Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 9 -> Episode 9.14

The Proposal

Niles is planning the perfect evening to ask Daphne to marry him, beginning with choosing the ring in a jewellers but the infighting between the brothers leads the assistant to think that the brothers are in fact a 'couple' planning to marry. Then Roz helps Niles to write his proposal speech, after that comes choosing the perfect wine, that takes the form of a tasting session at Frasier's apartment. Niles has an ulterior motive - he wants to get his father drunk enough so that he will agree to take Daphne's mother out on his proposal night. Thankfully, Martin agrees but also reveals a family secret - Frasier's mother was pregnant with him when she got married!

Martin's date with Daphne's mother is a disaster as she comes on far too strongly forcing Martin to say he just asked her out as a friend, and then (unbeknownst to Martin) the female security guard he was interested in overhears Martin say that he has no feeling in his groin area - which he only said to get Daphn'e mother off her back. Finally the night arrives with famous chef Wolfgang Puck preparing dinner, and all his guests hiding, but sadly for Niles disaster strikes - Daphne has the flu! Frasier tries to get all the guests out without Daphne seeing them, but Niles decides to ask Daphne to marry him anyway - to which she agrees!

- Frasier and Niles are in the jewellers arguing over Niles' choice of engagement ring:
Jewellery Clerk: I'm sure we can find you something that will bring you both a lifetime of happiness.

- Roz tells Niles that Frasier told him he was going to ask Daphne to marry him:
Niles: That gossipping ninny!
Roz: Don't worry - he swore me to secrecy.
Niles: I swore him to secrecy!

- Martin is tired of tasting wine:
Martin: Time to cleanse my palette - I'm gonna get a beer!

- Martin tells how he asked Frasier's mother to marry him:
Martin: I was as nervous as hell...
Frasier: I love this story.
Martin: .... And then she said no.

- Wolfgang Puck is busy cooking Niles engagement meal:
Niles: Do I smell burning crab?
Wolfgang: That's cajun!

- Daphne arrives home looking awful with the flu:
Daphne: All I want to do is stuff Kleenex up my nose, collapse on the couch and pray for death!

- Frasier's flying leap to silence the trumpeteer, who appears after Niles proposes.

A delightfully constructed episode that harks back in it's simplicity to the pilot episode. Each stage of Niles' preparation for his proposal was well handled, but I don't think many could have forseen the twist of Daphne having the flu on proposal night. The only criticisms I could level at it are that more could have been done with all of Niles' hidden guests - there aren't many episodes that feature dwarfs dressed as angels and it was a little disappointing just to see them leave with only saying 1 line. These are however minor quibbles in what is a very good episode for this season.

Rating

81 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 78.6%
Total Number of Reviews: 5