Frasier discussion thread

Well, there's mastering and then there's how it was shot. All 8 seasons of That '70s Show were shot in 3-perf 16x9, but we only transferred it in 4x3 standard-def because the network was unwilling to commit to HD in those early days. But the original material was technically already widescreen. I would bet by 1995 or 1996, they went and shot it on 3-perf just because it was cheaper... even if they just transferred it only in 4x3. I worked on plenty of shows that did the same thing.

Frasier was an important show and I would bet that Paramount would definitely go back at some point and redo the show for 16x9 HD. My old pal Craig Budrick at Sunset Post did the mastering on the show in the last 4 or 5 seasons and did a fantastic job -- it was one of the best-looking sitcoms on TV at the time.

 

Hmm...season 10 definitely looks cropped. Check it out on Netflix, if possible. There were even times it wasn't full wide screen if something on the floor had to be seen. It was odd. Getting to season 11 was a release.

 

Frasier is at the top of my list of best sitcoms of all time, no question. Witty, intelligent, eclectic and slapsticky in just the right measure and a fantastic ensemble of characters.

If I had to be objectively critical, I would say that it started to founder a little after Nyles finally married Daphne. Thereafter the whole dynamic changed and not for the better, made even worse with Daphne's mother and extended family, etc. I think that's when they ran out steam a little.

 

I can't watch the later episodes with Daphne's family. The show definitely went downhill after Niles became too sullen over Daphne, it was like a depressing soap opera at times.
I wish the writers would have really thrown a curve and had Daphne end up with Frasier, or even Martin!

 

Nope, it was all 16x9. If you watched 4x3, yes, that would be cropped:



First white box = 4x3 standard-def TV; third box on the outer edge = 16x9 HD. If they optimized the framing for 16x9 (which they should), then 4x3 will look "crowded," for lack of a better word. Headroom top and bottom should stay exactly the same; only the side area should change. (Theoretically.) On some film shows we've re-transferred, we had the means to open up a sliver more room top and bottom, maybe 1/8", so you saw a teeny bit more in the HD.

 

Nope, I watched it on a HD screen. It was in widescreen, but everything was really cramped, like it had been cropped. Then season 11 actually looked staged for widescreen. I don't know how to explain it any better unless you watch it yourself.

 

Like lots of shows, less good towards the end - but still funny and smart. I wonder what Frasier Crane's doing now...

 

Frasier was one of the few sitcoms that I really enjoyed.... the writing was clever and witty, and you really cared about the characters. I've got all the seasons on DVD, and this thread has reminded me that I should go back and re-watch the entire series again soon. (I'm still in the middle of my X-Files marathon at the moment).

 

I recall a number of years ago when Mr. Grammer's "Macbeth" was closed after one night on Broadway. He was too old for the part imho . I really think Frazier has stereotyped him a bit, even in serious drama , I am waiting for him to say something pompus .

 

He was very good as a corrupt politician in the series "Boss."

 

David Hyde Pierce, on the other hand, has done quite well on the stage, even winning a Tony. I saw him in Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike. He had a long monologue in the second act, which was the unquestionable highlight of the show.

 

We saw "It Shoulda Been You" in preview and it was light, frothy fun, very entertaining. Don't understand what the reviewer was expecting. Plus it was a bit of a "Frasier" reunion with Harriet Harris and Edward Hibbert doing their level best to chew the scenery.

 

That monologue stopped the show when I saw it.

 

I thought Frasier and Seinfeld were the two best comedies of the nineties bar none. The Frasier character had enough legs to last two decades which says a lot. I don't think you could have done that with Cliff or Norm from Cheers.

 

I also recall a memorable performance by him in the film The Perfect Host. Having just looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes, I was surprised that its rated pretty low, but my memory of the film and David's performance is far more favorable than that.

 

Easily one of the most intelligently written comedies ever to "grace" network TV. Does anyone remember the episode where Frasier spoke "klingon" at his son's bar mitzvah?

 

What could have been better: less reliance on Idiot Plots. For a show with such an urbane reputation (at least in the early seasons) and a lot of sharp dialogue, it was disappointing how often the plotlines were rooted in stilted contrivances that relied on no one doing or saying the obvious things necessary to resolve a situation, or on their making ridiculous assumptions. It got annoying after a while and was part of the reason I stopped watching the show after three seasons or so.

 

Remember back in the '80s, where the cast of old 50's and 60's sitcoms were brought back for reunion shows?

Why don't they do the same with more recent shows?

 

It's interesting then that they chose to release the complete series on DVD only. It would be a natural for Blu-ray with multiple ratios available. Perhaps they didn't want to pay the money to remaster such a new show when they could just dump what they had on DVD and be done with it.

 

NBC is doing it with Coach apparently.

But I seem to recall Kelsey Grammar saying that he proposed a special or a series about Frasier and what he is doing now and the network declined. Perhaps too soon? Perhaps they think no one cares? The finale was great because it left it open for a follow up down the road.

Speaking of reunions it should be time to get the what seems like yearly rumor that the cast of Friends will be doing a Thanksgiving special this upcoming season. Here's an idea for NBC, take one Thursdays - maybe Thanksgiving since it is a special night of the year - and do a special evening of past "Must See TV" episodes or reunion specials.

 

I doubt either - I think that the chances of such a show being good is the issue. Frasier was a good show and often great. It's tough to pull off a reunion. For lesser shows, there is not much to lose.

 

If I'm reading you right, you got annoyed because it WASN'T predictable? If that's the case, I'd argue that predictability is the exact reason why so many sitcoms fall flat today.

 

I watched it when it first aired in the UK. I watched it religiously until the season after the radio station went 'Latin' (around season 4-5?). After that I think Channel 4 started to shift it around in the schedule and also I moved out of my parents home and had 'other' things to entertain me. I stopped watching it.

So I have several seasons still to watch.

And here in lies the rub...

I started to watch it all again on Amazon prime a couple of months ago. Loved it. Got up to the bit where 'dirty girl' turns up as the new station boss (end of season 3?) and...

...Amazon suddenly switched the show to paid instead of Prime. Grrrrrrrr

So will just have to wait till it comes back to Prime or Netflix. I can wait.

Great show.

Frasier - Oh Niles how can I deal with this situation?

Niles - Easy, use sex to get what you want!

Frasier - How can I use sex to get what I want? Sex IS what I want!!

Brilliant.

 

Actually, that's the opposite of what I meant - by "not doing or saying the obvious things" and "idiot plots", I mean that the show went through the standard sitcom contrivances where nobody acts like a rational adult, because if they did the show would be over in three minutes. IMHO Frasier got into a rut of lazy plotting fairly early on.

 

Best line in the show's history:
An exasperated Frasier says, truthfully, to his disbelieving brother and father, "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?!"