Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 4 -> Episode 4.08

Our Father Whose Art Ain't Heaven

Martin, Frasier and Niles return from watching a Jean-Claude Van Damme film and an argument from the cinema starts up again when Martin complains that Frasier paid for the tickets when in fact they had an agreement that if they went to see a movie that Martin picked he should pay. The two of them decide that the next time they go out, Martin will pay. So when Daphne says she is cooking sheep-head soup for dinner, the three of them head off to Le Cigare Volone instead. The maitre'd, Francois, points out the artwork displayed by one of his discoveries, Cordoba, which Frasier and Niles complement to get a table but when Martin goes to the toilet, Frasier and Niles tell each other they can't believe how dreadful the paintings are. Niles then sees a potential guest for a party he is throwing and goes to talk to her, while Martin returns and reminds Frasier that he will be paying, which leaves Frasier distinctly uncomfortable and the ensuing argument leads to Martin refusing to pay. The next day, however, he tries to make it up to his son by buying something that he knows Frasier will like - a painting by Cordoba!

Of course, Frasier can't tell his Dad how he really feels about it and instead puts it above his fireplace, but tries to spend as little time as possible at home so he doesn't have to look at it. He tries to find the right moment to tell his father what he really thinks of the painting, but perhaps sees the way forward when Niles tells his father he doesn't like the gift Martin buys for him - a wine rack - who seems OK about it, and decides to bite the bullet and tells his father that he only said he liked the paintings to get a good table and doesn't like it at all. This causes Martin to cry, which starts off Frasier and eventually Niles (who is trying to get people to come to his party but they are all being stolen by Maris who is having one at the same time).......

- Frasier and Martin discuss the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie they've just seen:
Martin: Didn't you learn anything from that movie?
Frasier: Only that bullets are no use against a man who can kick really high (!)

- Niles tells Frasier that Maris is having an ice sculpture made of her for her party:
Frasier: The perfect marriage of subject & medium (!)

- Daphne asks Niles whether he wants to stay for dinner:
Daphne: I've decided to make Grammy Moon's famous sheep's head stew. Don't worry, the name's a bit misleading - it's actually more of a soup.

- At Le Cigare Volone, Martin tells Frasier he's paying:
Martin: Now order whatever you want.
[Looks at the menu]
Martin: Are these per person?

- Martin unveils his gift for Frasier - a painting by Cordoba:
Martin: After I'm gone, this'll still be here!

- Frasier brings up the gifts he has bought for his father over the years:
Frasier: I came across the smoking jacket I gave you for Christmas last year
Martin: The shiny one?
Frasier: Not shiny, Dad, silk!

- Niles finds all his party guests are cancelling at an alarming rate, and discovers why:
Niles: She's circulating a vicious rumour that I'm going to have a karaoke machine at my party!

On January 1st 1999, Channel 4 broadcast 'Frasier Night', a selection of documentaries and past episodes, which included a screening of the episode that Kelsey Grammer himself picked out as his favourite - and this is it. I have to say that I find that quite hard to believe as I found this to be a rather disappointing epsode that seems to lose the series' usual wit and elegance in it's scriptwriting and instead sledgehammer it's points about the relationship between Martin and his sons home. The scene at the end with the 3 Crane men ending up crying is pretty awful to sit through as is the scene that follows it about Martin and his badge. There are some minor compensations from Niles trying to organise his party up against Maris' rival one, and the brilliant way Daphne clears the apartment by deciding to cook sheep's head soup as a ruse to invite her boyfriend over. However, I found this to be a case of great episode title, shame about the episode.

Rating

70 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 76.7%
Total Number of Reviews: 7