Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 2 -> Episode 2.13

Retirement Is Murder

For twenty years Martin has been obsessed with solving the Weeping Lotus murder case, and Frasier is beginning to think it is an unhealthy obsession. So when Bulldog gives up 2 tickets for the Knicks/Sonics basketball game, he immediately snaps them up thinking it'll get the case of Martin's mind - he also obtains a third ticket so he can also take a rather reluctant Niles too. Once there, Niles just isn't getting into the game and prefers listening to his personal stereo, while Martin still can't take his mind off the case. He reveals that his sudden resurge in interest was sparked by a phone call from the mother of Helen, the dead prostitute. Martin promised he would solve the case for her, and she is now an old woman. It seems only Frasier is getting into the spirit of the game.Back at Frasier's, Martin and Daphne are back pouring over the photos to see if the can solve the case, but Martin gives up for the night leaving Frasier, Niles and Daphne pondering the photographs.

After learning that one of Helen's ex-boyfriends, a man with a group of performing apes, had trained them to shoot arrows, Frasier believes that the boyfriend had trained one of the monkeys to kill Helen because she had jilted him for someone else. All three are overjoyed that they have solved the case, causing Niles to call for his father but Frasier says he'll be crushed if he realises someone else had worked out who the murderer was before he did. Frasier's solution is to arrange the photois in such a way that the solution is obvious - so Martin arrives, sees the arranged photos and announces he knows who the murderer was. The next day, Martin went straight down to the station while Frasier worries that his solution maybe completely wrong. Martin returns saying that all the cops had given him funny looks, and Frasier admits he had worked it out first and rearranged the photos to lead to the right solution. However, at the door is Frank the police chief, togther with a load of cops, saying that Martin was completely right. While Frasier and Daphne are in the kitchen, all the other cops ask how Martin managed to work out that Detective Shelby had done it. When Frasier comes back in, Martin asks him to explain how he arrived at the solution and starts to wonder why everyone is looking funny at him when he explains at length how the monkey did it......

- Frasier is trying to get his father to stop pouring over the murder case:
Frasier: This is a beautiful night. I'm going for a walk and I'm not going by myself
[In trots Eddie, leash in mouth]

- Niles meets Frasier and Bulldog in his booth:
Niles: As a sports expert, I'm sure you can tell me why none of the local media carry the Ivy League squash standings.
Bulldog: Whoa!!! Another one just like you!! Some gypsy put a curse on your family??

- Frasier is distributing drinks at the basketball game:
Frasier: A beer for you Dad, and here you are Niles - a glass of wine. I'm sure it's good - they opened a fresh box for us (!).

- Niles is listening to his personal stereo as a latecomer sits in the seat next to him:
Person: Boy, the traffic tonight is murder. [To Niles] Hey pal, what's the score?
Niles: West Side Story.

- Daphne is telling Niles and Frasier about Clive Brisbane's act:
Daphne: Brisbane's Amazing Apes - they opened in Las Vegas for Englebert Humperdinck.
Frasier: It's easy to forget that Las Vegas wasn't always the tacky place it is now (!).

- The scene where Frasier is explaining how to Martin's cop buddies how he arrived at the conclusion that the monkey did it, which ends up with him looking a total fool.

An enjoyable episode that finally solves the on-going Weeping Lotus murder case. A good script never actually reveals what Martin's solution is between the moment Frasier thinks he's solved it and the moment when Martin actually reveals the real murderer, while the looks on everyone's faces when Frasier says the murderer is a monkey is hilarious. There are also a couple of other delightful scenes where Niles meets Bulldog for the first time, and the 3 Crane's trip to a basketball game. The episode does seem to drag in places, but it's a minor quibble in another classy Season 2 episode.

Rating

79 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 90.3%
Total Number of Reviews: 3