I Think 'Frasier' Jumped The Shark On Tuesday (1 Viewer)

[Chuck C]

I really wasn't feeling this Tuesday's "special-Niles has surgery" 'Frasier'. The writers evoked a tremendous amount of drama, esp. with Daphne. The theme "do you think the hospital remembers people" was creative and evecuted in a somewhat orignal fashion, but I was not hip to it. This episdoe should have been reserved for Thursday night at 10pm! any other thoughts?

 

[Paul McElligott]

"Very special" episodes are usually prime shark-jumping season.

 

[Mark C.]

I believe I hear the theme from "Jaws.''

 

[DeeF]

I didn't watch it. What was the surgery for?

 

[MickeS]

Isn't "Frasier" supposed to be a comedy? This doesn't sound that funny, to me... I have it on tape though, haven't watched it yet.

 

[Craig S]

I dunno, I thought Tuesday's episode was very well done (unlike NBC's noxious promos). And yes, it was funny in the right spots.

I don't believe in the whole "jump the shark" thing. Tracing a series' decline to a single moment or episode is kind of silly, IMO (although I admit it can be fun as well). "Frasier" is a very good show in its sunset years. It doesn't hit the highs as often or as well as it did before, but it's still worth watching due to its brilliant cast, which is simply one of the finest ensembles in sitcom history (and which, amazingly, has been together for 10 years now).

 

[Joe McCabe]

Craig,

The creator of the Jump The Shark site stated that a "Jump The Shark moment", doesn't mean the show is done/horrible, it just means that it's a moment where you say to yourself, "ok, this show isn't quite as good as it used to be".

These moments usually occur when a show has been on for a long time, and all other avenues have been persued.

To me, Fraiser jumped a while back, but I still watch it every week, because it still has many redeeming qualities.

 

[Chuck C]

Craig, I agree that Frasier is having a great "sunset" run, but I fell that the "very Special" episode was out of place. I thought this season was doing great until the two-part surgery episode hit. That said, I bet Frasier will bounce back immediately with another funny episode.

 

[TonyD]

it jumped for me last year or so when almost every ep was about niles and daphne and not fraser

 

[PhilipG]

That was an excellent episode - well written, and the usual great performances.
It's very rare that a comedy can get away with this sort of drama in an episode. The last time I remember this sort of thing was the finale of Blackadder Goes Forth.

 

[VicRuiz]

I think the phrase "jump the shark" has jumped the shark.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I love Frasier, but the promos made me decide to avoid this ep. I just can't abide "drama" in a sitcom.

 

[Chuck C]

I agree, in fact I think that the phrase "I think the phrase "jump the shark" has jumped the shark" has jumped the shark.

 

[Don Black]

I liked the first part. They "one in a million" gag was funny. The second part just wasn't well directed. It didn't flow and the flashbacks seemed forced.

 

[Lee L]

I for one was floored by the fact these last couple of episodes actually resembled the previews. NBC has been horrible with the promos for Fraiser going back a few years now.

 

[AndyW]

I hate to break the bad news, but Fraiser jumped the shark years ago.

 

[Chris]

The last time I remember this sort of thing was the finale of Blackadder Goes Forth.

Blackadder, the entire series, is hard to put into the same league as most American comedies. Blackadder Goes Forth ended with what is one of the greatest endings in all of television (IMHO). It ended in such a way that it captured the horror of war; the show, in most ways, better exemplified WWI, a forgotten war, better then most television drama. Yes, it was farcical and offbeat (but in actuality, so was a good deal of the decision making in the war)

And, to those that asked, "Jumping the Shark" of course refers to the famed disasterous episode of Happy Days where Fonz "jumped the shark" which was the tale of it's downfall.

 

[Jeffrey_Scotts]

I love Frasier, but the promos made me decide to avoid this ep. I just can't abide "drama" in a sitcom.

I couldn't agree more with the same feelings you have. When I watch a show it's because of what it is and when you change the formula, then it blows up. Frasier is a SITCOM and NOT a DRAMA. If I wanted to watch hospital drama I'd watch E.R. or another drama type show.

Other "sitcoms" have done the same thing in the past and that's usually when you knew they were out of ideas before the show ended shortly. When you change what the show is, a sitcom, then it's no longer why you tune in to watch it. That's what they don't seem to get. I want to watch a sitcom, ergo it should be funny, not serious. The best ones that always stayed true to form are some of history's greatest shows produced (i.e. Beverly Hillbillies, Cheers).

To me, the writers haven't handled anything even close to being right since 1999/2000 after Niles and Dauphne ran off at seasons end. Instead, the writers came up with an "eating disorder" to cover up her pregnancy. That was lame and showed the talent wasn't even close to what the early years were. Niles and Dauphne should've had a kid by now and that would give them tons of great episodes for the past year/two to work with. Can you imagine Niles as a Dad, oh the paranoia that could be shown. He's such a nurotic character you could come up with endless material there. Such as trying out car seats for the little one, testing a teething ring, etc. The possabilities are endless there and would make great material.

But instead, the show has been stale for a good two seasons now and I just loved the early years it was on. Despite what Kelsey Grammer says in real life, Frasier IS NOT near the quality show it was and it's appearent.

 

[Cal S]

"Will & Grace" jump about a dozen sharks with that stupid wedding.

 

[ScottH]

I don't watch Frasier, but I'll never understand why these sitcoms continuously insist on doing these "Very Special" episodes. Cheers and Seinfeld are the only two long-lasting sitcoms I can think of that never did this. One could probably even argue that Cheers actually did, but even when they did it always seemed to be a big joke and was still funny (Eddie LeBeck being killed by a zamboni comes to mind).