Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 11 -> Episode 11.06

I'm Listening

Frasier is awoken by the sounds of Ronee at the piano, but just after he and Martin have the left the room to get ready for the day, Frasier comes back in and hears Ronee on her mobile phone making a date with another man. He doesn't make himself known until Ronee has finsihed and just takes his coffee and leaves so Ronee doesn't think he has been listening in one her conversation. Frasier discusses his dilemma about whether to tell his father later that day with Niles in Cafe Nervosa, who really isn't interested in Frasier's problem - he's trying to convince a famous painter to paint his nursery, so Frasier tells his father what he heard to which Martin responds by calling him an eavesdropper! Later that night at Frasier's apartment, Martin invites Ronee to Do-Wop-A-Looza but she says she that she didn't think they were exclusive and she has a date that night with another man, so Martin covers by saying that he'll ask his other girlfriend, 'Sheila', instead. Frasier manages to overhear all this as he was trapped in the kitchen with a mouthful of apple, but is caught by Ronee and Martin leaving his father even more angry at him.

Niles and Daphne are in Cafe Nervosa waiting for Martin to turn up so Niles can join him at Do-Wop-A-Looza but then Ronee and her date arrive leaving Martin feeling uncomfortable so when Roz walks in, he grabs her and kisses her before introducing her to everyone as Sheila. Roz is obviously slightly disconcerted until Martin explains everything, but she tells him that she is meeting her date - who happens to walk in when Roz is kissing Martin - so Roz passes Martin off as her dad! Frasier arrives in the midst of all this and tells his father to just talk to Ronee and tell her how he feels - which he duly does, and she arrives at Frasier's to listen to what he has to say. Just as Martin heads into the kitchen to get them both a beer, 'Sheila' arrives at Frasier's apartment which Ronee takes as her cue to leave. Martin is understandably upset and chases after her - they end up in Ronee's car in the parking garage wher Martin finally explains what is going on and says he wants to be exclusive with her. Frasier, meanwhile, is trapped in the back of the car having climbed in to look for his money clip which he though he lost there and ends up listening to the whole conversation........

- Frasier tells Martin not to use all the hot water for his shower:
Martin: Got to leave enough for M'Lady's Tub.
Ronee: That's OK - I can take a shower later.
Martin: I wasn't talking about you (!)

- Martin is excited about the groups performing at Do-Wop-A-Looza:
Martin: The Coasters, The Platters and that guy from The Teenagers is back from his hip replacement!

- Martin is angry that Frasier eavesdropped on Ronee's phone call:
Martin: Now I know why you're always listening - because you always are!!

- Martin can't believe Frasier has overheard yet another of his and Ronee's conversations:
Martin: You have a disease!!

- Martin tells Frasier he wasn't meant to hear about his fictitious girlfriend Sheila:
Frasier: Well I did hear it!
Martin: No - you overheard it!

- Martin grabbing Roz and kissing her just as she walks into Cafe Nervosa

- Martin is worried that Ronee will finish with him once he tells her the truth:
Frasier: Who said anything about dropping you?
Martin: Nobody apparently - or you would have overheard it!

John Mahoney is the best thing about this episode, whether it's kissing Roz just as she walks in to Nervosa and making her his 'girlfriend' Sheila, or hurling barbs at Frasier about his eavesdropping, there is plenty to enjoy in his performance - it's just a pity that the rest of the episode doesn't come close to being as good. There's a surfeit of weak jokes and seen-it-before farce, and is not improved by Niles and Daphne's subplot about the nursery artist - if you can call it that - which is just plain dull. It seems to me that the writer, Heide Perlman, was just having an off day with this - and for her information, Roz is not Frasier's secretary (as Martin tells Ronee), she's his producer! This is not the worst ever episode but ranks as a disappointing one as it could have all been a lot better.

Rating

70 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 73.3%
Total Number of Reviews: 4