mercedes ruehl

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”.

Roz – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: We talk about our hero, Roz, follow her pursuit of career success, and enjoy her really great relationships with the people in her life.

Oh goodness folks. We love the Roz episode and I feel like you can hear it in Lauren’s voice at the top of the show.

Why oh why do the Roz episodes of Frasier have to stink so much? They just generally are not super. But at least we get some good Roz content out of it, because she lifts whatever scene she is in.

The adventures of Roz and Kate seems like a show we should all watch. These two strong women helping each other succeed in a world that is built for men? Yes please.

Roz Doyle and Kate Costas
She’s right behind you, Roz. Season 3, Episode 1.

Lauren has her eyes on the prize when it comes to Roz and she very astutely points out that Roz, likewise, has her eyes on the prize for her career. Kate represents a world of possibility for Roz’s future career, and it’s nice to have some moments that show that Roz is working hard for what she wants.

Roz and Daphne have a really lovely relationship that I love to see. I feel like it is unique for this time that they have a generally uncomplicated, supportive friendship and that they are always willing to help each other out in whatever they need. They initially bonded over their professional relationship to Frasier but they have built the relationship into so much more.

And now we get to get into it! Roz’s style is everything in this season. She has always been gorgeous but this transition really gives the people what they want. If I don’t get to talk about Lilith at least I get to gush over what a smoke show Roz is.

The pantsuits. Season 3, Episode 1.
I mean.
Pant. Suits.

Episodes to Check Out

“The Focus Group” and “She’s the Boss”

Sexuality – Season 3

Podcast Episode Synopsis: We talk Frasier knocking boots with his boss, healthy breakups, and sneak in some Roz. You’re welcome.

I have so many feelings about hand waving around the union stuff, because unions are super important. But I did my best throughout the series to keep it to myself. Lauren steers me off of my union-defending tirade by talking about the great depiction of a casual sexual relationship between two consenting adults. Let’s have more relationships like this in the media, because they exist and they are a-okay and healthy.

Kate Costas played by Mercedes Ruehl.

Speaking of healthy, I love the normalization of the dissolution of relationships shown in this season. That is something that most people go through one way or another in their lives and we need to stop treating it like it is a failure on anyone’s part. Maybe I should try to keep this recap a little lighter? But first, care to hear more of my thoughts on unions? Juuuuust kidding.

Roz and Frasier are lovely together and we definitely talk about this more in our Roz episode. We’re all for more depictions of friends who support each other and keep each other accountable.

Roz and Frasier have a heart to heart.
We love Roz. Season 3, Episode 22.

Lauren will take any opportunity to talk about When Harry Met Sally. And that wagon wheel coffee table. I know what I’m getting her for the holidays.

Y’all should know I will take any chance I get to talk about charming Marty. He’s just a delight and I am glad he gets a relationship in this season. It’s also great that the captain is a woman in the clip. Let’s all check our assumptions.

Daphne gets a boyfriend!! What a revelation for one of our fave characters.

Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) flirts with Frasier's contractor, Joe.
It’s Joe! Season 3, Episode 5.

Bulldog sucks. We can all agree. But thanks Dan Butler for changing how we look at him (when we are watching Bulldog through our fingers over our eyes).

Episodes to check out

“It’s Hard to Say Goodbye When You Won’t Leave” and “Sleeping with the Enemy”

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”

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.