The 25 Best Frasier Episodes

‘Frasier’ may have started as a spin-off of cheers but quickly gained an identity of it’s own. Not only did in round out Kelsey Grammer’s lovable but pretentious radio psychiatrist, but it introduced a plethora of other great characters, including his equally elitist brother Niles, and their ex-cop father Martin, who acts as a foil, representing the common man. Rounding out the main cast is the quirky, British Daphne and Frasier’s man-eating producer Roz.

On paper, this show should not work because the main character is so far removed from the average viewer. A careful balance of personalities as well as classical comedy gags, however, break down these barriers, making it one of the most popular sitcoms of its era.

While ‘Frasier’ is hands down my favorite show, there are many stinkers among its episodes. The show can often get too saccharine, or misfire on a plot line, which could scare off a potential new viewer. Hopefully the list below will provide a good starting point for those looking to get into the show, or be an interesting read for the already initiated.

25.Voyage of the Damned (Season 5, Episode 6)

In this episode Roz books Frasier as a speaker on a celebrity cruise, only to find that the other celebrities are washed out. Niles and Martin join the tour, only for it all to be upended by a surprise appearance by Niles’s wife Maris.

24. A Lilith Thanksgiving (Season 4, Episode 7)

One of the better sitcom Thanksgivings, here the show relocates to Boston to be with Frasier’s son Frederick and his ex-wife Lilith. Frasier and Lilith spend the entirety of the episode bugging the headmaster of an exclusive school to accept Frederick. Meanwhile Niles and Martin run into mishaps trying to take care of the child and prepare Thanksgiving dinner.

23. Three Valentines (Season 6, Episode 14)

‘Frasier’ has never been opposed to playing with the typical sitcom format, and Three Valentines is one of their most experimental. The episode consists of three short vignettes: Niles disastrously preparing for a date, Frasier confused about the intentions of his female co-worker and Daphne and Martin at dinner on Valentines day. Very different stories with very different moods, combine into a great episode of TV.

22. Deathtrap (Season 9, Episode 19)

Frasier, Niles and Martin revisit the home they lived in long ago. After finding some suspicious evidence, the Crane brothers play detective, piecing together a murder incriminating their landlord. They are, of course, off the mark.

21. Are You Being Served? (Season 4, Episode 22)

A very well rounded episode that exemplifies what this show does best: combining comedy with real human issues. Niles finally has to accept his marriage with Maris is over, and Frasier tries to help him through and analyze the situation.

20. Perspectives on Christmas (Season 5, Episode 9)

Christmas episodes in sitcoms are usually pretty stale, but this one keeps it fresh. Many different unrelated stories are woven together, including Martin singing in a Christmas show, Roz and Frasier working as a mall Santa and elf and Niles getting stuck in an elevator.

19. Roe to Perdition (Season 10, Episode 18)

The last few seasons were noticeably weaker than the preceding years, with new characters forced in and the resolution of the Niles/Daphne plotline. There were still gems hidden in the mix, often when they returned to the formulas that made the show successful in the first place. Here, Niles and Frasier get involved with the underground caviar hustle.

18. IQ (Season 6, Episode 19)

After winning seats at a brunch with geniuses, Niles and Frasier not-so-shockingly become competitive, trying to prove how they are smarter than the other. As usual, their tunnel vision and egos lead to their eventual humiliation.

17. The Two Mrs. Cranes (Season 4, Episode 1)

Two of the most iconic aspects of ‘Frasier’s’ comedy are mistaken identity and dinner parties. This episode utilized both to a hilarious effect. When Daphne’s ex-boyfriend comes to visit she enlists Niles to act as her husband in order to scare him off. Things don’t go according to plan, however, and the lie builds and builds.

16. Something Borrowed, Someone Blue (Season 7, Episode 23 – 24)

If you are new to the show, wait to watch this one in order. This is only one of two serious episodes on this list. Acting as a sort of mid-series finale, the episode ties up the romantic character arcs and tensions of Niles and Daphne throughout the first seven seasons. While there are laughs in the episode, the more heavy plot shows off the dramatic range of the amazing main cast.

15. Door Jam (Season 10, Episode 11)

Another late season masterpiece follows Frasier and Niles who weasel their way in to an exclusive new spa. No matter how many times they achieve their goal, however, there is always a more exclusive option, just out of reach. In addition to being hilarious, the episode encapsulates one of the main themes of the show.

14. Out With Dad (Season 7, Episode 15)

Frasier meets a woman at the opera, but her mother is interested in Martin as well. In order to get out of a date, Martin tells her he is gay. Naturally, this blows up in his face when he is then fixed up with her gay friend, and the whole gang has to go along with the charade to great comic effect. This basic premise has been used many times throughout the show, but it always manages to be fresh.

