Frasier Forum Awards - Worst Episode - Vote now! Final poll!

[Cake for Brains]

I’ll start by thanking everybody who showed interest in the recent ‘Best Episode Poll’ which ended yesterday, and although the winner (Ham Radio) was a tad predictable, it was still a lot of fun. However, this second poll takes us right down to the other end of the scale – and this time we’re looking for the worst episode of ‘Frasier’ ever produced. Unlike the previous ‘Forum Awards’ threads than ran in the summer, the ‘Best Frasier Episode’ is going to operate as a poll, and you will have the opportunity to vote for your personal least favourite episode from the five nominations given above. This time, you are not posting a list of nominations, because the episode which triumphs (is that the right word?) in this poll will be named ‘Worst Frasier Episode’, and will hopefully represent this forum’s views accurately. I am going to allow this poll to run for a week, before the winner is announced next Thursday (28th September).

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask. Otherwise, happy voting everyone (and try not to get too depressed at the episodes mentioned above, even ‘Frasier’ had bad days).

The Five ‘Worst Frasier Episodes’ at the moment are:

1) A Day in May (11 votes)
2) The Wizard and Roz (10 votes)
3) War of the Words (7 votes)
4) Legal Tender Love and Care (5 votes)
5) Some Assembly Required (5 votes)

Below is a list of interesting statistics (well I thought so) concerning the voting progress, and I have divided the episodes into their appropriate season’s. The number allocated in brackets next to the episode indicates how many votes it received. There were a total of 45 episodes voted for, which (again) represents the diversity of this forum. I suppose the five episodes that have made the final list are all absolute ‘clunkers’ in terms of ‘Frasier’ standards, and there aren’t really any surprise additions amongst them. Saladin K Patterson, the infamous writer who was on staff during Frasier’s worst years has received a pretty strong voice amongst the results, with three of his episodes making the final poll – although personally I think Eric Zicklin was even worse. I suppose it speaks volume about the dire quality of the episodes shortlisted that I actually think ‘War of the Words’ is the best episode out of the five (‘War of the Words’ and ‘best’ aren’t two words you hear in a sentence very often). Admittedly, ‘WOTW’ is a terrible example, badly written and embarrassingly out-of-character, but I (personally) don’t think its quite as terrible as the majority. I was tempted to go for either ‘The Wizard and Roz’ or ‘Some Assembly Required’, but in the end I voted for ‘A Day in May’, surely the most banal twenty-two minutes in the show’s long history. This episode has not one redeeming feature, whether it be the poorly handled, heavy-handed subplot featuring Martin’s shooter or Frasier sucking a lolly, it’s all hideous and painful to watch.

Season 1
Call Me Irresponsible (1)
Death Becomes Him (1)
Fortysomething (3)

Season 2
The Unkindest Cut of All (1)
Burying a Grudge (1)
The Show where Sam shows up (1)
You Scratch my Book (1)

Season 3
The Focus Group (1)

Season 4
Head Game (1)
To Kill a Talking Bird (1)
Roz’s Krantz and Goldenstein Are Dead (1)
Odd Man Out (1)

Season 5
The 1000th Show (2)
Perspectives on Christmas (1)
The Ski Lodge (1)
Frasier Gotta Have It (1)

Season 6
Good Samaritan (2)
Dr Nora (2)

Season 7
Momma Mia (1)
The Dog that Rocks the Cradle (2)

Season 8
Legal Tender Love and Care (5)
Frasier’s Edge (3)
Motor Skills (2)
Sliding Frasier’s (1)
Docu.Drama (1)
It Takes Two to Tangle (1)
The Wizard and Roz (10)
A Day in May (11)

Season 9
Room Full of Heroes (1)
Juvenilia (1)
The Proposal (1)
War of the Words (7)
Deathtrap (1)
Frasier Has Spokane (4)
The Guilt Trippers (3)

Season 10
Enemy at the Gate (2)
Kissing Cousin (3)
Door Jam (2)
Trophy Girlfriend (1)
Fraternal Schwinns (1)
Some Assembly Required (5)
The Devil and Dr. Phil (1)
A New Position for Roz (1)

Season 11
High Holidays (1)
Detour (2)

And now how did the seasons far in the voting?

1st = Season 8 (34 votes)
2nd = Season 9 (18 votes)
3rd = Season 10 (16 votes)
4th = Season 1 (5 votes)
4th = Season 5 (5 votes)
6th = Season 2 (4 votes)
6th = Season 4 (4 votes)
6th = Season 6 (4 votes)
9th = Season 7 (3 votes)
9th = Season 11 (3 votes)
11th = Season 3 (1 vote)

Some rather interesting results there I think. There are some episodes that have received nominations in this poll that I simply can’t understand such as ‘High Holidays’, ‘The Ski Lodge’, ‘Dr Nora’ and ‘Perspectives on Christmas’. And, Season 3 getting the least votes is quite a surprise, which I suppose reinforces just what a strong, great season it is. Only one vote – superb result.

Happy voting everybody!

[Cake for Brains]

Just in case anybody skipped all the wordy bits in my above post, I thought I'd re-post my thoughts on the episode that I've voted for, where they're probably more likely to be read.

I suppose it speaks volume about the dire quality of the episodes shortlisted that I actually think ‘War of the Words’ is the best episode out of the five (‘War of the Words’ and ‘best’ aren’t two words you hear in a sentence very often). Admittedly, ‘WOTW’ is a terrible example, badly written and embarrassingly out-of-character, but I (personally) don’t think its quite as terrible as the majority. I was tempted to go for either ‘The Wizard and Roz’ or ‘Some Assembly Required’, but in the end I voted for ‘A Day in May’, surely the most banal twenty-two minutes in the show’s long history. This episode has not one redeeming feature, whether it be the poorly handled, heavy-handed subplot featuring Martin’s shooter or Frasier sucking a lolly, it’s all hideous and painful to watch.

