Frasier: The Tenth Season

by Sarah Hadley

Sometimes familiarity doesn’t breed contempt.

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When a comedy manages to last a decade, its success lies less in whether or not it’s in any way fresh, groundbreaking or original any longer, but more in whether the audience still has any sympathy left for the characters. As soon as the audience stops laughing with the characters, and starts laughing at them, a factor of disdain creeps in that taints even the best concept. Frankly, it’s a hard fate to avoid: after ten years, any sitcom family is going to feel like the crazy neighbors who just won’t go home.

Remarkably, Frasier always managed to be at least likeable, if not always exciting or especially quotable. Although I would have called myself a fan when it was on, beyond the first few years I never watched the show regularly, instead popping in and out four or five times every season. Every time I did, I saw an environment that was always warm and comforting, with a familiarity to the patter of its bickery dialogue. Not every episode was a winner, and the show did slide more into soap as time went on, but I never had that moment of, “Wow, what’s happened to Frasier? I used to like this show.”

I was therefore very pleased to discover that, when viewing the entirety of Frasier: The Tenth Season as one big package, nothing really happened to burst that same, comfortable bubble. Not every single episode is great - in fact, a couple that I remember watching on broadcast are among the weakest - but the format and cast don’t seem too tired, the situations aren’t overly self-referential, and I didn’t get the impression that the writers were desperate for ideas. Sure, they’re still trading on the recognizable tropes of the characters, but I never saw an open rehash of an early show (unlike M*A*S*H) or a stark plea for attention with a “very special issue” episode.

In fact, the one “very special episode” - “Room with a View,” the second of three linked episodes to focus on Niles’ heart condition - was actually, in my opinion, an interesting try at something unusual and different. Under a cloud of anaesthetic, Niles wonders if “hospitals have memories,” saving up their impressions of the patients who are born, have children and die within their walls. It’s an affecting concept to begin with (bearing more than a little resemblance to Nigel Kneale’s The Stone Tape!), but the rest of the episode focuses on the other characters’ long wait during Niles’ heart surgery, with the camera dipping into back rooms and hallways for flashes of these “memories”: Niles’ birth, his hospitalizations, and so on. The idea manages to be moody and contemplative without being too saccharine or too frightening. It’s this kind of occasional, punctuated experiment that can be so interesting in a long-running program.

That’s not to say the only good episodes are more dramatic, though. There are many truly funny situations, too, including Frasier’s obsession with parking garage fees (“Enemy at the Gate“), his and Niles’ obsession with the different levels of a health spa (“Door Jam“), their hunt for a new coffee shop (“Farewell, Nervosa“), and their father Martin’s fear that he may not be their biological parent (“Fathers and Sons“). And if that’s not enough for you, every third or fourth episode seems to be punctuated by a great guest star, including Zooey Deschanel, Bob Hoskins, Alan Cumming, Elvis Costello, David Ogden Stiers and yes, even a cameo by Dr. Phil.

Paramount/CBS DVD presents Frasier: The Tenth Season on DVD, making a change from their usual layout by housing the four-disc set within a digipak (possibly to match earlier Frasier releases; although the penultimate season, this is the last to reach DVD). The back of the slipcase warns that the 24 episodes “may be edited from their original network versions,” a common disclaimer on this company’s product. Since I didn’t notice any unusual change from the regular 21-minute episode runtime, I can only assume these are mostly musical cuts and alterations (although if that’s the case, why don’t they just say so?).

Each disc includes six episodes, which an be selected individually or strung together with a “Play All” feature. The 4:3 transfers appear to be consistently reasonable, although there is an unusual amount of grain and lack of finer detail for early-2000s television. Black crush is also annoyingly heavy; take a look at any of Frasier’s patterned suits to see the texture blend into a haze and be obliterated by any hint of shadow. These transfers are...fine, I guess. They’re not distracting, but they could’ve been better.

Standard stereo audio tracks accompany each episode; optional closed captions are available.

Disc 1 opens with a generic CBS DVD menu, offering you “Previews” and “Main Menu” options. “Previews” leads to a 90-second trailer for “classic” TV on DVD from the company, including I Love Lucy, Gomer Pyle, The Brady Bunch Wings, and Cheers. Otherwise, no special features have been included on the set.

I enjoyed revisiting Frasier, far more than I really expected. Unlike the small sampling of episodes I had planned to watch, I ended up devouring the entire set in just a few days, devoting most of the first two discs just to the night when I wrapped Christmas gifts! The show certainly retains its individual brand of humor, and I’m pleased to say the soap I remember so vividly from the later years - focusing mostly on the Niles/Daphne relationship - has definitely been dialed back (it helps that they finally marry at the start of the season). It may not be at the absolutely top of its game, but it’s good to see Frasier: The Tenth Season focusing on its many strengths. This is definitely a recommended rental, and if you’re a real fan, go ahead and buy it: as it’s available online for under $30, you can’t really go wrong. I would have preferred better transfers and a special feature or two (both of which would have increased my rating), but the quality of the episodes really speak for themselves. Good stuff.