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Episode reviews for Episode 5.16 - Beware Of Greeks

Avg. Viewer Review: 78.7%
Number of Reviews: 9

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Wedding Party, May 09, 2013

Reviewer: Sammy J from Melbourne, Australia


I've always liked "Beware of Greeks", a slight but energetic outing. Patti LuPone chews the scenery with aplomb as Aunt Zora, a character who sadly never returned but comes across as convincingly part of the character's background. As someone who has many similar family squabbles, everything about this rang true, including the delightful gag that Martin and his brother exist in content silence even when they ARE speaking!

The episode has a fine sense of time and place, really bringing to life a family event while also realistically capturing how Niles and Frasier are seen by Martin's family. The love story, and Frasier's inevitable involvement, is sweetened by the fact that for once, Frasier is in the right. He may be ruining Zora's party, and this is all played comedically, but this is really an episode where Frasier saves the day... at his own peril. Season 5 is just the cherry on top of four years of effortlessly brilliant television.


Rating: 89%

 

Beware of Greeks, Sep 17, 2012

Reviewer: Lucy from London


I really liked this episode, was good fun.

Found it odd though that Martin all of a sudden had a brother, as he had never been mentioned before and in ‘Author, Author’ he claims to have never had a brother.

Unfortunately this episode was spoilt slightly by the over-the-top Aunt Zora and her grating voice.

I loved Niles’ countless efforts to escape ‘Yvonne the Terrible’ especially the full circle he did from and to the kitchen and hiding behind the wine rack!

It was good when Crystal turned up at the end and thanked Frasier for all he did… ‘why couldn’t she have been a mime?!’

A good episode.


Rating: 80%

 

LOVED IT!, May 11, 2011

Reviewer: April from Grand Prairie, TX USA


My only wish is that Aunt Zora was not a reoccuring role....she was freaking hilarious. I read a review talking about how Martin's brother was never mentioned prior and how Nykos would have certainly kept in touch with Frazier given their closeness...blah, blah, blah! It's a sitcom, lighten up. Gee whiz, surprized they like sit coms at all.....it was classicly funny. LOVED IT!


Rating: 100%

 

Possibly the worst Frasier ever., Aug 22, 2010

Reviewer: John Yancey from Houston, Texas


This episode challenged a few things. First, there was the continuity with Martin's brother, who did not exist in earlier episodes. Second, these relatives were never brought up again in the series. If Nykos was so close to Frasier it would seem obvious he would have talked to him out side of his mother Zora's controlling nature. There were some funny parts but the Greek aspect came off more annoying than anything else.


Rating: 50%

 

Not the greatest, but a nice addition all the same..., Nov 22, 2008

Reviewer: Tom M from Cumbria, England


Not the best episode around, but a worthy addition to the series all the same. Like most other fans, the continuity surrounding the extended Crane family threw me a bit, but it's easy enough to ignore. The character of Zora was a little OTT for my liking, however her scenes were always fun! However, the best part of this episode has to be Niles and "Yvonne the Terrible": the scene where Frasier removes the wine bottles to see Niles' head appearing out is classic!


Rating: 70%

 

Meatcleaver Aunt Zora, please!, Jan 09, 2008

Reviewer: Dean Mather from UNITED KINGDOM


An amusing episode marred somewhat by the performance of Patty Lupone as Aunt Zora, Martins greek sister in law. Frasier bumps into his cousin Nikos and is informed of his upcoming wedding which Frasier tells him that they have not recieved an invitation for. As you can imagine, Frasier sets about a resolve with Aunt Zora(in the past frasier had given Nikos some so called bad advice resulting in a family cut off) with some great laugh out loud moments,most of which come from good ole Frasier. My fave is when Frasier in answer to his fathers moaning cites about his cravings for stuffed grape leaves and zither music! Though this is a very decent episode, Aunt Zora is about as funny as rectal cancer and grates on the eye and ear everytime she is onscreen, thankfully everyone else is up to speed and save this one from below an 80%.


Rating: 87%

 

Beware of Greeks episode review, Apr 23, 2007

Reviewer: Anon. from London


This episode is one of my personal favorites of season 5. Patti LuPone (Aunt Zora) had me laughing out loud with her brilliantly over-the-top performance as Nikos' mum, and the subplot with Niles and 'Yvonne the terrible' was great. The other subplot with Daphne and Martin talking about various people behind their backs and getting their conversation caught on tape was brill. Great ep, many hilarious moments for me!!!


Rating: 93%

 

Caricaturizing Greeks and not funny, Nov 21, 2006

Reviewer: Kathy from Stamford, CT. USA


After 3 very funny episodes they came up with this unfortunate one. Martin, who previously had mentioned that he was an only child, suddenly has a brother and a nephew and a Greek sister-in-law. His sister-in-law is a meat-cleaver waving restaurant owner who wants nothing to do with Frasier and his immediate family because Frasier advised her son to follow his dreams and become a street performer rather than become a doctor. She hangs up on Frasier, slaps one of her staff for laughing at his joke, and threatens him with a meat cleaver until he offers free advertizing for her restaurant. She immediately gives him a bear hug and claims to be such a softie that she's going to cry. Frasier and company are now all invited to the engagement party of her son where the caricaturization continues with Greek background music that never changes. The plot is that Frasier, who promised never to give advice to her son, Nikos, again can't resist doing just that when he finds out that Nikos is really in love with someone other than his fiance. The plot might have been funny if it weren't for the very heavy-handed portrayal of the sister-in-law. She has a very phony and obnoxious-sounding accent, accuses Daphne of being Martin's mistress and is constantly threatening people with physical harm - putting a skewer through someone's eye, sending Frasier away in an ambulance, etc.


Rating: 55%

 

'Beware Of Greeks' review, Jun 27, 2005

Reviewer: Jocelyn from London, UK


Great knockabout fun as Frasier meets up with his soon to be married half-Greek cousin Nikos, whom he once advised to drop out of Medical School in favour of becoming a street juggler - something which Frasier's fearsome Aunt Zora has never forgiven him for. Nevertheless, after a fraught encounter with Zora at her family restaurant, Frasier is allowed to attend the wedding as long as he promises to give Nikos no more of his advice. Much of the episode is set at the rehearsal dinner at Zora's restaurant which includes the first and only appearance of Martin's brother Walt. It seems strange that Martin had never perviously mentioned Walt (even claiming he never had a brother in 'Author, Author') but the scene where they pick up where they left off by exchanging a series of mundane cliches is very funny, as is the carefree discarding of a video tape on which Martin had said some unkind things about his brother. My favourite thing in this episode, however, is Niles' terror of well-endowed cousin Yvonne. His various attempts to hide away from her are truly hilarious, be it in the toilets, behind wine bottles or even in a confessional. In the end, Frasier just can't help interfering again as Nikos' juggling partner Crystal shows up and she and Nikos decide they were meant to be together, leaving bride-not-to-be Mary-Ann out in the cold. Worst of all, Crystal announces to everyone that it was Frasier who was responsible for bringing them together, leading him to whimper 'Why couldn't she have been a mime?' as Zora is let loose on her meddling nephew and Martin wearily bids farewell to his brother...again. A very funny ending to a consistently amusing episode.


Rating: 84%