Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 9 -> Episode 9.11

Mother Load., Part 1

Frasier's upstairs neighbour, Cam Winston, decides to park his huge jeep next to Frasier's car preventing him from getting out, something that leaves him feeling rather acrimonious towards him. On the other hand, Niles and Daphne have decided that he should keep some of his things at Frasier's but when she sees Niles trolley load of personal belongings, Daphne has a change of heart. Instead, Niles asks Daphne if he wants to move in to his apartment - and she agrees! Their joyous mood is somewhat dampened when Daphne postpones the move because her parents are coming to visit - but because her mother is somewhat old-fashioned, she doesn't think she should stay with Niles. However, Niles get stuck with putting up Daphne's parents while Daphne stays at Frasier's. Frasier, on the other hand, takes his grievance with Cam's vehicle to the condo board, and gives the speech of his life which convinces the board that Cam now has to park his vehicle in the sub-basement.

Daphne's parents arrive - well, at least her mother does accompanied by her beer-swilling layabout for a son, Simon. The next few days see Daphne's mother take every opportunity to put her daughter down, Simon staying with Frasier - much to Frasier's chagrin, and also see Niles finding out that Daphne's mother still thinks Daphne's a virgin! When Niles asks Daphne if this would make it difficult to explain the fact that she is moving in with Niles, Daphne wonders whether it is necessary to tell her mother anything as she'll be going back to England soon. Things come to a head a few days later when everyone learns that Daphne's father has left her mother to be with someone else, and that she hoped this trip will cheer her up. This prompts Frasier into a speech where he extols the virtue of the rest of the USA in the hope she and Simon will leave to see it - which ends with a huge USA flag being dropped from the apartment above over Frasier's entire apartment window. It seems Frasier's war with Cam Winston is not quite yet over.....

- After Niles brings on his trolley load of belongings to keep with Daphne, Roz takes one bag:
Roz: What do you have in here?
Niles: Ties.

- Cam Winston says that Frasier's expensive car is a substitute for masculinity:
Frasier: If mine's a substitute for masculinity, what is yours?
Cam: Bigger!

- Frasier and Martin dwell over the fact that Daphne will be moving out soon:
Frasier: She managed to forge a relationship with a blustery psychiatrist and a crotchety old man.
Martin: And with me too.

- Frasier and Martin look forward to life without Daphne:
Martin: I guess from now on, it's just you and I.
Frasier: 'You and me', Dad.
Martin: This is gonna be great (!)

- Daphne's mother still thinks her daughter is a virgin:
Mrs Moon: She doesn't get her leg over with any filth that moves!
Simon: I don't care if they move!

- Frasier is just loving living with Simon:
Frasier: Simon put my $65 apricot skin polish on his muffin!

- Mrs Moon is depressed after her husband left her:
Simon: I really thought this junket to America would cheer you up.
Niles: It still can.... go away.

This episode was received extremely well in America, with many saying it was the best of the season so far, but was met with a much more muted response in the UK perhaps because our expectations were so high and this episode didn't quite fulfil them. What we do have is an above average episode for this season that treats us to not only seeing Daphne's mother and brother again, but also the human form of Frasier's upstairs neighbour Cam Winston. The one-upmanship between Frasier and Cam proved one of the episode's highlights (the ending, for example), and I also found the other main storyline about Daphne's mother to be quite amusing also. It lacked some impetus and spark which would have made it even better, but a highly enjoyable Part 1 nonetheless

Rating

79 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 79.0%
Total Number of Reviews: 2