Niles Crane is by far the funniest sitcom character ever......I wonder had he been played by anyone else if the character would come across as well.... but in this case you had the perfect marriage between completely brilliant scriptwriters and the magnificent David Hyde Pierce.
I could probably remember the vast majority of Niles witticisms....each one a gem..... but actually my favourite Niles moment involves no lines at all. When he is having coffee with Martin...and Martin is putting it to him that he would like to move in with him as he and Frasier are not getting along... he is prepared with excuses for why it won't work. Martin then decides he needs to get a little place of his own... and says...."of course I will need a room for Daphne". That magic moment as Niles just quietly stirs his coffee as the penny drops that this is the chance he has been waiting for to get Daphne under his roof is just sublime.
Yet another vote for the brilliant Niles. He is simply adorable and is great at both verbal and physical comedy. David Hyde Pierce is a genius
Just watched the episode where he gets a cockatoo stuck on his head, I don't know how he could play those scene so straight
Niles Crane is by far the funniest sitcom character ever......
I could probably remember the vast majority of Niles witticisms....each one a gem..... but actually my favourite Niles moment involves no lines at all. When he is having coffee with Martin...and Martin is putting it to him that he would like to move in with him as he and Frasier are not getting along... he is prepared with excuses for why it won't work. Martin then decides he needs to get a little place of his own... and says...."of course I will need a room for Daphne". That magic moment as Niles just quietly stirs his coffee as the penny drops that this is the chance he has been waiting for to get Daphne under his roof is just sublime.
Another silent masterpiece from Niles, with fine support from Eddie (love the bit with the scissors!)
They were a fantastic ensemble cast. All the leads were excellent and most of the guest characters were good too (except Daphnes family). I always loved Roz for her witty retorts and Niles. It only went downhill a bit towards the end when Niles and Daphne got together.
The wonderful Niles. With an honourable mention for Roz. When it was the key players with the addition of Bulldog, Gil Chesterton and the KACL menagerie, the show was perfection. In later years it definitely began to lose it's way. I share the view that the introduction of Daphne's family was grim. Anthony LaPaglia, normally a fine actor, was dreadful as her brother Simon. The weird and random attempt at something vaguely resembling an English accent, was embarrassing. As was Millicent Martin's performance as her Mum, which was a low.
From the ensemble,
I always liked Lilith going back to Cheers,
I thought Sherry was a fantastic character to play off Niles/Frasier and Martins' 'class' insecurities.
Julia was a well written character who I learned to like.
I have to mention Marta because she gets some great lines
Bebe is just pure brilliance.
Me too! A 'Cheers' episode repeated the other day had the following fantastic moment between Frasier and Lilith. They're talking about their sex life, which Frasier now sees as non-existent since Lilith is withholding sex:
Lilith: Oh, for goodness sakes Frasier, we've been intimate several times this last month. Look at my day planner. We were together every night this weekend. [looks in her day planner] Oh, good heavens, that wasn't you.
Frasier: What do you mean it wasn't me?
Lilith: I'm kidding. See? Look how tense you are. You wouldn't enjoy it anyway.
Frasier: Well, fine. I don't want it anyway.
Lilith: You do too.
Frasier: I do not.
Lilith: Do so.
Frasier: All right, I do.
Lilith: Well, you're not getting any. [Frasier starts to storm off] Oh, Frasier... isn't it enough that I'm doing it to your mind?
I think the main five, Frasier, Niles, Marty, Daphne and Ros, are all fantastic. Especially when they all come together. It's very hard to choose a definitive favourite, but if pushed I would have to plump for Frasier. I just love when he gets angry and goes off over the most mundane thing. His voice alone is funny enough, but added with the childish actions it's hilarious.
As for the supporting roles I think I'd have to go with Gil Chesterton.
I think the main five, Frasier, Niles, Marty, Daphne and Ros, are all fantastic. Especially when they all come together. It's very hard to choose a definitive favourite, but if pushed I would have to plump for Frasier. I just love when he gets angry and goes off over the most mundane thing. His voice alone is funny enough, but added with the childish actions it's hilarious.
As for the supporting roles I think I'd have to go with Gil Chesterton.
It's so funny when Frasier overacts. I'm not insulting him, I know he's playing it that way deliberately. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kelsey Grammer has the best voice on tv
Beloved Infidel (season 1) is the episode where Martin tells Frasier the truth. Niles wasn't there during that conversation, and we don't see him finding out, not in that episode anyway. I don't recall it being mentioned agin, maybe I've just forgotten. I am doing a Frasier rewatch at the moment though so I'll update you if it is mentioned again (still only on season 6 and no further mention of it so far).
If it's never mentioned again then I guess its up to us to speculate. My thinking is that they would have told Niles the truth.
Beloved Infidel (season 1) is the episode where Martin tells Frasier the truth. Niles wasn't there during that conversation, and we don't see him finding out, not in that episode anyway. I don't recall it being mentioned agin, maybe I've just forgotten. I am doing a Frasier rewatch at the moment though so I'll update you if it is mentioned again (still only on season 6 and no further mention of it so far).
