I’ve seen “Frasier” many times, and I’m JUST now beginning to think to myself that Frasier is a pretty bad shrink. He’s always praised on the show for his advice. I’ve heard him give some insight on peoples problems, but most are generic problems that 6th graders can bring insight to.
I do seem to remember an episode where Fraiser missed something in his honor to help someone. I’m starting to like the character less now that I’m thinking he has no business doing what he does, and should be responsible enough to realize he’s giving bad advice, and quit.
Am I just missing the “good” in him? Are all the viewers missing his giving good advise, (the good advice isn’t funny)?
I think it’s that the screwy situations make for better comedy. He’s supposed to be fairly well-noted and thought of, for his radio show. But they like to open the show with a weird caller at the end of his radio show (frequently voiced by miscellaneous guest celebs), for the humor value.
There have been episodes with him genuinely helping somebody – but in those cases it’s more a part of a given episode’s storyline. Sorry, no examples off the top of my head at the moment.
There is an ethical episode. He has a caller, Nico, who is being pretty assholish to his girlfriend. He advises Nico to break up with her since he’s just staying with her until something better comes along. The girlfriend comes to the station and gets angry at Frasier, who then tells her the story. Eventually they start dating. Nico calls back, saying he wants to give his g/f another chance, and should he go for it? Frasier advises against it but of course, he’s pretty biased.
Finally he ends up breaking up with the girl, realizing that his judgment was clouded, that he wasn’t being ethical enough. So…yeah, he didn’t help anyone. But he’s ethical.
You have to consider what his goals are as a radio talk show host before you can judge him a success or failure. These goals are obviously different than those of a psychiatrist one sees on a regular basis. By that standard, I think his advice is usually pretty good, and in real life hopefully it would lead a caller to at least gain a better insight into his problem.
One time a woman called in about an overeating problem, and Fraser was able to give her some helpful advice. It turned out that she was one of Niles’s patients, and Niles got ticked off that Fraser had usurped therapy that he had been giving to one of his patients. I don’t think they actually showed the call, though, but it was Fraser helping someone.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that Frasier helps dozens of people a day, just off screen, as these segments would be deafeningly unamusing for the most part. For entertainment purposes, we only see the screwed up callers.
There was an episode in which Frasier was supposed to get an award, and the mayor proclaimed it Frasier Crane Day, but circumstances beyond his control kept him from the parade until the end of the episode, where he sat in a limo and helped the driver out with a problem instead of going to the parade.
So yes, he helps people, but a true psychiatric session isn’t usually prone to humor. The same goes for Niles.