Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 5 -> Episode 5.01

Frasier's Imaginary Friend

Picking up from where last season's finale left off, we rejoin Frasier after he spontaneously decided to board the plane to Acapulco with Joanna - but she soon switches seats after learning she's the only reason he got on the plane. Frasier is then excited to get talking with another woman, but soon moves again once he meets her husband! While a reading a magazine, he realises that the model in the magazine is actually the the woman sitting next to him on the plane, who introduces herself as Kelly Easterbrook. The pair become acquainted with Frasier even more attracted to Kelly once she tells him she's a supermodel AND a zoologist. The pair share a steamy time together in Mexico, but while Kelly wants to continue seeing Frasier, she asks him to not tell anyone about them as she's currently breaking up with a football player and doesn't want the media to find out.

Back in Seattle, Niles, Daphne and Martin were worried by Frasier's out-of-character spur of the moment trip with Niles worrying that it could be a sign over the desperate state of his love life - something that is given even greater gravitas when Frasier tells them he is dating a supermodel, but can't say who - although he eventually relents when no-one is prepeared to believe him, all of which serves to make Niles, Martin and Daphne think he's gone totally bonkers. This seems to be confirmed when Frasier tells them he is meeting Kelly for dinner in a restaurant, but when they go to join him, they find him eating alone having just missed Kelly who had to rush off. They try to get Frasier to admit the truth but Frasier is just exasperated that no-one believes him. So after they've slept together just before Kelly has to rush off to the Galapagos Islands, Frasier tries to get a picture of the two of them without waking Kelly up. Not a good idea....

- Frasier stops reading the magazine on his flight to introduce himself to the passenger next to him:
Frasier: I'm Dr Frasier Crane from the radio
[Kelly points to herself in an advert]
Kelly: Kelly Easterbrook - from the magazine!

- Frasier, Roz and Bulldog are at KACL where the discussion turns to Frasier's sex life:
Bulldog: Frasier Crane's sex life? Wait a minute, there's a word for that - oxy, oxy....
Roz: Moron!
Bulldog: Hey, woah, easy - I'll get it!!

- Frasier refuses to discuss his relationship with Kelly with his family:
Frasier: I'm not at liberty to discuss it.
Niles: Oh yes, that pesky Club Med oath of silence (!)

- Neither Niles or Martin believe Frasier's story that he's dating a supermodel:
Niles: Doesn't he realise how outlandish it all sounds ?!
Martin: Even a fake supermodel would have dumped him by now!

- Frasier isn't happy that no-one believes him about his relationship with Kelly:
Frasier: I did not come back empty handed - I came back with 2 huge handfuls!

- Kelly is excited about her relationship with Frasier:
Kelly: I called all my friends, they couldn't believe it.
Frasier: Nor will mine (!)

- Frasier tries desperately to convince his family he is dating Kelly:
Frasier: I am not crazy! I am dating a supermodel zoologist, whom I stole away from a professional football player, and she is off to the Galapagos Islands to artificially inseminate iguanas! Now is that so hard to believe!

A highly enjoyable start to Season 5, which after the brilliance of Season 4, has a lot to live up to.Thankfully, Rob Greenberg treats us to a gem of an episode to kick off the new season that brilliantly sustains a joke playing on the desperate state of Frasier's love life, which his family now believe has reached the point of him making up relationships with women. Of course, the fact that we know he really is seeing Kelly (a role nicely played by Sela Ward) only serves to make us feel for Frasier as he struggles to convince his family. There are some brilliant one liners along the way (like Martin's 'Even a fake supermodel would have dumped him by now!'), but the ending proved something of a mixed response from fans with some saying that Frasier would never consider taking a photo of him and Kelly. Personally, I think Frasier was so exasperated by his family's non-belief that he would have done it so remains perfectly believeable for me. A superb start to the season, with only the slightest regret that the writers didn't see fit to have Frasier continue his relationship with Kelly for more than an episode as they seemed a good match.

Rating

83 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 88.8%
Total Number of Reviews: 12