If it's never mentioned again then I guess its up to us to speculate. My thinking is that they would have told Niles the truth.
The programme has a terrific ensemble of main characters. My personal favourite is Niles, his physical comedy is superb. I also love Frasier himself, the ' goofy ' expressions are superb (like when he finds out Niles bleaches his teeth or when he gets the answer message of a lingerie model who says she is going on their date in her work clothes - gets me every time)
From the non regulars my favourite line from Bebe is when Frasier the Crane bird dies. Actual Frasier guesses she killed the bird
F: Bebe is there any chance?
B: Oh Darling........ There's always a chance.
I also enjoy Ronee too, when her and Marty catch Frasier with whipped cream on his chest when a date is in the powder room, they decide to leave Frasier but as she leaves she says, "You may get away with this now... BUT WHEN IM YOUR MOTHER..."
As some have mentioned the writers are terrific. It's my favourite comedy show
Me too! A 'Cheers' episode repeated the other day had the following fantastic moment between Frasier and Lilith. They're talking about their sex life, which Frasier now sees as non-existent since Lilith is withholding sex:
Lilith: Oh, for goodness sakes Frasier, we've been intimate several times this last month. Look at my day planner. We were together every night this weekend. [looks in her day planner] Oh, good heavens, that wasn't you.
Frasier: What do you mean it wasn't me?
Lilith: I'm kidding. See? Look how tense you are. You wouldn't enjoy it anyway.
Frasier: Well, fine. I don't want it anyway.
Lilith: You do too.
Frasier: I do not.
Lilith: Do so.
Frasier: All right, I do.
Lilith: Well, you're not getting any. [Frasier starts to storm off] Oh, Frasier... isn't it enough that I'm doing it to your mind?
Comments
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_for_a_Fiend
John Mahoney also played Sideshow Bob's Father.
Agree 100% about the writers being the real stars of Frasier.
I could probably remember the vast majority of Niles witticisms....each one a gem..... but actually my favourite Niles moment involves no lines at all. When he is having coffee with Martin...and Martin is putting it to him that he would like to move in with him as he and Frasier are not getting along... he is prepared with excuses for why it won't work. Martin then decides he needs to get a little place of his own... and says...."of course I will need a room for Daphne". That magic moment as Niles just quietly stirs his coffee as the penny drops that this is the chance he has been waiting for to get Daphne under his roof is just sublime.
That's an understatement, if I ever heard one.
Niles would be my favourite character though. Closely followed by Lilith. The episodes she's in were invariably some of the shows best.
There were always some good scenes/lines also whenever the Gil character was around.
Just watched the episode where he gets a cockatoo stuck on his head, I don't know how he could play those scene so straight
Ah that I didn't know, that is so cool!
Something of a Freudian comment.
Another silent masterpiece from Niles, with fine support from Eddie (love the bit with the scissors!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mWiPaQ872c
From the ensemble,
I always liked Lilith going back to Cheers,
I thought Sherry was a fantastic character to play off Niles/Frasier and Martins' 'class' insecurities.
Julia was a well written character who I learned to like.
I have to mention Marta because she gets some great lines
Bebe is just pure brilliance.
Me too! A 'Cheers' episode repeated the other day had the following fantastic moment between Frasier and Lilith. They're talking about their sex life, which Frasier now sees as non-existent since Lilith is withholding sex:
Lilith: Oh, for goodness sakes Frasier, we've been intimate several times this last month. Look at my day planner. We were together every night this weekend. [looks in her day planner] Oh, good heavens, that wasn't you.
Frasier: What do you mean it wasn't me?
Lilith: I'm kidding. See? Look how tense you are. You wouldn't enjoy it anyway.
Frasier: Well, fine. I don't want it anyway.
Lilith: You do too.
Frasier: I do not.
Lilith: Do so.
Frasier: All right, I do.
Lilith: Well, you're not getting any. [Frasier starts to storm off] Oh, Frasier... isn't it enough that I'm doing it to your mind?
As for the supporting roles I think I'd have to go with Gil Chesterton.
Did Niles ever find out about his mum's affair? If so, in which episode?
If it's never mentioned again then I guess its up to us to speculate. My thinking is that they would have told Niles the truth.
From the non regulars my favourite line from Bebe is when Frasier the Crane bird dies. Actual Frasier guesses she killed the bird
F: Bebe is there any chance?
B: Oh Darling........ There's always a chance.
I also enjoy Ronee too, when her and Marty catch Frasier with whipped cream on his chest when a date is in the powder room, they decide to leave Frasier but as she leaves she says, "You may get away with this now... BUT WHEN IM YOUR MOTHER..."
As some have mentioned the writers are terrific. It's my favourite comedy show
Bebe
Gil Chesterton
Simon Moon
This made me laugh