13. A Midwinter Night’s Dream (Season 1, Episode 17)

By far the best episode from the first season, Niles finds himself alone with Daphne in his mansion during a big storm. With his marriage unstable, he tries hard to keep himself restrained, while Daphne is oblivious to her effects on him.

12. The Seal Who Came for Dinner (Season 6, Episode 8)

Niles is throwing a dinner party for one of his clubs, but when Frasier’s apartment becomes unsuitable to host, he switches to Maris’s beach house. What is already a disastrous plan gets worse when they discover a dead seal, stinking up the place and the two brothers concoct a bumbling plan to get rid of the animal before the guests arrive.

11. An Affair to Forget (Season 2, Episode 21)

Frasier gets concerned when one of his callers story about an affair reminds him of Maris. When Frasier accidentally tells Niles, he takes rash actions to defend his honor.

10. Hot Ticket (Season 6, Episode 4)

The Crane brothers are desperate to see the last performance of a legendary actor, but instead of waiting in the cancellation line, which is beneath their social circle, they simply wait outside the theater, pretending to see the show to stay in good standings with their peers. It also showcases the great running gag of the Crane brothers never learning from their mistakes.

9. Moon Dance (Season 3, Episode 13)

Frasier is all but absent in this episode but it still holds up as one of the best. The greatest entry in the Niles-Daphne romance takes place years before they ever get together. Trying to get over Maris, Niles has a date to a dance, but isn’t a good dancer, so Daphne gives him lessons. When his date cancels, Daphne takes her place and they wow on the dance floor, showing all his snobby friends how he’s moved on.

8. The Matchmaker (Season 2, Episode 3)

KACL gets a new station manager and Frasier gets the idea to set her up with Daphne. He invites him over for dinner and, in a delicious twist of dramatic irony, we learn that the manager is gay and thinks the date is with Frasier. The rest of the episode is full of misunderstandings with the characters on two completely different pages.

7. Halloween (Season 5, Episode 3)

Yet another Frasier episode revolving around a completely avoidable misunderstanding, and one of the funniest. Niles hosts a Halloween party where guests must come as a literary character. Meanwhile, Roz has just learned she is pregnant. Niles, very drunk as Cyrnao de Bergerac, mishears the conversation and predictably makes a fool of himself.

6. The Innkeepers (Season 2, Episode 23)

Because failed dinner parties weren’t enough for the Crane brothers, they decided to buy their own restaurant. Although we know that it is a doomed venture from the very beginning, there is a lot of fun to be had along the way. Some highlights include senile staff, angry chefs and of course, sibling fighting.

5. To Kill a Talking Bird (Season 4, Episode 14)

Niles moves into a fancy new apartment and hosts a dinner party for his neighbors. He has also bought a pet parrot. All is going well, including a romantic prospect for Frasier, until the bird takes a grasp of Niles’s head and will not leave. They then try to continue the party without the guests noticing.

4. Goodnight Seattle Part 2 (Season 11, Episode 23 – 24)

Despite all of the shortcoming of the last couple seasons, the strength of the main characters never wavered, and their paths all come to a satisfying conclusion in this pitch perfect ending. Packed with guests appearances, laughs, tears and, most importantly, hope for the future of our lovable snob. “I’ll miss the coffees.”

3. The Dinner Party (Season 6, Episode 17)

Really, the ranking of these top three episodes changes depending on the most recent one I watch. ‘The Dinner Party’ is one of the most bold yet simple television episodes of it’s time. The entirety of the episode takes place in the living room of Frasier’s flat where Niles and Frasier deliberate on planning their next dinner party. Instead of action, the episode is carried by Grammer and Pierce who have perfected the bantering relationship between the two Crane brothers.

2. The Ski Lodge (Season 5, Episode 14)

‘The Ski Lodge’ gives a masterclass in clever comedic writing, makes the series’s other cases of misunderstandings look like child’s play. Frasier, Niles, Martin, Daphne, her friend and a French ski instructor are all pent up in a ski lodge for the weekend. Everyone is interested in someone and nobody is on the same page. Enjoy.

1. Ham Radio (Season 4, Episode 18)

Frasier sets out to mount a classic radio play over the air, a la Orson Welles. He employs his fellow radio hosts and even a professional actor, but due to various unfortunate circumstances, things run afoul. The harder Frasier tries to keep the production afloat, the faster it sinks. Not only is it the funniest episode in the show, it exemplifies the most important conflict in the show: Frasier vs. his ego.

Honorable Mention:

Merry Christmas Mrs. Moskowitz, Rivals, A Tsar is Born, A Word to the Wiseguy, The Show Must Go Off, Daphne Does Dinner, Maris Returns, The Doctor is Out

For Best Cheers Episodes for Frasier Fans click here

For Best Frasier Guest Stars… and the Worst click here

For more television lists click here.

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