode - the farce worked well, the jokes flowed well from the characters and the game of Pictionary was a classic 'Frasier' moment, even if it was a little hard to swallow at times just how crazy Julia acts. Great lines, great fun - just a great episode, pure and simple.

Rating

85 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 88.7%
Total Number of Reviews: 6