Things that just don't make any sense!

[IslandNiles]

Just so we're clear: I love Frasier. But I also like finding mistakes, continuity errors, inconsistencies etc., so I thought I'd start a thread about them.

To start:

The one that's always got to me is that the lift only has one set of doors. It doesn't have an outer and inner set like all lifts have.

In the pilot episode, Martin describes Frasier's study (that will become Daphne's room) as 'just down the hall' from his. In fact, it couldn't really be further away. (I put this down to it being the pilot episode, and them not having the geography completely worked out yet.)

I'd love people to jump in with things they've noticed...

[CatNamedRudy]

Aside from the oft mention Martin's brother issue, one of those that always amuses me is Frasier's birthday.

In on episode, Frasier says his birthday is in March. This would pretty much coincide with his birthday in Police Story and Party, Party.

HOWEVER, Back Talk is also a Frasier's birthday episode. Back Talk takes place between The Apparent Trap (Thanksgiving) and The Fight Before Christmas. Did March suddenly get stuck between November and December that year?

[IslandNiles]

Same issue with Martin's birthday. In My Coffee With Niles they mention that it was the week before (I think). That's the very last episode of the series, broadcast in May. However, The Gift Horse also concerns Martin's birthday, and that's in September! (Of course, we can't assume that broadcast dates necessarily equate to the on-screen date, but the episode after TGH is Halloween.)

[IslandNiles]

Oh, I just thought of another. In An Affair to Forget Frasier doesn't speak German. But in the episode where he meets Claire (I forget which one, but it's the scene in the electronics store) he speaks the language quite fluently.

[CatNamedRudy]

In Look Before You Leap, Frasier says "It's 80 degrees and it's the middle of February".

It's February 29th! Did February have 58 days that year?

[CatNamedRudy]

Oh, I just thought of another. In An Affair to Forget Frasier doesn't speak German. But in the episode where he meets Claire (I forget which one, but it's the scene in the electronics store) he speaks the language quite fluently.

Yep. I picked up on that one on a different board when someone asked in a Frasier quiz how many languages Frasier spoke! My response of course was that it depends what episode you watch!

[IslandNiles]

In Look Before You Leap, Frasier says "It's 80 degrees and it's the middle of February".

It's February 29th! Did February have 58 days that year?

That's a really bad one, because they mention it's February 29th only seconds after he's said that.

[IslandNiles]

Okay, I thought of yet another! In an early episode (possibly High Crane Drifter) the floor above Frasier's apartment is occupied by the penthouse. Later, it transforms into a standard unit.

[Karin]

Another one that doesn't make any sense:

In Death Becomes Him, Daphne tells Niles she never had a serious boyfriend. But in The Two Mrs. Cranes she was suddenly engaged "for years"!

[jekylljuice]

Same issue with Martin's birthday. In My Coffee With Niles they mention that it was the week before (I think). That's the very last episode of the series, broadcast in May. However, The Gift Horse also concerns Martin's birthday, and that's in September! (Of course, we can't assume that broadcast dates necessarily equate to the on-screen date, but the episode after TGH is Halloween.)

That's generally the way I look at it. If the portrayed time was always intended to be the same as the time of broadcast, then just how long are we to assume Frasier actually spent on that plane between Odd Man Out and Frasier's Imaginary Friend? Then there's also the bridge between Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, and And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon. If you view all the seasons collectively as a more-or-less continuous run of the character's lives, as to opposed to purposely accommodating for the gaps between each season, then Martin's birthday in The Gift Horse doesn't seem too far off from where previous episodes have indicated it should be - roughly around the point in their lives where one season ends and another begins.

[CatNamedRudy]

Same issue with Martin's birthday. In My Coffee With Niles they mention that it was the week before (I think). That's the very last episode of the series, broadcast in May. However, The Gift Horse also concerns Martin's birthday, and that's in September! (Of course, we can't assume that broadcast dates necessarily equate to the on-screen date, but the episode after TGH is Halloween.)

That's generally the way I look at it. If the portrayed time was always intended to be the same as the time of broadcast, then just how long are we to assume Frasier actually spent on that plane between Odd Man Out and Frasier's Imaginary Friend? Then there's also the bridge between Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, and And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon. If you view all the seasons collectively as a more-or-less continuous run of the character's lives, as to opposed to purposely accommodating for the gaps between each season, then Martin's birthday in The Gift Horse doesn't seem too far off from where previous episodes have indicated it should be - roughly around the point in their lives where one season ends and another begins.

I agree in the case of Martin's birthday but not as far as the placement of Back Talk and Frasier's birthday is concerned. That one isn't even remotely close.

[jekylljuice]

I agree in the case of Martin's birthday but not as far as the placement of Back Talk and Frasier's birthday is concerned. That one isn't even remotely close.

Yeah, I can't disagree with you there.

[CatNamedRudy]

The age thing is something I tend to focus on a lot.

In S1's Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast, Frasier tells his listeners that his 63 year old father lives with him.

In S5's The Gift Horse, Martin is celebrating his Sexty Fifth (65) birthday. In 4 years, he only aged two years.

Freddy on the other hand, managed to do all kinds of funky things with his age!

