Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 7 -> Episode 7.23

Something Borrowed, Someone Blue

Frasier, Niles, Mel, Daphne and Martin return from the funeral of the building's doorman, Morrie, and his wife has given Martin an excedingly rare bottle of wine he had - much to the amazement of Frasier and Niles. Martin, however, gives it to Daphne as a wedding gift. Niles and Mel announce they are spending a few days before Daphne's wedding away at a cabin, but Niles is worried Mel will press for him to move in with her again so Frasier's advice is to not take baby steps in life. Frasier also notices that Daphne has been quite highly strung lately, and on confronting her Frasier learns that Daphne has known for some time about Niles' feelings for her. Not only that, but she may have feelings for Niles as well, leaving Daphne no choice but to talk to him when he gets back. Simon, Daphne's bad-seed brother, returns from California but as Frasier doesn't want him in the apartment, Martin offers to put him up in his Winnebago. After his sojourn away, Niles drops by Frasier's apartment with news he just can't contain - he and Mel have got married! Frasier learns this from Martin just after he has encouraged Daphne to speak to Niles about his feelings for her and manages to stop her in time. It transpires that Frasier's advice about not taking baby steps was ringing in Niles' ears when he accepted Mel's proposal, but when Daphne learns of this news, she hides her real feelings in a sea of smiles and congratulations.

Finally, Daphne's big day has arrived and all the guests are arriving at the country house she and Donny have hired for the occasion, including 16 members of the Moon family. When Daphne's mother arrives, everyone soon learns why Daphne holds her in such low regard, but it is Roz who faces the most problems what with being seated next to an ex-boyfriend and having to go to the wedding with Simon as she couldn't get anyone else. Frasier speaks to Daphne in private, and she now says that her feelings for Niles were just wedding jitters and she does love Donny. However, the way in which Niles and Daphne seeem to look at each other on the dancefloor after the rehearsal dinner prompts Frasier into taking Niles upstairs and telling him that Daphne knows, and has known for some time, about his feelings for her, and she may feel the same. Niles manages to get Daphne on her own and tells her that he loves her, and wants to know how she feels about him. However, this moment is spoiled by the arrival of Simon and the rest of the party, forcing Niles and Daphne on to the balcony. Niles waits anxiously for her answer, and surpries him as she passionately kisses Niles, but then says she can't cancel the wedding and points out they haven't been on a date, leaving Niles distraught.

A short time before the ceremony, Frasier and Martin find Niles holed up in the Winnebago and try to cheer him up by drinking Morrie's rare bottle of wine - a nice gesture, sadly soured by the fact that Morrie's wine rack was in the bolier room! Frasier and Martin then leave Niles in peace when there is a knock at the door - it's Daphne and she's ready to go on a date with Niles - and the two of them set off in the Winnebago together........

- Roz is aghast when Frasier offers to accompany her to Daphne's wedding:
Roz: You can't go to a wedding with your boss - it's like going to the prom with your brother!
Frasier: Niles and I did not go to the prom together - our dates got sick and we both went stag!

- Frasier finds out Daphne knows about Niles' feelings for her:
Frasier: Someone blabbed didn't they! Why can't people mind their own business?! Who was the nattering gossip - Dad? Roz?
Daphne: You
Frasier: What?!

- Daphne has spent days snacking on party food:
Martin: You know when they put 'Party Size' on that cookie bag, they don't mean party for one!

- Roz is still looking for a date for the wedding:
Roz: I need a date - I'm desperate.
Simon: Well, well - someone is singing my favourite song (!)

- Roz is worried about going as Simon's date to the wedding:
Simon: If you're worried about my appearance, I know where I can get my hands on some nice Armani suits.
Martin: Or you can just borrow one of Frasier's.
Roz: What did you think he was talking about ?!

- Martin learns Niles has just got married to Mel:
Martin: Are you happy?
Niles: Happy? I'm delirious!
Martin: You'd have to be, wouldn't you (!)

- Roz had to travel to the wedding with 15 of Daphne's relatives:
Roz: Your Aunt Ida got a weekend off from the bakery. Judging by the size of her, it'll be the first Saturday they turn a profit!

- Niles and Daphne are confronting their feelings for each other:
Niles: I've often wondered what it would be like to hold your hands and ask the question I never dared ask....
Donny: What's the difference between a blister and a boil?!

- An anxious Niles waits for Daphne to tell him her feelings:
Daphne: Oh for heaven's sake, Dr Crane.
[They kiss passionately]
Niles: I think you can call me Niles now.

Well - where to begin? This is rollercoaster of an episode that takes you through the feelings of laughter, amazement, despair and hope all inside of 1 hour and somehow manages to produce a magnificent conclusion to the Niles/Daphne story. My biggest problem with the episode, however, was the fact that coming from the pen of 2 of the most talented 'Frasier' writers, it wasn't very funny. Some of the laughs felt weak, and the scene where Daphne and Niles are in a room with connecting doors and people keep coming out of them at the wrong time was straight out of a British West-End farce circa 1970. Where the episode did score strongly was in the way it handled Niles and Daphne finally confronting their feelings for each other. Jane Leeves and especially David Hyde Pierce excelled in this episode, leading to the moment that Frasier viewers have perhaps been waiting for since Niles first became infatuated with Daphne in Episode 3 (see Dinner At Eight): when Niles finally professed his undying love for Daphne. The pinnacle scene of the episode came where Niles and Daphne escaped to the balcony as Niles waited for Daphne's answer, leading to a breathtaking moment when Daphne unexpectedly starts passionately kissing Niles before telling him she can't call off the wedding.

This all leads to the final scene in the Winnebago and an ending that has lead to a huge amount of discussion. Daphne, it appears, has changed her mind and is now ready to take her chance with Niles, so the two of them set off together in the Winnebago. This was the happy ending many of the show's viewers have wanted and it feels right to at least give them a chance. This lovely scene brings to an end a superior episode of the show, that while not being particularly funny, did pack a powerful emotional punch and gives the show a fantastic place to start the next season from.

What about the series as a whole? Well, although I feel this season was a big improvement on Season 6, almost every episode seems a rewrite of a previous one and with almost no new characters, the chance for development seems small at the moment. For example, 'Cheers brought in Woody and Rebecca, while 'Frasier' has introduced only Donny and Mel recently. If the show is the rejuvenate itself even further in the future, it needs to stop feeling like a re-run of better episodes. Hopefully, with the talented team the show has behind it, it will leaving me awaiting Season 8 with anticiapation.

Rating

86 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 97.2%
Total Number of Reviews: 23