Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 8 -> Episode 8.01

And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon

We begin where we left off at the end of Season 7 - with Niles and Daphne escaping from her and Donny's wedding in the Winnebago. Both are excited at the prospect, but when they have to decide whether to head for Seattle or Canada, they realise the best thing to do would be to head back to the wedding and tell Donny and Mel their feelings for each other. This they do - with neither Donny nor Mel taking it well at all!! As Niles and Daphne begin their relationship properly, they decide that they should have their first proper date at a fancy restaurant to celebrate this new phase in their lives. Their happiness is shattered somewhat by the arrival of a bunch of flowers from Donny for Daphne - accompanied by a letter informing her that he is suing her for emotional distress!

Frasier goes down to talk to Donny, but all his persuasive talking just manages to get him added to the lawsuit for his part in getting Daphne to dump him for Niles! Frasier and Martin then join Niles at Cafe Nervosa as he prepares to meet Mel for the first time - she informs him that in return for a clean divorce, he will have to play the role of her husband at some social engagements before SHE files for divorce just to save face within her social circle. He agrees - something Daphne is none to happy about, especially when Niles tells her that the first social event is the night of their first date. What's worse is that the event is Mel and Niles wedding reception, organised by some of Mel's colleagues - throughout which Niles has to put on a smiley happy face all evening. Mel then drops a bombshell when she informs Niles that while he is 'playing' her husband, he cannot be seen in public with Daphne. All of this causes Niles and Daphne to have their first fight, which Frasier elegantly resolves by getting the two of them to have dinner together on the roof of the apartment block under the twinkling stars.....

- Niles and Daphne contemplate which way to go in the Winnebago: Seattle or Canada:
Daphne: What's left for us in Seattle - ex-wives and ex-fiancees. A tangled mess of bitterness and hurt feeling.
Niles: Yes, but an excellent symphony and world class dining.

- Roz is telling Daphne that Simon tried to hit on her, then Roz's babysitter:
Daphne: Mum claims he was dropped as a child - I think he was thrown.

- Niles and Daphne's first kiss in front of everyone.

- Roz tells Daphne that Simon is opening her wedding gifts:
Simon: Roz you little snitch! I'm having serious doubts about you being the future mother of my children!

- Donny discovers Frasier got Niles and Daphne together:
Donny: You did this on my wedding day?
Frasier: Oh no - it was the night before.

- Niles and Martin are at Cafe Nervosa awaiting Mel's arrival:
Niles: Where is Mel - she's punctual to a fault.
Martin: She's only five minutes late.
Niles: Five! I thought it was two!!!

- Martin and Frasier see Mel giving Niles a watch:
Frasier: Isn't this all too typical. Niles leaves his wife for another woman and he gets a gift. I try to do the right thing and end up with Mr Chump and a lawsuit!!

- Frasier and Martin are attending Niles and Mel's 'wedding' reception:
Frasier: Look at Niles overacting. Have you ever seen anything so pathetic?
Martin: How about you and Lilith?
Frasier: It was a rhetorical question!

- Martin wants Niles to see the pigeon coot on the apartment block roof:
Niles: Pigeons - I don't like like pigeons. They have no respect for public art!

As the episode picks up where we left off at the end of Season 7, it seems only fitting the episode continues in the same vein as 'Something Borrowed, Someone Blue' by which I mean that plot and emotions feature highly, with comedy sadly coming off a distinct second. I felt that the episode was overlong and was sometimes a bit painful to watch, a bit disappointing seeing that the writers are two of the show's creators (and co-writers of the brilliant pilot episode 'The Good Son'). This was not helped by the recurring presence of Simon Moon, who has turned from being a nice antidote to the Crane's stuffiness to a rather dislikeable and annoying character. There were some good moments: Frasier's toast to Niles and the love of his life at Niles and Mel's wedding reception, and the rooftop dinner at the end of the episode, but the show could be in danger of losing sight of what made it successful in the first place by focusing on Niles and Daphne too much. Nevertheless, a memorable episode and the writers have worked through nicely the ramifications of Niles and Daphne wanting to be together - I just hope the rest of the series sees a return to the familiar 'Frasier' comedy we have grown to love.

Rating

78 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 82.8%
Total Number of Reviews: 13