My Coffee with Niles

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“My Coffee With Niles”

Frasier episode

Episode no.

Season 1
Episode 24

Written by

David Angell, Peter Casey

Directed by

James Burrows

Guest stars

Luck Hari (Waitress)

Production no.

40571-024

Original airdate

19 May 1994

Episode chronology
← Previous	Next →
"Frasier Crane's Day Off"	"Slow Tango in South Seattle"

List of Frasier episodes (Season 1)

"My Coffee with Niles" is the 24th and final episode from the first season of the television sitcom Frasier. It was first broadcast on 19 May 1994.

1 Main cast and characters
2 Plot outline
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 References

[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

Entering Cafe Nervosa for his regular coffee with Niles whilst his brother is giving Maris directions (she wandered into the kitchen of their house by mistake), Frasier is perturbed by how busy the coffee shop is; there are no seats anywhere, and Niles' dirty look at a group who've finished their coffee but have yet to move has gotten him nowhere. After hearing of Niles' recent acquisition of a Zen garden and Maris' recent affinity for meditation (albeit with her cell phone and a Danielle Steel novel), Frasier reveals it has been a year to the day since he moved to Seattle. The group finally move, but the table is claimed before Niles and Frasier can reach it; as Frasier practices his glare on their usual table, Niles takes leave to use the rest room.

Returning from the restroom bemoaning the new (and oily) hand moisturizer dispenser in the bathroom, Niles finds there are still no vacant seats. Frasier, meanwhile, discovers that his coffee is not decaf, requesting that the waitress fix him another. Deciding to sit 'al fresco', the brothers finally locate an outside table. Conversation returns to Frasier's fresh start in his life, prompting Niles to ask an interesting question – “Are you happy?” This seemingly simple question appears to give Frasier much thought; as they argue as to whether it is as simple a question as it appears, Niles reveals that he is, in fact, unhappy, allowing Frasier to turn the question back on him. Niles reveals that, in watching a PBS documentary about the Great Depression, he was struck by the simple expression of joy on a poor child’s face as he received a new pair of shoes, causing him to reflect on how he had never experienced such joy. This has given him pause for thought, as he has everything he could possibly want, including successful work, a comfortable and elegant lifestyle and a beautiful and wealthy wife – leading Frasier to question whether Niles married Maris for the money, which Niles indignantly denies, insisting that he and his wife are happy. Managing to steer the conversation back to Frasier, Niles returns to his original question, only to be interrupted by Roz, who is at Café Nervosa to meet a potential future boyfriend. After exchanging a barbed conversation with Niles, she enters to find a table; in conversing about Roz’s dislike of Niles, the conversation drifts to whether Frasier has ever considered a romance with her, only to be interrupted again by the waitress with Frasier’s coffee (which is still not satisfactory) and the rain, driving the two inside – where, thanks to Niles’ aggressive moves, they manage to find a table. Conversation about Martin and Frasier’s living arrangements and the handsomeness of Roz’s potential boyfriend are interrupted by Daphne and Martin, who are out walking Eddie, and have came to get coffee beans. Martin is in an unusually sharp mood, both with the waitress and Frasier, whom he lectures on the ‘toast sweat’ left behind in the kitchen whilst making his breakfast. An argument ensues, which ends with Martin storming out of the coffee shop, angrily deciding to find his own place. Having once again met with unsatisfactory coffee from the increasingly exasperated waitress, Frasier elects to visit the restroom.

When Frasier returns from the restroom (having also encountered the over-oily hand dispenser and over-ebulliently greeted the next man to open the door), he and Daphne commiserate over Martin’s recent bad-temper. Daphne leaves to find Martin, leaving Frasier and Niles to explore their relationship with their father – who, having been brought down from a position of authority in both work and family, is clearly suffering the effects. After Niles receives his second coffee (leaving Frasier still waiting for his first), Frasier bluntly asks Niles if he is in love with Daphne. Initially indignant, Niles admits that he isn’t certain, and acknowledges that he might not be entirely happy in his marriage. That settled, Niles once again returns the conversation to it’s original topic; is Frasier happy? Yet again, before Frasier can answer they are interrupted, this time by Roz bemoaning her unsuccessful date. Before Niles can finally get an answer, Martin returns, apologising for his earlier tantrum. He is persuaded to reveal the cause of his recent melancholia; it was his birthday earlier in the week, and no one remembered. Niles’ lame attempt at pretending that he did remember, but saved the surprise for a week so it was more of a surprise fools no one; genuinely remorseful, Frasier and Niles apologise and agree to take Martin out for a meal wherever he wants to go – including, to their reluctance, his favourite German restaurant. Leaving to give Martin, Daphne and Eddie a lift home, Niles thanks Frasier for another enjoyable coffee and departs, leaving Frasier alone. The waitress finally returns, having prepared a coffee to Frasier’s specifications, and wearily demands to know whether he’s happy – to which Frasier, clearly answering Niles, calmly replies that he is.

[edit] Trivia

Aside from the long-suffering waitress dealing with Frasier's order, there are no guest stars.
The episode takes place in 'real time'. The occasions when Frasier and Niles depart to the restroom are perfectly synched with the period and length of the ad-breaks.
The title is likely a reference to the movie My Dinner With Andre, which also takes place over the course of a meal and involves a conversation about life between two men.
Niles speculates as to why he would say "wow" at the appearance of Roz's date, to which Frasier (jokingly) says to Niles "you are a gay man". In 2007, David Hyde Pierce, who plays Niles, publicly acknowledged he is gay. ^[1]
Daphne says the word 'bumbershoot' and indicates that it's a British English expression. In fact, the term 'bumbershoot' is American in origin.^[2]