frasier podcast

Residuum – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: We mostly talk about our favourite ladies from this season and then embarrass ourselves for your entertainment (we hope!).

I’m glad Lauren gets to talk more about Bebe Glaser. She is definitely an underrated character in the show and Lauren has a very impressive way of highlighting her that I very much appreciate.

Bebe Glaser takes a huge breath of smoky air from her bag that is on fire.

I think we maybe have talked about “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye If You Won’t Leave” almost as much as we have talked about “Look Before You Leap”. And I love that we get a glimpse of Kate as a Horse Woman.

Kate Costas beams at Frasier
Kate, likely thinking about jogging. Season 3, Episode 10

Did you think you would get out of here without us gushing about Roz? That was silly of you. You can hear in this clip that she is key to Frasier’s success on the radio and her no nonsense approach is able to cut through Frasier’s crap and produce a quality program. His ideals are no match for her know-how.

And just you wait, you thought you would also get out of here without more talk about “Look Before You Leap”? Silly you. The set up for this episode is classic peak Frasier. Everyone in the scene gets swept up in Frasier’s rhetoric, including Frasier himself. A note about Daphne’s haircut: it is nothing like Princess Diana’s!? I get wanting to look like her and I get that this is supposed to be a ridiculous haircut she gets, but you have to actually cut your long hair if you want to try to get the Di.

Frasier holds up two hands to convince people to do something.
This is the face of a man you can trust. Season 3, Episode 16

Episodes to Check Out

“Look Before You Leap” and “Martin Does it His Way”

What would a podcast in 2020 be without acknowledging that “things have been weird”? And with that, thank you for listening and we will see you next season. To quote Frasier “Goodnight everybody, we love you”.

Representation – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: We discuss the impressive resume of Mercedes Ruehl, the excellence that is Tony Shalhoub, and the abundance of white nonsense that this show has for us.

Hey! We are working on ourselves and changing up the focus of this episode is part of it.

Lauren kicks off the show by talking about the absolute bonkers plot of the Oscar winning film The Fisher King. No thank you, will not be watching. Thankfully we are able to steer back to some enjoyable chat about the talents of Ms. Ruehl.

Kate Costas confronts Frasier

“I’m not one of those for whom antique is a verb” is a genuinely classic line. I wish we could all slip it into conversation more.

Tony Shalhoub is just great. If you haven’t watched him drink a ton of tomato juice in the Catskills then you are missing out. And the early morning workout romper! It’s glorious!

Abe Maisel doing his calisthenics in the Catskills
Tony Shalhoub in his beautiful onesie.

Anyways, he is a delight in this episode despite the bland, lazy representation of an Arab-American. Tony Shalhoub brings his all to his roles, and good job him. Side note: if you haven’t watched the Tony performance from The Band’s Visit where he just stares into the eyes of Katrina Lenk while she sings, I suggest you do. He is shockingly captivating while not really doing anything.

Frasier and Manu sit in front of Manu's burned newspaper stand.
This is after Frasier spills Yoo-hoo on his dockers. Season 3, Episode 23.

As always, I appreciate Lauren’s rundown of BIPOC actors. It is nice to hear that there is small progress, but not enough. Forever and ever, not enough.

Bulldog and Pete in the recording booth at KACL
It’s Pete! Played by actor Michael Whaley. Season 3, Episode 4

Ah, white nonsense. I do think our whole podcast could be called “We Like This Show, But It Is All White Nonsense”. Maybe we will discuss a name change. Also, maybe I should keep a running tally of Frasier’s literal crimes.

Has anyone thought about My Girl recently? It is a genuinely scarring movie for (presumably) children. It involves multiple dead bodies, a young woman transitioning into a new stage of her life without any solid guidance or support, severe allergies that are not well explained for children, and Jamie Lee Curtis putting blue eyeshadow on the corpse of an elderly woman.

Episodes to Check Out

“It’s Hard to Say Goodbye if You Won’t Leave” and “The Focus Group”

Siblings – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: We get into some favourite sibling storylines like the two brothers trying to work together, looking for new friends, and competing for prestige.

Ah, the brothers in couples counselling. This is a delightful premise that the show is able to really take advantage of because these two characters are well-versed in what good counselling should be like. They are able to use the space to air their grievances but they are also ultimately still just themselves, which means they act like petty brothers.

Fraiser, a couples counsellor, and Niles site in a room with leather recliners and a black and white wall.
More people should go to couples counselling. Season 3, Episode 2

I feel like Niles shines in “The Friend” more than he has any right to. Classic David Hyde Pierce. I just love his anger at being left behind and how he both lashes out by trying to give Frasier a taste of his own medicine and also patiently waits for him to come back to him. It’s just perfect.

Niles and Frasier clink espresso cups at Café Nervosa.

Ohhhh the wine club and dinner party storylines are so excellent. Frasier and Niles face failure at every turn but they just keep trying. Both of these stories also are a wonderful showcase for the pretentious society they dream of fitting into. We know they just never will because they want it too badly. It is *chefs kiss*.

Niles holds a silver spittoon for a blindfolded Frasier to spit his wine into during a tasting practice.
Note the use of a spittoon. Season 3, Episode 5

I really love the energy between Frasier and Niles in “Crane vs Crane” because they both dig their heels in without fully considering what it looks like to the outside world. Their pettiness gets the best of both of them and neither looks great at the end of the day. Niles, while correct about Harlow’s mental stability, can’t help but ham it up for the camera, and Frasier is just wrong and trying to make his brother look bad. It fits perfectly in with the relationship between these two.

Episodes to Check Out

“Crane vs Crane” and “Shrink Rap”

Writing – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: Flashbacks, a pom kapoose, and smoking, oh my.

This flashback episode is really elegantly executed. The writers do a really good job of reminding us where Frasier was three seasons ago and showing how important those relationships that we have learned to love are and how far they have come. Also, a nod to the actors who are able to get back into older versions of their characters quite seamlessly.

I love professor Lauren. She is super smart and great. And you know what else I love? “Look Before You Leap.” It’s a truly wonderful episode. I wish I could always be watching it. Something we never really discuss about this episode is that Daphne’s haircut is just her hair blown up like Roz’s in “The Innkeepers,” it’s not a haircut at all.

I am very glad we got to get into the “Buttons and Bows” of it all. I truly never knew any of these things before looking into this. I think The Paleface needs to be thrown into the sea.

Fraiser performing "Buttons and Bows"
“…and blow my nose, I’m all yours in buttons and bows”

Ah, intertitles. They are great, and very hard to talk about. But I thank Lauren for putting up with my game and wildly guessing at plots of things. She is a real sport.

A black intertitle card with white text reads "Huh?"
An intertitle from “Look Before You Leap”, Season 3, Episode 16

I think we all could use a spinoff of the life of Bebe and Big Willy, if he had lived. But really, don’t smoke, no matter how well Bebe sells it.

Bebe Glazer gives her smoking speech
The GREAT Harriet Sansom Harris. Season 3, Episode 21.

Episodes to check out

“Look Before You Leap” and “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fired”

Season 3 – Trailer

It’s finally time! Season 3 of the Café Nervosa podcast is on its way. Look for a whole new set of episodes about NBC’s hit sitcom Frasier in your feeds next week (January 17, 2021). Get pumped for the season by starting your season 3 rewatch now. We’d recommend such classics as “Moon Dance”, “A Word to the Wiseguy”, “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye If You Won’t Leave”, and OF COURSE “Look Before You Leap”. Frasier is available to stream on Peacock in the USA and on CraveTV in Canada. Happy Frasier-ing!

Frasier and Niles sit at the piano.