Frasier - The Tenth Season DVD Credits:

Region: 1

Frasier - The Tenth Season DVD Release Date: 11th December 2007

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Frasier - The Tenth Season DVD Review:

Beginning in 1993, the television show “Frasier” is at the height of its hilarity in its tenth season. Recently released on DVD, the penultimate season contains some of the show’s funniest episodes, but also a drawn out, overbearing storyline involving Niles and his open-heart surgery. However, despite this annoying tangent into melodrama, the mincing, epicurean characters of Dr. Niles and Frasier Crane manage a steady flow of situational comedy style laughs.

Season 10 contains some of extremely funny episodes, such as Bristle While You Work, guest starring Ana Gasteyer as a nutty, unmotivated housekeeper, curiously similar to her SNL cohort Cheri Oteri’s character in The Nanny from Hell episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Gasteyer is her usual glib self, but John Mahoney is at his best in this episode. Much to the dismay of Frasier, Niles, and Daphne, Martin Crane pushes to hire Gasteyer because of her affinity for the Seattle Supersonics and her lack of snootiness. However, he ends up spending all of his time covering for her ineptness, performing all of her housekeeping duties himself, all the while attempting to convince Frasier of the housekeeper’s competence. Mahoney’s blue-collar, rough around the edges character is a breath of fresh air amongst the whininess of Niles and Frasier, and his comedic gifts make the Bristle While You Work episode an all-time favorite.

Another gem of Season 10 is the Star-Mitzvah episode. Eager to demonstrate his love for his son with a special blessing at the bar mitzvah, Frasier opts to learn Hebrew from “trekkie” stationmate Noel (played by the nebbishy and hilarious Patrick Kerr) in exchange for obtaining Scott Bakula’s signature. Unable to perform the task, Frasier is duped by Noel into learning Klingon, and proceeds to give the entire blessing in Colonel Worf’s native language. Of course he delivers the blessing in that famously self-satisfied, Frasierly air, making the comedic payoff that much more rewarding. This is “Frasier” in all of its “egg on your face” glory, a type of humor allowed by Kelsey Grammar’s ability to be extremely pompous but genuinely self-aware of his foibles. Ultimately, it is Grammar’s ability as an actor, and his character’s ability to keep himself in check that prevent the show from venturing into the annoying. And kind of like the field of psychology, we often have to take Frasier and his counterparts with a grain of salt. But if you’re willing to do so, there are a lot of laughs along the way.

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Frasier - The Tenth Season DVD review written by: David Friedman