On Cheers, Freddy was born in November of 1989. Frasier moved to Seattle and began his radio show in May of 1993. This would have made Freddy not yet 4 when Frasier moved to Seattle. However, in a couple of first season episodes, he mentions he has a 5 year old son. In S3's Frasier Grinch, I do believe he says Freddy is 6. This would actually be his correct age. Now, skip ahead to S8's Cranes Unplugged. Frasier tells Roz that Freddy is 13. He should have been 11 (which I think it what Roz says to Frasier originally.). This little thing wouldn't really bug me EXCEPT for the fact that TWO SEASONS later, Freddy is STILL 13 because he's celebrating his Bar Mitzvah in Star Mitzvah. I think in S11's High Holidays he's 15 which makes things all right again because I believe that would be not only Freddy's real age but was also Trevor Einhorn's real age.

Frasier's age tends to move around a bit too. I think he's 43 for about 3 years! I know he's 41 in S1's Fortysomething and he's 43 in S3's Police Story. That makes sense but I think he stays 43 for a while after that.

Obviously, I don't let this stuff but me to the point that it ruins my enjoyment of the show. I'm pretty sure most of you are well aware of the fact that I'd watch Frasier until my eyes fell out if I could! It's just stuff that jumps out at me from time to time and being the trivia buff that I am, it stays with me!

[Sherry]

I was watching High Holidays today - very funny.

and Martin and Frasier both agreed that Niles had never been rebellious

... but ...

in the episode The Club - it was mentioned that Niles had mooned at the president - which is fairly rebellious n'est pas?!

[IslandNiles]

I agree in the case of Martin's birthday but not as far as the placement of Back Talk and Frasier's birthday is concerned. That one isn't even remotely close.

I've just realised that Martin's birthday does indeed suffer from the same calendar issues, even when disregarding the broadcast dates.

In season four, Martin's birthday is in the episode Dad Loves Sherry, the Boys Just Wine, which comes after A Lilith Thanksgiving. But in season five, The Gift Horse (also Martin's birthday) is one episode before Halloween, which is obviously before Thanksgiving.

[barnaclelapse]

Oh, I just thought of another. In An Affair to Forget Frasier doesn't speak German. But in the episode where he meets Claire (I forget which one, but it's the scene in the electronics store) he speaks the language quite fluently.

He also spoke German in the season ten conclusion of Cheers.

[Mr Blue Sky]

Oh, I just thought of another. In An Affair to Forget Frasier doesn't speak German. But in the episode where he meets Claire (I forget which one, but it's the scene in the electronics store) he speaks the language quite fluently.

He also spoke German in the season ten conclusion of Cheers.

I didn't realise that (I'm not very familiar with Cheers). I've always passed that continuity error off as he could possibly have learnt German in the time between S2 and S10. That doesn't quite fit now does it?

[barnaclelapse]

Nope.

And it's gonna drive you bug ****ing nuts, isn't it?

Muwahahahahahahahahahahaha

[!Amz!]

Just picked up something while watching Miss Right Now:

Ronee states that she's in her forties: well, how does this work?

In S1's Fortysomething, we learn that Frasier is 41, so by S11, he'd be 52, or maybe still 51. And if Ronee was his babysitter who's in her forties in S11 - how could she have been his babysitter when she's younger than him? Someone should have tought the writers about continuity!

[Karin]

Just picked up something while watching Miss Right Now:

Ronee states that she's in her forties: well, how does this work?

In S1's Fortysomething, we learn that Frasier is 41, so by S11, he'd be 52, or maybe still 51. And if Ronee was his babysitter who's in her forties in S11 - how could she have been his babysitter when she's younger than him? Someone should have tought the writers about continuity!

I always thought she wasn't being truthful about her age in that scene, because her mother then says something like "You haven't been in your forties..." before Ronee cuts her off.

[!Amz!]

Oops - forgot about that.

[jlynn]

Chess Pains in other episodes we see Daphne going to her room which sits just behind where the kitchen is, but in chess pains when frasier sets off the smoke alarm we see her coming out of her room, next to martin and frasier

[IslandNiles]

Chess Pains in other episodes we see Daphne going to her room which sits just behind where the kitchen is, but in chess pains when frasier sets off the smoke alarm we see her coming out of her room, next to martin and frasier

That's not quite right. She comes from the living room into the corridor where Frasier and Martin have their rooms.

[CatNamedRudy]

Chess Pains in other episodes we see Daphne going to her room which sits just behind where the kitchen is, but in chess pains when frasier sets off the smoke alarm we see her coming out of her room, next to martin and frasier

That's not quite right. She comes from the living room into the corridor where Frasier and Martin have their rooms.

Yep. IslandNiles is correct. I made the same assumption the first few times I saw Chess Pains but it is clear if you really look that she's just walking down the hall after coming across the living room. You can actually see her come from around the corner.

Though in The Good Son, Martin does say there is a room next to his.

[IslandNiles]

Though in The Good Son, Martin does say there is a room next to his.

I mentioned that earlier in the thread. I put that down to it being the pilot episode, and them not having the set's geography completely worked out yet.