Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 11 -> Episode 11.03

The Doctor Is Out

Roz introduces Frasier, Niles and Martin to her new boyfriend Barry in Cafe Nervosa but Frasier and Niles pick up on the fact that he goes to the gym and he likes shopping for clothes, and deduce that he must be gay. Martin, of course, wholeheartedly disagrees and tells Roz as much. She, as you would expext, tells Frasier that he is just guilty of lazy sterotyping, and he apologises - but the Crane brothers both think they are still correct in their judgement. While all this happening, Frasier and Niles spy Alistair Burke - the head of the Seattle Opera Guild - at the counter and quickly introduce themselves to him, telling him they cannot wait to see his latest production.

After their squash game, Niles and Frasier are walking home, with Frasier wearing a pair of Niles' shorts as his had split and which look incredibly tight on him. Niles is in a hurry to get him as he said he was at a conference to avoid going to a flower show with Daphne and her mother, but they then see Barry about to pass them and worry that Roz has told him what they thought about him. However, looking up again expecting to meet Barry, the street is deserted. They think he has gone into Bad Billy's, a gay bar, so Frasier decides to go in and confront him leaving Niles outside. The guys inside thebar are obviously interested in a guy wearing very tight shorts, and Frasier is equally surprised to see his french polisher Eduardo serving at the bar (although Eduardo isn't so surprised to see Frasier!). Frasier asks Eduardo if he has seen a guy fitting Barry's description and is told he's in the bathroom, so he decides to wait. Outside, Barry comes out of the house next to Bad Billy's and sees Niles, who then rushes into Bad Billy's and gets Frasier to leave - leaving everyone inside thinking that Frasier has picked up Niles!

The following day on Frasier's show, a caller 'outs' Frasier by telling his listeners that he was at Bad Billy's the previous night, leaving Frasier no choice but to try and explain what he was doing there, but somehow ends up making it worse. This is followed by Gil comforting Frasier on his unexpected 'outing', and a chance encounter with Alistair Burke at Cafe Nervosa who also heard about his 'outing' and tries to make him feel better about his experience by inviting him to the backstage party for his new play - something that leaves Niles rather envious about. Frasier and Alistair's relationship develops over the following week but it isn't long before Frasier has to face up to the fact that Alistair thinks they are more than just friends........

- Frasier picks up on signs that Barry may be gay:
Frasier: One wonders what's been in Barry's closet a little too long (!)

- Frasier and Niles think Barry may have gone into 'Bad Billys':
Niles: I wonder what kind of place that is?
Frasier: Well, let's see - Tuesday is leather night, so it's probably some kind of shoe outlet (!)

- Frasier ventures into 'Bad Billys' looking for Barry:
Frasier: Excuse me, I'm looking for a guy.
Bar Patron: Yeah, I kinda got that from the shorts!

- Roz can't believe Frasier thought Barry went into 'Bad Billys':
Roz: You know what Barry was doing from 10 o'clock to midnight last night?
Frasier: What?
Roz: Me, that's what!

- Niles heard Frasier's 'outing' and is grateful he didn't mention his name:
Niles: You could have ratted me out to Daphne, but instead you protected me. Just like a big sister should (!)

- Niles is jealous that Alistair asked Frasier to his post-performance party:
Martin: Let's see - one of my sons just got picked up by a guy, my other son is jealous. Yep - life is good (!)

- Frasier is adamant Alistair sees him as just a friend:
Frasier: He does not think I'm gay!
Niles: He thinks I'm gay, and I'm standing next to my pregnant wife!!

- Alistair can't believe how good the food Frasier has cooked tastes:
Alistair: Is there anything this man can't do?
Niles: Time will tell (!!!)

One of the best things about Joe Keenan returning to the 'Frasier' staff was the prospect of him writing another episode, and he duly delivers here - and delivers in spades. This is a very fine episode that goes straight for the comedy jugglar, and features a great performance from Patrick Stewart as Alistair Burke and an equally fine one from Kelsey Grammer - for once he doesn't get overshadowed by David Hyde Pierce or John Mahoney. I loved his scene in 'Bad Billys' and his insistence that he doesn't need to tell Alistair that he's straight, not to mention the fact that 3 weeks on Capri in Bertolucci's villa nearly made him change his mind! Perhaps Frasier's treatment of Gil was a bit harsh after his 'outing ', but this is a minor quibble in a wonderfully funny episode that ranks up there with some of the show's finest.

Rating

88 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 92.4%
Total Number of Reviews: 15