Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 7 -> Episode 7.20

To Thine Old Self Be True

Frasier is impatiently waiting for the delivery of his new, hand-tailored blazer when he bumps into Regan outside the elevator. She tells him that she is no longer seeing her boyfriend Scott, so Frasier is tempted to ask her out again but is worried as everyone he does, he ends up looking ridiculous. Donny also has problems - his best man can't arrange his bachelor party for him, so Frasier offers to help out. Donny doesn't want Frasier's help because he fears Frasier won't deliver the right kind of party. Frasier is relating this to Roz later at Cafe Nervosa, who agrees that Frasier does come over as a bit fussy, so to try and prove Roz wrong, he phones up Donny and convinces him that he will be able to put together a great party complete with strippers!. Just then, Niles comes in and asks them to look at a rotund woman who keeps going back into a donut shop for more. Frasier and Roz are appalled that they Niles is making them watch until he reveals the woman in question is Maris! Apparently, she has been hit hard by the news that Mel and Niles are together - even spreading a rumour that it was the neck tuck she had by Mel that caused her to become obese.

Frasier begins his quest for a stripper by purchasing a 'smut rag' from one of those street newspaper dispensers, but manages to get his blazer caught in the door - just as Regan appears from the shop next door, causing Frasier much embarrassment. Back at his apartment, Daphne is about to go out for the afternoon with Donny, and tells Frasier she is pleased he is putting together the bachelor party as it'll be a quiet affair. Just then, a police officer appears at his door to question Frasier about the vandalism of a newspaper dispenser - but it turns out to be a stripper that Martin has hired so Frasier can judge the best for Donny. Daphne then arrives back unexpectedly with a splitting headache forcing Frasier to pretend the 'policewoman' is being interviewed for the position of housekeeper and takes her to his bedroom. Niles and Mel then arrive, and Niles manages to convince Daphne to give Mel a massage. Martin tells Niles that Frasier is in his bedroom with a stripper, but Frasier then appears in the living room handcuffed to the stripper (thanks to Frasier trying to show her an appropriate encore). Maris then makes an unexpected appearance and Frasier, Niles and Martin have to hide Frasier from Daphne, Mel, Maris AND Regan who Frasier meets at the elevator. Wil Frasier manage to get away with it .....?

- Niles persuades Frasier and Roz to look at a rotund woman coming out of the donut shop:
Roz: So she has a problem with junk food. You don't need to point it out - it's rude.
Frasier: It's childish!
Niles: It's Maris!!

- Frasier is worried about the success of his bachelor party, as Martin reads the 'smut rag':
Martin: Don't worry - everything'll work itself ass.

- Frasier being stripped for by the 'policewoman'.

- Mel arrives worried that Maris' rumour will destroy her:
Mel: Daphne, get me a cup of tea.
Daphne: Actually, I have a bit of a headache.
Mel: Oh, you could be coming down with something. Wash your hands first.

- After Frasier has taken the stripper to his bedroom:
Martin: Hey Niles, guess what your brother's doing.
Niles: Pressing his new blazer?
Martin: Yeah - against a stripper!

- Frasier comes into the lounge handcuffed to the stripper:
Martin: How did that happen?
Stripper: Lord of the Dance here decided I needed an encore (!)

This episode sees the return of something we haven't seen for some time - a fast-paced farce as Frasier tries to hide the fact he is handcuffed to a stripper from Mel, Daphne, Maris and Regan. This makes for an enjoyable second half as the show demonstrates how well it can do it. The first half wasn't quite as good but features some great jokes about a now obese Maris - there's a great moment when she suddenly turns up at Frasier's apartment, forcing Niles to offer her comfort food. The ending was typical 'Frasier'- Frasier laments he will never find a woman and the stripper offers to go on a date with him, to which he accepts and enjoys himself - which is unexpected and yet satisfying. Overall, this is another good episode to add to the Season 7 cannon, even if Roz and Daphne are somewhat sidelined here.

Rating

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