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Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 3 -> Episode 3.04

Leapin' Lizards
Episode Details

Written by:Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano

Directed by:Philip Charles Mackenzie

Original US airdate: 11th October 1994

Original UK airdate: 21st July 1995


Cast Information
Main Cast
Frasier Crane .... Kelsey Grammer
Niles Crane .... David Hyde Pierce
Martin Crane .... John Mahoney
Daphne Moon .... Jane Leeves
Roz Doyle .... Peri Gilpin
Recurring Cast
Kate Costas .... Mercedes Ruehl
Bulldog .... Dan Butler
   
   
Guest Cast
Pete .... Michael Whaley
Susan .... Annie Larussa
Nurse .... Jodi Taffel
Guest Callers
Jack .... Billy Crystal
Rob .... Ed Harris

Episode Synopsis

Frasier becomes the target for a series of pranks by Bulldog: he calls into Frasier's show as 'Mac', someone who finds it difficult to work with an arrogant co-worker before revealing who the true identity of the co-worker is! Frasier is incensed and tired of being the victim of Bulldog's pranks, so goes to see the staion manager Kate Costas who promises to get Bulldog to stop. However, she soon learns that Bulldog's fans love it when he makes fun of Frasier, so for the sake of ratings she lets him continue. This leads to Frasier being persuaded in his best falsetto voice to perform 'Three Little Maids' from The Mikado live over the air.

Once he learns that he is the victim of another of Bulldog's pranks, he marches down to the station to confront Bulldog, only to be told that Kate okayed it. Kate explains that Bulldog's listeners love his pranks but says she wants Frasier to fight back in his own wittily, ironic way. However, Frasier has his own ideas and decides to play a prank of his own on Bulldog. He hears Bulldog on his show saying how much he hates lizards so plants one inside the barrel of entries for a competition he has been running, but things go drastically wrong when Kate enters the studio and gets elected to pull out the winning entry. The lizard bites Kate's finger and then runs out of the studio with the tip of her finger, leaving Kate heading for the hospital and everyone else chasing the lizard. Down at the hospital, Kate is swearing revenge on the culprit but Roz tells Frasier that no-one even suspects him - even so, he reveals the truth to her while she is high on drugs but it turns out she may have been more lucid than Frasier thought......

Episode Title Cards
  • Singing In The Rain
  • The Nose Knows
  • Leapin' Lizards

Episode Highlights

- Frasier gives his advice to 'Mac' who called about an arrogant co-worker:
Frasier: My advice would be to try and ignore him - is that possible?
Bulldog [as Mac]: Not really, you bloody wallaby - you're on right before me!

- Roz is angry about Bulldog's prank on Frasier:
Roz: You do that one more time and I will cut you off - and I don't mean mid-sentence!
Bulldog: Stop it - you're scaring me.

- Frasier enters his apartment:
Daphne: Uh-oh.
Frasier: Two syllables every home-owner loves to hear upon entering the door (!)

- Frasier's performance of 'Three Little Maids'

- Bulldog tries to convince Frasier that Kate sanctioned his on-air pranks:
Bulldog: Pete, what did Kate say?
Pete: She said you're a pig.
Bulldog: No, before that!

- Martin tells Frasier that Bulldog is funny as is a one of Duke's cousin:
Martin: Duke's cousin Louis, he's really funny - he's like Jackie Gleason, only loud!

- Kate reveals her thoughts about the person who put the lizard in the barrel:
Kate: I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna crush him!

Frasier Online Episode Review

Another Season 3 winner that derives some great comedy from the pranks Bulldog plays on Frasier, as well as Frasier's reaction to them. I also loved Kate's pointed statement about Frasier working Harvard into almost every statement about him being a doctor, in fact there are good line and moments for everyone in this episode. The comedy drops off a little once we get to the hospital but this remains a well written and very funny episode.

Rating

82 %

Latest Viewer Episode Review

Avg. Viewer Review: 78.0%
Total Number of Reviews: 2


'Leapin' Lizards' review, Jun 01, 2005

Reviewer: Jocelyn from London, UK.


Frasier becomes the victim of practical jokes for the first but certainly not last time in the series. The culprit here is Bulldog and Frasier unwisely attempts to stoop to his level with an ill-conceived prank of his own. It's hard not to smile at the girlish glee of Frasier's rendition of 'Three Little Maids' and I also like his shameless habit of mentioning his having been to Harvard at every opportunity. Although slightly let down by a not particularly funny closing scene with Frasier and Kate at the hospital, this episode is great fun with the brief appearance of the lizard another in a long line of amusing animal performances in the series.


Rating: 80%

 

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