# Fraiser Finale - Now THAT is how you do it! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049 "2004-05-14T02:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/21 "2004-05-14T13:02:40Z")
The dying bit was hysterical, especially when Fraiser said “When I pass through that Golden Gate…” The Seinfeld reruns on Wednesday & Thursday were the two with Jane Leeves as the virgin (which included the contest). Nice tie-in. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/22 "2004-05-14T13:06:35Z")
According to the [NBC homepage](http://www.nbc.com/), they are going to rebroadcast the finale tonight. 😃 Yippee! I missed it last night! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/23 "2004-05-14T13:12:50Z")
I missed it as well. Is Martin going to keep the apartment? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/24 "2004-05-14T13:31:07Z")
It wasn’t great. It wasn’t bad. It was decent. It was a classy wrap up to a classy show. But I would have liked it better if it had ended with the radio sign off. I thought the Chicago tack on was unneccessary. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/25 "2004-05-14T13:42:14Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I missed it as well. Is Martin going to keep the apartment? There was scene after Martin’s wedding where a mover was finally taking away his chair, which I took to man he was going to live with his new wife and leave the apartment to Frasier. ---
**Author:** ![williamweigand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b3f665/32.png) [@williamweigand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williamweigand)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/26 "2004-05-14T14:39:48Z")
When I first heard Chicago mentioned I thought “Hmmm…psychiatrist and Chicago”. I’m not sure if I would have laughed my ass off or thrown something at the TV screen if the “Frasier” finale ended with Bob Newhart and Susanne Pleshette in bed together , and Bob saying “Emily - I just had the weirdest dream!” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/27 "2004-05-14T14:43:19Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I missed it as well. Is Martin going to keep the apartment? It wasn’t Martin’s apartment. It was Frasier’s. How did Martin hook up with Ronnie in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/28 "2004-05-14T14:45:14Z")
> [@](#): > > You do know the show drew regularly high ratings for 11 years, right? Decent ratings, yes. But nothing like the brainless comedies like Friends. > [@](#): > > Fraiser has what he’s wanted for the past decade: his apartment, all to himself, exactly the way he wants it. The moment he has exactly what he thought he wanted, he decides to move on because it’s still not enough. That moment captured the character perfectly. Oh yes :D. The look on Frasier’s face after Martin’s chair was taken away (and he tells the mover to treat it gently) was priceless. What a fabulously acted show… and it gets one of the best sendoffs of all time. I’m pleased. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Pirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Psycho\_Pirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Pirate)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/29 "2004-05-14T14:51:17Z")
SPOILER There was also a nice touch with the delivery man taking away Martin’s chair. It was the same actor that originally delivered the chair, and the chair Fraiser put back was the one that was there 11 years ago. Well done. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/30 "2004-05-14T15:04:00Z")
I had given up on this show several years ago because of the insufferable Niles/Daphne thread and the general treading-of-water that the series was suffering from, but I had enjoyed the show in its early years and thought I’d catch the finale. I’m glad I did. Everything wrapped up without the script coming to a standstill or going into contortions–it was seamless, funny, devoid of sentimentality, but still emotional. And the guest stars integrated easily, without constantly reminding you that So-&-So is there stealing the limelight. The tepid _Friends_ finale genuinely suffered by comparison. This was a classy way to go. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/31 "2004-05-14T15:06:21Z")
> [@Number Six](#): > > … the girl on the plane (who I think was Jennifer Beals) Yep, it was Jennifer Beals. I liked that casting, though the part was minor. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/32 "2004-05-14T15:44:27Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I teared up when Martin said, “Thank you,” to Frasier. Hubby and I both started sniffling then; it was pretty clear that the man was speaking, as well as the character. And I agree with others who’ve criticized certain story lines - that whole Niles/Daphne thing got so lame, and a little Roz goes a long way, plus Frazier’s love life became way too predictable (although I loved Jean Smart’s character!). But the episodes that concentrated on the brothers’ metrosexual characters, those were priceless. I particularly loved the one where they wanted to run the upscale restaurant & wound up destroying it, although not before Niles and Daphne mastered the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/33 "2004-05-14T15:54:07Z")
> [@](#): > > that whole Niles/Daphne thing got so lame It almost seemed that they didn’t think the show would last all those seasons ;). There is only so far you can take something like that though. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/34 "2004-05-14T16:04:31Z")
Just a splendid finale. This one joins the ranks of Mary Tyler Moore and Newhart. Chicago — I never saw it coming. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/35 "2004-05-14T17:12:40Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Oh yes :D. The look on Frasier’s face after Martin’s chair was taken away (and he tells the mover to treat it gently) was priceless. And a follow-up bit to that which was just as priceless was Frasier’s look after Martin sits down in the original chair that Frasier had there – the black one – and said, “Oh, yeah… this would have worked, too.” 😃 Great send-off, still quite funny without degenerating into the typical “cheesy” wrap-up ending, and enough mystery left that we know Frasier is taking a risk and pursuing his heart, even if we don’t know the whole outcome. Great finale to a great show. ---
**Author:** ![rookie523](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@rookie523](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rookie523)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/36 "2004-05-14T17:34:11Z")
Is Frasier the most successful spinoff show? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/37 "2004-05-14T17:39:31Z")
I’d say it’s either ‘Frasier’ or ‘The Jeffersons’ (which spun off from ‘All in the Family’). ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/38 "2004-05-14T17:44:39Z")
I liked the finale a lot. I’m not entirely sure I stopped laughing throughout the entire episode. The only part that annoys me is that Daphne’s other two brothers weren’t on more episodes. The dominated every scene they were in. I thought they wrapped things up just enough without using the whole episode to accomodate the wrap up. The ending wasn’t really a shock to me but that’s okay, it fit well enough. ---
**Author:** ![Riqay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Riqay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riqay)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/39 "2004-05-14T17:48:22Z")
> [@rookie523](#): > > Is Frasier the most successful spinoff show? **related hijack** Where does Frasier rank in terms of the longest lived fictional characters on TV? It’s gotta be 16 or 17 years for him, right? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049/40 "2004-05-14T17:49:54Z")
> [@rookie523](#): > > Is _Frasier_ the most successful spinoff show? That’s probably a reasonable statement by the obvious standards: **Longevity** – _Frasier_ lasted 11 seasons, surpassing _The Jeffersons_ 10-season run and _The Facts of Life’s_ nine seasons. There might be a longer-lasting spin-off, but I’ll leave it to the TV trivia mavens to let us know. **Awards** – _Frasier_ is, AFAIK, the sitcom with the most Emmy awards all time at 31. **Ratings** – Not sure where to find this info online for all TV shows all time. Older shows probably drew bigger shares, so I’d be more interested to know season-end finishes year-by-year for _Frasier_ and the other shows mentioned in this thread. _Frasier_ was certainly no ratings slouch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fraiser-finale-now-that-is-how-you-do-it/245049.md?page=3)