Critic’s Ranking: 4 / 5.0
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Regardless of being stuffed to the antlers with vacation trappings, Frasier Season 2 Episode 10 was a surprisingly sober (in tone, positively not in apply) finale that in the end displayed extra Christmas than cheer.
The episode wrapped up a lot of the subplots launched this season and featured a gentle stream of laugh-out-loud zingers from Frasier as he navigated a holiday-themed meddling scheme.
Did the season finale go larger on pathos than occasion favors? Maybe. However I feel it was essential to dispense with a few bigger storylines in order that these characters and the present itself may transfer ahead for a possible third season.
I favored lots of what this episode completed, even when I’ll have wished for much less of an elegiac temper.
It was deceptively intricate on the story aspect, which was nice, however it nonetheless clung to some points of the present (David!) that haven’t labored too nicely this season.
It’s Christmas Time Once more
Has it solely been a yr since we had been invited to a Christmas fete hosted by Dr. Frasier Crane??
Even with the magic of streaming and selective reminiscence, it looks like Frasier Season 2 began simply moments in the past.
For as soon as, the compulsory info-dump-with-drinks opening scene on the Harvard bar truly made sense. Its crowded and convivial setting supported the jumble of characters and totally different motivations we noticed in a brief period of time.
By some means, this scene appeared extra “actual” than so many others have this season on this very same setting.
Like, it was a revelation for the digicam to comply with Freddy and Olivia over to the bar for an informal dialogue between simply the 2 of them — which I don’t assume we’ve seen earlier than? — about what Christmas presents they’d gotten for Frasier.
I beloved the benefit of their dialog and the way comfy they appeared with one another; it made me want that they might be buddies like Freddy is with Eve.
It was simply so nice to see the group all collectively after which fracturing into totally different parts earlier than transferring again, like in an actual bar setting.
Let’s Speak About Alan
We noticed Alan do Scrooge impression on the bar, which actually was low-hanging fruit for him, however then we discovered that his estranged daughter was on the town, which can have upped his Bah-Humbug-ness.
The subplot of Alan and his daughter Nora was launched earlier this season and has popped up often ever since.
This household state of affairs appeared to shock everybody, together with Frasier, so it was laborious to totally combine that backstory into what we already knew (and beloved!) of Alan as a bachelor dilettante and alcohol fanatic.
Alan loathed Christmas greater than traditional this yr since Nora nonetheless wouldn’t take his calls and had lately given delivery to his solely grandchild.
I really like Alan’s character, however this estrangement storyline has felt a bit of compelled to me. It got here out of nowhere, and it’s a giant ask for him to be seen as a contrite household man based mostly on little or no info.
Earlier within the season, it appeared like Nora was Alan’s solely baby, which upped the stakes of their battle.
However on this episode, we discovered that he additionally has a minimum of one son, with Nora because the eldest of his kids and the one one who’s a mother or father.
The estrangement from Nora has apparently been an undercurrent of remorse and grief for Alan, however how will their reconciliation change Alan’s character going ahead?
His worldview and ingesting appear based mostly on far more than simply this one damaged relationship. When did he lose curiosity in his profession? And why didn’t we hear about his son(s) prior to now? So many questions!
Let’s Not Overlook Frasier
Frasier’s romantic foibles weren’t an enormous a part of this season, however throughout the finale, I stored questioning how he would navigate a relationship at this stage in his life.
We didn’t get to see his virtually twenty-year relationship with Charlotte (Laura Linney) in Chicago, which could have been the longest one he’s had. So it’s new territory for us to see Frasier coupled up!
It additionally raises the query of how being in a pair will have an effect on his meddling with others — perhaps not a lot if his beekeeping outfit (???) plans for Olivia are something to go by.
On the very least, Frasier’s new relationship with Holly will hopefully quash for good any lingering hopes for a romance with him and Roz. C’mon, she’s already moved cross-country; she will’t all of a sudden cease courting round, too!
Mission Unimaginable: Gingerbread Village
It was such a kick to see Frasier presiding over a map of his plan just like the world-weary navy chief of a non-military heist. He was solely in his aspect, transferring shot glasses across the similar means he meddles with individuals.
