Chuck Ranberg 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

In this TV sitcom, damaged vocal cords cut short the career of egomaniacal opera star Joe Pinoni (Nathan Lane), prompting his sudden return home to the Napa Valley where his family has a winery. His eccentric mother, Marie Pinoni (Joan Plowright), who usually finds companionship attending funerals of people she never knew, is delighted by Joe's return. However, his sister Francesca (Glenn Headly), just establishing herself as the winery manager, is certain he's going to interfere with her life. She's right. Filmed in L.A., this series premiered September 22, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) finds himself plagued by a crisis of conscience. It seems that way back in prep school Frasier and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) had hatched a scheme to get even with a bully. Ultimately the boys pulled off a wacky prank for which the bully was blamed -- and which got him expelled from school. Now, the grown-up bully has landed in jail...and Frasier intends to meet him face to face, intending to fess up to his apparent complicity in his former tormentor's moral downfall. ~ All Movie Guide

Batten down the hatches! Frasier's redoubtable ex-wife, Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth), is back! This time around, Lilith has joined forces with Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) in a concerted effort to enroll their son, Frederick (played for the first time by Trevor Einhorn), in Marbury Academy, an exclusive Boston prep school. So determined is the couple to achieve this goal that they have put their Thanksgiving plans "on hold" -- maybe until next year! Paxton Whitehead guest stars as the stuffy headmaster of Marbury, whose interview with Frasier yields surprising results...twice. ~ All Movie Guide

Oscar-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl makes her first Frasier appearance as KACL's stubborn new station manager Kate Costas, as the series launches its third season. Almost immediately upon her arrival in Seattle, Kate begins tinkering with the format of Frasier Crane's (Kelsey Grammer) radio advice program. Predictably, Frasier digs in his heels and dismisses Kate's efforts to invest his program with "national" appeal: "I'd rather stay local, if going national means sucking at the sump pump of sensationalism." But Kate is not one to be trifled with -- and it isn't long before Frasier is exiled to a 2 a.m. timeslot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Firmly and comfortably ensconced in its Tuesday-night timeslot, Frasier launched its third season on NBC. The basic character lineup was carried over from the first two seasons: Seattle radio psychologist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), his brother and fellow "shrink" Niles (David Hyde Pierce), their retired policeman father Martin (John Mahoney), Martin's down-to-earth cockney caregiver Daphne Moon (Jane Reeves) -- for whom the very married Niles silently carried a torch -- and Frasier's sharp-tongued radio producer and call-screener Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). Though Dan Butler was still receiving "special guest appearance" billing for the role of gonzo sports-show emcee Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, the actor was methodically moving out of the recurring-character class and ever closer to "regular" status. Then, of course, there was Niles' imperious, fabulously wealthy wife Maris -- still much talked about but still never seen. Additions to the recurring cast during season three included Oscar-winning actress Mercedes Ruehl, who made a cluster of unforgettable appearances as Kate Costas, the headstrong, ratings-obsessed new manager of Frasier's home radio station KACL. The combative relationship between Frasier and Kate rather unexpectedly morphed into a torrid romance, culminating with a poignant airport farewell. Also making her earliest series appearances was Irene Olga Lopez as Marta, Maris' maid and go-between. Finally, Luke Tarsitano became the first of several young actors to essay the role of Frasier's son, Frederick. In the tradition of Kelsey Grammer's former Cheers co-stars Bebe Neuwirth and Ted Danson, Shelley Long made a return appearance as Frasier's former fiancée Diane Chambers in the episode titled "The Show Where Diane Comes Back." The hints dropped in this episode that Frasier and Diane might rekindle their romance were eclipsed by the turbulent events in the life of Frasier's brother Niles. It was during season three that Niles' marriage to Maris began to disintegrate, and also during this season Niles finally "declared" himself to Daphne in the form of a kiss (though they would not be genuine lovers for several seasons to come; Daphne was not yet about to be tied down to anyone, and Niles was still skittish about jumping into another relationship).

In what was now becoming an annual ritual, Frasier garnered several Emmy Awards during its third season. This time, the statuettes were doled out for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing (multi-camera production). The final Frasier episode of the season, "You Can't Go Home Again," offered a "prequel" to the events leading up to the first episode of season one. As a bonus, the episode ended with a roll call of all the A-list celebrities who had been heard as "guest voices" during the past three seasons, playing the various neurotics who placed calls to Frasier's radio show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While conducting his radio advice show, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) receives a call from Gretchen, the wife of a philandering Austrian fencing instructor named Gunnar (Brian Cousins). As it happens, this is the same Gunnar who is currently giving lessons to Niles' wife, Maris. Jumping to the obvious conclusion, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) is convinced that Gunnar and Maris are engaging in more than innocent swordplay -- and the only logical solution is to challenge Gunnar to a duel. Irene Olga Lopez makes her first series appearance as the unseen Maris' maid Marta. This episode earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Struck down by the flu, Frasier is too ill to do his daily radio advice show, so his brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), offers to fill in -- with great trepidation. Despite an early attack of stage fright, Niles performs brilliantly on the air. In fact, he performs a bit too brilliantly to suit Frasier, who now fears that Niles will end up taking over his job on a permanent basis. The paranoia becomes as thick as pea soup when food critic Gil Chesterton (Edward Hibbert in his series debut) enters into the equation. Listen for a veritable all-star roster of "guest voices" on this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Much against his will, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) allows Martin (John Mahoney) to enter Frasier in a charity "bachelor auction." Things begin to brighten up when Frasier is won by a gorgeous model named Kristina (Claire Stansfield), who bids a staggering 500 dollars. Alas, our hero's plans for a romantic evening with Kristina are dashed when he ends up babysitting her 12-year-old daughter (Ashley Bank). Meanwhile, both Roz (Peri Gilpin) and Bulldog (Dan Butler) have their hands full with the two worthies whom they netted at that self-same auction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) would like to buy a new chair for his father, Martin (John Mahoney), but the old man is sentimentally attached to his faithful old recliner. Casting caution to the winds, Frasier decides that the best way to convince Martin that he really needs a new chair is to throw the old one away. Instead, a desperate Martin scours Seattle in search of his beloved recliner -- and stumbles right into a "murder mystery," high-school style. Watch for a very young Brittany Murphy in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Not for the first time in his life, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) finds himself on the horns of an ethical dilemma. It seems that Frasier has begun dating an attractive woman named Catherine (Amanda Donohoe). Trouble is, Catherine's boyfriend has just broken up with her -- acting upon the advice given him by a certain radio psychologist named Frasier Crane. When the ex-boyfriend calls into Frasier's radio show expressing a desire to patch things up with Catherine, our hero is forced to pull a few desperate strings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide