Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 7 -> Episode 7.12

RDWRER (aka The Winnebago Show)

Frasier meets Roz at Cafe Nervosa and begins to tell her about how he celebrated the dawning of the new Millennium. It began disasterously, with Niles coming round to Frasier's to tell him that their Millennium party venue - Chez Henri - had burnt down after Henri set his own centrepiece alight with his caramelising torch. They are distraught but Frasier remembers the wine club are having their own party in Sun Valley - Auld Lang Wine, so Niles is immediately on the phone. They would be delighted to have them so Frasier and Niles invite Martin too, but fail to find any plane tickets so are forced to make the 650 mile trip in Martin's new Winnebago complete with his new personalised licence plates: RDWRER (Road Warrior, in case you're wondering). Frasier is enjoying himself, but Niles is finding it hellish, and both are finding Martin's 'Austin Powers' infatuation hard to deal with. They finally stop at a roadside diner, a Little Red Cabin, but Niles is so tired he decides to go back to the Winnebago. Unfortunately, he is so tired he fails to realise he gets into the wrong Winnebago!

Frasier and Martin set off again thinking Niles is in the back, but when Niles wakes up he believes he is in the Road Warrior and it has been stolen by the two people who are now driving it - and their talk of being criminals only makes him more sure. He phones the police and says that he has been kidnapped in a Winnebago with licence plates RDWRER. He waits until the two people driving pull into another Little Red Cabin and then drives it off himself. He phones Frasier with a sense of triumph until Frasier tells him that HE is driving the Road Warrior, meaning Niles has stolen a Winnebago! At that moment, the police force Frasier out of the Winnebago after receiving a tip-off, but as everything checks out, they are allowed to proceed. Niles manages to return the Winnebago to the Little Red Cabin without the two owners suspecting anything, but Frasier tells Niles he is 300 miles away from them and he has to find some way of hitching a ride to meet them halfway. Luckily the owners of the Winnebago are heading that way and Niles sneaks aboard. When the 3 finally meet, it is already past midnight but then Martin realises they are in Mountain Time and only 45 minutes away from Pacific Time, where it is only just gone 11pm. Will they get there on time to celebrate the most important New Years Eve of their lifetime?

- After the disaster at Chez Henri, Niles wonders what to do for New Years Eve:
Niles: I should have gone with Mel. She and her mother are taking a hot air balloon through wine country.
[Frasier and Martin knowingly look at Niles]
Niles: Well, not in the balloon but I could follow along in the recovery vehicle.

- Martin says that 'RDWRER' means 'Road Warrior':
Daphne: Of course! For a retired man with a cane and a Winnebago, I don't know why my mind didn't think of it (!)

- Martin is feeling hungry on the trip:
Martin: Another Little Red Cabin! You know - we're not going to find anywhere better to eat on this highway.
Frasier: Let's not be hasty Dad. It's 5 miles away - we might run over something by then!

- At the Little Red Cabin diner:
Martin: I wonder if you can still get Sticky Shingles here?
Niles: One look at the salad bar says yes (!)

- Frasier is on his mobile to Niles after he has returned the Winnebago:
Frasier: Where are you Niles?
Niles: I'm in Baker City, Oregon.
Frasier: Baker City!
Martin: Shag me rotten! That's 300 miles!

- Niles is telling Frasier what he did as the New Millennium dawned in an empty diner:
Niles: Big Sandy let me watch the register while she emptied the rat traps.

With the 3 Cranes travelling together in a Winnebago, this episode will obviously draw comparisons with the season 1 episode: 'Travels With Martin'. However, while that episode turned out to be a little gem, this one falls somewhat short of that terrific episode. There are some good moments like when Martin is in full-on 'Austin Powers' mode, and the moment when Frasier realises Niles isn't in the back of the Road Warrior and is driving a stolen Winnebago. These in themselves, though, don't add up to a great episode especially as it is a little predictable that the Cranes will have to battle against disaster to see in the Millennium. Despite a nice ending where they see in the New Year - just - it could have been better. The end result of all of this is still an enjoyable episode, just one that fails to completely satisfy.

Rating

77 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 83.9%
Total Number of Reviews: 9