Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 8 -> Episode 8.14

Hooping Cranes

As a way of saying thanks for some advice Frasier gave to a caller on his show, a listener has given Frasier 4 tickets to the Sonics game that night. He can't use them because he and Niles have a recital to go to followed by dinner, but when he shows them to his father, Martin instantly assumes Frasier is taking him to the Sonics game. Frasier begrudgingly goes along with him, dragging Niles along too. While Martin is loving every minute, Frasier and Niles play 'I Spy' to pass the time. They then swap seats with Martin so they can sit together, but during half-time, one lucky member of the audience is picked to attempt to shoot a basket from the half-way line. To everyone's amazement, Niles is picked - leaving Frasier and Martin worried as they both know the limitations of Niles' sporting prowess. Astonishingly, Niles manages to make the shot and picked up a pick-up truck as his reward.

Martin is ecstatic over this, and Niles is revelling in his new found fame leaving Frasier a little jealous but becomes even more annoyed with his brother when he starts giving people the impression that his success was more than just luck. Frasier wants Niles to admit this but he refuses, so when he is retelling his story down at McGinty's, Frasier challenges his brother to repeat his success at the bar version of basketball - at which he fails miserably......

- Roz is unable to use the Sonics tickets Frasier receives:
Roz: I have a date with this French guy - Jean-Pierre
Frasier: So that's it then - no Americans left (!)

- Niles arrives to to go the symphony and is surprised that Martin is joining he and Frasier, unaware they are going to a Sonics game:
Martin: I like to get there early to see the players warm up.
Niles: Me too - what a surprise this is!
Frasier: Just you wait (!)

- Niles wants to swap seats with Martin in an aisle seat on account of a 'stiff leg':
Martin: Stiff leg, huh? Must have been that bullet you got when stopping a robbery. Oh wait - that was me!

- Niles won a prize for making his half-court shot:
Frasier: You are now the proud owner of a rugged, ram-tough, all-terrain pick up truck.
Niles: It occurred to me we could use it to go antiqueing

- Roz bumps into Niles wearing a varsity jacket that the Sonics gave to him:
Roz: Wow Niles - finally made varsity after 30 years.
Niles: Yes, but it's not a real varsity jacket so you're under no obligation to sleep with me (!)

A distinctly average episode which, despite promising plot line, offers little that stands out. The main plot of Niles' lucky shot is entertaining enough but feels too dragged out as it reaches it's rather predicatble climax - Niles just got lucky. Frasier acting as translator between Roz and Jean-Pierre is another highlight but is little more than amusing. The problem, as ever in this season, is the script - Jon Sherman's for this episode contains the odd hilarious moment, but the episode as a whole feels a bit mundane, especially as the main plot feels like a reworking of the 'Niles is a hero' plot from 'Head Game'.

Rating

72 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 82.0%
Total Number of Reviews: 4