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Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 9 -> Episode 9.09

Junior Agent
Episode Details

Written by: Bob Daily

Directed by: Scott Ellis

Original US airdate: 27th November 2001

Original UK airdate: 1st March 2002


Cast Information
Main Cast
Frasier Crane .... Kelsey Grammer
Niles Crane .... David Hyde Pierce
Martin Crane .... John Mahoney
Daphne Moon .... Jane Leeves
Roz Doyle .... Peri Gilpin
Recurring Cast
Kenny Daly .... Tom McGowan
Bebe Glazer .... Harriet Sansom Harris
   
   
Guest Cast
Portia .... Kristin Chenoweth
Dr Tom .... Chris Berg
Guest Callers
Cleo .... Melissa Etheridge

Episode Synopsis

There's a new radio psychiatrist on the air at another station - and he's beating Frasier in the ratings with his blend of a more explicit way of dealing with caller's problems. Frasier dismisses his competition, but Kenny rebuffs his request for more advertising saying it'd be pouring money down a drain. Frasier believes, however, that once his agent Bebe Glazer is on the case, his show'll be back on top in no time - and is spurred on by the fact that his rival is now advertising in the local paper. His visit begins well but Bebe says that she won't be handling Frasier herself personally anymore, she will be handing over the reins to her fully fledged junior agent - her assistant, Portia. Frasier is shocked and appalled, saying that he has never doubted Bebe's committment to his career but that this move means that Frasier decides to leave Bebe's agency!

Portia, on the other hand, does not give up so easily - she hounds Frasier incessantly trying to get him to listen to her ideas. Frasier, though, wants nothing to do with her and decides to become his own agent. He starts by schmoozing up to Kenny by inviting him down to his exclusive health spa in a bid to get him to advertise his show more. Kenny goes to the spa with Frasier, but when they are changing in the locker room, Portia comes in and finally gets Frasier (and Kenny) to listen to her ideas. Both Frasier and Kenny are amazed by her chutzpah, and Frasier finally relents and lets Portia be his new agent..... Meanwhile, Martin is trying to get Niles to write him a prescription for his cholesterol pills so he doesn't have to have a medical with his doctor.

Episode Title Cards
  • In Martin's Defense, Eddie Ate Some Too

Episode Highlights

- Daphne is relating the tale of her brother Michael at college:
Daphne: He supported himself by getting all sorts of experimental drugs pumped into him.
[She disappears in to the kitchen]
Martin: Think she's finished?
Niles: Wait for it.
[Daphne reappears]
Daphne: One year, he grew little boobies!

- Niles asks Frasier why she let Bebe be his agent:
Niles: What possessed you? .... Oh right, she did!

- Frasier is none too impressed by Portia:
Frasier: She is Bebe's minion - her winged monkey!

- Portia has sent Frasier gifts to win him over:
Martin: You're not gonna send back the flowers and muffins, are you?
Frasier: I don't see any muffins.
Martin: I mean - if she had sent any.

- Martin gets Niles off a parking ticket in return for him writing his prescription:
Martin: I set the whole thing up to get you ro write me my prescription.
Niles: I've got news for you too - I just drew you a picture of a dog!

- Portia's lockerroom speech

Frasier Online Episode Review

British viewers are probably not aware but the lady who plays Portia recently had her own, short lived, show on NBC called 'Kristin'. She certainly enlivened this rather average episode of 'Frasier' though her voice did get a bit grating at times. Still, I liked Frasier's attempts to fend of Portia's attempts to win him over, and trying to be his own agent, while Martin's attempts to get Niles to write him a prescription was amusing (if overlong) but ended well with Niles getting one over on his father. The one thing that was missing from the episode was anything that made it stand out - I found it hard to remember one truly funny part after watching it.

Rating

73 %

Latest Viewer Episode Review

Avg. Viewer Review: 70.8%
Total Number of Reviews: 4


Portia nausea, May 20, 2013

Reviewer: Sammy J from Melbourne, Australia


On rewatching, it's far easier to watch this episode objectively since I'd imagine most fans - on first viewing - were disappointed with the promise of a Bebe Glazer episode that failed to materialise. As her assistant/junior agent Portia, Kristin Chenoweth certainly brings her usual presence and perkiness to the series (at about this time, Chenoweth's unusual image was quite popular) but there's very little to make this stand out. I do like the meta-moment where Kenny talks about how a show that's been on the air as long as Frasier's is a waste of money from an advertiser's point-of-view, but even Kenny - who has been consistently well-written of late - is a bit lacklustre. Ultimately, "Junior Agent" is an episode without a structure (an increasingly common occurrence for this show) that just kind of ends. As a story about Frasier and Portia, this seems like only act one. As a story about Frasier vs the network, it's very small-scale. I'm not sure there's much going on here.

Over in the subplot, things feel quite drawn out. Daphne's story about her brother Billy is a welcome return to form (particularly with Niles and Martin so used to it) and I don't mind the conclusion to the Niles/Martin rivalry. In fact, the pair have been increasingly tasked with these light little buddy/rival stories of late. As always, this one is lightweight and a little drawn out, but the actors play it well.


Rating: 71%

 

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