[Stratman]

I chose ''Some Assembly Required.''

Frasier was painfully annoying, worse still, the subplot, featured a scene where Niles gives a ''changed'' kid his wipes. Yuck.

I'm not suprised ''Dr Nora'' got a vote. It's pretty painful to watch, IMHO. I'm sure we all know whom Joe was skewering; I just wish he hadn't. Joe isn't known for his subtlety, IMO, but this one took the cake. Portraying Dr Nora AKA Dr Laura with no redeemable qualities whatsoever was low, IMHO. This may offend some people, but I saw that episode as nothing more than heavy-handed propaganda.

[Bee Gees Fan]

If Door Jam was on the list, I'd vote for that - it's the episode that I least enjoyed. I'm not sure which one of the five here is the worst...I'll have to have a think.

[DHP]

Of the five listed, I've only seen The Wizard and Roz and A Day In May. My vote went for the latter as along with others, I thought it wasn't funny and it wasn't as challenging or moving as it wanted to be in the serious moments involving Martin's shooter.

I don't recall if I saw all of The Wizard and Roz, but I didn't think it was too bad really. Not great, but not bad. Am surprised Martin Does It His Way isn't on the list. That episode really grates for me now. It was only mildly amusing the first time I saw it, and now it just sucks.

[Bee Gees Fan]

Am surprised Martin Does It His Way isn't on the list. That episode really grates for me now. It was only mildly amusing the first time I saw it, and now it just sucks.

What are the reasons for that, DHP?

Martin Does It His Way is one of my favourite episodes, so I'm interested in what you dislike about it.

Maybe the fact that I first saw the episode in America has something to do with my liking it so much. Every time I've been in America, I've been on holiday, so I associate America with happy times and holidays, and so seeing it over there may have contributed slightly to my liking of it.

[Nervosa]

I really like Martin Does It His Way too.

"Sheeeeeee's such a groovey lady..." I'm always whistling it! It would have been a great Sinatra song I reckon.

[roz11]

War of the Words definitely get my vote. I remember the first time I watched it I was so appauled!

[Bee Gees Fan]

"Sheeeeeee's such a groovey lady..." I'm always whistling it! It would have been a great Sinatra song I reckon.

I like the song too, although when my Dad saw the episode, he said it was nothing like a Frank Sinatra song. I guess he knows best - after all, he is 58, and has heard more Sinatra songs than I have.

Frank had a really good voice.

[Wezzo]

IIRC, one of my nominations was Dr. Nora. It's dire.

Voted for A Day In May. Utter tripe.

[citystreets]

When I watched S8 recently, I actually didn't mind the Wizard and Roz that much at all.

My first pick would probably have been the Dog That Rocks the Cradle but out of these, I think A Day in May takes it; a total, embarrassing clunker in every way.

[me123]

Who voted for "The Focus Group"?

Anyway, not having seen any episodes, I can't vote.

[!Amz!]

Just out of interest Cakey, are you still gonna do the other nomination threads?

[Cake for Brains]

I'd really like to do the other threads, but the last few I did sparked very little interest/responses. I might do a few more of these, and if they're successful, run somemore Nominations' threads simualtameously.

[welshben23]

4 words- WAR OF THE WORDS!

[Stratman]

I'd really like to do the other threads, but the last few I did sparked very little interest/responses. I might do a few more of these, and if they're successful, run somemore Nominations' threads simualtameously.

I think that was more a case of people not being used to the new forum format. All of your polls were in the new section and I think people just kind of forgot.

[Stratman]

On another note, I'm suprised how few votes WOTW has gotten. Where's BN and Jocylen.

[Cake for Brains]

Only a couple of hours left until the voting closes?

Let's at least see if we can get the total number of votes cast into double figures!

[Nervosa]

I think Death And The Dog should be on the list. Man, how depressing. The writers must have been trying to reach some sort of deadline for this one.

[Bee Gees Fan]

I think Death And The Dog should be on the list. Man, how depressing. The writers must have been trying to reach some sort of deadline for this one.

I liked Death and the Dog. I don't think it's one of the stronger episodes of Season Four, but it's still one I enjoy.

Although the characters all become miserable and talk about how horrible they feel, I actually don't think the episode is that depressing. They still get some quite good jokes in the episode, and it ends on a high note. Contrast that with Frasier's Edge (which I liked as well), which left me feeling very miserable at the end. I wasn't miserable because I disliked the episode (as I said, I like Frasier's Edge) but I was miserable because I felt so sorry for Frasier.

[Stratman]

I think Death And The Dog should be on the list. Man, how depressing. The writers must have been trying to reach some sort of deadline for this one.

I can't disagree more. I found that to be a hugely entertaining, and revealing episode.

[Cake for Brains]

The forum has spoken, and the 'Fraser Forum Award' for the Worst Episode goes to... A Day in May

I'll start a new poll as soon as I can.

And, as for 'Death and the Dog', it's one of my all time favourites and would easily make my Top 20. Every character gets to shine in it.

[Nervosa]

I just don't like it guys, it was too heavy for me I think. Frasier and Niles did have some good lines about the dog thearapist, but that was about it for me I'm afraid.

[Bee Gees Fan]

it was too heavy for me I think.

"Whoa, this is heavy, Doc!"

You've just put Back to the Future right back into my mind, Nervosa.

[Nervosa]

You've just put Back to the Future right back into my mind, Nervosa.

I have a feeling it's never too far from your mind, BGF!