Season 10: Roe To Perdition and Some Assembly Required

[Mike]

I thought that yeserday's double of Frasier were two very good episodes.

Roe To Perdition: I thought it was a good episode with the 'caviar' and that everyone was offering Frasier and Niles things they couldn't refuse if they traded them some of their expensive caviar. But as usual it all went horribly wrong at the end when they though they'd be arrested. And with Eddie at the end eating the caviar.

Some Assembly Required: Again another good episode with Frasier trying to 'help' decorate the house he helped with a bit. And when he saw that they chose cow designs. I'm surprised he could resist. And it was nice to see Eddie in the episode and Nile's speech....well it's enough to put anyone off food.

[Will]

I agree, both were great episodes. I thought it was hilarious when Niles tried eating 5lb of caviar with that tiny spoon....

Again, very good episodes. It is not on next week though which is why they showed a double bill last night

[Sam]

I really enjoyed this episode. There were many great lines, and the sub-plot was funny too.

I also liked 'Some Assembly Required.' Good to see Eddie do some tricks from time to time.......

[Jocelyn]

"Roe To Perdition" was my favourite Season 10 episode yet with two plotlines of equal status. Martin's battle with bureaucracy was brilliant as he went from one piece of red tape to another. His feigned reluctance at being paid compensation was priceless with Daphne's final line the icing on the cake. Never tasted caviar (looks disgusting!) but this plot was amusing throughout with Roz's addiction and the Crane boys making pigs of themselves at the end. So much packed into one episode and every character had something to do.
"Some Assembly Required" was good fun too with Frasier's inflated belief in his own decor skills (the stapler in the desk was genius) and Niles' hypochondria resurfacing in his talk at the school. And didn't Eddie look cute in that hat!
Shame about next Bank Holiday Monday but as we're almost up to speed with the US I suppose we can't complain.

[Chris Carter]

I thought 'Roe to Perdition' was hilarious. Especially the extemely long pause with lots of anxious glances as Daphne tells her story about her cousin 'what's-his-face' when he stole a 'thingamy-bob' and ended up in prison. And how Niles finally gives in and asks 'what happened to your ....' it showed great writing by playing to the appreciative and fully understanding audience.

And also the line 'I can assure you Mr Crane that its not our usual policy to draw guns on customers wishing to make a withdrawal' and Martin angrily replying 'It wasn't a withdrawal'

[Tvaddict]

Okay am i the only one who didn't like those two episodes?? And i'm sorry but Frasier completely stole Martins storyline from Friends when the same thing happen to Phoebe in one of the early episodes!!

[Jocelyn]

But everything on Friends is cribbed from other shows: Joey (Woody from Cheers), Central Perk (Cafe Nervosa) etc. The rest is just a simplified Seinfeld. Many of Friends' younger fans have never seen those shows so they get away with it.

[fan]

I did not like the first one, " Roe to Perdition " because I didn't like the way in which Roz behaved in it. But I loved the second episode mainly because we got the old Niles back ( Daphne free and germ obsessed!!)

[Mike.]

I do think in RTP that Roz did get a bit
obsessed over the caviar.

And i've never tasted it but I think it's got fish in or something and it seems disgusting.

[Graeme]

Enjoyed them both. Really has been a good season so far.

With regard the Martin/Pheobe plot parallels - this has cropped up a few times over the years. Friends has certainly borrowed ideas from Frasier: the neighbour with a telescope, the doll vs GI Joe (Martin and Eddie and Ross and son). A recent episode even had a suspiciously similar plot to an epsiode of the great BBC2 sitcom Coupling. But then Frasier is not all that innocent either. Can't think of any right now but there have certainly been times when I've thought there were similarities with earlier Friends storylines...and even the Simpsons. The excellent episode where you hear Frasier and Niles talking throuh the ears of Eddie "Yadda yadda...Eddie...yadda yadda yadda!" copied a Simpsons episode with Santa's Little Helper and Bart - only Frasier also added the cunning twist of hearing Frasier and Niles through Martin's ears!

So each show borrows the occasional plot device. Don't think this matters as they each offer a slightly different take on an idea.

Big fan of Friends (you can actually be a fan of both shows!) but have to admit that this latest season, while an improvement on the last, hasn't been as consistant as the current season of Frasier laughs wise. Both excellent shows when firing on all cylinders.

[Dan]

I think most of the time if Frasier "borrows" an idea from another show it is unintentional and it's just a coincidence that two writers came up with a similar concept. I would hate to think that Frasier-writers would deliberately borrow ideas from a show like Friends.