Frasier Online
home About The Show Episode Guide Merchandise Forum Reviews Gallery Contact

Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 8 -> Episode 8.13

Hungry Heart
Episode Details

Written by: Gayle Abrams

Directed by: Kelsey Grammer

Original US airdate: 20th February 2001

Original UK airdate: 6th April 2001


Cast Information
Main Cast
Frasier Crane .... Kelsey Grammer
Niles Crane .... David Hyde Pierce
Martin Crane .... John Mahoney
Daphne Moon .... Jane Leeves
Roz Doyle .... Peri Gilpin
Recurring Cast
Kenny Daly .... Tom McGowan
   
   
Guest Cast
Kenny's Wife .... Illeanna Douglas
Janice .... Julie Dretzin
Waiter .... Mario Soto
Guest Callers

Episode Synopsis

Kenny arrives at Frasier's apartment in a bit of a state - apparently, he got chatting to a woman called Janice he met in a bar the previous night and before long, he had a date to see her that night. Frasier questions his motives, but Kenny says he loves his wife, so Frasier volunteers to go down to the restaurant and tell Janis Kenny won't be coming. Unbeknownst to Frasier, Kenny's wife has heard the message Janice left on their answerphone and gone down to confront her. Janice scarpers, leaving Frasier to believe the woman sitting at the table Kenny booked is Janice - something which Kenny's wife does nothing to deny. Frasier and 'Janice' get on well, so well in fact that they agree to meet up again the next night.

Kenny arrives back at Frasier's later that night desperate to know how things went with Janice. Frasier tells him everything was fine, and asks if it's alright for him to see Janice as they got along so well. Kenny is fine with it, but arrives back at Frasier's the next night just before Janice is due to arrive for their date, worried that his wife is having an affair. Just then, 'Janice' arrives forcing Frasier to rush Kenny into his bedroom until the coast is clear. Frasier moves 'Janice' into the kitchen so he can get Kenny out, but then Kenny shows Frasier a picture of his wife and Frasier's situation becomes clear.......Meanwhile, Daphne's weight problems balloons out of control, despite Niles helping her to lose weight, so Daphne agress she should go to a spa for professional help in losing weight.

Episode Title Cards
  • Moonstuck

  • Hungry Heart

Episode Highlights

- Kenny fears Janice may call his house:
Frasier: You gave this woman your home number?!
Kenny: I'm new at this!

- Kenny's wife confronts Janice at the restaurant:
Janis: You must have heard my message on your answering machine.
Kenny's Wife: Yes - and for your information, Kenny's eyes are brown, not hazellicious!!

- Martin walks into the living room to see Daphne on the floor:
Martin: What happened?
Niles: Daphne tripped on something and fell.
Martin: Oh my God! Where's Eddie!

- Daphne is helped up off the floor by Frasier, Niles and Martin:
Martin: Daphne, I just thought of something funny - it took 3 Cranes to lift you!

- Frasier is rushing to get Kenny out of his apartment:
Frasier: Janis is in the kitchen - you're free to go.
Kenny: Go where? To an empty house? An all-night movie? Walk the streets alone?
Frasier: All of those sound good.

- Frasier rushes to get Kenny out as the coast is clear but spies his father:
Frasier: Dad, I thought you were going out. I have a date.
Kenny: Doc, quick - I need you in the bedroom!
Martin: Pretty (!)

Frasier Online Episode Review

Thanks to a writer with some experience, this was a better effort than of late even though the comedy of misunderstandings about Janice and Kenny's wife, etc has been done better in previous episodes, and despite the fact that wasn't fast or funny enough to be the farce it aspires to. The other plotline about Daphne's weight finally reached it's conclusion as she agreed to visit a spa and so will disappear from the show until after Jane Leeves gives birth. There were some good jokes along the way, most notably in the scene where Daphne falls and it takes Martin, Daphne and Niles to pick her up, together with a lovely cameo from Illeana Douglas as Kenny's wife. You may have seen her in the Hollywood satire 'Action' or Gus Van Sant's excellent 'To Die For' - she certainly livened up her part and showed again what a talented actress she is. It was disappointing to see Roz sidelined once again, but on the whole this was an enjoyable episode, and it was nice to see Kenny being at the centre of an episode for once too.

Rating

76 %

Latest Viewer Episode Review

Avg. Viewer Review: 86.2%
Total Number of Reviews: 5


Out with Daph, May 17, 2013

Reviewer: Sammy J from Melbourne, Australia


"Frasier" sends Jane Leeves off to maternity leave with a very good episode for Daphne and Niles. Leeves has some real fun playing her manic chocolate addiction and finally gets to show her acting chops that so dominated seasons 6 and 7.

Mid-season pregnancies are phenomenally tough on writers, and the clever revelation that Niles' love has overpowered his ability to see Daphne's weight gain is just beautiful. I appreciate how her final fall and realisation is played with the series' trademark realism yet also has time to be very very funny. After all, the actress has put on weight but so has the character - and this show is never one to shy away from making fun of its own.

Kenny Daly, meanwhile, gets his best episode yet. While Tom McGowan is an amiable and talented chap, I found his character's recurring presence in season 6 a bit useless. The idea of a boss so lacking in dynamism is a funny one-off gag, but he never rose to equality with the other KACL loons. Somewhere in season 7, the writers found a better use for him and whatever else the writers have failed at this year, they've figured out how to make the best of the boss. Sadly, Martin and Roz are sidelined, but my philosophy is that each episode is only 1/264th of a larger series, so why shouldn't get Kenny get a single subplot?

Illeana Douglas puts in a star turn as Kenny's wife who leads Frasier into an unwitting farce. (And Roz may be sidelined but her terrified response to the power of the pheromones is very funny.) All in all, a standout episode for this season.


Rating: 88%

 

Read more viewer reviews of this episode.

Write your own review of this episode and share your thoughts with other's.