Frasier Online Episode Guide -> Season 8 -> Episode 8.09

Cranes Unplugged

Frederick, now 13, is coming to stay for the weekend and Frasier has lined up an exciting range of activities: they are going to see a play, visit the computer fair, and read and discuss 'Walden' by Henry David Thoreau. However, on returning home, the Frederick he meets seems to be completely unlike the one he remembers - this Frederick is now into pop music, prefers video games to reading and seems to have lost the intellectual capabilities he once had. Frasier tries to take it in his stride, but is struggling to make a connection with the son he once got along with so well. Visiting the computer fair with Frederick, where he tried to lose his father the whole time, is the last straw - Frasier decides that he and Frederick are going to go on a camping trip together - swapping TV and computer games for the delights of the outdoors, whether he likes it or not. He then forces Martin to go along with them as well, despite Martin's protestations.

Once at a cabin in the woods, Frasier hands out journals for Frederick and Martin to write down their thoughts during the weekend, but as soon as Frederick sees a nearby family who have a rope swing, he leaves Frasier and Martin on their own. Frasier is angry that Frederick doesn't even want to spend time with him, and confesses to Martin he wanted to achieve some special moment with his son but can't even see that happenning. Frederick returns to ask if he can have dinner with his new freinds in the next cabin but Frasier forces him to have dinner with them. Frederick then rushes off after dinner to see his friends again, leaving Frasier thinking this was all a big mistake and wants to leave the next day, but when Frederick returns later that evening he wants to stay as he has made plans with (and kissed) Melody, the girl from the next cabin.......Meanwhile, Roz's lament about her love life prompts Daphne to set her up with one of Niles' doctor friends but it doesn't quite go according to plan.

- Roz assumes Frasier has nothing planned this weekend:
Frasier: I have big plans this weekend.
Roz: Let me guess - you and Niles are playing your zithers again at the Country Fair (!)

- Martin being hooked on watching the raunchy videos on MTV.

- Niles returns from a squash game with Dr Betcher:
Daphne: You always smell so masculine after exercising.
Niles: Must be the mango-kiwi shower gel.

- Martin lets Frederick go play with the family with the rope swing:
Frasier: What the hell was that?
Martin: It's just a rope swing - wait until he sees the drying leaves. He'll come running (!)

- Dr Betcher had to rush off from his date with Roz:
Niles: It was an emergency.
Roz: What kind of emergency? Like he saw me and thought I was a dog emergency!

- Roz is ready to go home after having two men rush off from their date:
Roz: You two have listened to enough of my problems tonight. Oh look - 'Titanic's just started!

I really rather enjoyed this episode as it's full of great little moments - Frasier continually wanting to leave at daybreak, Martin reacting badly at having to be dragged along camping are just some of them. It was also nice to see Frasier and Frederick finally bonding at the end of the episode. The other plot of Daphne trying to fix up Roz with a handsome doctor was also good value with it's own share of amusing moments too. All in all, rather a good above-average episode.

Rating

78 %

Avg. Viewer Review: 81.0%
Total Number of Reviews: 5