Three Valentines - The mystery of Frasier's sofa

[Prehensile1982]

Something that has always bothered me about the first "act" of the episode Three Valentines (Season 6), where Niles completely destroys Frasier's beloved Coco Chanel sofa by spilling alcohol all over it, setting fire to it and then drenching it with fire extinguisher foam (along with everything else in the room), before passing out in the doorway from the sight of his own blood amidst a cloud of smoke and the noise of the fire alarm. It's a funny scene where we get to see Niles in a situation that we haven't seen him in before; on his own, with nothing but his prissy and nervous temperament to keep him company before his date arrived. But the way it was resolved, or the lack of it's resolution, is a little too unrealistic for me.

One of three things must have happened that we didn't see: Either Niles came clean to Frasier about the whole thing, he replaced the sofa before Frasier returned home from his horrendously awkward "date" the next morning, or if your suspension of disbelief can be stretched far enough, he managed to get it repaired in the same time. Keeping in mind that at that point in the series Niles was in the middle of a financial crisis due to an expensive divorce procedure, personally I find it unlikely that he got it replaced or repaired, even overlooking the short amount of time he had to do either of those things. So in my opinion he must have been honest with Frasier and told him what happened.

The first time I watched this episode many, many moons ago, I expected to see a look of untold horror on Frasier's face when he returns home to find his sacred sofa ruined . But nothing was ever said about it again throughout the remainder of the series. In the following episode the sofa is back to normal and in pristine condition.

So. What DID happen to Frasier's sofa?

[Patrick]

It seems to me that, if there is one domain where the show is (deliberately) unrealistic it is the material world. Both Frasier and Niles have a standard of living way above what they should normally be able to afford. I don't know how much someone like Frasier must make as a local radio talent but it can't be that much. As for psychiatrists, there are only so many hours in the week that they can charge. I mean for a lawyer, the sky's the limit because of the enormous amount of money that they can get out of settlements but a psychiatrist doesn't get extra money unless he does something on the side like write a book. Anyway, I don't see how Niles was ever able to afford on his own that gigantic luxurious apartment of his, EVEN without the divorce lawyers draining out his assets.

[Prehensile1982]

I don't know how much someone like Frasier must make as a local radio talent but it can't be that much.

Bebe

But, yes, you're right. Even before he had anything to do with Bebe he was living an unrealistically lavish lifestyle, as does Niles.

[CatNamedRudy]

I know how much a couple of the local radio celebs in Milwaukee make and I can promise you they live quite well. And I believe Niles lives off of Maris' urinal cake money. Remember when Maris cut him off, he did not have much money.

As for the sofa, I always just figured Frasier was told and got a new sofa. In sit-com world I try not to over analyze too much. (though I am guilty of it on occasion)

[Prehensile1982]

In sit-com world I try not to over analyze too much.

I hate to break it to you, but you're on a forum that's dedicated to discussing every minute detail of a sitcom

But yeah, of course it's not an important thing to get hung up on, especially given the tone of the show. But considering there's been several occasions where Frasier has boasted about his sofa to someone I figured he wouldn't have taken kindly to it getting destroyed.

[Patrick]

In sit-com world I try not to over analyze too much.

I hate to break it to you, but you're on a forum that's dedicated to discussing every minute detail of a sitcom

But yeah, of course it's not an important thing to get hung up on, especially given the tone of the show. But considering there's been several occasions where Frasier has boasted about his sofa to someone I figured he wouldn't have taken kindly to it getting destroyed.

On the other hand, as he said in one episode, it was only a reproduction of a Coco Chanel couch so maybe he just had it reupholstered.

[Frasiertime]

Both Frasier and Niles could make a lot of money by doing consulting work, speaking engagements, writing for magazines, novels, text books....many doctors and professors do this type of work and get paid quite nicely in addition to their regular work.

It has always seemed to me they lived above their means, too..... so I just assumed they did the above and wished the show would have addressed it somehow. There were many times I wondered how much money Frasier had. I remember Niles saying he was surprised at how much money he got in his divorce settlement.

I was also waiting for a reaction from Frasier regarding the sofa. I guess Frasier just ordered another one.

[Forever Jung]

He got in touch with his ex boss who he used to mentor and bought his couch off him

Seriously though, the episode isn't cannon, or meant to be in any way part of the series story arc.
It's just a one off ep for Valentines Day.
That's how I see it at least.

[Frasiertime]

:twisted: He got in touch with his ex boss who he used to mentor and bought his couch off him Seriously though, the episode isn't cannon, or meant to be in any way part of the series story arc.
It's just a one off ep for Valentines Day.
That's how I see it at least.

[hansenkd]

:twisted: He got in touch with his ex boss who he used to mentor and bought his couch off him

Sadly, the fact that that boss/mentor relationship came two years later shoots tht theory to hell, nice as the thought is.

Seriously though, the episode isn't cannon, or meant to be in any way part of the series story arc.
It's just a one off ep for Valentines Day.
That's how I see it at least.

Not really true, since Cassandra showed up for a season-closing arc. Which qualifies it as canon.

[Moon-Crane]

I think that occasionally the quality of an idea, and the need to convey it, trumps the need for any specific consequence and spelled-out continuity in a sitcom. The damaged sofa is replaced by the next episode. It's not particularly important how or why, it just is. It doesn't really bother me.

[Forever Jung]

I think that occasionally the quality of an idea, and the need to convey it, trumps the need for any specific consequence and spelled-out continuity in a sitcom. The damaged sofa is replaced by the next episode. It's not particularly important how or why, it just is. It doesn't really bother me.

THIS!