As Alan later famous, Frasier means nicely, however his madcap capers go away lots of harm behind. Nonetheless, I do want we may’ve seen David fold himself right into a bar cart!
Traditionally, it have to be stated that this was most likely probably the most even-keeled of all Frasier’s schemes.
It had only a few transferring elements, didn’t require discovering obscure objects, and used the non-public connections they already had available.
Frasier even managed to remain on observe by delegating his traditional distractibility to David and his pastoral gingerbread village.
This hearkened again to these zany days of yore when Frasier would fully derail a plan as a result of he couldn’t let some minor level lie (very like the Seattle episode this season).
However the gingerbread village was nonetheless an odd subplot that existed in considerably of a vacuum regardless of being good for just a few massive laughs. I anticipated it to have an honest callback, a minimum of.
Regardless that Eve and Roz successfully bailed on their jobs, Frasier’s plan truly labored! It simply didn’t get the specified outcomes.
I used to be scared that Alan’s anger at Frasier would result in them avoiding one another or the silent remedy, so it was good to see them have a really grownup dialog of apology and expressed harm.
Alan even confirmed a scarcity of Scrooge-ness by bringing Holly to the occasion for Frasier, although he was alone. So, he’d grown emotionally and was now prepared for — or deserving of — reconciliation with Nora.
Freddy As MVP
Freddy most likely advanced probably the most this season. He took steps to take care of grief over his greatest pal’s dying, actually appeared to forgive Frasier for childhood stuff, and made peace along with his alternative of profession.
I at all times neglect that he’s in a service-oriented profession (‘cos he’s at all times on the bar!), so perhaps that’s why I used to be stunned when he took the initiative to hunt Nora out on his personal and make a case for Alan.
Freddy’s discuss with Nora was a compassionate, Frasier-free method to hear what he actually considered his dad leaving Boston when he was younger, and it strengthened the closure he’d discovered throughout the Seattle episode.
Maybe that’s why Freddy was now open to admitting he has a few of his dad’s less-than-admirable traits, aka the meddling gene. Significantly, what ARE he and Frasier going to do with that beekeeper‘s outfit?!
Santa Pub Crawl Ideas
When did these Santa Pub Crawls change into a factor, anyway? I do know it’s been some time, however I really feel prefer it should’ve been across the similar time as gender reveal events.
In any occasion, the tipsy Santas on this episode appeared like they had been there so as to add vacation colour, they usually additionally confused the timeline of occasions.
On the resort bar and foyer, everybody stored speaking about assembly up at eleven o’clock, and I believed, That sounds fairly late at night time for this “stakeout-stakeout-stakeout” to go down.
Nevertheless it was truly eleven within the morning, which meant that the Pub Santas, Alan, and Freddy had all began ingesting extremely early that day. I do know, I do know — I’m quibbling!
Then Holly stated she couldn’t make dinner as a result of she needed to work till eleven. However she advised Alan she was getting off in an hour when it was daylight, and… you’re proper; I’m overthinking this.
It was good to see the gang (actually) off campus on the resort, however really pleasant to see Alec Mapa as Thomas, the “uncool” resort desk supervisor!
Okay, however I have to ask: Who was watching Nora’s child when she was within the resort foyer and bar? And the place was her husband throughout this ENTIRE episode??
Final Minute Items
The subplots involving Olivia and David had been on about the identical stage of nice but pointless, and every had their moments.
This time, Eve and Roz obtained the “David” remedy, the place they may have been eliminated and never missed by way of the story.
However the MVP of being MIA goes as soon as once more to Eve’s toddler son, John!
We haven’t seen him for the reason that opening of that artwork gallery; he may have his driver’s license by now.
The Street Forward
Effectively, as they are saying within the biz, that’s a wrap for Frasier Season 2!
It was good to see Alice once more, even when she didn’t actually have a lot to do.
It was a aid that Nora gave Alan a second likelihood, plus tying up that storyline leaves room for extra attention-grabbing ones sooner or later (I’m sorry! I simply didn’t get any feels from this one).
What do you assume, TV Fanatics? Did Frasier Season 2 Episode 10 really feel extra like a sequence relatively than a season finale? Tell us your ideas within the feedback!
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