Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 8 -> Episode 8.04

Taking Liberties

In Cafe Nervosa, Frasier is searching the classifieds for a new help around his apartment as he doesn't feel it's right to keep on asking Daphne now she is Niles' girlfriend. Then Niles arrives in a very depressed state, prompting Frasier to ask what's wrong. Apparently, Mel forced him to go to a friend's funeral and leave his mobile phone on - during which it rang twice. He also mentions that his butler was there - lighting a bulb over Frasier's head. Both Niles and Frasier want the butler, but Frasier wins by telling Niles that Daphne won't have to clean again! And so Ferguson joins the Crane household and is every bit as good as Frasier hoped he would be. He soon proves his worth to Frasier by suggesting that he send a particular bottle of wine to Alan Murchie, newly elected president of the opera board as a way of trying to get his vacated spot on the board. He does, however, tell Daphne that from his experience employer-employee relationships don't work because of the status difference - something Daphne dismisses.

Alan Murchie's bottle of wine was a great success, and he has intimated to Frasier that he is opera board material. To continue the charm offensive with the rest of the opera board, Frasier has an idea of a post-Turandot party at his apartment. Ferguson has the idea of changing this to pre-Turandot party because of the older members of the board - which Frasier agrees to. On the night of the party, Niles drops by to pick up Daphne for their secret trip together to the Tacoma Mall, but his delight at being with Daphne soon turns to despair when Ted and Lois Fisher bring a guest - Mel! She, of course, forces him to stay by her side but when she agrees to go to the Fisher's New Year's Eve party, Niles snaps. He drags Mel to the kitchen and demands she stop being so vindictive - but Mel will do no such thing. Niles then causes a scene in front of the rest of the guests by saying he loves Daphne and that their sham of a marriage is over! All of this leaves Frasier without a place on the board, and without Ferguson as he tenders his resignation after seeing Niles break rank and wants to pursue a lady he once buttled for.

- A depressed sounding Niles orders coffee at Cafe Nervosa:
Frasier: Niles, whatever's wrong the answer doesn't lie at the bottom of an espresso cup.

- Ferguson tells Frasier his family has a history of buttling:
Ferguson: Even my father's father was a gentlemen's gentlemen.

- Frasier joins the rest of the household for breakfast:
Martin: Where's Lord Weirdo?

- Frasier is shocked by something he reads in the paper:
Frasier: That politicking Alan Merchie has just been elected president of the opera board!
Martin: Yeah, I'll never forget where I was when I heard the news (!)

- Daphne is telling Ferguson about the complex history of Niles' crush on her:
Daphne: He was married for much of the time.
Ferguson: But now your prince is free?
Daphne: Almost - he married someone else.

- Niles is excited about his trip to the Mall with Daphne:
Niles: She's going in MY car, on MY backseat under a pile of MY coats and blankets!

- Frasier is worried his father will ruin his opera board party:
Frasier: He'll be here swigging from a can and guessing women's weight - I'll be blackballed!

After seven years, you wonder why it took the show's writers so long to give him his own butler, but they finally do and the result, rather disappointingly, is a workmanlike episode of 'Frasier' with some funny lines and moments along the way but I felt the whole butler situation was rather underused. That said, it was fun to see the effect Ferguson had on the Crane household - most notably Martin using him to flick TV channels - and I liked the way he helped Frasier try to win a place on the opera board. Even better was Niles finally standing up to Mel and letting everyone know he is in love with Daphne, as this particular plot line was in danger of becoming rather too drawn out. It was sad to see Ferguson go after just one episode - I felt the show would have been better served by having him in several episodes - but overall this was a rather average episode of the show that didn't seem to make the most out of a good situation.

Rating

76 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 78.4%
Total Number of Reviews: 9