Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 2 -> Episode 2.24

Dark Victory

Frasier finishes another week of dishing out advice to his callers by telling Caroline she should consider finishing with her psychiatrist as she feels she has gone as far as she can, and is relishing the prospect of a weekend without giving advice on other people's problems. Roz then receives a package of a block of cheese from her family after she decides not to go to her family reunion. This makes Roz break down in tears recalling some strange memories from reunions gone by. Frasier tries to cheer her up by inviting her to Martin's birthday party that night in his apartment. Frasier arrives home full of cheer and ready to settle down to an enjoyable party and weekend - only to be greeted by Martin and Daphne arguing yet again over Martin's exercises. Frasier gets them to call a truce for the night, as Roz arrives, quickly followed by an angry Niles who complains that Frasier is an unprincipled charlatan as Caroline, the caller to Frasier's show, has decided to leave him.

The infighting between the family members starts up again, prompting Roz to leave, but just as Martin blows out the candle on his cake, all the lights go out - a blackout has hit Seattle. After arranging some emergency candle lighting, Roz returns to Frasier's apartment after almost deciding to brave it on the streets. The atmosphere is still frayed, so Frasier suggests everyone participates in a game of "I'm the dullest person", in an attempt to soothe the tension. This ends in yet more tantrums, and Frasier ends up giving advice to all his extended family members which makes everyone happy except Frasier himself because he feels people always expect him to be a psychiatrist 24 hours a day but he ends up learning to live with it.

- Roz is telling Frasier about the time everyone at her family reunion started speaking in "Cheese":
Roz: ... "Oh, I'm gouda". I don't know what would have come after that.
Frasier: Well, if I had been there - the sound of a gunshot (!).

- After Daphne and Martin have been arguing, there is a knock at the door:
Frasier: Look - can we all just try to be civilised.
[Answers the door]
Niles: You unprincipled charlatan! You unconsciable fraud! [Afterthought] Happy birthday Dad.

- Niles is ranting after a patient of his left him after receiving advice from Frasier:
Niles: Two years of hard work wiped out by one of your 2 minute McSessions!

- Roz decides to stay at Frasier's during the blackout:
Roz: Meanwhile, someone's probably looting my apartment.
Niles: Yes, I hear there's a thriving black market for badly designed formica coffee tables(!)

- Frasier tries to recall a game he played at a friend's dinner party:
Frasier: Oh yes, it was called "Who's the dullest person"
Roz: At least pick a game someone else has a chance at winning!

- After Roz admits to having sex in a variety of "interesting" places, everyone looks aghast:
Roz: I was in college - I was trying to find myself,
Niles: All you had to do was look under the nearest man(!)

An enjoyable and at times highly amusing end of season episode, with Roz being accepted into Frasier's extended family. There are good performances all round, with some lovely one liners along the way, which makes this rather a good episode. There is also an excellent closing scene where Frasier solves everyone's problems during a tour of the party which shows how difficult it must be to be a psychiatrist. All in all, a very good ending to an excellent series.

Rating

86 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 92.5%
Total Number of Reviews: 6