Jay Kogen Movies

Although it was common knowledge in the industry that the eleventh season of Frasier would be its last, NBC did not make a formal declaration of the series' cancellation until late December of 2003. The decision had largely been made by star Kelsey Grammer, who had been playing the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane for nearly 20 years (counting the character's previous tenure on Cheers) and felt it was time to move on. Truth to tell, the series had been declining in viewereship and quality over the past few seasons, but season eleven made up for its recent shortcomings with some of the best Frasier episodes ever.

The first installment picked up where season 12 left off, with Frasier's former producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) returning to radio station KACL, ostensibly because she didn't like her new job but actually because she hoped that Frasier would dump his latest amour, the beautiful but tactless Julia Wilcox (Felicity Huffman). This he did, only to enter into another bumpy relationship with Charlotte (Laura Linney), the owner of a failing matchmaking service. Whether Frasier and Charlotte would remain together or whether she would cut things off and return to Chicago was a major source of comic suspense throughout the season. Elsewhere on the romantic front Frasier's recently married brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), was anxious to start a family with his cheerful cockney bride Daphne (Jane Leeves), who was still employed as part-time caregiver for Frasier and Niles' ex-policeman dad, Martin (John Mahoney). Inevitably Daphne became pregnant, a plot development cooked up to accommodate the real-life pregnancy of actress Jane Leeves. This being a sitcom, the nine-month gestation was fraught with anxiety, not least of which involved Niles' former wife Maris, who though still an unseen presence managed to raise a ruckus by killing her hot-blooded lover Esteban. In fact, ex-wives dictated several Frasier scenarios during Season Eleven, with Frasier having memorable confrontations with both his first wife, children's entertainer Nanny G (here played by Laurie Metcalf), and his second spouse, domineering psychiatrist Lilith Sternin (who else but Bebe Neuwirth?). Also appearing was the issue of the Frasier- Lilith marriage, their son Frederick, played this time around by Trevor Einhorn. The most surprising amorous development during this season, sixtysomething Martin Crane fell in love with sexy lounge singer Ronee Lawrence (Wendie Malick), who as a teenager had been Frasier and Niles' babysitter! Ultimately, Martin proposed to the much-younger Ronee, setting a wedding date for July -- which thanks to a last-minute snafu had to be bumped up to May, coincidentally just in time for the birth of Daphne's baby. Frasier's final episode, the 60-minute "Goodnight, Seattle," may well enter the annals of TV history as the series finale to end all series finales. It took some doing, but this episode managed to incorporate virtually every "Last Show" cliché known to man, setting each one of them on its ear with a clever and unexpected twist: The chaotic wedding where everything that could go wrong does go wrong, the heroine going into labor at the wrong time in the wrong place, the leading man facing a profound change of job and location, and a "will they or won't they?" romantic entanglement -- all wrapped into a neat and hilarious package and topped off with a surprise ending. Just as in its glory days, Frasier bade farewell to its fans by garnering a whole new crop of Emmy awards, including honors for series regulars Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce and guest star Laura Linney, as well as statuettes for Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series, Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing, and Outstanding Multi-Camera Sound Mixing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Harriet Sansom Harris returns as Bebe Glaser, carnivorous agent (and former lover) of radio shrink Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer). This time, it is Bebe's turn to take a talent fee as she substitutes for the co-host of the morning TV talk show "AM Seattle." The original plan had been for Bebe to talk Frasier into giving up radio in favor of television...but things work out somewhat differently, as things on Frasier have a habit of doing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After months of dating the acerbic and outspoken Sherry Dempsey (Marsha Mason), Martin (John Mahoney) decides it is time to pop the question. This does not rest well with Martin's sons, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde Pierce), who have never warmed up to Sherry -- and are even less enamored of her once they learn some shocking facts about her past. Without giving away the ending of this episode, suffice to say that the cast of Frasier will soon be "lighter" by one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tom McGowan makes his first series appearance as Kenny Daly, new manager of radio station KACL. It is bad enough that Kenny irreverently refers to radio shrink Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) as "Doc." But when Kenny insists that all his on-the-air talent perform live commercials for questionable products, it is too much. Outraged, Frasier rallies his co-workers to take a firm stand against the new station policies: After all, Kenny can't fire everyone, can he? Alas, inasmuch as this is the cliffhanger finale of Frasier's fifth season, it looks as if things may not turn out the way Frasier hopes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

TV director David Steinberg (Mad About You, Seinfeld) helmed this Canadian comedy satirizing The Fugitive and similar actioners. Cleveland corporate climber Nelson Hibbert (Dave Foley) is confident his promotion to company prez is just around the corner, but when it doesn't happen, he goes postal during a meeting, aiming threats at the boss who passed him over. Later, he barges into the boss' office, finds him dead, and runs from the office holding the bloody weapon. Since this was witnessed by his co-workers, he thinks they have accused him as the killer. Unaware surveillance cameras revealed the real killer, Hibbert hightails it for Mexico, certain that he's a most-wanted fugitive. Made in Toronto in 1996, this film expands on a sketch Foley scripted for Kids in the Hall. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Season one of Ned and Stacey concluded as selfish ad executive Ned (Thomas Haden Church) and abrasive left-wing journalist Stacey (Debra Messing) were on the brink of divorcing, thus breaking up the "marriage of convenience" that had been brokered by Stacey's sister Amanda (Nadia Dajani) so that Ned could keep his job with the firm of Kirkland & Haywood and Stacey could get a new apartment. However, there seems to be a bit of subliminal lust holding the couple together at the outset of season two, else how can one explain why this mismatched couple has decided to remain together? Even so, the series seems to be gradually morphing into "Ned and Amanda," as Stacey's sibling Amanda begins to figure more prominently in the proceedings with every succeeding episode. After getting Ned mixed up in a train wreck of a real-estate deal, Amanda still manages to talk him into becoming her partner in a small business concern, "Amanda's Amuffins" (Ford Rainey is added to the cast at this juncture as elderly Nate, the muffin shop's best customer). Meanwhile, back at the ad agency, Ned works hand and glove with Amanda's husband Eric (Greg Germann), chief clerk for Kirkland & Haywood, to thwart the machinations of such duplicitous clients as Les MacDowell (John Getz). Apparently, audiences weren't impressed by the shift of emphasis in Ned and Stacey. The second season had barely gotten under way when the Fox network decided to pull the plug, freeing up Debra Messing and Thomas Haden Church for more artistically fulfilling projects like Will & Grace and Sideways -- and leaving eleven of the series' completed episodes unaired. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A goofy slacker wreaks havoc after worming his way onto the jury of a high-profile court case in this broad comedy. The extremely unmotivated Tommy Collins (Pauly Shore) has found himself homeless after being kicked out by his mother, and he needs a place to stay. After hearing how the juries of important cases are sequestered in fancy hotels and provided with free meals, he decides that's the life for him and successfully volunteers for jury duty. Enjoying what he considers the high life and wishing to romance an attractive female juror (Tia Carrere), Tommy infuriates his fellow jurors by attempting to drag out the trial. Director John Fortenberry offers much obvious slapstick, along with a few attempts at topical jibes against media sensationalism, but even fans of Shore's lowbrow humor may be disappointed by the film's quality. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide