Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 6 -> Episode 6.20

Dr Nora

KACL has decided to try a new call-in psychiatrist for a week as well as having Frasier, and he has been asked to recommend someone. From conducting interviews, he selects Dr Nora who comes across as very charming in the interview and Frasier is so pleased that another psychiatrist looks up to him. However, this joy is short-lived when it turns out that Dr Nora is from the old-fashioned way of thinking, calling an unmarried woman who sleeps with her boyfriend a whore, and a confused bisexual woman an equal opportunities slut. Frasier is understandably appalled and tries to talk to her, but she is having none of it.

At the end of one of Frasier's shows, just as Dr Nora is about to come on, Frasier tells a caller who is having trouble with her mother to stay on the line so he can give her some counselling numbers. However, Dr Nora brings the caller back on the air and tells her that her mother will not change and should cut her out of her life. This enrages Frasier and declares war on her prompting Roz to dig up some dirt on her - apparently her doctorate is in physical education and already has two failed marraiges and an affair with a married man behind her. Frasier wonders if by using this stuff against her on air, he is being reduced to her level so instead he resolves to help her and show his method of therapy is best by arranging an on air reconcilliation with her mother. This he does, and Frasier is about to find out why Dr Nora has such a problem with mothers .....

- After Niles queries why they need another on-air psychiatrist:
Frasier: They couldn't ask me to do another 3 hours. Imagine how exhausting it would be!
Niles: And for you (!)

- Frasier is surprised Niles is growing a moustache:
Niles: I grant you it's at an early stage.
Frasier: What stage - research and development (?)

- Frasier is appalled at Dr Nora's approach to psychiatry:
Frasier: This is a woman who thinks the Spanish Inquisition was just tough love for heretics!

- Niles says Dr Nora pretended Niles was the older brother at the interview to impress Frasier:
Niles: Of course, the moustache may have clouded her judgement on that one.
Martin: She has a moustache?

- Roz wants to get into a fight with Dr Nora over what she said about single mothers:
Roz: If you want I'll take it out on the street.
Dr Nora: That wouldn't be fair - you'd have the home field advantage (!).

- Dr Nora says Frasier is a dangerous man:
Dr Nora: You tell tramps and fornicators they have low self-esteem. They should have low self-esteem - they're going to hell !

- The scene where Dr Nora meets her mother again after 20 years.

A highly enjoyable episode featuring a wonderful performance by Christine Baranski (who played Marianne in Cybill) as Dr Nora. She was a wonderful foil for Frasier as he battles against the woman who dares to question his approach to therapy. This combined with a lovely subplot about Niles trying to grow a moustache added up to one of Season 6's best episodes, but with a script that used more wit than shock it could have been even better.

Rating

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Avg. Viewer Review: 78.8%
Total Number of Reviews: 8