Are You Being Served? (Frasier)

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“Are You Being Served?”
Frasier episode
Episode no. Season 4
Episode 21
Written by William Lucas Walker
Directed by Gordon Hunt
Guest stars Luck Hari (Waitress) , Alan Wilder (Leo), Michael McFall (Messenger), Gerry Gibson (Tom)
Production no. 40571-088
Original airdate 13 May 1997
Episode chronology
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"Daphne Hates Sherry" "Ask Me No Questions"
List of Frasier episodes (Season 4)

"Are You Being Served" is the title of the twenty-first episode of the fourth season of the American television sitcom Frasier.

Contents

[edit] Main cast and characters

Kelsey Grammer - Frasier Crane
David Hyde Pierce - Niles Crane
John Mahoney - Martin Crane
Jane Leeves - Daphne Moon
Peri Gilpin - Roz Doyle

[edit] Plot outline

Niles is in good spirits; his separation with Maris could soon be over, as he is in negotiating with her to save their marriage, and one of his conditions is that they enter couples counseling. Unfortunately, Maris' exact words on the subject were 'I'll think about it', and a courier arrives with ill tidings - Maris has served Niles with divorce papers. Niles appears to be take this bombshell with remarkable calm, but his facade of cool disintegrates rapidly as he attempts to call Maris and cringingly beg her to take him back. Frasier reminds Niles the reason demanded the separation in the first place was because he was tired of groveling to Maris, and Niles appears to accept his new circumstances.

Later, as Daphne unsuccessfully attempts to throw out a box of old rubbish belonging to Martin including an old shaving foam heater(The Hot 'n' Foamy), Niles arrives to take dinner with Frasier. In the box, however, they discover an old journal that is revealed to have belonged to their mother, and which details with remarkable accuracy what appears to be the relationship between and characteristics of both Frasier and Niles. Niles is shaken by his mother's assertion that he "constantly allows himself to be cowed and dominated, especially by females" and reveals has not signed the divorce papers, instead sending them back with a groveling letter begging Maris to take him back. However, Maris is out of town until later that day, and so the brothers break into Maris' home, helped by the fact that she hasn't changed the locks, and locate the papers. They are surprised by the vicious guard dogs, whom Niles greets as his 'puppies' until they try and bite him; it turns out that, instead of changing the locks, Maris has changed the guard dogs.

Meatballs laced with sleeping medication (of which Maris has plenty) prove to be a simple answer; the dogs are soon out cold, enabling the brothers to make their escape. Niles, however, is horrified to discover in the meantime that Maris has had him painted out of their portrait - and, to add insult to injury, has had his face painted onto a skunk instead. This is the last straw for Niles; humiliated and bitter, he rages at his own spinelessness, evidenced by the luxurious items in his home purchased as gifts to calm Maris after her many tantrums. Determined not to be pushed around any more, he signs the divorce papers and removes the begging note. Back at Frasier's, however, Niles' resolve deserts him has the gravity of what he has done hits him, and he begins to have second thoughts. Frasier attempts to revive Niles' newfound determination by re-reading the passage of his mother's journal that inspired him, but is astonished to discover that the journal in fact documents their mother's experiment with two laboratory mice named Frasier and Niles, whom the two sons were named after. Realising he's ended his marriage based on the personality evaluation of a rodent, Niles suffers a hysterical panic attack and locks himself in the bathroom, and the others are horrified by what sounds like a loud gunshot. Niles has not committed suicide, however; the pop was Martin's foam heater exploding, and Niles emerges from the bathroom shell-shocked and covered in foam. At that moment, he receives a phone call from Maris; it transpires that the divorce papers were a bluff on her part, and she begs him to take it back, agreeing to enter couples counseling.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Memorable quotes

Frasier: Niles, that's three meatballs in a row, straight into the koi pond - stop trying to throw! Just drop them! You can drop straight, can't you?!
Frasier: Niles, are you alright?
Niles: I'm fine, just all hot-- and foamy--
Martin: You know what must've happend? My hot and foamy must have exploded!
Daphne: He used to be a detective you know--

[edit] See also

[edit] External links