The Two Mrs. Cranes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Frasier episode | |
|---|---|
| “The Two Mrs. Cranes” | |
| Episode no. | Season 04 Episode 01 |
| Guest star(s) | Edward Hibbert (Gil Chesterton) , Scott Atkinson (Clive) |
| Writer(s) | Joe Keenan |
| Director | David Lee |
| Production no. | 40571-073 |
| Original airdate | 17 September 1996 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "You Can Go Home Again" | "Love Bites Dog" |
"The Two Mrs. Cranes" is the first episode in the fourth series of the American television sitcom Frasier
Contents |
[edit] Main cast and characters
Kelsey Grammer – Dr. Frasier Crane
David Hyde Pierce – Dr. Niles Crane
John Mahoney – Martin Crane
Jane Leeves – Daphne Moon
Peri Gilpin – Roz Doyle
[edit] Plot outline
Frasier's 'pleasant' breakfast - during which he must endure Niles' picky habit of pulling things he doesn't like out of his muffin with tweezers - is interrupted both by Martin's impending Army reunion (which either Niles, Daphne or Frasier will be unlucky enough to have to drive him to) and a phone call from Clive, an old fiancé of Daphne's, whom Daphne ditched due to his lack of ambition and drive. Wanting to let him down gently, Daphne told him that they would make another go of it in five years if both were still single - and true to her word, Clive's in Seattle. Frasier urges her to be honest with Clive if she's still not interested, and to prove his point, tells Martin truthfully that he neither wants to and has no intention of driving Martin to his reunion at Rattlesnake Ridge. He is soon guilted into it, however.
After Frasier's show, food critic Gil Chesterton bursts in praising Frasier's skill and ability - which means he wants a favour. Unfortunately, Frasier cannot act as his alibi to get out of a co-worker's (usually dreadful) dinner party, as he is driving Martin to his reunion (an excuse Gil would use, had he not already killed his father off as a previous alibi). Frasier then demands that Roz return his opera glasses, as he is going to the opera tonight - and in any case, Roz only uses them to ogle the bodybuilder who lives across the street from her.
Having agreed to meet Clive at the apartment for a drink that night, Daphne is working hard at appearing as unapproachable as possible (despite Frasier's suggestion that, as five years is a long time to be still in love with someone, Clive merely may want to catch up). A knock at the door shakes her nerves - it is not Clive, however, but Niles, who has 'forgotten' that Clive is coming around. Frasier, seeing through his protestations, tells him they're going out to dinner, and to make himself scarce in the kitchen.
Moments later, another knock on the door reveals Clive. It turns out that Clive's undying love for Daphne is the reason he's around after all; and just as he's making his declaration of undying adoration, Niles - none too happy at this - bursts in with an interruption. Daphne takes this opportunity to introduce Clive to Niles - her 'husband'.
Whilst Daphne apologises to Niles in the kitchen for this sudden turn of events - once again, she didn't want to hurt Clive and it seemed the kindest way out - Frasier enters the room and introduces himself to Clive. Upon hearing that Clive has met Niles and his 'wife', he immediately assumes that Clive means Maris - and takes the opportunity to laugh at her. Niles and Daphne emerge to see what is happening, and say that Frasier is temporarily living with them, as he has broken up with his 'wife' - Maris.
Excusing themselves to the kitchen, Frasier and Daphne argue - Frasier is annoyed that, instead of being honest with Clive, everyone now has to play along to this ridiculous charade. Daphne argues thatit'll be for just a drink - until Niles, delighting in lording his 'relationship' with Daphne over Clive, invites their guest to dinner. Daphne promises to make it up to Frasier in whatever way he sees fit - realizing too late that this means Rattlesnake Ridge with Martin for her. Nevertheless, she is trapped, and must agree.
As long as they can keep their stories straight and everything simple, it will all be fine - which makes it somewhat unfortunate that Martin is still in the house. Once the situation is explained to him - and somewhat offended at Frasier and Niles' casual dismissal of his improvisational skills - Martin evilly delights in making the situation much more complicated than it has to be, by claiming that he is in fact a retired astronaut. And that Roz, who has stopped by to return Frasier's opera glasses, is actually Maris.
As Frasier explains the situation to Roz, Daphne and Clive chat - and Daphne realizes that, far from the unmotivated slacker she dumped several years ago, Clive is now a successful businessman operating a chain of sporting goods stores. This suddenly makes Clive a lot more appealing to Daphne than he had been before, meaning that the charade is no longer necessary; but Niles is unwilling to give up playing the loving husband, and Roz - having taken something of a shine to Clive herself - is more than eager to stay for dinner.
Over dinner, everyone suffers through Martin's ludicrously implausible astronaut stories (save Clive, who believes every word). Roz, however, manage to distract herself with none-too-subtle flirting with Clive - much to Daphne's fury. Once they're alone, Daphne demands to Frasier that Roz remember she's supposed to be pretending that she's married and stop flirting with Clive (somewhat hypocritically, as Daphne herself has been flirting outrageously with Clive despite also being 'married'). Nevertheless, if Frasier doesn't get rid of Roz, it's Rattlesnake Ridge for him. And Martin's friend Stinky needs a ride as well.
Roz is unwilling to leave with Frasier, however, and so the interaction between the two women steadily becomes more antagonistic and bitchy, with Daphne coolly painting Roz as a sterile, overeating alcoholic - until Roz counters by telling Clive that Daphne is pregnant. Matters are not helped when Niles interjects that it's a sore point as Frasier is impotent, and Clive, stunned by these latest revelations, retreats to the restroom. Once he's in there, Daphne and Roz begin to bicker furiously about who should get Clive.
Frasier - by now utterly furious and thoroughly sick of the ludicrous charade - demands to know whether everyone's lost their senses. Niles, meanwhile, is just bewildered as to why both women are so bitterly fighting over Clive anyway, as the man has the charm of a cricket bat. During the ensuing argument, no one notices Clive emerge from the restroom - just as Daphne bemoans how she's going to get rid of 'this bloody baby'.
By this point, Clive has had enough as well. Having kept his silence all evening, he's now unable to restrain himself about how appalling he thinks everyone is; Frasier, for breaking up with his 'wife' over opera glasses; Niles, for lording it over him all evening; and especially Roz and Daphne, for their shameless flirting with him right in front of their 'husbands', especially as 'Maris' has just 'reconciled' with Frasier and Daphne is 'pregnant' with Niles' child. Daphne begs him to reconsider, as they aren't the awful people he thinks they are (although Frasier's declaration that 'the truth is we've been lying to you all night!' probably doesn't help matters). But Clive, by now firmly over Daphne (much to her distress), storms out, bemoaning how such a terrible family could have come from 'that sweet, courageous astronaut'.
[edit] Trivia
- Clive is mentioned later in the series in the episode "Visions of Daphne".
- Sources for the usual parody title include the films The Two Mrs. Carrolls and The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, together with the TV series The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (which featured Frasier's recurring guest star Harriet Sansom Harris).
- Certain of the stories fabricated for Clive's benefit foreshadow actual plot developments in later seasons.
